Saturday, October 24, 2026

William C. Leach was born in Montgomery County, MD about 1790 or 1791,[1] the son of William Brooks Leach and Sarah Elizabeth Barnes. Nancy Leach was likely born in the early to mid-1790s, also in MD.[2] Although they had the same surname, they were not related. Of William's early life in MD and KY, nothing certain can be established except that he seems to have received sufficient education to enable him to sign his name on various documents later in life. At this point, the exact dates and locations of the births of William and Nancy cannot be conclusively determined. These can be somewhat refined with reasoning and a bit of speculation.

In the book The History of KY, there is an entry for William F. (Francis) Leach, “… blacksmith and farmer, was born in the eastern part of Ohio County, December 9, 1828, and was brought up on a farm until nineteen years of age, when he learned the trade of blacksmith, which
occupation he has followed since that time. In 1856 he removed to Morgantown, Butler County, where he set up his business, and he has been for some years the only permanent blacksmith of the town. August 16, 1859, he was married to Sarah Anglea, the eldest daughter of William and Dulaney Anglea, of Ohio County. The result of this union was three children: George W., Albert Kelly and Annie Laura. Our subject owns a good farm of eighty acres of land in the vicinity of Morgantown, with a pleasant and comfortable home in the town. He is a first-class mechanic, a member of the Methodist Church, of the Masonic fraternity, Lodge No. 280, Morgantown, Ky., a Republic in politics and an upright citizen. His father was William C. Leach, who was born in Maryland, and when quite young came to Kentucky and settled in Ohio County, and died in 1863. His mother's maiden name was Nancy Leach, but she was not a relation to his father's people.”

Further, there is a biography for Alfred K. Leach, the postmaster of Ohio Co. who, at the time of publication, was the son of John and Nancy Leach.[3] John was said to have been born in Ohio Co. in 1802. John's parents were said to have come from MD. The same source also identified that one Henry Clay Leach was the son of another John (Nelson) Leach. John Nelson Leach was born in about 1807 in Ohio Co. He was the son of Leonard Leach. Of Leonard, it is stated that he came to KY in 1799 and settled in Ohio Co. On the same page, another article is devoted to Leonard H. Leach. Leonard was the son of Leonard and Mary (Cole) Leach. The elder Leonard is said to have been born in Ohio Co. in 1802. Furthermore, inspection of Ohio Co. deed records reveals transactions involving Leach family members as early as 1801. From the above, it would appear that there was a wholesale migration of the Leach family out of MD in the period 1799 to 1801. The 1850 Ohio Co. census would seem to further support this dating, in that it includes a Joseph Leach, age 54, born in MD (1796), a James Leach, also 54, also born in MD (1799), and last of all a John W. Leach, age 47, born in KY (1803).

The migration from MD to Ohio Co., KY by the Leach family was part of a much larger resettlement from that eastern state. It seems that a young Methodist preacher, Ignatius Pigman, of some fame in both MD and VA came to Ohio Co., where he acquired titles to

[1] William would provide statements in the census records of 1850 and 1860 regarding the state of his birth.

[2] Nancy died sometime prior to the 1850 census, so for confirmation of her birthplace, we can turn to statements given to census takers by her son, Leonard W., in 1900. Using the census data from 1830-1840 we can place Nancy's birth date between 1790 and 1800. The estimate of her birthdate considers that she married in 1813.

[3] History of KY, Perrin, Battle and Kniffin. Pages 665, 970 and 971, Edition 2, Battey Publishing Company 1885, Louisville and Chicago.

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a considerable amount of land between 1785 and 1798. [4] Then he returned home to MD and sold the land to church members and friends.[5] These were probably people who had a desire to own more land than they could possibly afford in densely populated MD.

Pigman was either not into land dealing for profit (perhaps he wished to establish a community of believers), or he was a poor businessman. In spite of his one-time holdings of over 33,500 acres, by 1810 he was insolvent. Whatever the reason for his financial downfall, his character seems not to have been the issue. Those to whom he had sold land often honored him by naming a son Ignatius. Included among those who paid this tribute was William C. Leach. One son of his second marriage was named Ignatius.

