USA > Ohio > Putnam County > A Portrait and biographical record of Allen and Putnam counties, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Ohio, pt 1 > Part 39
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Sunday-school. In politics he is a republican, and fraternally a member of lodge No. 165, Knights of Pythias. Socially Mr. Lathrop and family are held in the highest esteem, and he and his young family are to be envied in their happy society and domestic relations.
J OHN L. B. LEATHERMAN, the lead- ing general merchant of Harrod, Allen county, Ohio, was born in Washington county, Pa., December 16, 1834, and paternally is of German descent. His grand- father, John Leatherman, was a very prom- inent and influential citizen of Washington county, especially during the middle and de- clining years of his life, and, being a democrat in politics, was intrusted by that party with several offices of honor and trust. He was a devout Christian and died in the faith of the Baptist church.
Michael Leatherman, son of John and father of John L. B., our subject, was also a native of Washington county, Pa., and was born January 16, 1799. He was more than ordinarily well educated for the early days in which he attended school, and, being a youth of exceptional intelligence, he supplemented his school studies by a diligent application to the study of the best didactic literature of his time, and in his earlier manhood became a suc- cessful school-teacher, achieving a reputation that extended far beyound the limits of his county. He married Hannah Ohler, a native of Pennsylvania, born September 19, 1801, and shortly afterward, in 1834, came to Ohio and entered 400 acres of land in Jackson town- ship, .Allen county, to reach which he was compelled to cut a road through a dense forest. Having had much experience in his native state as a politician, and been honored with many public offices, he uimmediately assumed a leading position in the guiding of the politics
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of Allen county, and his education fully quali- fying him for any office within the gift of the people, he soon received substantial evidence that his abilities were recognized by the voters controlling the public offices of his new home. He was first elected as township trustee, next as justice of the peace, and later, for twelve consecutive years, as joint surveyor of the counties of Allen and Anglaize; next he was honored by an election to the state legislature as representative from Allen county, and finally to the office of probate judge, filling the latter office for six consecutive years. As a patriot, Mr. Leatherman enlisted in the Fourth Ohio volunteer cavalry and saw some very hard service in Kentucky, Tennessee and Ala- bama, but, on account of his advancing age and weakened constitution, was honorably dis- charged before the date of his teri of enlist- ment had been reached. Returning to his farm, włoch, notwithstanding his multifarious public dubes, he had cleared up from the wilderness und transformed into one of the finest in the county, he passed the remainder of his years in peace, dying July 22, 1866, one of the most honored men of the county and state. Th, respected family born to Michael Leatherman and wife were named as follows: Henry, deceased; Hiram; Michael, deceased; Sarah J., wife of William Custer; Adam; John I. B., our subject; Elizabeth, deceased; Thomas P, whose sketch appears elsewhere; Catherine A., widow of Samuel A. Bodell, and Hannah, wife of James Moss. The mother of these children was called from earth April 1, 1886, deeply mourned by hea sorrowing family and a large circle of devoted friends.
John 1 .. H. Leatherman, the subject proper of this sketch, was reared on his fa- ther's firm and educated in the pioneer log school-house of Jackson township, but was sufficiently well educated to himself become a school-teacher -- a vocation he followed during
the winter months of nineteen consecutive years. In May, 1864, he enlisted in company F, One Hundred and Eighty-first Ohio volun- teer infantry, was assigned to the eastern army, and saw active service until October, 1864, when he was honorably discharged on account of the expiration of his term of enlistment. Almost from the incipiency of the village of Harrod, Mr. Leatherman has been identified with its interests, doing much to promote its- material progress. His general merchandis- ing establishment was the first to be opened in the village, and has met with continuous pros- perity ever since-a period of nine years. He resides in a modern village dwelling, rents out three others, and is, besides, the owner of 116 desirable residence lots in the heart of the vil- lage, and these are always in the market at reasonable prices and on easy terms; in addi- tion to this valuable property he owns a farm of 120 acres in the township, improved with a building that cost $3,000.
The marriage of Mr. Leatherman took place in August, 1855, with Miss Adelia H. Weatherill, who was born in Richland county, Ohio, November 8, 1837, a daughter of John R. and Elizabeth Weatherill. This union has been blessed with the following children, born in the order named: William T .; Ida, wife of Frank Graham; Frank; French; Rosa, wife of Arch Malcom, and Minnie Maud, wife of Cliff Biteman. The parents are adherents of the Christian church, of which Mr. Leatherman has been a deacon for twenty-two years; he has also filled the office of clerk of the North- western Ohio Christian conference, a position he found necessary to resign last year on ac- count of his numerous business engagements. In politics Mr. Leatherman is a stanch repub- lican, and for nine years has held a notary public's office, but he has never sought office for the sake of emolumment.
