Jacob Leas 1
- Born: 11 Oct 1784, Adams County, Pennsylvania, USA
- Marriage (1): Elizabeth Zimmerman on 30 Aug 1808 in Adams County, Pennsylvania, USA
- Died: 18 Apr 1873, Jefferson County, Ohio, USA at age 88
- Buried: Leas Cemetery Jefferson County, Ohio, USA
General Notes:
Moved to Salem Twp., Jefferson Co., Ohio on 22 Jun 1814. Family cemetery, known as "Leas Cemetery" on his farm.
-------------------- Listed below are a series of letters written to Jacob from family members in the mid-1800's. These letters were made available to me by Kathryn Leas. --------------------
Leas Letter # 7:
To: Mr. Jacob Leas
Adams County, PA November 25, 1843
Dear Children, I now take the liberty of informing you that we are all well at present and all the rest of our friends as far as I can tell thanks be to the Almighty. My eyes are weak and still getting weaker.
I received your lines dated the 15th of last month and read them with great joy to hear of you and that you were all well then and you mentioned in yours that you intended to come again Spring.
Leonard wrote some time ago that had some money for me; how to get it in I don't know. I wish you to go to him and lift the money and send it to me by a trusty person. Michael Warner may come in or send it by some other person.
Further I ask you to write John Leas that I have received ten dollars of Rudolph Spangler and I want John to go to Jonas Spangler and settle with him for the same and then to write me a letter how it is. [Note: this is one of those Dutchy sounding statements I mentioned].
Furthermore I will tell you a little about the times here. They are hard. It is a hard matter for some people to have as much money as will pay their taxes at this time. Wheat can be bought at 87 ct pr bushel by the load. Rye 25 to 27 ct, corn 31 to 35 ct, oats 20 to 25 ct. But there is no selling for cash, the most business is trade. As trade and the Sheriff Sales are still in ____________ for the last 12 months back how times is going to be is hard to tell yet. No more at present but our best respects to one and all of you.
John Leas
Re: Leas Letter #8
This letter should be read as | To Jacob Leas in Ohio | From John Leas in:
| Tyrone Township | Adams County, PA | February 24th, 1845 | | | Dear Children, | I now take the liberty of informing you that I received yours dated the 3rd | of this (?month). | Further as for ourselves we have not been well for some time back as for | the rest of our | children and friends here are all well as far as I can tell at present. | | Further, you ask me where to pay that money - right, it is your Sophiah | and John's Elizabeth, each the sum of 10 dollars, that is if you get it | in your hands. Further if Warner can't pay the principal I would wish you | to try to get the interest of him that is due on them notes. | | I am surprised that there is none writes to me but you. It would appear | that the rest of our children don't care for us old people or else they | would write now and then. | | We have had a very open winter, snow aplenty but it did not last no time. | Jacob, you are to pay $10 to John Leases son john out of my money. | | No more at present but our best respects to you all. | |
| John Leas
Letter to Jacob Leas in Ohio from his brother, William Leas in PA.
John has died as this letter will bear out. My records show that he died May 20, 1847.
The family seems to have been in the business of loaning money at interest.
Does anyone have a copy of the will of John Leas? (1755-1847) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
From: Adams County, PA
July 12, 1847
Respected brother, Through and by the will of God I send you these lines to let you know that we are well at present thanks be to the Great Giver. Mother is midlin harty at present.
Hoping this may find you well and I received yours dated June 22 and you wrote that Warner had paid 460 dollars and you did not know what to do about it.
I went to Jacob ___________ and consulted with him concerning it and we thought the best would be for you to keep it and keep it on interest as much as possible and just to send the interest that is coming of father's money every spring. We think you as safe to take care of it as we should be ourselves for we will be in need of all the interest that we can raise every spring according to the will.
