Byron B. Leas ¹

  General Notes:

Death date provided by:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~indekalb/cemetery/waterloo.txt

Biography of Byron Leas, pages 575/576. History of DeKalb County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, 1914.



The best history of a community or state is the one that deals most with the lives and activities of its people, especially of those who, by their own endeavor and indomitable energy, have forged to the front and placed themselves where they deserve the title of progressive men. In this brief review will be found the record of one who has achieved a career of marked success in agricultural affairs and a name which all who know him delight to honor owing to this upright life and habits of thrift and industry. Byron Leas, one of the most progressive and public-spirited citizens of Grant township, DeKalb county, Indiana, was born on October 6, 1873, on the farm where he now resides just west of Waterloo. He is the son of Obediah Leas, whose sketch appears elsewhere in the work, and he was reared on the home farm, securing his education in the public schools of the community. Since his marriage, which occurred in 1895, Mr. Leas has been farming on his own account on the farm where he now lives, which was owned by his father and where he has resided continuously for forty years. His place comprises one hundred acres, the east line of which is only a fourth of a mile from the corporation line of Waterloo, and a splendid gravel road extends across his farm. The beautiful and attractive home, surrounded by graceful and shapely shade trees, the large and commodious barns and other necessary outbuildings which are all kept in first class condition attest to the sound business judgement and excellent taste of the owner. Mr. Leas has achieved a creditable success as a farmer and among his fellow agriculturists he enjoys a splendid and well deserved reputation. In 1895 Mr. Leas was united in marriage to Otie Jones, who was born and reared in Grant township, a daughter of John Wesley and Sarah (Plum) Jones, who are mentioned on another page in this work. Fraternally, Mr. Leas is a member of the Knights of Pythias, in the workings of which order he take a live interest. Characterized by breadth of wisdom and strong individuality and in all his enterprises actuated by noble motives and high resolves, Mr. Leas’ success and achievement represent the results of the proper utilization of innate talent in directing his efforts along those lines where sure judgement had led the way. Although he is too busy a man to devote much time to political matters, yet he can always be depended upon to lend his influence and support to all worthy movements whether political or otherwise that have for their object the betterment and upbuilding of his community.

Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com

Byron married Otie Jones, daughter of John Wesley Jones and Sarah A. Plum, in 1895. (Otie Jones was born on 18 Jan 1874 in Grant Township, Dekalb County, Indiana, USA and died on 17 Jul 1960 in Butler, Dekalb County, Indiana, USA.)