THE HISTORY OF CLAVEY'S NURSERY INC.

THE HISTORY OF CLAVEY'S NURSERY INC.

CLAVEY'S NURSERY was started in rural Illinois in 1889 by F. D. Clavey. F. D. Clavey is credited with the development and patent of Clavey's Dwarf Honeysuckle.

Elmer Clavey, one of F. D. Clavey's four sons, purchased the rights to the family name and formed his own nursery in Mundelein in 1938 under the name of Elmer Clavey, Inc.

In 1958 Elmer turned his business over to one of his sons, Gordon Clavey. Gordon continued the nursery operation in Mundelein until purchasing 185 acres near Woodstock, Illinois, in 1970. At this time Gordon changed the name to Clavey's Woodstock Nursery Inc. To help make the move a successful one, Gordon made two key employees, Donald Stibbe and George Kopsell, partners.

In 1974 Gordon purchased 200 acres five miles north of the Woodstock location, and moved the nursery to what is now the present site of Clavey's Nursery.

In 1987 Donald Stibbe retired and sold his share of the nursery to George and Gordon. In 1989 George Kopsell became the sole owner of the nursery when Gordon Clavey retired, selling all remaining shares of stock and property to George.

In 1993 George sold the nursery to Kurt Beystehner, a licensed landscape architect, and John Suydam, the previous three year manager of the nursery under George. The name of the nursery was changed to Clavey's Nursery Inc., and in 1994 Kurt bought John's share of the nursery and became the sole owner.