Henry Von Deylen

Henry Von Deylen came from Germany. His wife was Kathryn Bostelman. It's unknown whether they were married in Germany or in the United States. They lived on Co. Rd. 17E where Ed Mohring now lives. All of their children were born in a log cabin. They were parents of eight boys: Henry, Fred, John, Herman, William, Carl, George, and Ferdinand. There were also three girls: Mary, Anna, and Emma. The boys often had to shake the snow out of their trousers in the morning before they would put them on

William married Minnie Boesling in 1900 and they lived in Flatrock Twp. on the "Boesling farm" for several years. Two of their children, Clara and William Harry (now known as Harry) were born in Flatrock Twp. Clara lived only a few weeks, a victim of the diphtheria epidemic.

William and Minnie moved to Freedom Twp. about 1905 and lived on a farm across from where Vic Damman now lives, Co. Rd. 17 E, Section 20, just north of where his father lived. They built a new barn there during the three years they lived there.

In 1908 they moved to Gerald, where they owned and operated a hardware store in partnership with Charles Cordes, a brother-in-law who had married William's sister, Anna. William was selling farm machinery at this time. The hardware store was on the north side of Co. Rd. U, just west of the D. T. & I. railroad tracks. William and Minnie lived in the house next to the store (Vic Nagel owns this house now).

While William and Minnie were making their home here in Freedom Twp. four more children were born to this union: Lorena - lived 81/2 years; she died five weeks after an appendicitis operation was performed "on the kitchen table." Marie, who later married Willis Durham, died in January, 1975. Kathryn lived to be 9 years old, a "blue baby" that died of spinal meningitis, and Helen, who lived only two years, died in 1918 during the "flu epidemic of World War II."

In 1912, William sold his share of the hardware inventory to Charles Cordes and this was later moved to Ridgeville Corners.

In 1912, they returned to the farm of Rd. 17 E, Section 20 and built an addition to the barn (which still remains).

In 1915, Wm. and Minnie moved back to Gerald, purchased the home where Willis Durham lives now, and a blacksmith shop next to it. He operated the blacksmith shop and continued to sell farm machinery. He also initiated an electrical power plant that supplied Gerald with electricity. The generator operated daily, but was increased on Mondays and Tuesdays. The families in Gerald had to wash on Mondays, and iron on Tuesdays, because on these two days, only, the generators were running at an increased capacity. The batteries would run down if they did not follow this schedule. Christmas Eve, they would take the batteries to the church to supply electric lights for the special church service. The electrical plant was only in operation for about three years, then the equipment was sold for use on a Lake Erie steamer.

Later, in 1916 or 1917 he sold the blacksmith to Herman Delventhal and continued selling farm machinery. About this time, J. I. Case demonstrated a one furrow riding plow. They put a man on the plow, and then another big strong man, harnessed himself up, hitched himself to the plow and proceeded to plow a furrow across the yard, thus proving that the plow would make it easier for the horses to pull. William sold Waterloo Boy tractors until John Deere bought them out in 1918. After Waterloo Boy tractors were unavailable, he sold Hart-Parr tractors and various other implements. The area farmers were raising beets and needed beet cultivators and beet lifters. They had seen and liked the John Deere brand and asked if he could get this brand for them. This is when William first started selling the John Deere line of equipment. In 1924 John Deere manufactured the "D" tractor; these were the first John Deere tractors William sold.

Harry married Laura Plassman, daughter of William and Emma (Holers) Plassman of Napoleon Twp. in 1926. The bride and groom moved into a rented building and operated a grocery store in Gerald. Harry was also dealing in livestock. Harry purchased the frame building next to the grocery store in 1926. This building had originally been erected in Naomi (Fulton Co.). John Demaline had moved this to Gerald and it was used for a skating rink and dance hall. Herman Meyer and Fred Riefers also owned this building, but it was standing idle when Harry Von Deylen purchased it in 1926. Thereafter it was used for storage of William's farm machinery.

Harry and Laura had three children: William, Donna, and Lois. This was depression time and Harry and his father did any kind of work to earn money for food - roofing, electrical work, and all sorts of odd jobs.

Harry's father, William, died in 1933 and on January 1, 1934, Harry purchased the farm equipment inventory and continued to operate the business. They sold the grocery store in 1941.

A new red block building was erected on the same site in 1938 and sold to the Gerald Elevator in 1946 when a bigger building was completed on the east side of the railroad tracks where they continue to sell John Deere line and other farm equipment.

Harry's son, William, married Phyllis Demaline, daughter of Everett and Myrtle (Moritz) Demaline of Clinton Twp., Fulton Co. They are parents of two children Thomas and Anne.

In 1959, a corporation was formed and Harry's son, William purchased a share of the business. They are currently negotiating for purchase of property in Napoleon, where they plan to build another new and bigger building.

The Vorwerk Family, 1913. Back row, left to right: Ida, Henry, Ella, Alvin, Anna; front row: Ernest, Father Henry, Luetta, Mother Doretta, Herman.

William's son, Thomas, is employed by the corporation and expects to make this a fourth generation, John Deere machinery dealership.

Submitted by the Family