Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/855

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��MONROE TOWNSHIP.

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��the trade and engaged in farming. Jan. 6, 1859, he was married to Mary Jane Mitchell. For the next seven years, farming was his chief employment, but whenever work was slack on the farm, he would de- vote his spare time to working at his trade. His mother died Ajjril 10, 1867 ; one of his sisters, having married some years previous, now offered to sell him her interest in the " old homestead ; " he concluded to make the purchase, and try the experiment of going in debt ; by being " diligent in business " he soon re- moved this indebtedness. About this time, hi» father- in-law made a division of his property, by which trans- action Mr. Huston became the possessor of considei'a- ble means ; and, another sister desiring to sell her interest in the home farm, he bought hers also, and thus became the owner of 75 acres of land : a good part of his farm was in timber. His knowledjre of car- pentry was of great service to him ; he laid his own plans and did the greater part of the work in the con- struction of his buildings. Mr. Huston is now enjoy- ing the fruit of his labors, and is amply prepared to pass his declining years with ease and comfort ; in his habits he is strictly temperate; "Moderation in all things " is his motto.

LEITER, JACOB, farmer; P. 0. Lucas; was born in Washington Co., Md., June 2, 1824. His father's name was David Leiter; his mother's maiden name, Nancy Bell ; they were both of German descent : they re- moved to Ohio in the fall of 1837, and pui'chased a farm containing 140 acres, off the northeast corner of Sec. 7. in Monroe Township; they subsequently pur- chased 85 acres adjoining this farm ; he made many valuable and lasting improvements on this farm ; he afterward purchased 80 acres in Sec. 8 of this town- ship. David Leiter was married twice ; by his first wile he had but one child, who is the principal subject of this biographical sketch. Mrs. Nancy Leiter died about the year 1824, and was buried near Leitersburg, Washington Co., Md., in the family graveyard on her father s farm ; she was, for many years, a zealous mem- ber of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Leiter married, for his second wife. Miss Mary Bell, of his native county ; by this marriage he had twelve children, six sons and six daughters, named as follows : Louis, Susan, Bar- bary, Ann, Mary, Catharine, Malinda, David, John, Samuel and William ; one child died in infancy ; Lewis, Barbary and Mary are dead. David Leiter was a zeal- ous Christian ; he was an active member of the Lu- theran Church for a great many years ; he contributed largely of his means for religious and charitable pur- poses ; he departed this life in jNlay, 1870 ; he was buried in the Odd Fellows' Cemetery near Lucas. Ja- cob Leiter remained with his father, assisting him in improving and cultivating his farm, till July 2, 1848, when he was united in marriage to Miss Susan Ross, third daughter of Natcher and Sophia Ross. The first farm that Jacob Leiter owned contained 40 acres, and was a part of the southwest quarter of Sec. 16, in Mon- roe Township ; he resided on this farm about eighteen months, when he sold it and rented of his father the farm on which Lewis Leiter's widow now resides ; he remained on this farm four years ; from there he re- moved to Mifllin Township, where he purchased a farm consisting of 100 acres, on which he resided three

��years, when he sold it and purchased the farm entered by his father-in-law, Natcher Ross, where he still con- tinues to reside ; this farm is highly fertile and pro- ductive, and well adapted to all kinds of farming purposes ; it is well watered and well timbered and well improve:! ; since it came into the possession of Mr. Leiter, he has improved the dwelling, built a large and commodious barn, as also other outbuildings ; his fences are in good repair and everything in good shape on the premises. Mr. and Mrs. Leiter are the parents of nine children, three sons and six daughters, named as follows : Clara Ann, born Oct. 25, 1849 ; Mary Alice, Dec. 5, 1851; Sophia, May 15, 1853; Nancy Jane, Oct. 31, 1855; Natcher Ross, July 21, 1858; David Samuel, March 27, 1861 ; Elmer Ellsworth, Oct. 22, 1863 ; Mary Frances, Jan. 13, 1867, and Dora, Sept. 24, 1872 ; Mary Alice died June 30, 18-52, and was buried at Mt. Zion. Jacob Leiter united with the Evangelical Lutheran Church when about 18 years old, and has been an active and zealous member of that branch of the Christian Church from that time to the present ; his wife has been a member of the same church for many years ; they have the reputation of being very liberal in their contributions for religious and benevolent purposes; Mr. Leiter has also been an active member of Monroe Lodge, No. 224, 1. 0. 0. F., for about eighteen years ; he has attained to the high- est position in his lodge ; he is also an active member of the Burns Encampment. He and his good wife are members of Morning Star Lodge, No. 36, Daughters of Rebecca. They are much esteemed for their many vir- tues.

McBRIDE, ALEXANDER, farmer, was born in Hampshire Co., Va., April 11, 1798. His father's name was Thomas McBride ; his mother's maiden name was Mary McVicker. His father was a native of Ire- land ; he emigrated to the United States about the year 1785. His mother was of Scotch-Irish descent. Thomas McBride, after his marriage, resided in Hampshire Co., Va., till the spring of 1817. In the spring of 1816, he came to Ohio, and entered the south half of Sec. 15, in Monroe Township. The spring following, he removed his family to this farm, which at that time was a dense forest. He continued to reside on this fiirm as long as he lived. He raised a family of seven children, five sons and two daughters ; their names in the order of their births are Alexander, Agnes, John, Archibald, Duncan, Wilson and Mary ; Alexander and John are the sole survivors of this family. Thomas McBride and wife were active members of the United Presbyterian Church for many years, and were much respected for their many virtues. He departed this life April 27, 1824, and was the first one buried in the Odd Fellows' Cemetery, near Lucas ; he died in his 54th year. His wife died May 8, 1833, and was buried beside her hus- band ; she was 60 years old when she died. Thomas McBride's brother, Alexander, who died May 15, 1825, in his 77th year, is interred in the same cemetery. The subject of this sketch being the eldest of his father's family, the burden of hard labor fell upon his shoulders Being brought up in the woods, he withstood the dan- gers, and endured all the hardships, toils and priva- tions incident to pioneer life. He had but few facilities for acquiring knowledge, but he made good use of those

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