I967 photo from Vintage Aerial.
History by Kent Thompson-2025
In 1956 the original Delisle Elevator wood structured building caught fire due to a lightning strike. It was replaced by cement block structure which exists today. It was owned by the Gettysburg Equity Elevator in Gettysburg, Ohio.
The Elevator also consisted of a local country store and one pump gas station.
The manager of the Delisle Elevator was Jim Mills of Arcanum, Ohio and he lived in the house, which at that time, was next to the Delisle Elevator. The house was later purchased by and moved by, Wilbur Oswalt, to the back street in Delisle, Ohio.
The following is the ownership history of the Delisle Elevator with approximate years of ownership:
| Gettysburg Equity of Gettysburg, OH | ?-1974 |
| Bill McEowen of Greenville, OH | 1974-75 |
| Verlin Besecker of Arcanum, OH | 1975-81 |
Moved and added more grain drying & bin storage
Hamiel & Sons, Inc of Brookville, OH 1981-85
Never operated as local elevator. Moved 2 grain bins to outside Brookville where he was building a new grain storage facility which was purchased later by Keller Grain and Feed of Horatio, OH in Darke County.
Carrol, Dean, Kent Thompson & Terry Warner 1985-2024 of Arcanum, OH
Added 2 grain bins & updated Grain Facility for personal farm grain drying & storage.
Kraig, Logan & Larkin Ressler of Arcanum, OH 2024 Personal farm grain storage.
Addendum added by Kent Thompson 3/8/2025
Additional and Corrected History of Delisle Elevator by Kent Thompson
1985:
1st year of Thompson’s & Warner ownership (with the help of Verl & Larry Besecker of Arcanum, OH) the updates to the elevator consisted of moving grain dryer to present location, adding overhead wet corn holding bins above dryer, adding another grain leg ( which came from the old Stovers elevator in Greenville, OH) to take dried corn from dryer, repaired and put on a new roof on the main cement block building and added electrical updates.
1986:
With the assistance of Verlin & Dan Besecker of Arcanum, OH there were 2 new grain bins constructed on cement pads replacing the 2 grain bins that were moved to Hamiel & Sons, Inc outside of Brookville, OH. Added a new catwalk & towers to hold auger U- trough carrying grain to back 2 new grain bins. (The auger U-trough came from the old Hamiel & Sons elevator in downtown Brookville. OH.)
2025:
Ressler’s took down the old cement block cob bin that was on the property.
This was information from Jeff Besecker about the elevator.
My uncle, Dan Besecker, was once an owner and operator, while my grandfather, Verlin Besecker, played a significant role in constructing several of the grain bins, silos, and grain augers visible in this picture.
This was during my early childhood years, so my details may be fuzzy or incorrect.
From Logan Ressler: The elevator was bought in 1985 by Dean and Kent Thompson. When they bought it the back two. bins not pictured were moved to brookville. Kent and Dean found 2 identical bins and 2 U-troughs for sale on a dairy somewhere south, they couldn’t remember where. Kent and my grandpa Dean did a lot of construction work with my grandpa Ressler and the Besecker family as they were all related down the line all summer after they bought it.
Present Delisle 2025.
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