1851 - 1934

John Calhoun Deagan was born in Hector, Tompkins County, New York on 6 November 1851. He was the son of Michael and Mary (Maher) Deagan. The family moved to Syracuse, NY shortly after he was born and then moved to Youngstown, Ohio when he was about five years old.

John C. Deagan attended schools in Youngstown and in 1871, he enlisted in the US Navy. He was stationed on the USS Brooklyn and while it was homeported in England, he studied music at the University of London. He apparently was discharged from the Navy by 1876 when he was living in Youngstown. In 1877, he was listed as a carriage painter but he apparently left Youngstown sometime after that.

He started manufacturing perfectly tuned bells in 1880 and later developed other instruments including the zylophone, organ chimes, aluminum harp, Swiss handbells, and the marimba. He started his business in St. Louis, Missouri and in 1893, moved to San Francisco, California and finally moved to Chicago, Ilinois in 1897 where he incorporated his business as J. C. Deagan Musical Bells, Inc. In 1916, he changed the name to J. C. Deagan, Inc.

At the American Federation of Musicians annual convention, John C. Deagan persuaded the Federation to adopt the standard universal pitch for orchestras and bands. At the request of the U. S. Bureau of Standards, he suppplied it with a set of tuning forks for radio research giveing accurate pitch intervals. He also developed a musical chart which has been used by musicians and teachers of music throughout the world. His interests also included astronomy, geology, chemistry and all branches of physics, and he was considered an authority on pitch and acoustics.

On 20 November 1884, John C. Deagan was married in Belleville, St. Clair County, Illinois to Sophia Katherine Funcke, daughter of Frederick Funcke. John and Sophia traveled to many parts of the world and went back to visit relatives in Ireland at least twice. They moved to California and John C. Deagan died in Hermosa Beach, CA on 28 April 1934.

After his death, the company was headed by his daughter-in-law, Ella Smith Deagan, wife of his son Jefferson C. Deagan and later Ella's son, Jack and daughter, Jayne (Deagan) Evans managed the business. In 1978, the company was sold and today Deagan glockenspiels and chimes are marketed by the Yamaha Corporation.

Children of John C. and Sophia (Funcke) Deagan:

1. Jefferson Clyde Deagan. Marr. Ella Smith. She was born 15 Jan 1887 and died March 1970 in Bakersfield, CA.
   
   
2. Frederick Waldo Deagan.
   
   
3. Michael Roy Deagan. Died as an infant.
   
   
4. Marion Vita Deagan. Marr. Richard Joseph Welch.