I don't know whether I stated in my last about Mothers Legacy. She has to get the third bushel of everything that is raised on the farm if she thinks proper to have them and we have to pay her out of the income of the estate every year as long as she lives. Also $60 to Sally Hartzel for the interest of the thousand dollars to keep up the repairs and pay the taxes for the properties and if we can't their interest enough we will have to break on the principal and there is a great many other things to be done for mother that if we can't rent the farm for to get the whole of it done we must pay it out of the estate if she sees proper to have them for there is nothing to be sold, nothing to be divided while Mother is living.
I think and our sisters here and the neighbors around here all think that it would be better for her to give up the house keeping and go and live with one of her children for there would be less trouble on her mind and less trouble for me for I don't know whether I will stay here if I can suit myself somewhere else for I think the rent to high on this farm. Still I will do for mother as long as I can get in reach of her but I think her to old a woman to live there by herself in a manner as we say Jacob. It never came as if always had been promised if I would stay with them but so it is and so I must take up with it. If I could talk with you one hour I could tell you much better than I can write.
I want you to examine this rite and consult with the rest of the heirs as far as you can and likewise of Mother staying on and keep house the way she is now and then write to me what was your opinion about these matters for I would like to know all your opinions for I have stated it as near as I can excepting I was with you to tell you personally as could show you a copy of the will.
Our grain crop is very poor here, grain will be high with us excepting there comes from another country. We had a very dry spring until now we had these last days a good deal of rain.
No more at Present but my best respects to one and all of you.
William Leas
This letter is after the death of John Leas ---
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Leas Letter # 10
To Jacob Leas in Ohio From William Leas in Pennsylvania Re: Matters pertaining to settleing the Will of John Leas Adams County, PA May 30, 1848 Dear Friends,
I now will let you know that we are all well at present thanks be to the Great Giver for His mercy shown toward us. Mother has got tolerable well again and I hope these lines may find you all well. Further I had wrote to you if I'm not mistaken that I received a letter from Sally a few days ago. She gave me a price she would take and I want you to get the consent of all the rest of the brothers and sisters whether they are all agreed for me to give her the five hundred dollars providing she releases in full for the will runs in this way that she is to get the interest of the thousand dollars while she lives.
Take my word for it, I have a great deal of trouble with the estate for we can't collect only the interest of the money to pay mother the hundred dollars and taxes and repairs of the properties for we can't begin to settle up while mother is a living. Therefore, I would wish the consent of all of you as soon as you could get it. I am expecting Leonard. I will write to him for I know where he lives. Now the two sisters and myself is satisfied for her to have the five hundred dollars and if we could get the matter fixed we could collect the thousand dollars as soon as we could ant the half of that would have to be divided amongst the rest of us nine heirs. But they will have to get their consent by writing their names or marks to a notary drawn up by you or some other person for I would wish to keep myself safe and Jacob, you must keep and account for your trouble until we can make a firm settlement.
This thing would take a great burden off me if it could be arranged amongst us and as you wrote to me about them intersts I called with our attorney and he thinks it would be better for you to leave it as it is until there would be a divide made for some of the rest has a great deal more than you have that if you would pay your note you would be at a loss with the rest of the heirs. I had told him what father had said but he says we must go to the will and the laws of Pennsylvania and as for taking money of Warner this fall, I don't like to do it excepting we could get this matter fixed with sister Sally...
Again I would sooner you could keep it out there for it will have to go out some time again but if you don't wish to keep it there we must take it and do the best we can. No more at present, but my best respects to you all.
Wm. Leas
Written to Mr. Jacob Leas in Ohio From his brother, William Leas in Pennsylvania. (Sons of John Leas and Sophia Ziegler)
Adams County, PA October 2, 1850
Dear Brother, I received yours dated Sept. the 8th last and I know I should have written to you long ago but I was still waiting to get them writings fixed and could still not get them ready.