French E. Leatherman, son of J. L. B.
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
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Leatherman, is now associated with his father in the mercantile business at Harrod, the firm name being J. L. B. Leatherman & Son, and carrying a stock of goods suitable to every conceivable want of the community in which they live. He, too, is a republican in politics. He married Miss Jennie L. Harrod, daughter of Perry and Charlotte (Curtis) Harrod, and this marriage has been blessed with three chil- dren, viz: Don V., Neva (deceased), and Murriel.
H. LEETE, attorney-at-law of Lima, Ohio, is an illustration of what close attention and hard study will accomplish when united with special adaptability to a profession. Mr. Leete was born in Burlington, Lawrence county, Ohio, October 12, 1850, and is a son of Ralph and Harriet (Hand) Leete, the Leete family coming originally from Connecticut.
The father of Mr. William H. Leete was for many years a prominent man in the affairs of the state of Ohio. He is a lawyer of pro- nounced success and was a legislator of more than ordinary ability. Mr. Leete married at Gallipolis, Ohio, and located at Burlington, and there was engaged in the practice of the law until the next year, when he removed to Ironton, Lawrence county, from which county he was elected to the lower house of the gen- eral assembly of the state, and held the office of representative during the years 1858 and 1859. He also held many honorable and honorary positions in the state. He and his wife were the parents of five children, viz; 1
William H., our immediate subject; Edith, wife of John Hamilton, an attorney ; Frederick, a civil engineer; Elizabeth, all of Ironton, and Ralph H., M D. of Pikeville, Ky. Mr. Leete is politically a democrat, and in many ways he is one of the most prominent and successful
men of the state of Ohio. He is withal a public speaker and writer of great force and ability, and his services are frequently in de- mand. He has always been alive to the inter- ests of the commonwealth and is well known all over the state.
William H. Leete, eldest child of the above mentioned gentleman, was reared to man's es- tate in Ironton, where he received his prelim- inary education. Then entering Sewickleyville ecademy, located near Pittsburg, Pa., he re- mained there in study one year, when he entered a military school in Cleveland, Ohio. After leaving this institution, he remained at home until 1869, when he became a student at the university of Michigan, and there pursued the study of law. Returning again to his home, he read law with his father and Jadge W. W. Johnson (the latter of whom has been chief- justice of Ohio), until his admission to the bar, in January, 1872, and he then began the practice of the law in Abilene, Kans. Remain- ing there one summer, he made a tour to the southwest, along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé railroad, looking for a promising location, but finally established himself at Portsmouth, Ohio, and from this center worked in the in- terest of the Ohio State university and private individuals in West Virginia, looking up and locating lands. Being thus engaged until 1877, he then retired from this line of activity, and in 1878 located in Waverly, Pike county, Ohio, where he opened an office and was there en- gaged in the practice of the law until 1882. In the meantime, during the years 1880 and 1881, he served the county as prosecuting attorney, having been elected on the democratic ticket. In 1882 he removed to Ottawa, Putnam county, where he remained until 1888. In 1887 he was the democratic candidate for attorney-gen- eral of Ohio, having been nominated by the democratic convention at Cleveland, but, in common with the rest of the ticket that year,
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was defeated. In 1888 he removed to Lima, where he has since resided, engaged in the practice of the law. For six years he was in partnership with Judge T. D. Robb, but Feb- ruary 9, 1894, Judge Robb retired from the firm, and since that time Mr. Leete has been in practice by himself. Mr. Leete is an all- round lawyer of ability, worthy of confidence, and has been most successful.
