Biography of William Christopher Diehm, pages 763/764/765.  History of 
DeKalb County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, 
1914.



William Christopher Diehm



	Any person who will investigate the facts in the case will be 
surprised to learn the great number of people of Germanic descent not 
living in the United States.  Unquestionably the greatest number of 
emigrants reaching the shores of the new world came from that nation, 
and statistics show that there is more Germanic blood in the United 
States than any other. This being a fact, it is easy to account for the 
prosperity and morality of this country.  Not only that, but it will 
afford an explanation for the love of learning shown by the people of 
our vast nation.  Germany is famous the world over for its remarkable 
universities, for its educated men, for its poets and philosopher, and 
for the industry, patience, intelligence, morality and sturdiness of 
its citizens. These qualities have been brought to this country by the 
immigrants, and are now part and parcel of our wonderful nation---its 
progress in domestic economy, is advancement in every brand of material 
improvement and its love of country and home.

	William C. Diehm was born on February 16, 1864, about one and 
one-half miles south of his present farm in Richland township, DeKalb 
county, Indiana, and is the son of Peter and Margerite (Riess) Diehm.  
Peter Diehm, who was born in Germany, came to the United States with 
his parents when about seven years of age, the family settling first on 
a farm in Wayne township, Noble county, Indiana, where the subject’s 
father acquired a fine forty-acre farm. Subsequently he sold that tract 
and moved to Richland township, buying his present farm of one hundred 
and sixty acres in 1854.  The land was well improved, and Mr. Diehm 
continued his active operation of the place, which is well fenced and 
drained and in all respects improved in an up-to-date and practical 
manner. The subject’s father died on December 11, 1913, at the age of 
eighty-seven years five months.  Marguerite (Riess) Deihm, who also was 
born in the fatherland, came to America when about twenty-two years of 
age, and settled in Wayne township, Noble county, this state.  Her 
death occurred in 1902, at the age of seventy-six years, on the old 
home farm.  She was, in the true sense of the term, a help-mate to her 
husband in the accumulation of his material possessions, working hard 
as his assistant, being a considerate neighbor, a dutiful wife, a kind 
and affectionate mother and dearly beloved by all who knew her. To this 
worthy couple were born nine children, namely: John, deceased; Mrs. 
Christiana Lash, who lives in Garrett, Indiana, and is the mother of 
six children: Sarah, deceased; Mrs. Anna Wells, of Noble county, who is 
the mother of five children; Mrs. Katherine Craven of Michigan; Mrs. 
Mary Kresse, of near Kendallville, this state, and the mother of five 
children; William C., the subject of this sketch, is next in order of 
birth; Fred, who is a retail clerk living at Kendallville, married 

Lillie Squires; Henry, a farmer in Lagrange county, this state, married 
Rose Gregg.

	William C. Diehm was reared by his parents and received a good, 
practical education in the schools of his home township.  He remained 
with his father until attaining his majority, when he took up the trade 
of carpentering, which he followed at different places during the 
following seventeen years. For four years he lived in Noble county, 
operating the old Hinkle farm and then came to Richland township, 
DeKalb county, where he bought forty acres of land, section 18, known 
as the Farrington farm, but retained possession of the forty acres 
already purchased.  At the and of a year in Keyser township he returned 
to his Richland township farm, and has since given his undivided 
attention to its operation.  He built the present fine barn at this 
place in 1908, and has in other ways made many fine permanent 
improvements, the place ranking among the best in the township.  Mr. 
Diehm is a good farmer in every respect, giving attention to every 
detail of his work, and is in his relations with his neighbors a man of 
broad sympathies and kindly interest, holding the warm regard of all 
who know him.

	Mr. Diehm was married on November 15, 1888, to Rachel Lehner, the 
daughter of Jacob J. and Suzanna (Treesh) Lehner, the former a native 
of Germany, who came to the United States in 1844, and the latter born 
in Ohio.  Mr. Lehner, who always followed farming pursuits, came to 
DeKalb county, settling in Richland township, where his death occurred 
in 1873. He was survived a number of years by his widow, whose death 
occurred on January 3, 1910.  To Mr. and Mrs. Diehm have been born 
three children: Roy, a farmer; Mrs. Rosa Huhlman; and Vern, who lives 
at Kendallville.

	Politically, Mr. Diehm has given his earnest support to the 
Democratic party, and has been for many years numbered among the 
influential men of Richland township. A Lutheran in his religious 
faith, Mr. Diehm is in hearty sympathy with all moral movements, but is 
not personally affiliated with any religious society.  The record of 
testimony in his community is ample that he is a good citizen in the 
full sense of the term, worthy of all confidence, and ever doing 
worthily and well everything which he give his attention.  A hospitable 
man and cordially responsive to all social claims, his home is well 
equipped and attractive to all who are in his list of friends.



Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com