I will now inform you how we are. My family is well and Mother (Sophia Ziegler Leas) is as well as can be expected. She is able to be up and about the house and still wants to work. Yet it is so surprising how smart she is for her age for she is in her 90 year since April last and as for our wheat crop in this part of the country was very good. Considering to the quality of the ground as for my poor little farm we cut 450 dozen of good what and I expect about 300 bushels of oats. Our corn is not as good as it might be we had a very cold wet backward spring. We had a good crop of grass so as we could make a good deal of hay. I expect to have about 25 bushels of clover seed this fall. I will now close and I hope these lines may find you all in good health so may God bless us all. From yours respectfully.
Wm. Leas
This letter was written to Jacob Leas in Ohio from his brother, William Leas in Adams County, PA.
Adams County, Pa. May 12, 1851
Dear Brother and friends, I will inform you that we are all well thanks be to the great giver. Expecting these lines may find you all enjoying good health and firther mother is well still able to be up and about and as for her eyesight is just midling. She can't see to read but she can see to go about through the house and outdoors and her mind is good for her age. She is now in her ninety-one year since the 13 day of April last. Further I received your letter dated April 16th 1851 with a check calling for $91.32 cents which money I received for said check and further about the money you can do just as well with it as I could and there will be a time when it has to go there anyhow so it may just as well stay. Our wheat crops looks midlin well at present but we don't know what it may be yet. We had a very wet spring so far until now. The ground is just go in tolerable order for planting corn. Wheat is bringing from 95 cents to one dollar in York at this time. In Baltimore from one dollar to 1.08, corn 54, oats 35cts per bushel. Friends I will now close my lines but my best respects to you all.
Wm. Leas
This letter was written to Jacob Leas in Ohio by his nephew, Theo Taughinbaugh, the son of Margaret Leas Taughinbaugh. Margaret was the daughter of John Leas and Sophia Ziegler and the sister of Jacob Leas to whom the letter is written.
New Chester, PA Sept. 14, 1852
Dear Uncle,
This morning I take up my pen in haste to let you know that we are all well and mother was at Uncle William's on Sunday last. He says that grandmother is still confined to her bed the most of the time and has been for the last two months. She complains mostly of weakness. Uncle's family is all well and all the rest of our relations is well as far as we know of. I had written a letter for Uncle John Leas. We are at the loss of knowing where to direct it since he left Ohio which I take this method of directing it to you to forward to him. We got a letter from since he left Ohio. We have forgotten where to direct the letter as we cannot find his letter. Hoping you will attend to this if possible and please write to me and let us know all particulars, and oblige your nephew.
Theo. Taughinbaugh P.M.
Our respects to you all hoping to hear from you soon.
This letter is to Jacob Leas in Ohio; written by his brother William Leas in Adams County, PA.
Adams County, Pa. September 21, 1852
Dear Brother and friends, I will inform you that my families reasonable well at present thanks be to the great Giver and every good and perfect gift and all ther resto fo our sisters as far as I can tell at present. But now I must inform you with sorrow that our dear mother has left our worldly side she departed this life on the 16th of this month at 11 o'clock at night and was buried on the 18th and my hopes to her is that her spirit is in heaven and my friends our only way is to strive to get there to meet her. As I wrote before she had been complaining for some time back but the most only weakness till the last 8 or 10 days. She appeared to be better than she had been for some time back. Some of the neighbors told me that had been to see her the evening when she died that night she had been as lively as could be expected. She went to her bed in the evening as well as usual and at about 10 o'clock she said to the girls that she was now adying and before they could get any person there but Mrs. Widner she was a corpse so we should be thankful to God that she had not to suffer long. Now we intend to have a sale here on the 29th of this month and I think that we will try the land this fall yet it is late in the year but it will give us a better chance for next fall if we don't sell this fall. I would wish you to send your opinion what you though it ought to fetch. Another I wish you to let the rest know about Mother's death. If the farm is not sold we will rent it for one year and put all the rent in repairs at the place and pay the taxes. The letter you sent to mother came too late it came that morning she lay a corpse. No more at present but my best respects to you all hoping these lines may find you all enjoying good health.
