Heyl Surveyors - Since 1898

Edward John Heyl - Founder of Heyl Surveyors

(1870-1927)

Edward was the first generation of Heyl’s to be born in the United States. His father was a stair builder; they lived and worked on the Westside of Cincinnati. After Edward graduated from high school in 1888, he took a job as a rodman for A.A. Brasher. He married in 1891 and had nine children. They lived at 1036 Purcell Avenue in Price Hill.

In 1895, at the age of twenty-five Edward and his brother Joseph (1872-1922), started their own survey business. They called it Heyl Brothers. The Cincinnati area was growing and the brothers stayed busy. Most of the work involved site elevation and layout plans. Some of their projects included: St. Theresa, St. Martins, St. Catherine’s, Elder High School, Hughes, High School, St. Joseph Cemetery, and St. Mary’s Cemetery in St. Bernard.

Edward and Joseph were also involved in the sub-dividing of much of the property in the Price Hill area. They did thousands of site plans in Price Hill and the surrounding communities. It’s thought that most of their work was done on the Westside because they used the streetcar to load their equipment to get from job to job.

Joseph died in 1922 of a brain tumor and Edward died in 1927 at the age of 57. Edward died due to complications from diabetes and was buried in a plot at St Mary’s Cemetery in St Bernard, (a cemetery he had laid out). Edward’s son, Edward Joseph (1903-1966/2nd generation), took over the business in 1927 after his father’s death. Later, Edward Joseph was joined by his brother; Lawrence (Larry) Robert (1909-1981).

In the early 1970’s the company name was changed to Heyl Surveyors and was ran by Lawrence until 1981. Upon Larry’s death, his son Robert Lawrence (3rd generation/1936-2009) took over the company. Robert retired in 1998 turning the company over to his son; Jeffrey Heyl (4th generation/1964-present). 118 years later Heyl Surveyors still operates from the Westside. They primarily service Hamilton, Warren, Butler, and Clermont County’s. Edwards’s great-great grandson is currently taking courses at Cincinnati State College towards a Surveying degree.