One of the leading business men of Aviston, is a native of Germany, and was born at Lusche, in Oldenburg, on the 25th of March, 1833. His father was George DILLMANN, and the maiden name of his mother was Willhelmina HILMES. Henry was the oldest of four children by his father's first marriage. He was raised in his native town; attended school till he reached the age of fourteen; and afterward worked on the farm with his father. In the spring of 1851 he came to America. He was the only one of the family who emigrated to this country, the rest remaining in Germany. At that time he was eighteen years old. He landed at New York, and from there came West. His first experience in this country was not very pleasant. At Sandusky, Ohio, he was left by the train, while the rest of the party went on ahead with his ticket. He was unacquainted with the country; could not speak a word of English, and made his way to Cincinnati, where he rejoined his friends, only after much difficulty. He went to Lee county, Iowa, and there learned the trade of a carpenter with a cousin, who was a resident of that place.

In 1854 he came to St. Louis, where he worked at his trade until 1857, when he became a resident of Breese. He assisted to build the first Catholic church at Breese, and put up other buildings in that town. In 1858, he formed a partnership with Theodore KLUTHO and Fritz SCHULTE, and the firm carried on the carpentering and building business for several years, and erected most of the buildings in Breese. Mr. DILLMANN resided in Breese till 1864, and then moved to Aviston, where he engaged in the carpentering business and also opened a lumber yard. For a time his partner was George ROLFMEYER, who was killed by falling from the Catholic church of Aviston while it was in process of construction. In 1879 he moved to a farm two miles north of Aviston, though he still continues to carry on the lumber business in town. Among the buildings he has erected in Aviston is the Catholic church. He was married on the 5th of April, 1839, to Elizabeth SCHULTE. He has seven children, named Henry, Mary, George, Lizzie, Mina, Agnes, and Frederick. In his political sympathies he has always been a democrat. He has been industrious, energetic, and enterprising, and has been correspondingly successful in business.

Source: History of Marion and Clinton Counties, Illinois, 1881, Brink, McDonough & Co., Philadelphia

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