March 20, 1878, Mr. Leete was married to Miss Mary Renick, a native of Circleville, Ohio, and a daughter of R. O. Renick, a farmer by occupation, and a successful and worthy citi- zen. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Leete. viz: Harriet L., Helen C., and Ralph R. Together with his family, Mr. Leete lives in a handsome residence on Baxter street, in the city of Lima, highly respected by ali who knew himn.
a HRISTIAN B. LEHMAN, one of the active, industrious and progressive cit- izens of Allen county, Shawnee town- ship, is a son of Christian and Eliza- beth (Bookwalter) Lehman. John Lehman, father of Christian, was a native of Germany, and came to the United States with his father, who settled in Franklin county, Pa., near the far-famed city of Chambersburg. Here John Lehman grew to manhood, married and reared the following family of children: Peter, who married a Miss Lehman, and afterward re- moved to Columbiana county, Ohio, where they lived the rest of their lives, rearing a fan- ily of four children: Joseph, who died in Allen county; Annie, who died single; Christian, the father of the subject, who died in Allen county; Elizabeth, who died single, and Barbara, de- ceased wife of Peter Diller, who was the mother of four children.
Christian Lehman, the father of Christian B. Lehman, was born in Pennsylvania, Jann-
ary 28, 1806, and was a farmer all his life. In; 1848 he settled in Richland county, Ohio, and lived there six years, in 1854 removing to Allen county, and settling within two miles of Lima. Here he purchased a farm upon which he lived the remainder of his days. To his marriage there were born the following children: Jonas, of Illinois; Susan, wife of Christian Lehman; Christian B., of Shawnee township; John, de- ceased; Elizabeth, widow of John Forney, of Mercer county; Annie, widow of Frederick Newcomer, and Sarah, deccased.
Christian. B. Lehman, the subject of this sketch, was born in Franklin county, Ohio, June 25, 1840. He was reared on the home- stead farm in German towhship, and received the rudiments of his education in the common schools. After completing his education he learned the trade of carpenter and followed this occupation for some years. In 1861 he enlisted in company B, Eighty-first Ohio vol- unteer infantry, and served three years and eleven months. In 1862 he was made cor- poral, and later he was promoted to a ser. geancy, serving in that capacity the rest of the war. He veteranized in 1863. Mr. Lehman saw a great deal of hard fighting and march- ing. He was engaged in the battles of Shiloh and of Corinth; was in the Atlanta campaign, from Pulaski to Resaca; was at the fall of At- lanta, and went thence with Sherman to the sea. From Savannah he went through North and South Carolina, and fought until the close of the war. He was a good soldier, prompt in the discharge of all his duties. In October, 1862, he was wounded in the right shoulder, but after treatment in a field hospital for a month rejoined his regiment. After the close of the war he returned to Allen county, and in 1867 settled neat Hume, later, however, rent- ing a farm near Lima. In 1885 he purchased his present farm, where he owns 154 acres of land, which he has for the most part cleared
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and improved. Politically Mr. Lehman is a democrat, and though not desiring office he has held the office of township trustee seven years and has been school director six years. He is always willing to labor for the success of his party in every legitimate way, and his in- fluence is widely felt. He is a member of Mart. Armstrong post, No. 202, G. A. R., and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Shawnee township, being a class leader in his church. In 1867 he was married to Miss Amelia Ridenour, of Perry township, by whom he has had the following children: Leroy H. ; Annie, Herman, Arthur P., and one that died in infancy. Mr. Lehman, it will thus be seen, is justly entitled to be classed among the fore- most citizens in all good works. and is conse- quently highly esteemed by all with whom he is acquainted.
ENRY L. LEILICH, one of the well- known citizens and business men of Delphos, Ohio, and one of the pro- prietors of the Delphos brewery, is a native of Hessen, Germany, was born July 6, 1865, and is a son of Jacob and Catherine (Schwoel(1) Leilich. The father was for years a merchant in the town of Shaafheim, but is now retired from active business life. The subject of our sketch took the regular course of schooling required by the government, and and then took two courses at a normal school, attending the latter for seventeen months. In July, 1881, he started for the United States, arriving at New York August 24, of that year, and came to Delphos direct, he having an aunt living in this city. When he stepped aboard the steamer he had just $32 in money in his pocket, and of that amount he had $11 when he reached Delphos. His first work here was on a section of the Clover Leaf rail
road, at which he continued but a few days, not being able to stand the fatigue. He was next picked up in a drug store, where he had gone to get something to heal his sore hands, caused by work on the section, by H. P. Eysenbach, and by him put to work in a woolen-mill, running a picker and doing all the chores. He remained in Mr. Eysenbach's employ for about four months, during which time he took English lessons in the evenings from a private tutor and was given daily in- structions, when opportunity presented itself, by Mr. Eysenbach's father. From the woolen- mill he next entered the shoestore of F. J. Miller, where he clerked and also worked on the beneh. He remained with Mr. Miller for year, and then went to work in the Clover Leaf railroad shops, taking a job as striker in the blacksmith shop. He continued here three years, learning the trade of blacksmith- ing. He then fell sick, and while laying off, being unable to work in the railroad shops, he returned to the store of . Mr. Miller, where he again clerked and worked on the bench for about two and a half years. He next accepted a position as a salesman in a Lima clothing house, of Delphos, where he re- mained five years. In 1893 ho purchased a half-interest in the Delphos brewery, since which time he has given all his attention to the busi- ness, he having all the office and outside busi- ness under his charge. Notwithstanding the fact that Mr. Leilich comes from a good family and was given a fine education, when he came to America he began at the very bot- tom, and alone and unaided he has climbed to his present position in business circles. His efforts have been successful to a high degree, and aside from his interests in the brewery, he owns valuable improved real estate in Delphos, all of which he has accumulated in less than fifteen years. He is a stockheller in the Del- phos Buliding & Loan association, and is also
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interested in the development of oil and gas in the neighborhood of Delphos.
