The DeMoulin Brothers

Edmund DeMoulin  (Right)

(June 11, 1862-October 29, 1935)

Known as Ed rather than Edmund, DeMoulin learned the family blacksmithing trade at their business in Sebastapol, Illinois.  Ed picked up photography as a hobby and moved to Greenville, Illinois in 1886 to pursue this as a vocation.  At the request of fellow Greenville resident and Modern Woodmen of America Head Consul, William A. Northcott, Ed began devising initiation gags to boost that group’s membership.  He was the president of Ed DeMoulin & Bro. (later DeMoulin Bros.) until his death in 1935.  However, his involvement greatly tapered off after moving to California around 1916.  Ed was very involved in Greenville politics and served four terms as mayor.

Ulysses S. DeMoulin  (Center)

(October 3, 1871-July 11, 1955)

The business savvy behind the factory belonged to U.S. DeMoulin.  He also invented some of the company’s patented lodge initiation paraphernalia.  U.S. ran the company in Ed’s absence and became its president in 1935.  Married twice but having no children, U.S. selected his nephew, Leslie DeMoulin, as his replacement. 

Erastus DeMoulin (Left)

(September 9, 1860-March 27, 1936)

Erastus, also referred to as E.R. or Ras, was said to have been a master blacksmith.  He made the factory’s first lodge goats at the family blacksmith shop in Sebastapol and then transported them by wagon to Greenville (a trip of nearly twenty miles.)  Ras moved to Greenville in 1902 and became plant superintendent.  He was always the “behind the scenes” brother.  His son, Leslie, and grandson, William, would later become DeMoulin Bros. presidents.