Biographical Sketch of Henry J. DIEHL (1893); Chester County, PA

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Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsyl-
vania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley
and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Phila-
delphia, PA, 1893, pp. 673-4.

"HENRY J. DIEHL, a native of Reading and a resident of Spring City, is one
of the largest and most successful brick manufacturers of eastern Pennsyl-
vania.  He was born June 21, 1850, at Reading, in Berks county, this State,
and is a son of Henry S. and Elizabeth (Kline) Diehl, both natives of
Pennsylvania.  His father, Henry S. Diehl, was a son of Henry Diehl, of
Berks county, and in early life went to Reading where he died August 3,
1883, at sixty-four years of age.  He was born in Exodus township, Berks
county, and followed his trade of carpenter for nearly half a century.  He
was a democrat, and a member of the Reformed church, and married Elizabeth
Kline, who was born in 1824, and died October 6, 1887.  To them was born a
family of thirteen children: William, now dead; Henry J.; John (deceased);
Elizabeth; Sallie (dead); James K., engaged in the brick business at
Spring City; Mary, of Reading; Daniel (deceased); Katie, now dead; Albert,
of Reading; Rosa, who resides in the same place; Adam, likewise a resident
of Reading, and Amanda.

"Henry J. Diehl made good use of the opportunities which presented them-
selves to him in early life and learned the trade of brick maker with his
uncle, Simon Kline, of Reading.  He commenced as a day laborer at the
brickworks, and in three years had worked up to foreman of the yard.  This
position he resigned after holding it a few months, to learn the trade of
hardwood moulder, at which he worked for fourteen years at Reading.  At
the end of that time, in the early part of 1879, he came to Spring City,
where he was engaged as a workman in the stove foundry of Shantz & Keely
until it burned down on July 5, 1885.  For the next two years he worked in
different stove foundries at Spring City and Royer's Ford, Montgomery
county, and then perceiving a good opportunity for brick manufacturing at
Spring City, he leased the brick yard of Henry Francis, which he has oper-
ated ever since.  Being a practical brickmaker, he had no experience to
acquire by faulty work or bad management, and moved along smoothly and
rapidly.  His bricks were first-class, orders increased daily and he soon
found himself unable to supply the demand of his patrons.  This led him
in the spring of 1888 to purchase fourteen acres of choice clay land and
open a large yard of his own.  He now operates both yards, has forty-two
men on his pay roll, and turns out over two million fine hand made bricks
per year.  In addition to his brick business he does some contracting and
building, and is a stockholder and director of the Spring City Ice Company
and the Spring City Building and Loan association.  Mr. Diehl is a member
of Lodge No. 553, Free and Accepted Masons; and Spring City Lodge, Inde-
pendent Order of Odd Fellows.  He is a member of the First Reformed church,
has always been a pronounced democrat, and served one term as a member of
the borough council.  Henry J. Diehl in boyhood enjoyed poor educational
advantages and only received a limited but practical common school educa-
tion, which he has largely supplemented since by reading, observation and
self study.  In the great school of experience he learned the cardinal
principles of that remarkable success which has crowned his business
career.

"On December 6, 1871, Mr. Diehl wedded Sarah, daughter of Isaac Faber of
Reading.  To their union have been born seven children: George W., Annie,
Sadie, Mary, Harry, Bertha and Tilley, the latter now deceased."