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Van Wert County, Ohio

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BIOGRAPHIES

Source:
History of Van Wert, Ohio
and Representative Citizens
Edited & Compiled by Thaddeus S. Gilliland, Van Wert, Ohio
Published by Richmond & Arnold: Chicago, Illinois
1906

A B C D E F G H IJ K L M N OPQ R S T UV W XYZ

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  EDMOND A. LEATHERS, one of the prominent and representative farmers and stockraisers of Ridge township, whose well-improved farm of 120 acres is situated in section 34, was born in Ridge township, on Feb. 26, 1859, and is a son of Harrison and Martena A. (Cummings) Leathers.  The father was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, Oct. 30, 1834, and was a son of German extraction but a native of Maryland.  The parents came to Ohio at an early day, and in Harrison's boyhood settled in Ridge township, Van Wert County.  The latter spent the remainder of his life in the township named, where he died June 5, 1902.  He was a prominent and valued citizen, and served efficiently in a number of the local offices, at various ties being assessor and township clerk.  During the greater part of his life he was an elder in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the General Synod.  He was a valued member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and his burial was conducted according to the ritual of the order.  His widow still resides in Ridge township.  The children of Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Leathers were:  Edmond A., of this sketch; William C. and Delora V. (Mrs. William C. Gilliland) both of Ridge township; and Florence E., wife of John G. Prill, of Payne, Paulding County, Ohio.
     Edmond A. Leathers was reared in Ridge township and was educated in both its public and private schools as well as at Van Wert.  After completing his education, he taught for four consecutive years in Willshire and Liberty township, and after his marriage settled on his present valuable farm on which he has erected one of the most attractive modern residences in the township.  The land owned by the estate of the late Harrison Leathers has become doubly valuable on account of the great development of oil upon it.  In 1901 there was drilled on the farm mentioned, which is situated in section 34, Ricge township, an oil-well which, for 33 consecutive days, flowed 250 barrels of oil per day, without being pumped.  Later pumping machinery was installed and oil was produced in large, paying quantities.
     On June 3, 1883, Mr. Leathers was married to Mary J. Bell, who was born in Ashland County, Ohio, and is a daughter of James and Charlotte (Reame) Bell.  Seven children have been born to this marriage, namely:  James H., Arthur M., Urban C., Clara B., Earl E., Beulah B. and Luther E.
     Politically Mr. Leathers is usually in accord with the Republican party.  He has served several terms as assessor of Ridge township and as land appraiser, his knowledge in this direction being very considerable.  Fraternally he belongs to Van Wert Lodge, No. 251, I. O. O. F., which he joined in 1880; the Knights of Pythias, at Middlepoint, and the Modern Woodmen, at Van Wert.  Since his youth he has been a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, is an elder in the Ridge township church, is serving as secretary of the joint council of the Salem charge, and is also a church trustee.  In short, he is a man of whom his neighbors have placed implicit confidence for many years - One of the Township's most intelligent and representative men, in every relation of life.

Source:  History of Van Wert County, Ohio - Publ. 1906 - Page 529
  HARRISON LEATHERS, deceased, formerly one of the leading men and highly esteemed citizens of Ridge township, and for many years closely identified with the township's various interests, was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, Oct. 30, 1834.  His death occurred June 5, 1902, ad his home in this county.  He was a son of Christian and Catherine (Shoup) Leathers, her parents being among the hardy pioneers who first brought civilization to the wilderness embraced by Van Wert County of the present day.  Although Harrison Leathers had but meager educational opportunities, he was endowed with an active an receptive mind, advancing therefore more rapidly than his companions of the pioneer schools and becoming a teacher of others.  He grew to manhood as a practical farmer, fully capable of conducting large agricultural operations even when little labor saving machinery had been invented or been put in use.
     On Apr. 15 1858, Harrison Leathers was united in marriage with Martena A. Cummings, who was born Oct. 4, 1836, in Guernsey County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Emanuel and Mary (Redman) Cummings, her father being a native of what is now West Virginia, and her mother of Ohio.  Mrs. Leathers was four years old when her parents moved to Van Wert County and settled in Liberty township, where they lived until she reached her 21st year, when they located in Ridge township.  The children born to Harrison Leathers and wife were:  Edmond A., William C. and Debra V. (Mrs. William C. Gilliland), all of Ridge township; and Florence E. B., wife of John G. Prill, of Paulding County, Ohio.  All the children are honorable and respected members of society, and a credit to their parents and themselves.
     Mr. Leathers was a soldier of the Civil War, on Aug. 12, 1862, becoming a member of Company A, 99th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and seeing much hard service until his honorable discharge in July, 1865, at which time he had devoted himself to the Union cause for a period of nearly three years.
     The late Harrison Leathers was a man of sterling traits of character, his absolute reliability being recognized on many occasions when his fellow-citizens made him their choice for local offices  He served with honest efficiency, as clerk of Ridge township and as assessor, and for years creditably filled some position on the School board.  Politically he was a Republican, and is remembered generally as one of the township's representative men - one whose standard of citizenship was high, and who invariably conformed to it himself.  The deceased was a man of excellent business perceptions, accumulated a comfortable competency and was numbered with the township's most substantial farmers.  For a number of years Mr. Leathers had been an interested and active member of the Odd Fellows fraternity, and his burial was conducted according to the ritual of the order.  For many years he was an elder in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the General Synod.

Source:  History of Van Wert County, Ohio - Publ. 1906 - Page 524

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