Since Pigman was said to have returned to MD and sold his holdings to members of his congregation, locating his home also aids in placing William and his parents in their native state. The 1790 MD census provides the needed insight. Ignatius Pigman is a resident of Montgomery Co. It is in this same county that 5 Leach families reside (Wm, Wm, Wm Jr, Thomas and Josiah). By 1800, Pigman is listed as an Ohio Co. resident. This latter date tends to confirm the speculation above regarding the Leach's arrival in KY right at the turn of the century.

The journey over the Appalachian Mountains and eventually to the Green River valley of western KY was arduous and very dangerous. The route and method of transportation had been worked out by such early pioneers as James Harrod and Daniel Boone. Their journeys led to the establishment of settlements such as Harrodsburg and Boonesborough, KY, along tributaries of the Ohio River. Boone pressed westward on subsequent journeys. Twenty years later, the MD pilgrims journeyed over the mountains to Point Pleasant, VA (now WV)[6]. This had been Boone’s preferred jumping-off spot on his journeys westward. Following Boone’s example, the Marylanders cut down trees and built rafts for themselves, their possessions, and their livestock for a journey of over 450 miles that would include rapids and the Falls of the Ohio at modern-day Louisville. An oral tradition of long-standing recounts the only surviving memory from that journey. As most major interior waterways were still plagued by river pirates until almost the middle of the nineteenth century, Nancy Leach’s parents decided to take their money and few precious valuables and strap them to young Nancy under her dress, as in those days, not even unscrupulous river pirates would dare frisk a child while looking for loot.[7] Nancy long recalled the journey in conversation with her daughter-in-law, Rosannah Morris Leach. She claimed that not one thought was given to the fact that she was on an open, tossing raft and weighted down like an anchor. Any misstep would have surely sent her to her death. Fortunately, no such accidents occurred, and the Leach family arrived with both daughter and their meager wealth safe and sound.

Looking at the 1810 census for Ohio Co., there were four Leach families. William C. would have been twenty years old by this time. Only one family is listed as having males in this age bracket. It is a family headed by Leonard Leach, 26-45 years of age (the early census records

[4] For more on Pigman, see https://ohiocountykentuckyhistory.blogspot.com/2013/02/ignatius-pigman.html

[5] Ohio Co. Deed Book A, p.83, October 6, 1801. Notes that William and Sarah Leach swapped land with Ignatius Pigman. This would seem to be a case where the couple bought land unseen back in MD and then found another plot more to their liking upon arrival.

[6] Located in Mason County, WV at the confluence of the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers. Formerly the location of a Shawnee village, the site came to prominence just before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. During the War it was the site of Camp Point Pleasant

[7] Some history of Ohio River pirates is given in the online article at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_pirate

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did not record a person's specific age). This would place his birth between 1765 and 1784. The 1820 census lists Leonard Sr. as being at least 45 years of age (a birthdate of 1765 or earlier). Combining these two records suggests that William's father was born around 1765.

Life in early Ohio Co. was undoubtedly rough and was still wilderness enough that armed conflicts with Cherokees continued to be of concern almost right up until 1800. After that, "...save for an occasional band of friendly Cherokees, who continued to visit the country as late as 1802 or 1803, the citizens were uninterrupted, except by the needless alarm those friendly bands of redskins gave the women and children. it was perhaps to be relieved from these false alarms that some unprincipled white man shot one of their party. After that the indians never returned to this locality, and most of the children thereafter grew up unfamiliar with the appearance of a savage, until a straggling band passed through the country a few years after the close of the War of 1812. All of the (Indian) men had certificates showing that they had fought bravely under General Jackson. Their progress was a great ovation. Their camp was crowded with admiring and curious visitors who loaded them with presents. This trip proved such a success that we soon had marauding bands of braves, squaws, and papooses in quick succession, of whom the settlers soon became weary. They treated them with less friendly attention, and the indians gradually disappeared".