Mr. Leilich was married October 29, 1884, to Miss Louisa Werner, daughter of Jacob Werner, a well-known contractor of Delphos. To their union one boy-Clarence- was born Jnly 3, 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Leilich are mem- bers of the Lutheran church, and are highly respected in the polite society in which they move. Mr. Leilich is a business man possess- ing integrity of character, and fully appreciates the value of prompt payment of debts. ' Money in circulation is what makes business active and creates prosperity. Integrity of character is as much of an inheritance as any other pe- culiarity, and it is altogether probable that Mr. Leilich is indebted to a considerable extent for this quality, and also in a larger sense to his nationality, for the German people, as a rule, are as noted for sterling honesty as for strength of body, and are everywhere welcomed by Americans, who believe in keeping up the high tone of American citizenship.
J OHN WM. LEHMKUHLE, member of the Delphos city council from the Third ward and a well-known citizen, is a native of the Buckeye state, having been born in Springfield September 25, 1849. His parents were Bernard H. and Catherine W. (Bach) Lehmkuhle, both of whom were natives of the old country, the father of Han- over and the mother of Nassan. . The father came to America when he was eighteen years old, and the mother when she was a child. They were married in Springfield, Ohio, and in 1850 they removed to Jennings township, Putnam county, where he bought a small farm' near Fort Jennings. The mother died November 6, 1874, at the age of forty-one years. The father died August 20, 1894. m his seventy-second year. The father was a 12
member of the Catholic church and the mother of the Lutheran. To these parents twelve children were born-only one still living.
John W. Lehmkuhle was reared on the farm at Fort Jennings at attended the district schools; at the age of seventeen years he came to Delphos and began to learn the carpenter's trade with the late Frank Heitz, for whom he worked until the death of the latter. in 1881, and then he went to work for the Ohio Wheel Works company, where he has since continued. Mr. Lehmkuhle was married on November 4, 1880, to Theresa Laudick, who was born in Allen county, Ohio, November 4, 1859, and is the daughter of Conrad Laudick, deceased. Mr. Lehmkuhle is a member of the democratic party. In March, 1895, he was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Delphos city council, and in April, of the same year, he was the regular nominee of the democrats of the Third ward for councilman, and waselected. He is chair- man of the sanitary committee, and a member of the committees on sewer and ordinance. Mr. Lehinkuhle is a member of St. John's Roman Catholic church, and holds the office of church marshal of the congregation. Mrs.
Lehmkuhle died in November, 1881.
John H. Lehmkhule, deceased brother of John W., was born at Fort Jennings, Putnam county, Ohio, on February 22, 1854, and died in Delphos September 10, 1884 He was a farm- er by occupation. He was married July 27, 1880, to Mary C. Kaverman, who was born in Van Wert county, Ohio, and is the daughter of Joli Mathias Kaverman. To this marriage one son, John B., was born March 15, 1882.
J OHN LENNEY, deceased, once a well- known engineer on the C., H. & D. rail- road, and later a farmer of Bath town- ship, Allen county, Olio, was the eldest son of John and Mary Lenne and was born
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in Cumberland county, Pa. (near Carlisle), March 11, 1820. John Lenney, the father, also a native of Cumberland county, Pa., married Mary Russell, a native of his own state, the union resulting in the birth of five children, viz: John, Isaac, James W., Re- becca and Ella. John Lenney was a farmer, followed his calling and died in his native state, but his widow died in Forest, Hardin county, Ohio, at the home of her son, Isaac, who had several years been a resident of that town and county.
