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HENRY FRANKLIN PRIEST, grain buyer and merchant, is one of the most energetic and wise-awake business men of Lanesville, and his name stands high in the financial circles of his native county. He was born in Springfield, in May, 1857, and is a son of James Alvin and Mary (Daly) Priest, natives respectively of Ohio and Ireland. His father was born May 2, 1832, and died in Buffalo in 1870. The mother was born in 1834, and resides in this village in a snug home with our subject.
The subject of this biographical review received a common-school education, which was supplemented by a course in a business college at Springfield. The bright, active youth was early thrown on his own resources, and began life as a clerk, which employment he followed for different persons until 1878. In that year he entered the employ of Ulrich & Co., who are among the largest grain dealers in the county, and he was given charge of their business in Dawson, Ill. So ably did he manage their affairs, that he greatly helped them to extend their business by opening up new fields for grain dealing at Illiopolis and Sidney, and the business inaugurated in those towns has been growing ever since. After attending for some time to buying grain in the field and thus coming in contact with the farmers, he took charge of the business at Lanesville, buying cereals of all kinds, superintending the elevators, etc. During his long connection with the firm of Ulrich & Co., he has bought the enormous aggregate of one and one-half million bushels of grain. His employers always found him faithful to their interests, zealous in promoting them, and never had cause to doubt his honor and integrity, notwithstanding the large amount of money that passed through his hands.
In April, 1889, Mr. Priest entered into business in Lanesville under the firm name of H. F. Priest & Co., and they are carrying on an extensive trade as general grocers and merchants. In this enterprise he has been successful from the very first as he is so widely and favorably known, and has the full confidence of the people who are glad to patronize him. He has a neat and well-regulated establishment, and carries a large and well-selected assortment of groceries and dry-goods.
Mr. Priest makes his home with his widowed mother, whose stay and comfort he is in her old age. He possesses a frank, genial nature, is generous and obliging in his relations with others, and his reputation is of the highest. He is always interested in whatever will enhance the prosperity of Lanesville, and is a liberal contributor to all schemes devised for that purpose. Politically he is a sound Democrat.