John Boyer Frost was born August 12, 1842, on a farm called “Bunker Hill” near Jonestown, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. He was the oldest of 13 children of David Frost and Susanna Boyer. He came with his family to Naperville in April 1855.
He worked for a time on the family farm and then went to Peoria, IL taking a job as a clerk. While there, John mustered in to Company F, 139th Illinois Infantry on June 1, 1864, as a Corporal. He became seriously ill and was honorably discharged on October 28, 1864. After he mustered out of the Army, he returned to Naperville and married Elizabeth Ann Hughes on October 10, 1867. He then returned to Peoria where he worked for another year as a clerk.
John and Elizabeth were the parents of six children, Cora E., Nettie May, Herbert William, Franklin Bushrod, Oscar Hubert and Edwin H. On their return to Naperville, John then went to work as a grain dealer in partnership with Jacob Fetrow in the company Frost and Fetrow, which was located in Chicago. He became a grain commissioner about 1870, serving on the Chicago Board of Trade for 32 years. John also served as Naperville Postmaster in 1881 and 1882. He served as a member of the Naperville school board and was a charter member of Grace Evangelical Church when it was established in 1890.
John was a member of Walter Blanchard Post No. 386, Grand Army of the Republic in Naperville. He affiliated with Euclid Lodge January 18, 1870, from Peoria Lodge No. 15, Peoria, Illinois, and served as Master of Euclid Lodge in 1882. John was exalted a Royal Arch Mason May 9, 1884, in Euclid Chapter No. 13, Royal Arch Masons.
John Boyer Frost died May 30, 1923, in Naperville, DuPage County, Illinois. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. L. C. Scmidt, pastor of Grace Evangelical Church. Members of the GAR conducted the burial ceremony at the grave in the Naperville Cemetery.