Jolm Lenney, the gentleman whose name introduces this biographical sketch, married Miss Josephine Miller, daughter of Peter Miller, a native of France, and this union was blessed by the birth of three children: Jolin, now liv- ing with his mother on the homestead in Bath township; Christopher M., and William, also hving at home. After relinquishing his posi- tion as engineer, Mr. Lenney purchased a farm of 120 acres in Bath township, which he greatly improved and on which he made his home until his death, February 4, 1885, a member of the Presbyterian church, an Odd Fellow and in politics a republican. He was ever an industrious man and also ever upright in his every act; he held the esteem of all his fellow-men, was an affectionate husband and a kind and indulgent father, and his death was deeply deplored not only by the family he loved so dearly but by a large circle of sincere and true friends. His widow still lives on the farm which his frugahty secured, and is highly honored by the friends of her deceased hus- band and by a large circle of her personal friends.
Peter Miller, the father Mrs. Lenney, was a farmer in his native France, where he mar- ried Catherine Ernst, who became the mother of four children: Maria, wife of Charles Hort, of Indiana, Magdaline, wife of Charles Roth, of Mount Eaton, Wayne county, Ohio; Jose- phine, willow of the subject of this sketch, and
Christopher, of Lima, Ohio. Mrs. Lenney, since the death of her husband, lives the faith- ful mother that she is, and has held her family well together, deservedly earning the high es- teem in which she is held by all who know her.
Mr. Lenney was one of the best known and oldest engineers of northwest Ohio, and followed this calling for thirty-two years. He was for many years on the Mad River road, now the the Ohio division of the Indiana, Bloomington & Western railroad, and was in Sandusky city at the time the cholera made such dreadful ravages there. He helped bury Mr. and Mrs. Townsend, who then owned the greater part of the land the city now stands upon. He was also an engineer at one time upon the P., Ft. W. & C. railroad. At the time of the war he was employed npon the railroad running in and out of Nashville, Tenn., which at that time were operated by the government, in transporting troops and supplies.
ON. JOHN F. LINDEMANN, one of the most prominent of the younger citizens of Delphios, Ohio, and a member of the well-known legal firm of Reeve & Lindemann, is a native of Ohio, having been born in Cincinnati, April 7, 1861. His grandfather, Frederick Lindemann, was one of the early settlers of Delphos, he coming here from Germany in 1845, with his family of four sons and one daughter, all of whom were born in Germany. Of the sons, Henry, the third born of the children, is the father of Judge Lindemann. He was eleven years of age when his parents came to Delphos, and where he resided for about seven or eight years, and then went to Cincinnati, Ohio. There he met his wife and they were married in that city November 2, 1858 He continued to reside in Cincinnati until May, 1861, and then returned to Delphos. While in Cincin-
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nati he learned the trade of shoemaking, which he followed there and in Delphos. At the present he is engaged in the boot and shoe business. For years he has been one of the best known and popular citizens of Delphos, and has figared prominently in local politics. For twelve years successively he held the office of city marshal of Delphos; he was trustee of Marion township, Allen county, for several terms, and for a number of years represented the Second ward of Delphos in the city council. His wife was Clara Ossenbeck, who is the daughter of one of the early settlers of Del- phos. She war born at Deep Cnt, Auglaize county, Ohio. Both parents are members of Saint John's Roman Catholic church.
To Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lindemann twelve children were born, mne of whom survive, Judge Lindemann being the. eldest of those living. While Judge Lindemann was born in Cincinnati, he was married in Delphos, his par- ents locating here permanently when he was but six weeks old. He received a good public-school education, attending both the German and English departments of the Delphos schools. After leaving school he held positions as clerk in several stores in Delphos for about four years, and then learned the shoemaker's trade with his father, and followed that vocation for several years in his father's place of business. At the age of twenty-one (in 1882) he went to Lima and entered the office of the probate judge of Allen county, under Judge S. S. Yoder, afterward member of congress from Ohio, and subsequently sergeant-at-arms of the national congress. He remained in the pro- bate judge's office as a clerk until 1886, when. upon the resignation of Mr. Yoder, of that offre, to become a candidate for congress, om subject became a candidate for the unexpired term. He was nominated, and at the general election of that year was elected to the office. He qualified and took charge of his office on
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