William Knight Boardman (1852-1910)

BOARDMAN, HENNINGSEN

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 2/21/2017 at 16:35:30

From Nevada Representative December 27, 1910 (front page)

OBITUARY

DEATH OF W. K. BOARDMAN

W. K. Boardman, long one of the most prominent citizens of Story county, died Monday afternoon at the Loomis apartments in Los Angeles, where he and his wife and daughter, with Mrs. Boardman's sisters, Misses Louise and Hattie Henningsen, were established for the winter. The news of his death comes as a shock to all, and the telegram received this morning by his son Frank M. indicates that his death was likewise an entire surprise to those who were with him. He had been indisposed since Sunday evening but not in a way to occasion any concern. Then there came another stroke of apoplexy, which is described at "slight" but which was enough to bring to him a quick and easy death. Brief services will be held in Los Angeles Wednesday, and Mrs. Boardman and Miss Lois will start with the body for home Thursday morning. They will be due here early Sunday morning, and the funeral will be held next Sunday afternoon at the Presbyterian church in this city.

William King Boardman was born at Troy, Vermont, June 22, 1852, and died at Los Angeles, California December 26, 1910, aged 58 years, 6 months and 4 days. His father, Norman Boardman, removed in war time or thereabout to Lyons, Iowa, where he thereafter resided. W. K., however, spent considerable time with relatives in Vermont and was educated at Dean Acadamy, Franklin, Massachusetts. Returning home, he was married in 1877 to Miss Addie Henningsen of Lyons, and soon thereafter he came to Nevada, started in the clothing business and established his home on the corner where he has ever since resided. About this time Warren Mead, one of the Mead family of Boston, came here and started the produce business, he and his wife making their home with the Boardmans. Mr. Mead died suddenly, and Mr. Boardman took the body home to Boston. One of the senior Meads came back with him to see about the business and the result was that Homer C. Boardman came here also, and the firm of Boardman Bros. took over the business which they conducted with much success for nearly twenty five years. All of this time the Boardmans were always counted as among the most active and useful residents of the community, promoting everything that was for the public welfare and engaging in everything of general interest that was going on. In this time, W. K. was dairy commissioner through the Jackson and Drake state administrations, might have so continued through the Shaw administration if he had not declined to do so, served several years very usefully on the city council, and was for six years a trustee of the Iowa State College at Ames. Forceful, outspoken and always to be counted upon where he ought to be, he was honored at home and esteemed abroad.

Such was the general situation when in May of 1902, as he was just coming to his fiftieth milestone, he had a stroke of apoplexy that virtually closed his active life. For weeks his condition was desperate; but he gradually uncovered a degree, became able to be about more or less and to have interest in affairs. During his illness, however, the business had passed into other hands, and he never in his progress reached the stage of again entering actively into the game. He was an interested on-looker, but the interest which he was able to manifest was no suggestion of the part he had formerly played. The misfortune of shattered strength, however he bore with the same spirit that had always characterized him, and those who were close enough could see plenty of the old fire that would easily have flamed up, if only his strength had been sufficient to sustain it. Always universally liked, he perhaps came in this latter period to be better loved than ever; and there is no one in this county whose death could occasion greater grief than his.

He leaves his wife, his son Frank M., his daughter Lois and one grandson.