Mary Jane "Versey" Leas ^{1 2}

   Another name for Mary was Versey.

  General Notes:

Civil War Letter to Mary Jane [Versey] Leas from John Wesley Hardin - May 26, 1862

(May 26, 1862 was a Monday.)

This letter was printed in "A Hardin Family History" and was written by John Wesley Hardin and sent to his cousin Versey Leas. John was the son of (William Hardin and) Prudence Walker, who was a sister to Francis Samuel Walker. Versey, actually Mary Jane Leas, is the daughter of Jane Walker [Leas], another sister of Prudence and Francis Samuel's. This missive was written a year after his earlier letter to Leander Walker which is here. This is only the text of the letter as there were no images of the actual writing. Before the war ended, on March 29, 1864, while fighting in Arkansas, John W. Hardin was struck with a bullet and blinded in one eye, which was by necessity replaced with a glass eye. Not much is known of him after the Civil War but he is buried in New London, Iowa, in Ferrel Cemetery, next to his parents.

Monday May 26th, 1862
Butler Bates Co. Mo.

Dear Cousin:
I take the present opportunity of answering your last letter which I received some time ago. It also found me enjoying good health which is a great blessing for a soldier. The most of our boys is well. Robert Baxter is wounded. He is getting well very fast for a man that was shot as bad as he was. He received 6 shots, two in his face, one in his ear, two in his back and one in his arm. There is one bullet in his back yet but I don't think it will hurt him much. But am in hopes that I will never be in that fix, but a person cannot tell what will happen. We are in danger all the time. They surprise our pickets sometimes but our pickets has always seen them in time to stop them, so far. We have got a good many prisoners here. I have no doubt but some of them deserves to be shot, but it is pretty hard to tell who it is. I have not heard from James since I saw him at Benton Barracks. I heard at one time that they was at Rolla but they are not there now. I presume he is somewhere a makin the Secesh get up and clime. Well that is all right don't you think so Versey.

Whither you or me likes it or not it is the case they haft to get up and dust at the present time or be captured, one of the six. Well Versey, in reference to that young man that you said looked so sweet, I presume he is a nice little fellow in one respect and in another respect I presume he is very nasty, at least I always thought so. But you may differ from me in that respect. Well Versey, there is one thing I must tell you, that is I got a new hat & two new shirts. Well, this is not a very interesting letter. I have wrote in a hurry but I must quit for this time. I send my love too all inquiring friends.

J. W. Hardin to Versey Lee



A Letter on February 1, 1861 from James Walker to His Niece Mary Jane Rodgers (Versey), His Sister Jane Walker Leas, and His Nephews, George and James Leas

This letter was provided by Beverly Whitaker.

February 1, 1861 was a Friday.

February 1, 1861

My dear niece after haveing received letter from you i take my pen to write a few lines to you, your mother and brothers. We were glad to hear that you were well and enjoying good health at present & also hope that this may finds you all injoying the same blessing -- we have piece and plenty but donte noe how long it wil last-- How be it we wil do the best we can under every circumstance-- Sarah Jane and Julian are going to schoole this winter -- We have a very hard winter-snow eighteen inches deepe-- We can do nothing but git wood feed and goe to mill-- and i want to goe to Arkansas if i could sel my property here-- we live inn a butyfull part of the country but it is two could and dreary for me-- We have not heard from any of our friends lately- the last i had frome youre unkle Thomas they were all well-his children were all married-- He lives inn Johnson county Indian-- Franklin is his place of address-- If you want to heare from him write and he wil anser you-- Now my dear sister Jane i would be glad to see you but i dont noe when if ever-- All the care of a famely now depending on me and we live where famely expences are considerable-- but if i can come in there this sumer i wil-- My boys are not large enough yet to trust with the care of the farme and stock-- I have not had a letter from Sam for a long time and i donte noe whare he lives exactly-- He used to write often but stoped and i hearde no more from him-- the last i heard from brother George they were all well--his son George staying with us this winter and we heard from there lately. We have not heard from Thomas Allens for a long time nor from the William Hardins-- I hardly fale to answer a letter when i git one though not all ways amediately-- If you see William and Prudy tell them i would like very much to see theme and talk over oald times -- I think William mit come to see us and bring Prudy a long allso George or James mit bring you to see us.

George and James my goode fellows i would be very glad to see you boath and noe how you are giting along-- Times are dull here and money scarce-- the price of stock hogs keep up pretty wel but few buyers-- Wheete 40 to 50 cts pr bushle-- corn under 15-- very little tradeing done and we fere there wil be less and harder times than we ever saw- but we hope for the better until the worst comes-- We live in countery moastly made up of abolishonests negroes simpathisers hoo think more of the negro than they doo of a white man and as far as i can diserne it-- is they and there leaders that are bringing our countery to disolation and if the worst does come-- George i have the consolation to noe that i have had no hand in bringing it about-- I am a union man and goe for the nonintervention in the teritorys and the inforsement of the fugitive slave law-- I was satisfied if honest Abe was elected it would bring about just such a state of feelings as we are now in and all over the length and breadth of the land-- Would you go and whip youre southern brothern back in to the union or rather would you not sacrifice a policy that would never do you or any other white man any goode-- and have piece restored as it was twenty or thirty years a go? Now boys let us heare from you soon-how you are gitting along and all the rest of the friends-- You have not writen to me since you came back frome California-- I would like to see you very much-- I wil ad no more.

JAMES WALKER, to MARY J. ROGERS, SIS JANE - GEORGE & JAMES LEECE.