We can also be certain that a series of events which took place in late 1811 and early 1812 were significant in William's and Nancy’s lives. On December 16, 1811, January 23, 1812, and February 7, 1812, the greatest recorded earthquakes to have ever struck the North American continent rocked their world.[8] The quakes were centered in southeastern Missouri near the small town of New Madrid. The first quake in the series struck at 2:00 a.m. Near the epicenter, the damage was almost total. Because of the sparse population, there was little loss of life, but the effects on the landscape were permanent. The course of the nearby Mississippi was changed, and Reelfoot Lake in western TN was formed (10 miles long, 2-3 miles wide), almost overnight. While no direct record exists of the effect in Ohio Co., the intensity, only 120 miles from the epicenter, can be assumed from the accounts from other more distant places. Riverbanks along the Mississippi caved in as far away as Vicksburg. Chimneys were knocked down in Cincinnati, OH. Bricks were reported to have fallen from chimneys in GA and SC. The shock was felt from Canada to New Orleans. The shock of December 16th was felt in Boston, 1,100 miles away, and frightened people badly in Washington, D.C. Without a doubt, the panic and destruction in Ohio Co. would have been widespread. Aftershocks were recorded in Louisville, KY, for two years. It may have been days, weeks, or even months before the news from the outside world reached this remote area. The quake would have been a significant moment in young William’s and Nancy's lives and would have been the source of much discussion when William met people from the "outside world" during his time in service.

The War of 1812

The next great excitement came quickly with the outbreak of the War of 1812. One resident later wrote of that period;

[8] An overview article on the quakes can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1811%E2%80%931812_New_Madrid_earthquakes. The quakes are estimated to have ranged as high as 7.5 on the Richter scale. See also Earthquake History of the United States, pages 43-46, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and US Dept. of the Interior, Geological Survey, Boulder Co. 1982.

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Ohio County then had a small portion of Federalists - a group violently opposed to all measures of the administration. They were also bitter in their denunciation of the embargo and a declaration of war against England. This they called truckling to Napoleon and France; but when war really commenced, instead of following their brethren in the North and holding Hartford conventions and thwarting every measure of the government, they joined in the almost universal enthusiasm, and, like the immortal Blake, were for their country right or wrong. The people of Ohio County held mass meetings at which speeches were made and resolutions were adopted teeming with devotion to Kentucky and their country, no matter what the cost in self-sacrifice.

It was resolved that the people should wear nothing but homespun, and even recommended that the ladies should use thorns as a substitute for pins, and otherwise abstain from every article of English manufacture. The ladies of every neighborhood were ready to join together and knit socks and gloves and make hunting shirts and other garments for every new recruit. Certain individuals would go around and collect such articles to send of to supply their friends and other soldiers in the army. Thus, by the patriotism of the people, especially the women, Kentucky soldiers were equipped and sent to the field without a dollars expense to the government. Few, if any, of these soldiers received a dollar of pay until after the close of the war, and then it was at the pitiful rate of eight dollars a month.

The prices which people had to pay for the actual necessities of life seemed almost fabulous. The writer, who was then the errand boy of the family, remembers paying six dollars in silver for fifty pounds of salt. it was so wet that the whole would not fill a half bushel measure, and dripped so on the horse's side that what was called "the bitter water" had to be washed off to keep it from taking off the hair of the horse. In purchasing indigo he had to put his silver in one end of the scales and get its equivalent in indigo in the other end. The few persons who could afford to pay a dollar a pound for coffee could afford to drink it only on Sunday mornings, yet, amid all these deprivations, there were no grumblings or complaints at the war; no longing for peace except on just and honorable terms.

Besides several small parties and companies who joined the cavalry expeditions into the Indian territory, Ohio Co. raised three companies during the war. One accompanied General Samuel Hopkins up the Wabash River, the other Governor Isaac Shelby to the Battle of the Thames, and another was under General Andrew Jackson on this first trip down the Mississippi and later at the Battle of New Orleans.

Though relations with Indians in and around Ohio Co. had been satisfactory since about 1800 (to the white population that is) such was not the case north of the Ohio. Back in 1795, the Treaty of Greenville had resulted in the Indians ceding certain lands north of the Ohio in exchange for the establishment of what was supposed to be a lasting border. By the close of the first decade of the 1800s, another 100 million acres had been ceded, and still the pressure increased. The Indians of IN and IL were caught in a squeeze between the relentless white man in the east and the hostile Sioux and Chippewa to the west.

