C.E. Leapley Research, 1910, Dayton, Ohio
In 1910, my great-grandfather, Jacob N. Leapley, Washington, DC, corresponded through his niece with C. E. Leapley, Dayton, Ohio. (I was told by a Leapley researcher some 20 years ago that C.E. Leapley was Charlie E. Leapley, (Oct. 6, 1862-Oct 1929)). C.E. was trying to trace the descendants of John Leapley (AKA: Johannes Lieblich).One letter was written May 19, 1911, that describes a family reunion and lists the descendants of John Leapley’s son John. My great-grandfather died Oct. 3, 1910, so I don’t know if anyone answered this letter. I recently located a letter from C.E. dated Sept. 19, 1910, that lists the names of John Leapley’s children and tells where they settled after they left Maryland/Virginia. See below for the text of these letters.
The Mrs. Belt referred to in the letters was Jacob N. Leapley’s older sister Mary Barbara Leapley (Aug. 2, 1832-Mar 8, 1917), the wife of John Richard Belt (Feb. 14, 1816-Jun. 16, 1884). V.L. Belt was her daughter Virginia Lee Belt, (Jun. 21, 1866-Jan. 16, 1914). C.E. speculates that Jacob N.’s branch of the family descended from Thornton or Peter Leapley. This was incorrect, since he descended from George Leapley, who I believe was a brother or cousin of John Leapley.
Ihave supplemented C.E.’s research with information I received from Mary McIvain.I have just returned to researching this family, so I have not had a chance to verify this information. I am presenting this in case it is of interest to other researchers. Please note that C.E. Leapley lists Elizabeth Hammond as the wife of John Leapley Jr. Other researchers list her as Elizabeth McDonald. I don’t know the reason for the discrepancy.Was McDonald her maiden name and Hammond from an earlier marriage? Rather than retype the descendant chart included with the second letter, I will list what I have in a separate posting. If anyone would like a photocopy or an electronicfile of the original chart, please contact me directly.
I also wonder if C.E. Leapley published his research on the Leapley family? Do the letters from Jacob N. Leapley still exist? Would welcome any comments, questions, or answers.
Tom King
C.E. Letter #1 (Sept. 19, 1910):
901 Troy Ste.
Dayton, Ohio
Sept. 19- 10
Mr. J.A. Leapley
Washington, DC
Dear Sir:
I was indeed glad to receive the reply your niece wrote to my letter to you and will be glad to hear from you or her again, as I want to gather all the information from that end of the line that I possibly can. The names of John Leapley’s children as I have been able to gather them were Jacob (my grandfather), John, Elizabeth, Mary, Sam’l, Rebecca, Ellen, Otho, George, Peter, Thornton, David, Louisa, and Ezra. The last two died when small, George was dragged to death by a horse before grown, Jacob, John, George, Peter, Daniel, Otho, and Ellen started for Ohio Mar. 14, 1830, Otho for who my father was named was killed felling a tree in 1839. John went on and settled in Illinois. Peter seems to have dropped out of sight entirely, the rest settled in Shelby, O. Later Samuel came to Miami Co., O., and a little later the children of Elizabeth (who married a Hartley and both dying leaving them orphans) came to Miami Co., O.
I think you must be a descendent of Thornton as he never came west, but I think that there was one or two children that I have been unable to get the names of.I would like to have the name of that cousin inMontgomery Co., Md. that has the old family bible as I want to make arrangements to have it at our next family reunion which is to be held at my brother’s 3 miles north of Sidney, O. on Saturday before Labor day. We had a grand time at the reunion, 73 were present. I am the president of the reunion association, Walter Leapley, Troy, O. is Vice President and Grace Leapley, Sidney, O. is Sec’y-Treasurer.
You will in due time receive an invitation on a picture post-card to the next one and the picture will be a group of us at the last one, I am the largest one there standing to the right and rear and slightly bald, I am 48 and weigh 250, have a wife and two boys.We may not be able to get invitations to each family there but want each and every one of the Leapley descendants to understand that they are expected to come or send a letter of regrets for they don’t need a special invitation if they or any of their ancestors ever bore the name of Leapley and I would like to hear from your sister Mrs. Belt, or from “V.L.” again. Well I will have to get to bed so I can get up in the morning, so Good Night.
Yours Truly
C.E. Leapley
C.E. Letter #2 (May 19, 1911):
Dayton, O May 19-11
Mr. J.N. Leapley
Washington, D.C.,
Dear Sir:-
I have been anxiously waiting to hear fromyou but it may be that you did not get my last letter and as I am trying to trace all of our name I would like for you to give me the address of your sister, Mrs. Belt. as V.L. Belt when she wrote for you said that probably she knew more of the family history than any of the rest of you. She said that the family Bible brought from Germany was in the possession of a cousin in Montgomery Co. Md. and if you can, I would like for you to give me the name and address of the one that has it, as I would like to know what birth records it contains.
I enclose you a list of the descendants of John Leapley, a brother of my grand father. We just gottrack of them about two months ago. Henry Leapley of Killerville, Ill. is the only child of John that is still living, he is 83 years old, and so far as we know is the oldest Leapley living.
Are you a descendent of Thornton or Peter Leapley? I would like for you or your sister, Mrs. Belt to make out such a list of your descendants as the enclosed and send it to me, and when I get ours complete I will send you one.
Our reunion this year will be held on Saturday before labor Day at my brother’s, three miles north of Sidney, O, on the Western Ohio Traction.
If any of you can come I am sure you will never regret it, as we expect some of the western Leapleys there and there will probably be over 200 all told present. Please let me hear from you or turn this over to your sister and ask her to answer it.
Yours truly,
C. E. Leapley