It Happened in Crawford County: Farming runs deep in Dan Linn's family
Dan Linn is a fifth-generation farmer of Linn Acres Farms on Lemert Road. He is a son of Gene and Marilyn Linn (Mead), and he has two sisters — Diana Shroll and Victoria Shawk. Dan was in FFA, and his 4-H projects were livestock and crops. Grandpa Dorsey Linn gave him four sows and he began raising pigs and some beef cattle. He influenced Dan the most to become a farmer.
When Dan was a senior he did the Ag Business Work Program, working half days and driving semi-truck for his dad. Dorsey’s father, Jay, was also a trucker, having a livestock truck on his route to Cleveland. Dorsey’s wife, Edith, taught school at Lykens and then Holmes Liberty. She was a good cook and made sure there was plenty of food prepared for all the workers when they were harvesting crops.
Dan graduated in 1979 from Wynford and went on to Purdue University for an ag short course in 1980. He also became a member of the Holmes Township Fire Department in 1982 and is currently a member and the treasurer. Dan was very involved in drawing up the specifications and then ordering Engine 273 for the department. It was the first model of this type of truck and custom ordered for Holmes Township. It was the newest version at the time in 2016. Their big money maker every year is a cheese sale and gun raffle.
Dan, his father Gene, and Tim and Diana Shroll spent some time traveling for their business in Europe. They toured the BASF Farm Chemical Company in Germany; it was a great experience. They also took a cruise on the Rhine River. Dan went to Europe five times for different destinations. Dan continued farming and working at his dad’s fertilizer plant. During that time, Dan’s sister Diana and brother-in-law Tim Shroll all worked together. They supplied liquid and dry fertilizer to the farmers in the area for custom application and wholesale fertilizer to other areas until 1997 when Gene leased the plant out.
Dan had met Teea in 1994, and they enjoyed traveling together and going to different farm conventions. They married in 1999, the same time that Dan received the State of Ohio Young Farmer Award. They traveled to the national convention to be honored for the award. Dan was also a chaplain for the Gideons, leading the prayers for the meetings and delivering Bibles to such places as hospital and doctor’s offices.
Dan continued farming and selling Stewart Seeds, corn, wheat and soybeans. He was also hauling grain for other farmers and, at the same time, became an owner-operator for Best Way Transport in Plymouth, Ohio, hauling bananas and other produce to Grand Rapids, Michigan, Chicago and the Midwest. He retired from farming in 2006 and continued hauling feed and food grade dry bulk products for Hord Family Farms and other customers between Ohio and Florida. Dan is a member of OOIDA (Owner Independent Driver’s Association).
Starting in 2016 Dan restored his dad’s and Grandfather Dorsey’s Farmall M, John Deere 80 and Uncle Marvin’s Farmall M and grandfather’s International Farmall BN. After that, they restored the 1972 White Freightliner that Dan and his dad Gene drove back from the factory in Portland, Oregon, when it was new. In 2019 Dan purchased a Western Star semi-tractor, and it was put on display at the Mid-America Truck Show in Louisville, Kentucky.
About 5½ years ago, John Schiefer replaced the roof on a silo which started a restoration project lasting into 2022 when the project was completed. The first part was remodeling the silo office and continued on with five finished floors complete with plumbing, heating, windows, lighting and a kitchen: a real livable space. Allan Schiefer and Art Kepler originally did the construction of the office inside the silo in about 1975.
Daniel Linn, born Feb. 16, 2009, is a son of Teea’s daughter, Jeanette Fleming. After his birth, he came directly to Dan and Teea’s home on Lemert Road. Later, they adopted Daniel, and he has enjoying farming and restoring tractors, trucks and everything offered at their home.
Dan and Teea’s daughter, Jeanette Fleming, battled cancer five years and passed away in June 2021.
In closing, Dan, and his wife Teea, enjoy traveling to different places and entertaining family and friends at the newly remodeled silo.
Go online for more of Mary Fox’s stories and photos on bucyrustelegraphforum.com. If you are interested in sharing a story, write Mary Fox, 931 Marion Road, Bucyrus, OH 44820 or email littlefoxfactory@columbus.rr.com.
This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Fifth generation farmer Dan Linn also has a love for travel
