grave import

Obituary

Jerome Bock, the veteran nurseryman of Burlington, passed away this afternoon at his home, 2600 Madison Avenue, after a long illness. He had reached the 84th milestone in life and had for a number of years been living a retired life.
Jerome Bock was born April 21, 1822, at Glatz, Prussia. He came of a family noted for their hardy physical constitution, and all of his ancestors lived to be over eighty years old. His father before him was a gardener and under his direction, Jerone Bock learned the business. At the age of 22, he went to England, where he went into the Royal Botanic gardens. He was in London at the time of the first world’s fair and remained there for seven years, then going to Canada. He went to Boston in 1851 and was there united in marriage to Miss Susan Hill. In 1856 he left Boston and went west and located in Burlington. He established a nursery business with the McNealley Brothers under the firm name of McNealley Brothers & Bock. This was the largest nursery firm in southeastern Iowa and was the first greenhouse established in Burlington.
For twelve years the partnership existed, when it was dissolved, Mr. Bock bought forty acres of ground on Madison Avenue, where he established a business for himself and continued successfully until a few years ago when he retired. It was Mr. Bock who first introduced the growing of the evergreens for ornamental purposes in Burlington, and he brought the first dicentra, or bleeding heart, ever seen in the United States to Burlington from Canada. He was very successful in his line and even before the days of the transcontinental railroad, he shipped a consignment of nursery stock to Denver over land by ox teams. He passed on the business to his two nephews, Joseph and Ernest Bock, who are now located on Sunnyside Avenue.
Mr. Bock, during his long residence in Burlington, has always been a prominent man. He took great pride in his business and introduced many species of flowers and plants which have since become a staple. He was a constant member of the Congregational church. To almost all of the people of Burlington, he was well known, and the integrity of his private life and the integrity of his business career had endeared him to all and won him that respect which is one of the most precious regards of an upright life.
Mrs. Bock passed away in this city in 1899. Surviving are three children- William Bock, Mrs. Simon Chapman, and Mrs. Elmer Sykes.
The funeral of Jerome Bock was held this afternoon at 2 o’clock from the residence, 2500 Madison Avenue. Dr. Salter of the Congregational church officiated. Burial was made in Aspen Grove Cemetery.