Notes for: Carl David Bodine
Carl and his brother, Paul, founded the Bodine Electric Company of Chicago in 1905. By 1958, it had two plants in Chicago with 100,000 square feet of floor space and 525 employees.
His religious affiliation was with the Central Avenue Baptist Church of Chicago. Carl was also the director of the Division Street YMCA.
He had a 160 acre farm in Walworth, Wisconsin where he pursued his hobby of farming.
There is more on Carl in "The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography," vol. I, p. 152. His picture is also there.
From Ronny Bodine:
In 1905, he and his brother, Paul, founded the Bodine Electric Company in Chicago and Carl served as its first president. In Jan 1920, Carl Bodine lived with his wife Emma and sons Harold 6 and Royal 5 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois where he worked as an electrician with electric motors. His brother Paul lived with the family. Emma (Anderson) Bodine is the daughter of Lars John Anderson. See a complete biography of Carl Bodine in The National Cyclopedia of American Biography. Carl and Emma Bodine were entombed in Acacia Park Cemetery and Mausoleum, Chicago.
Obituary, Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Ill.) of 13 Feb 1965.
Carl D. Bodine, 83, of 1000 N. Elmwood av., Oak Park, president and co-founder of the Bodine Electric company, died yesterday in his home. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. in the chapel at 6938 North av. Mr. Bodine, who was born in Sweden, came to the United States in the late 1880s with his parents and his brother Paul. They settled in Nebraska and later came to Chicago. In 1909, he and his brother founded the company on a capital of $1,050. Paul is still active in the business as secretary-treasurer. The company was formed to manufacture fractional horsepower electrical motors for industrial use, a function it still performs in its plant at 2500 W. Bradley pl. The company started at Canal and Madison streets and moved to 2254 Ohio st. in 1915. In 1946, an increase in business necessitated the building of a second plant at 2650 Addison st. The plants were consolidated into the Bradley plant in 1956. In addition to his brother, Mr. Bodines leaves his widow, Emma; two sons, Harold, vice-president in charge of engineering for the company, and Royal, vice-president in charge of manufacturing; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Obituary, Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Ill.) of 8 March 1972.
Emma B. Bodine, nee Anderson, beloved wife of the late Carl D.; fond mother of Harold C. and Royal J.,; grandmother of five; great-grandmother of five. Preceded in death by several brothers and sisters. Visitation 4 to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, at Peterson Funeral Home, 6938 W. North Av. Services 1:30 p.m. Friday. Entombment Acacia Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Central Ave. Baptist Church appreciated. 637-4441.