Hon. William Bower Leas 2
- Born: 7 Feb 1812, Adams County, Pennsylvania, USA
- Marriage (1): Mary Geddes Stewart on 2 Nov 1841 in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, USA 1
- Died: Feb 1882, Shirleysburg, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, USA at age 70
General Notes:
William B Leas' will is to be found in Huntingdon County wills, volume 9 on page 330.
FAMILY NOTES Marriage(1):
HUSBAND NOTES: Hon. William Bower Leas Birth(2,3): Census(4): William B. Leas is listed in Shirleysburg Borough in Dwelling 1, Family 1 (in order of visitation). William is listed as a farmer with Real Estate valued at $10,000.
Those listed in the household are:
William B. Leas 38 M Born Penn. Mary " 26 F " David " 8 M " Mary " 6 F " Isabel " 6/12 F. "
David and Mary were attending school. Will(5): William B. Leas' will is to be found in Huntingdon County wills, volume 9 on page 330. Article(6): The following is copied directly from" Africa's History of Huntingdon and Blair County" published in 1883.
William B. Leas was born in Perry Co. PA on the 7th of February, 1812; took up his residence in Shirleysburg in Aug. 1829 and continued to reside there till the time of his death; was elected an associate judge in Oct. 1860, succeeding his brother-in-law, John Long. Judge Leas served one year and was re-elected for another four year term which he completed in 1865.
Judge Leas was in business for nearly fifty years, merchandizing, farming, and tanning. During this time he served in many of the borough offices and as postmaster under several administrations. He was also a stockholder and director in the Union Bank of Huntingdon. In July 1871, he, in company with Rev. Dr. A. K. Bell and Rev. J. W. Evans started on a tour of Europe and travelled all through England, Scotland and Ireland and a great portion of the continent.
He wrote numerous interesting and instructive letters home during his journeyings which were published in the newspapers and extensively read.
He accumulated a large estate from the profits of his business, which he left to his family after making liberal bequests to the Baptist Church, of which he was a working member, and to other religious and charitable institutions.
As an associate judge, the duties of his office were all discharged with that scrupulous care and attention which characterized all the social and business relations of his life.
He died very suddenly in the cars of the Pennsylvania Railroad, just after entering them at Mount Union on his way to Huntingdon on Feb. 17, 1882, aged 70 years and 10 days. He was buried at Shirleysburg."
That finishes what was written about him in one article in Africa's , however there were intermittent items throughout the Shirleysburg coverage which I will list and separate each one with
>>>>Eldest daughter of Hon. Wm. B. Leas married ________Lowell
>>>>>1836 Benjamin and William B. Leas commenced a merchantile business and continued till 1842. Firm name changed to G. and B Leas and William retired from the business, only to return again (No date given) and engage in the merchantile business.
>>>>1843 Benjamin, Mary and William B Leas among the original membership of the Baptist Church Shirleysburg.
>>>>1854 George Leas elected to House of Rep from Huntingdon
>>>>1858 Benjamin Leas County Commissioner
>>>>1855 William entered in partnership in the Tanning business in Black Log Valley with Samuel McVitty. They were in business 4 years and expanded with a tannery in Saltillo, PA. Later they enlarged their works again and their sons D. P. Leas and T. E. McVitty became partners. The firm then became Leas, McVitty and Sons.
>>>> I know this information does not give you much about his family, but I could find nothing, except the brief mentions I have included, which did not even provide names. I have no home access to census records which would probably give you more. The Huntingdon Co. Historical Society is on line at hchs@vicon.net. Sorry I couldn.t get you more but some of this may add some color to your family story, if you didn't already have it. Kay Houck P.S. It would be interesting to see if you could locate any of those articles he wrote from his Grand Tour. There were several local newspapers and the Juniata college Library in Huntingdon has films of the old papers.
General: Leas GB p217: Lived in Huntington Co., PA.
WIFE NOTES: Mary Geddes Stewart Birth(7): Mary is listed in the 1850 Census as being 26 years of age. Will(8): Mary's will is to be found in Huntingdon County Wills, Volume 12 page 326 General: Leas GB p217: Lived in Huntington Co., PA.
CHILD NOTES: Rev. David P. Leas Birth(9): In the 1850 Census, David is found living with his parents in Shirleysburg Borough. He was 8 years of age and attending school.
CHILD NOTES: Mary Leas Birth(10): Mary is listed with the family in the 1850 Census in Shirleysburg Borough; she was six years of age and attending school.
CHILD NOTES: Emily Judson Leas Birth(11): Emily was listed with the family in the 1850 Census of Shirleysburg Borough; she was four years old at the enumeration on November 6, 1850.
CHILD NOTES: Isabella Leas Birth(12): Isabella was listed as 6/12 years of age (6 months) at the time of the Census which was done on November 6th 1850; she is listed with parents and siblings in Shirleysburg Borough in Huntingdon Co, PA.
SOURCES 1. Camp / Kauffman. "History of Path Valley Presbyterian Churches" 1802-1855: Franklin Co, PA. Published in 1916 by the Repository Press in Chambersburg, Pa. 2. World Family Tree. Broderbund. WFT 16 Tree #1564. 3. LDS - Ancestral File. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. AFN: 3LNL-27. 4. Federal Government. Census. Federal Government. 1850 Shirleysburg Borough, Huntingdon Co, PA Roll 784, page 171. 5. DOCUMENTS. Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania Will Testators Index #3 J-M Surnames http://www.wasatch.com/~dsam/sampubco/pa/paw0023.htm#sh_W-X_177. 6. Africa. History of Huntingdon County, PA. 7. Federal Government. Census. Federal Government. 1850 Census, Shirleysburg Borough, Huntingdon Co, PA. Roll 784, page 171. 8. DOCUMENTS. http://www.wasatch.com/~dsam/sampubco/pa/paw0023.htm#sh_W-X_177. 9. Federal Government. Census. Federal Government. 1850 Shirleysburg Borough, Huntingdon Co, PA. 10. Ibid. 1850 Shirleysburg Borough, Huntingdon Co, PA. 11. DAR Records. Daughters of the American Revolution. DAR ID Number 18725. 12. Ibid. DAR ID Number 18725 Isabella Leas McCarthy.
The 1880 US Census shows a servant named Lizzie Williams living with the family. Lizzie was born in Pennsylvania in about 1861. The Census shows that her parents were born in Wales.
Noted events in his life were:
• Occupation: Judge and investor. 3
• Residence: US Census, 1860, Huntingdon, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, USA.
• Residence: US Census, 1880, Shirleysburg, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, USA.
William married Mary Geddes Stewart, daughter of Andrew Stewart and Isabella Craighead, on 2 Nov 1841 in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, USA.1 (Mary Geddes Stewart was born on 1 Feb 1818 in Pennsylvania, USA,4 died on 30 Aug 1891 in Denver, Denver County, Colorado, USA 4 and was buried in Shirleysburg, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, USA.)
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