One such treaty was negotiated by William H. Harrison, then Governor of the Northwest Territory. In this deal, Harrison acquired a rather insecure title to 2.5 million acres along the Wabash River. For some Indians, the demands had exceeded their ability to give way. Finally, Shawnee Chief Tecumseh and his brother, Tenskwatawa (known as the Prophet), set out to

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form a confederation of Indians to offer armed resistance to the white encroachment and secure the remaining territory. In 1811, with tensions running high and atrocities by both sides mounting, troops under Harrison and the Prophet clashed at Tippecanoe Creek. The Indian forces were soundly defeated, and the Prophet's Town was burned. Not surprisingly, when war was declared with Britain in 1812, the Indians joined forces with the British who promised them autonomy in return for their support.

With Tecumseh and his brother making menacing gestures along the Wabash, Illinois Governor Ninan Edwards issued an urgent appeal to surrounding states for volunteers. In the late summer of 1812, William Leach responded to this call and signed up in the town of Hartford, KY. In September, he was mustered in at Henderson, KY, as Private William C. Leach. Colonel Philip Barbour's company, Captain Robert Barnett's 6^th Regiment, KY.[9] Detached infantry Militia. He was to receive the grand sum of $6.66 per month.

The KY troops were on their way to aid the IL settlers when they were diverted by orders to rush to Fort Harrison in western IN (present-day Terre Haute). The fort was being threatened by a large force of Indians and was manned by only one company of regulars under Captain Zachary Taylor. The Indians fled upon approach of the troops.

On about the 10^th of October, General Hopkins set out with a large contingent of men, with the intent of assaulting Kickapoo and Peoria Indian towns along the Illinois River. William's regiment remained behind to secure the fort. After only four days into their expedition, trouble began. The guides proved inadequate; food was scarce; suspicious prairie fires sprang up around them; enlistments began to run out; etc. etc. By the 20^th, the army had become a mob and an open mutiny was in effect. General Hopkins was forced to follow his men back to Fort Harrison, which they reached on the 25^th.

After General Hopkins' failed expedition, he organized another at Fort Harrison. This force consisted of three regiments of KY militia under Colonels Philip Barbour (William's outfit), Nicholas Miller, and Wilcox; a small company of United States regulars under Captain Zachery Taylor, a company of Rangers, commanded by Captain Beckers; and a company of scouts, led by Captain Washburne.

In a letter dated November 27, 1812, and addressed to Governor Shelby of KY, General Hopkins said;

"On the l1th the army marched from Fort Harrison, on the road formerly made by Govenor Harrison's army; and the boats set out at the same time. The length of time the enemy had expected us made it necessary to guard ourselves in an especial manner. The rise of the waters, from the heavy fall of rain preceding our march, and some large creeks, left us no doubt of the considerable difficulty and embarrassment; insomuch that not until the 14th did we pass Sugar creek, three miles above the road. From every information, I had no hesitation on moving on the east side of the Wabash. The Vermillions, Pine Creek, and other impediments on the west side, superadded to the presumption that we were expected, and might more easily be annoyed and ambuscaded on that route, determined me in this measure. The boats, too, with provisions of rations, forage, and military stores, could be more easily covered and protected, as the line of march could be invariably nearer the river. Lieutenant-colonel Barbour, with one battalion of his regiment, had command of the seven boats, and encamped with us on the bank of the river, almost every night. This so protracted our

[9] Military record, William C. Leach, private, Col. Philip Barbour's Sixth Infantry Regiment, KY.

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march, that we did not reach the Prophet's Town until the 19th.

On the morning of this day, I detached three hundred man to surprise the Winnebago town lying on Ponce Passu creek, one mile from the Wabash, and four below the Prophet's. This party, commanded by General Butler, surrounded the place about break of day, but found it evacuated. There were in, the main town, about forty houses, many of them from thirty to fifty feet in length, besides many temporary huts in the surrounding prairie, in which they had cultivated a good deal of corn.