Mary Jane ("Versey") was the daughter of Jane [Walker] and Thomas Chapman Leas. She was born in June 22, 1829 in Covington, Fountain County, Indiana, and moved with her mother to Henry County, Iowa before 1850. Versey married Hugh Rodgers (born in Ohio) January 29, 1852 in Henry County, Iowa. She and Hugh had a daughter, Luella Rodgers, who married a man named Roberts. Hugh Rodgers died before 1860.

December 20, 1860, Versey married Samuel Lee in Henry County, Iowa. Samuel was a widower. His first wife, Louisa Burge, was born March 25, 1829 in Ohio and died January 20, 1857 in Henry County, Iowa. Sam and Louisa had two children: Ira Lee (November 25, 1851 - July 20, 1853); and Green Lee (born February 1, 1853 - died November 9, 1937, both in Henry County, Iowa). Sam and Versey Lee had four children of their own. Their known descendants are:

* John W. Lee, who was born on March 16, 1862 in Iowa, and died on March 22, 1912 in Iowa. John was married to Mary Lillian Miltenberger, who was born circa. 1869, and died unknown. They were married March 28, 1884 in Iowa. John and Mary Lee had the following three children:
o Grace Lee, who was born circa 1885 in Iowa.
o Jochem Lee, who was born circa 1890.
o Eva Lee, who was born circa 1887.
* Florence Lee, who was born December 15, 1864 in Iowa, and died on December 25, 1953 in Los Angeles County, California. Florence was married to John Edgar Peterson, who was born on 1861, and died in 1917. They were married in 1886, and had four children:
o Ruth Peterson, who was born in 1892 in Iowa, and died in 1969.
o Mary Peterson, who was born circa. 1886 in Iowa, and died in 1969.
o Norma L. Peterson, who was born on April 21, 1897 in Iowa, and died on September 23, 1972 in Cupertino, Santa Clara County, California. Norma was married toa man named Gregerson, who was born circa. 1890. They had a daughter: Patricia Gregerson.
o Robert Glenn Peterson, who was born on November 26, 1899 in Iowa, and died on November 19, 1971 in Los Angeles County, California.
* Cora Alice Lee, who was born on January 3, 1869 in New London, Henry County, Iowa, and died after 1915.
* Charity Jane Lee, who was born on February 5, 1871 in New London, Henry County, Iowa, and died on November 19, 1960 in Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa. Charity was buried in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Danville, Des Moines County, Iowa. She was married to Francis H. Seaton, who was born on July 26, 1868 in Danville, Des Moines County, Iowa, and died on October 11, 1941 in Danville, Des Moines County, Iowa. They were married November 2, 1899 in Auburn, Placer County, California. Francis Seaton is also buried in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Danville, Des Moines County, Iowa. Charity and Francis had the following descendants:
o George Leland Seaton, who was born on February 9, 1901 in Sunny South, Placer County, California, and died on February 23, 1997 in Hinsdale, Du Page County, Illinois. He was married to Mildred Irene Sandall, who was born on November 17, 1896, and died on November 25, 1984 in Hinsdale, Du Page County, Illinois. They were married August 4, 1926 in Elgin, Kane County, Kansas. They had the following descendants:
+ Robert Lee Seaton, who was married to Betty Jane Horalex. Betty was born on May 30, 1933, and died on June 28, 1988 in Illinois. They were married on August 6, 1955 in Hinsdale, Du Page County, Illinois; they had three children: George Robert Seaton; Kathryn Lee Seaton, who married Laurence Alan Edgar and had a child, Melanie Edgar; and Linda Ann Seaton.
+ James Mann Seaton, who married Allison Rae Pringle on August 23, 1958 in Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin. They had three children: Thomas Mann Seaton; James Lindsay Seaton; and Anne Patterson Seaton.
+ Mary Sandall Seaton, married to Richard John Martin. Mary and Richard had three children: Julia Martin; James Kirgan Martin; and William Lee Martin.
o Donald Francis Seaton, who was born on May 16, 1903 in Sunny South, Placer County, California, and died on June 29, 1987 in Horseshoe Bend, Izard County, Arkansas, was married to Florence Isabelle Park, who was born on February 20, 1903, and died on April 6, 1981. They were married on August 28, 1929 in Indianola, Warren County, Iowa. They had the following children:
+ Donald Francis Seaton, who was married to Joan Daley. They had two children: Patricia Kay Seaton, and Donald Francis Guy Seaton, married to Elizabeth Whitehead.
+ John Richard Seaton, was married to Elizabeth Kirch, had three children: Catherine Seaton, Elizabeth Seaton, and Anne Seaton.
o Harold Thomas Seaton, who was born on February 5, 1907 in Danville, Des Moines County, Iowa, and died on May 2, 1993 in Georgia, was married to Henrietta Catherine Vennewitt, adn they had a son: David Gaylord Seaton, who married Eleanor Weil. Harold Seaton also married Anne Stuart, and Florence Somerville Ricci, who died August 20, 1977. Harold and Florence were married April 30, 1971.

Mary married Hugh Rodgers, son of Joseph Rodgers and Catherine Hughes, on 29 Jan 1852 in Henry County, Iowa, USA. (Hugh Rodgers was born about 1828 in Ohio, USA and died before 1860.)

Mary next married Samuel B. Lee, son of John W. Lee and Charity Ball Smith, on 20 Dec 1860 in Henry County, Iowa, USA. (Samuel B. Lee was born on 4 Nov 1827 in Bond Co., IL and died on 21 Apr 1915 in New London, Henry Co., Iowa.)