Henry B. Gurler - DeKalb Creamery

Henry Benjamin Gurler was the oldest of five children born to Benjamin and Harriet Gurler of Chesterfield, New Hampshire. In 1856, at the age of sixteen, Gurler with his family moved west to Illinois. They settled on a farm in Section 32 of DeKalb Township. Gurler lived and worked on the family farm until 1861 when he enlisted in the 42nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. Mustered out of the service in 1862, he returned to DeKalb County and clerked for the grocers Flinn and Hyde. Gurler enlisted in the 132nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry in May of 1864. After leaving the army in October of 1864, Gurler bought out Hyde's share of the business. His brother, George Gurler, bought out Flinn less than a year later.

In 1867, Henry Gurler married Selenia Rolfe. Their second daughter, Lulu May, married E. Perry Ellwood, the youngest son of Isaac and Harriet Ellwood in 1898. Perry and May Ellwood inherited Ellwood House in 1910 following the death of his parents.

In 1868, Henry Gurler left the grocery business and purchased Clover Farm in Section 5 of Afton Township. It was at Clover Farm that Gurler developed the dairy innovations which made him world-famous. In 1881, under the Gurler Brothers name, Henry and George joined together to acquire several creameries throughout DeKalb County.

While maintaining his business interests, H. B. Gurler undertook his dairy experiments in pursuit of creating high-grade milk. In 1895, Gurler began shipping his "Pure Milk" to Chicago. He continued to be involved in all aspects of the dairy industry until his death in 1928.

In 1868, H. B. Gurler purchased Clover Farm and began to establish his dairy herd. In forming this herd, Gurler chose cattle breeds that were vital, calm-natured, and less susceptible to disease: Holstein, Jersey, and Durham cattle.

Gurler kept careful records of the pounds of butter produced by each cow. To increase productivity, he weaned the low producers from the herd. Gurler was the first dairyman to use the Babcock test to ensure that the butter fat content of his milk remained between 4 percent and 4.4 percent.

In 1895, the Clover Farm dairy herd was the first in the state of Illinois to be tested for tuberculosis. Of the 130 animals in the herd, four were found to have tuberculosis and were removed from the herd. The results of this test were published by the Illinois Livestock Commission in an effort to promote the tuberculin testing of dairy herds across the state.

Gurler believed conditions in the stables influenced dairy productivity. He emphasized the need to establish a milking routine and a sanitary environment. Gurler's stables were painted, had cement floors and mangers, and iron stalls for each cow. These improved interiors made cleaning easier.

In his book American Dairying, H. B. Gurler shared his thoughts on maintaining the health and productivity of dairy herds with fellow dairymen. Gurler also contributed a chapter on stable maintenance and sanitation for The Creamery Patrons Handbook of 1902. In both books, Gurler used Clover Farm to illustrate the success of his innovations.

As Gurler's reputation grew, he turned to lecturing and teaching. He taught at the Wisconsin University Dairy School, Pennsylvania State Agricultural College and lectured at dairy schools throughout the United States and Canada. Gurler was visited by people from England, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, and Russia who were interested in advanced dairy methods.

H. B. Gurler was on the board of judges for dairy machinery at the 1893 Columbian Exposition. He was also a butter judge at the Exposition, where he was able to identify samples of the same butter entered under different names.

At the request of the United States Department of Agriculture, Gurler sent photos showing the innovations of Clover Farm to the 1900 Paris Exposition. Gurler's milk samples remained sweet for four days after arrival in Paris despite seventeen days of transit. For his innovations of clean milk and cold storage, he was awarded a gold medal.

Gurler was a member of many state and national dairy associations serving as the President of the Illinois State Dairy Association for two terms. As Treasurer of the National Dairy Union, he worked to secure passage of legislation prohibiting oleomargarine from being sold as butter.

Gurler's dedication to improving the dairy industry won him the respect of dairymen all over the world.