On the 20th, 21st, and 22nd, we were embarked in the complete destruction of the Prophet's Town, which had about forty cabins and huts, and the large Kickapoo village adjoining below it, on the west side of the river, consisting of about one hundred and sixty cabins and huts - finding and destroying their corn, reconnoitering the circumjacent country, and constructing works for the defense of our boats and army. Seven miles east of us, on the Ponce Passu creek, a party of Indians were discovered. They had fired on a party of ours, on the 21st, and killed a man by he name of Dunn, a gallant soldier in Captain Duvall's company. On the 22nd, upward of sixty horsemen, under the command of Lieutenant-colonels Miller and Wilcox, anxious to bury their comrade, as well as gain a more complete knowledge of their ground, went to a point near the Indian encampment, fell into an ambuscade, and eighteen of our party killed, wounded and missing ... On the return of this party, and the information of a large assemblage of the enemy, who, encouraged by the strength of their camp, appeared to be waiting for us, every preparation was made to march early and engage the enemy at every risk; when, from the most violent storm and fall of snow, attended with the coldest weather I ever saw or felt at this season of the year and which did not subside until the evening of the 23d, we were delayed until the 24th. Upon arriving on the ground, we found the enemy had deserted their camp before the fall of the snow, and passed the Ponce Passu. I have no doubt but their ground was the strongest I have ever seen. The deep, rapid creek spoken of was in their rear, running in a semicircle, and fronted by a bluff a hundred feet high, almost perpendicular, and only to be penetrated by three steep ravines. If the enemy would not defend themselves here, it was evident that they did not intend fighting at all.

After reconnoitering sufficiently, we returned to camp. and found the ice so accumulated as to alarm us for the return of the boats. I had fully intended to have spent one more week in endeavoring to find the Indian camps; but the shoeless shirtless state of the troops, now clad in the remnants of their summer dress - a full river of ice - the hills covered with snow - a rigid climate, and no certain point to which we could direct our operation - under the influence and advice of every staff and field officer, orders were given and measures pursued for our return on the 25th.

We are now progressing to Fort Harrison, through ice and snow, where we expect to arrive on the last day of this month...... Before I close this, I can not forbear expressing the merits of the officers and soldiers of this command. After leaving at Fort Harrison, all unfit for duty, we had, in privates of every corps, about one thousand - in the total, twelve hundred and fifty, or thereabout. At the Prophet's Town, upward of one hundred of these were on the sick report. Yet, sir, we have progressed in such order as to menace our enemy, free from annoyance; seven large keel boats have been covered and protected to a point heretofore unknown in Indian expeditions; three large Indian establishments have been burnt and destroyed, with near three miles of fence, (and all

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the corn etc., we could find,) besides many smaller ones. The enemy have been sought in their strongholds, and every opportunity afforded them to attack or alarm us; a march on the east side of the Wabash, without road or cognizance of the country, fully one hundred miles perfected; and this has been done with a naked army of infantry, aided by only about fifty rangers and spies. All this was done in twenty days. No sigh, no murmur, no complaint."

While there were no major victories or even significant engagements by William's outfit, the service which they performed was nonetheless important. They assembled at a time when it appeared that the Indians were poised to strike out against settlements and forts on the frontier. Because of the presence of the troops, the feared assault never materialized. Instead, the army was able to burn the Prophet's own town without resistance and, even more importantly, they destroyed important provisions just as the winter was about to start.

The following account by an Ohio Co. resident at the time of the War of 1812 gives an indication of how the news of the burning of the Prophet's Town may have been received back home. After William returned to civilian life, the War continued for almost two years. He may have celebrated with the crowds mentioned below, or he may have been part of similar festivities in another nearby town.

"During the War of 1812 the citizens were so patriotic that they had to burn an old vacant house - and there were quite a few in Hartford then - whenever they heard of a victory.

The writer recollects the old Nathaniel Wickliffe building which stood where the Lyon House (later the Commercial Hotel) now stands. This old Wickliffe house had all disappeared except the frame of the roof, which rested on the ground, leaving the A-shaped garret intact. A celebrated victory had been reported, and this old roof had been selected for a bonfire. Being very dry and combustible it was soon covered with flames. Patriotism and courage grew with the fire. Who would run through the roof? Several performed the feat successfully. The effect of the liquor on the crowd had increased in at least an equal ratio with the heat of the fire. Then old Major James Johnson, a stout, athletic man, was not to be outdone in feats of daring. He started through, stumbled and fell, rose again, and by a desperate effort got through, but terribly exhausted and singed. It is due to the old Major's memory to say that he was by no means an intemperate man. In early times - when they used the pure essence of corn, which did not make men mad and vicious, but inspired them with unbounded patriotism and benevolence - it was not uncommon for the best of men to become a little fuddled on an extraordinary occasion.

