Cecil A. Madill farm records

Cecil A. Madill was born to Flora and Burl Madill, a prominent Delaware County, Indiana farmer, on February 19, 1903. He had one brother, Ralph A. Madill. Cecil Madill completed studies at Longfellow and Riley Elementary schools, Royerton High School, and Purdue University. He married Martha Ray Hiatt and they had three children, Jan Ellen Ray, Mary Jo Crouch, and David R. Madill.

After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from Purdue University in 1925, Cecil Madill began renting and managing one-third of his father's hog and grain farm. He gradually took over more acreage managing half of the Madill family farms 240 acres by 1931 and 462 acres by 1967. By 1974 Cecil was managing a 700 acre farm in partnership with his son, David, that was producing approximately 2,500 hogs annually.

Cecil Madill believed strongly in the implementation of business management principles in agriculture. He maintained detailed labor and financial records to analyze the productivity of his farm business. From 1927 until at least 1980 he contributed his farm records to Purdue University's Indiana Farm Account Project which compiled records submitted by farmers and generated analytical reports summarizing the productivity of individual farms as well as regional reports on the productivity of farms of varying sizes and specializations in the state.

Cecil Madill served actively within the agricultural community as well as the broader Delaware County community. He worked extensively with the Farmers' Institute, Farm Bureau, Purdue University Agriculture Alumni organization, and the Eastern Indiana Livestock Breeders Association. Madill was director of American National Bank, a member of the Muncie Rotary Club, and a board member for United Way, Camp Isanogel and Visiting Nurses Association. In addition to his professional and civic involvement, Madill was a member of High Street United Methodist Church, Delaware Lodge 46, Free and Accepted Masons, York Rite of Muncie, and Scottish Rite Valley of Indianapolis.

Cecil Madill died in January of 1987 at the age of 83.