Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Ducker, George A ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com November 10, 2007, 1:05 am Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County GEORGE A. DUCKER. In studying the lives of successful business men, we find that they invariably possess great energy of character. It is to the possession of this quality that Mr. Ducker owes not a little of his prosperity, for through it, and the exercise of wise judgment in all transactions, he has been enabled to build up a business that stands among the foremost of Joliet enterprises. When he began, in 1886, the trade was small and the stock of goods far inferior to that of the present time. From time to time he increased his stock by adding new departments, and in 1896 he merged the business into a department store, with a complete general line of goods. In his store at Nos. 221-223 Chicago street he uses four floors, with a frontage of sixty-six feet and a depth of ninety feet. The basement and first and second floors are used for retail purposes, while the third is for storage. Since 1896 the business has been carried on under the firm name of George A. Ducker & Co., his partner being J. C. Hunt, who has charge of the second floor. In March, 1898, Mr. Ducker became interested in the establishment of the mercantile house of Fred Roblin & Co., in Waukegan, and he has since been a member of this firm. His ability as a merchant and financier Mr. Ducker probably inherits from his father, James Ducker, who was for years one of the most successful businessmen in this county. In his sketch upon another page appears the family history. Our subject was born in Mokena, this county, April 16, 1859. When only eleven years of age he began to assist in his father's store. After coming to Joliet in 1874 he was for two years cashier and bookkeeper with his father. At the same time he studied under a private tutor. In 1876 he became connected with the sales department and after a time was made buyer for the store. In the spring, of 1885 he went to Red Cloud, Neb., and opened a dry-goods store, but when his father died, in December of that year, he sold the business and returned to act as executor of the estate. Since the estate was settled he has been in business in Joliet. Fraternally Mr. Ducker is a member of Matteson Lodge, A. F. & A. M., Joliet Chapter, and Joliet Commandery No. 4, K. T., also Medinah Temple, N. M. S. In the order of Elks he is a member of the local board of trustees, and he is also actively connected with the Modern Woodmen of America. Socially he is identified with the Union Club. A Democrat in politics, he was in the spring of 1898 elected assistant supervisor of Joliet Township, and since his election to the board has been chairman of the purchasing committee for the courthouse and jail, and a member of other committees. In religion he is a Universalist. In this city he married Florence, daughter of Valentine Rathburn, who was for years a farmer in Dupage County, Ill., but died in Joliet. Mr. and Mrs. Ducker have two children, Edna M. and George A., Jr. Additional Comments: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/ducker1055gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 3.7 Kb