ANTHONY MEYER FAMILY

Anthony Meyer Sr. came over from Alsace Lorraine with his wife, Mary, two year old son, Anthony Jr., and nine month old son, Theophilus. They landed in New York and traveled by rail to Chicago and traveled west. They settled in Lisle Township, Lisle, Illinois in 1850 on 140 acres of land on Maple Avenue, one mile east of Route 53. Theophilus died in 1871 at the age of 21 years. Anthony Sr. died in 1893 at the age of 80 and his wife Mary died in 1890 and was 79 years old. They are buried in St. Peter and Paul Cemetery.

The original house and barn were on the south side of Maple Avenue. The barn housed 8 cows and 3 horses. Today there are homes, a church and apartments on the property. After Anthony Sr. died, the farming was carried on by his son Anthony Jr., who married Magdalena Ory of Naperville in 1873. Their family consisted of five children, three girls and two boys. David W. Meyer was the oldest, born August 19,1875. He married Anna Riedy, daughter of Frank and Louise Riedy of Naperville on September 27, 1905. In 1879, Anthony Jr. and his wife built a six-room house on the north side of Maple Avenue and a 44 ft. long barn, which was one of the first erected with wooden pegs holding the rafters. In 1892, an additional 32 feet were added to the barn with a milk house and feed room above. Hank and Jake May helped with the barn raising. This barn then housed 24 dairy cattle and 6 horses. 

David and Anna (Riedy) were married in 1905 at St. Peter and Paul Church in Naperville and the farm was leased to him in 1906. His father, Anthony Jr., died December 22, 1910. David purchased 10 acres to furnish fuel for cooking and heating. This land was east of the Adam Kohley farm on Rt. 53 and south of 75th Street. After Anthony Jr. died, David bought the farm from his brother Frank, who was married to Agnes Wiesbrook. Frank owned a farm on Route 53 near Maple Avenue in Lisle Township. He also bought the farm from his three sisters- Anna who married August Drendel of Naperville, Josephine, who married Andrew Schwartz, owner of the farm which is now BEAU BIEN, and Lorene, who married Joseph Drendel, a farmer in Naperville.

David shipped milk to Union Dairy in Chicago via the Burlington Railroad on “The Milk Train.” The milk was transported to the train by a team of horses and a spring wagon. In case there was a fire, the team of horses was hooked to the fire wagon, which contained a pump and buckets. In the later 20’s the milk was picked up by Bakers Dairy in Downers Grove.

David and Anna had six children, all born at home, with the assistance of Dr. Truitt and a midwife from Naperville. The oldest, Magdeline, who is deceased married Pete Meadel of Lisle. She died in 1983. Isabelle married Ralph Kampmeyer and is now married to Frank Straka. Raymond died on July 18, 1947 at the age of 36 years. Anthony is married to Marjorie Kampmeyer. Joseph married Catherine Dieter Meyer, widow of Raymond. He died in 1994. Marian was married to Neil Goblet of Staten Island, NY. She died in 1987.

In July 1934, the house burned to the ground because it was a very dry summer. The chinch bugs ate p the grain. There was no threshing that year. The threshing ring consisted of 13 farmers in the neighborhood. The men came early in the morning and were fed breakfast. At noon it was a big dinner. Midmorning they were treated to homemade doughnuts and coffee, as hauling the bundles of grain to the threshing machine and unloading and shoveling the grain into a bin, usually overhead, was very hard work. 

Anna Meyer used to heat bricks or flat irons when it was extremely cold in the winter to put in beds. The family went to church in Naperville in a bobsled or cutter. Hot bricks were also placed in the sled. The bobsled had high sides, so the riders did not get cold when the wind was blowing in the winter. 

David and Anna were very active in the building of St. Joan of Arc Church and school. To raise money picnics were held at Riedys Grove, which was on the east side of Rt. 53 directly across from Ed Riedys farm house.

Before Anna was married she was a dressmaker in Naperville and in later years enjoyed piecing quilts. She made 38 quilts, some hand quilted which were given to all six of her children and 18 grandchildren and some of the great grandchildren.

From 1935 to 1959 Joseph farmed the land, raising beef, cattle, and hogs. The farm was sold to Clark, Kepler and Krughoff. It is now part of Oakview and The Meadows.

David was still living on the homestead when he died December 8, 1964 at the age of 89 years. His wife, Anna, died May 3, 1973 at the age of 91.

Anthony Meyer and his wife Marjorie still live in Lisle. Tony is President of the Board of Trustees of the Lisle Fire Department. Their children include Mary Ann Bobosky (husband Brand), who have four children—Courtney, Whitney, Joseph and Shelby; David Meyer (wife Penny Waskow)—four children Bryan, Heather, Anthony, and Kara; Susan (Paul Baron, live in Hayward, Wisconsin—three children—Cathleen, Dan, and Diane. They have the Twin Bay Resort on the Chippewa Flowag in Wisconsin; Dr. William Meyer (Kathleen Culligan) who lives in Silverton, Oregon with their four children—Erica, Sara, Bridgett, and Christopher. William is a truf specialist for Turf Seeds, Inc in Hubbard, Oregon; Dr. James Meyer (Susan Huff) of Zebulon, North Carolina is a veterinarian; and Robert who is a 1984 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine.