One of the finest improved farms of Macoupin county pays tribute to
the energy and ability of Henry C. Deahl who, as a dairyman and
stock-breeder, has gained a reputation which extends far beyond the
lines of the state of Illinois. He has shown remarkable activity and
progressiveness, and is recognized by his friends and acquaintances as
an ideal farmer and business man. He takes special pride in his dairy
and his blooded cattle, and is building up one of the finest herds in
Illinois. Born at Shipman, June 24, 1868, he is a son of Adam Deahl, an
interesting record of whom is presented in another part of this work.
Henry C. Deahl received his early education in the public
schools of Shipman and subsequently attended Bushnell College at
Bushnell, Illinois. He remained with his parents until twenty-one years
old, and then rented eighty acres of land upon his own account and also
engaged in buying and shipping live-stock. In 1893 he moved to Girard
and opened a meat market, which he conducted for a year. Having disposed
of this business, he took up his residence on a farm north of Piasa but,
after the close of a year, moved to another farm east of town, where he
continued for ten years, also purchasing and shipping live-stock. In
1905 he started in the dairy business on his father’s farm, in section
23, Shipman township, and later began breeding thoroughbred
Holstein-Friesian cattle. He is thoroughly up-to-date in his methods,
having taken advantage of the very latest advancements in the line to
which he devotes his attention. He has expended nine thousand dollars
upon silos for his dairy business, and the feed lots have all been
concreted at a cost of fifteen hundred dollars. That his herd is of the
highest grade is indicated by the fact that he paid one thousand dollars
for a calf two months old, being satisfied with nothing short,of the
best that the market afifords. The mother of this calf is the champion
butter producer of the world. He ships milk direct to St. Louis and is
now the largest shipper in this section of the state. He is also selling
blooded stock, reared under his supervision, to buyers throughout the
United States, and is a prominent and successful exhibitor at the
Illinois State Fair and other exhibitions, where stockmen are attracted
in large numbers. Being actively interested in the promotion of the
great work that engrosses his attention, his ability has been recognized
by leading stock-breeders and he is second vice president of the
Holstein-Friesian Association of Illinois and a valued member of the
National Holstein-Friesian Association.
On the 18th of May,
1892, Mr. Deahl was married to Miss Sarah Davies, a daughter of Charles
and Emily (Boswell) Davies, and to this union two children have been
born, Irene E. and Mildred, both of whom are living at home. The
paternal grandfather of Mrs. Deahl was Thomas Davies, a native of
Hamilton, Ohio, who married Isophena Crane. The Davies family has long
been well known in western Ohio, members of the family having settled at
an early day in that portion of the state. Thomas Davies came to
Illinois and located in Hilyard township, Macoupin county, becoming one
of the prominent men of this county and the owner of a beautiful farm of
four hundred acres. He had six children: Charles; Thomas, deceased;
John, of Alton, Illinois; Margaret, the wife of Dr. Perlee, of Camden,
Ohio; Daniel, a resident of Camden, Arkansas; and Edward, who died in
infancy.
Charles Davies, the father of Mrs. Deahl, was born at
Hamilton, Ohio, December 9, 1844, and was educated in the public schools
of that city. He came west with his father and after renting land for
several years purchased a farm in Hilyard township, which he now owns.
He gives his attention to the dairy business. In 1868 he was married to
Miss Emily Boswell, a daughter of John G. Boswell, of London, England,
who settled in Hilyard township, Macoupin county, Illinois, in 1851 and
became known as one of the substantial men of the community. To the
union of Charles Davies and Emma Boswell were born four children,
namely: Sarah C., now Mrs. Henry C. Deahl; Margaret M., the wife of
Frank Stevenson, a farmer of Woodburn, Illinois; William, who went to
Alaska as a gold seeker and died at Dawson, at the age of twentysix
years; and Howard, who is living at home.
Mr. Deahl of this
review is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church of Shipman and in
politics is an earnest supporter of the democratic party. His principal
interest is centered in his business and as he knows how to direct his
efforts so as to produce tangible results, he has made rapid progress
and is to be found near the head of the line in anything in which he is
interested. In all matters pertaining to citizenship he is loyal and
progressive, and it is the unanimous opinion of his friends that no man
in Macoupin county is more worthy of the favors of fortune than Henry C.
Deahl.
Extracted 20 Oct 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 235-236.
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