Deakin was born in Sheffield, England, on May 21, 1838.
 He was apprenticed at the age of 12 to a business which painted landscapes and floral designs on furniture in the "Japanese style," but he received no formal training.
 By 18, he was a notable landscape artist.
He emigrated to the US in 1856 with his family to the city of Chicago, where his father opened a hardware store and Edwin's occupation was listed in the Census as a "case maker."
 On June 21, 1865 Edwin Deakin married the 21-year-old Isabel Fox, also an emigrant from England.
The following year saw the birth of their son Oscar Edwin Deakin, who became a talented painter, but died at the age of 30.
The Deakins also had a daughter, Edna, who became an architect.
Deakin was born in Sheffield, England, on May 21, 1838.  He was apprenticed at the age of 12 to a business which painted landscapes and floral designs on furniture in the "Japanese style," but he received no formal training.  By 18, he was a notable landscape artist. He emigrated to the US in 1856 with his family to the city of Chicago, where his father opened a hardware store and Edwin's occupation was listed in the Census as a "case maker."  On June 21, 1865 Edwin Deakin married the 21-year-old Isabel Fox, also an emigrant from England. The following year saw the birth of their son Oscar Edwin Deakin, who became a talented painter, but died at the age of 30. The Deakins also had a daughter, Edna, who became an architect.
Edwin Deakin