HENRY ZAHN, a practical farmer and stock raiser, living on the old Zahn homestead, which he has owned since 1882, was born in Pike county, near Waverly, in 1857. He came with his father to Illinois when only fourteen years of age, and has since lived in this county. His father, Frederick Zahn, was a native of Hesse-Darmstadt, and was a boy of sixteen years when his parents came to America and settled in Pike county, Ohio, where they were pioneers. There the parents of Frederick Zahn died when he was quite young. There he grew up as a farmer, and was there married to Tinna Creek, who had settled there, with her parents. The latter had come with a colony at the same time the Zahn family had come from Hesse-Darmstadt. Frederick and his wife began life in the usual pioneer fashion, both working very hard, raising a family of eight children. There Frederick's wife died, being then thirty-two years of age. He was married for the second time, in Pike county, Ohio, to Miss Margaret Halensteine, who was born in Germany, but reared in the United States. In 1864 they decided to remove to Illinois and settled on a large farm of 507 acres, where they remained two years, and then purchased 200 acres on the line of Morgan and Cass counties. There they lived until 1876. They then removed to Missouri, where they now live. Mr. Zahn was seventy-three years of age, December 29, 1891, his wife being not quite so old. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are good respectable people. Mr. Zahn has been a life-long Democrat.
Our subject was reared a farmer lad and lived at home until he took a farm to run on his own account. He has lived in this farm, which is one and one-half miles from Arenzville, section 36, township 17, range 12, and consists of 250 acres, well improved and well stocked. He has excellent farm buildings and everything convenient about him.
He was married, in this county, to Miss Mary Hinners, who was born, reared and educated in Cass county, her birth occurring October 7, 1852. She was the daughter of John and Caroline (Miller) Hinners, who were born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany. They came to the United States, and were married in Morgan county, and here lived to amass a fine property. In 1891 Mr. and Mrs. Hinners retired to Meredosia, Illinois, where they live, respected members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. and Mrs. Zahn are members of the same denomination, and Mr. Zahn has been an official member of the church.
Mr. and Mrs. Zahn are the parents of three bright, well educated children: Mamie Ella, Lusetta and Henry A. This is a fine family, well thought of in and around Arenzville.