Wm. Leas
Leas Cemetery information: http://www.jeffcochapter.com/LeasCemetery.html 2
Research Notes:
The Garlock-Elliott Family
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Jefferson County Townships by Doyle, 1910 Salem Township
In the original five townships Salem was part of Steubenville, but on Friday, June 12, 1807, the county commissioners, "on application set off and incorporated the Tenth Township of the Third Range into a separate township and election district, to be distinguished and known by the name of Salem Township, and the first election to be held at the house of David Coe." As this description indicates, this civil township corresponds to the government surveys, having thirty-six sections, with Ross Township on the north, Island Creek on the east, Wayne of the south and Springfield and Harrison County on the west. It is rugged, being drained on the north by the Town Fork of Yellow Creek, and on the south by Cedar and Clay Lick, Burke's and Lease's Runs, tributary to Cross Creek. It is a good farming section, and has coal and oil, although the development of these minerals has not been so extensive as in the adjoining townships. It is scarcely necessary to say that settlers were here long before the organization of the township. They began coming in 1798-99, and when the above order was made among those already on the ground were Jacob Coe, James Moores, Henry Miser, Edward Devine, Joseph Talbott, Rev. Joseph Hall (one of the pioneer Methodist Episcopal ministers), Henry Hammond (brother of Charles Hammond, the able lawyer and most noted of the early Ohio editors, whose work received Jefferson's praise), Joseph Hobson, Stephen Ford, Baltzer Culp, William Farquhar, John Collins, Ezekiel Cole, John Walker, John Johnson, William Bailey, James Bailey, James McLain, Adam Miser, William Smith, John Andrew (a soldier of the Revolutionary War and a colonel in the War of 1812; his remains are buried in the graveyard on the hill at Salem Village); John Gillis, Sr., Francis Douglas, William Leslie, David Lyons, John Hogue, John McComb, Thomas and Patrick Hardenmadder, Daniel Markham, Benjamin Hartman, Isaac Helmick, John Sunderland, John Wilson, William Mugg, William Vantz, Henry Jackman, Jacob Vantz, Andrew Strayer, Benjamin Talbott, Jacob Ong, John Watson, Joseph Flenniken, Adley Calhoun, Jacob Leas, Christian Albaugh, James Rutledge (from Pennsylvania, and of the same family as the signer of the Declaration of Independence, the latter's people moving to South Carolina, and his remains lie at Charleston), Isaac Shane, Aaron Allen, Robert Douglas (potter), Thompson Douglas (gunsmith), Thomas Calhoun, John McCullough, David Watt, David Rogers, George Hout, Henry Morrison (first settler on Mingo Bottom in 1793, and was in the War of 1812 with colonel Duvall), William McCarel, Dr. Anderson Judkins, Willia, Bahan, Charles Leslie, Thomas George, Thomas Orr, William Blackiston, Samuel Bell, David Sloane, Richard Jackson (the grandfather of Baron R. Mason Jackson), Levi Miller, Stewart McClave, Richard McCullough, John Collins, John Stutz John Wolf, William Dunlap, William Davidson, William Alexander, John Markle (an early school teacher), Adam Winklesplech, -------Stout (storekeeper), William Leas. Henry Hammond settled near East Springfield before 1804 and caught a land turtle and cut his initials on it shell; in 1850 he found the same turtle with 1804 and the initials distinctly visible.
Jacob married Elizabeth Zimmerman, daughter of Father Of John And Elizabeth Zimmerman and Mother Of John And Elizabeth Zimmerman, on 30 Aug 1808 in Adams County, Pennsylvania, USA. (Elizabeth Zimmerman was born in 1790 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA,3 4 died on 14 Mar 1862 3 and was buried in Leas Cemetery Jefferson County, Ohio, USA 3.)
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