The Writer does not now remember all of the victories thus celebrated. The old courthouse and jail were burned to celebrate the news of Perry's victory which had taken place on September 10, 1813. Another building was burned on the lot now occupied by Mr. Sandefer's residence, and another near what is now the home of John Thomas, but the last and most important bonfire was the old Crowe Tavern. This was quite a large building. It had been vacant for some time and was much out of repair. The Samuel Isaac and David Morton house then occupied the ground near by, and to all appearances would be greatly imperiled; but it was the last waste building in Hartford, and the battle at New Orleans, on the eighth of January, 1815 was too great a victory

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not to be celebrated by a bonfire, so the torch was applied to the vast pile, and the country was illuminated for miles around."[10]

William was discharged on December 23, 1812, at Henderson, KY, on the Ohio River just below its confluence with the Green River. His military file notes that he had 65 miles to travel back to his place of residence and noted that he was sick.[11] No doubt, the trip home was slow. It’s likely that William travelled back home by boat, up the Green River to Ohio Co.

Building a Family

Having fought for his country, William returned home to Ohio Co. and soon married Nancy Leach.[12] The bond was put up by William Leach and William Leach on December 21, 1813, with the minister, Thomas Taylor, to return December 23rd (Thursday). The Leach family, having little imagination when it came to men's names, leaves us guessing as to the identity of the second William Leach. Was it her father, brother, or perhaps a relative of his? Unfortunately, in those days nothing else was recorded regarding the couple or their families.

Judging from the available records, the couple enjoyed about 30 years of marriage. The family Bible that belonged to one of their children (Leonard) was passed down, and it records the following list of children born to William C. and Nancy.[13]

The first of the children born to the couple was a daughter, Salle B. It was said that she was born on June 22, 1813.[14] Salle was followed by the birth of the first son, John H., on March 10, 1817. John was followed by a sister, Lucinda, on December 6, 1818.[15] Another son, Leonard Washington, was born on April 15, 1821.[16] The third son, Richard, was born on June 27, 1823. A fourth son, William F., was born on December 9, 1829.[17] A fifth son, Joseph, was born on February 14, 1834.[18] Their last known child, daughter, Mary Caroline, was born February 2, l837.[19]

What exactly happened to Nancy is unknown. The 1840 Ohio Co., KY census seems to indicate her presence (only the head of the household was listed by name), but she was clearly gone by the end of the decade.[20]

[10] Ohio County in the Olden Days, by Harrison D. Taylor.

[11] Military record, William C. Leach, private, Col. Philip Barbour's Sixth Infantry Regiment, KY.

[12] Marriage record: William C. Leach to Nancy Leach. Ohio Co., KY. December 21, 1813. Marriage Bonds, Volume A, number 95.

[13] Pages from Leonard W. Leach's family Bible (copy provided by J. L. Thomas, Butler Co., KY).

[14] There may be an error in either the marriage date or Sallie’s birth date, as the survival of a child that premature in the early 1800s does not seem likely. More plausible is that the dates are correct, and that Nancy simply became pregnant just as William was about to head off to war in September. December would have been Williams first time back home and first opportunity to formalize the marriage.

[15] Lucinda died November 11, 1894. She married Ewen Morris born February 20, l822. He died February 2, 1902.

[16] Leonard died October 16, 1903. He married Rosannah Morris (Ewen's sister) on October 10, 1841.

[17] William died April 12, 1890. He married Sarah Angela on August 16, 1859.

[18] Joseph died August 18, 1917. He married Kitty Ann Kendall. She was born May 22, 1841, and died on February 16, 1917.

[19] Mary Caroline died July 19, 1920. She married Eleazer Crowe on August 13, 1853.

[20] Ohio Co., KY Census, 1840.

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Ohio Co.’s tax records provide a general view of the family’s financial health. Like many older records, they are incomplete and do not always allow positive identification of an individual with a common name or an individual in a family that aggressively recycles the same few names. In the case of William Leach, both concerns exist: William is a very common first name, and the Leach family reused a handful of first names, no doubt in sincere tribute to a late ancestor. Thankfully, some individuals steadfastly used their middle initial as a means of distinguishing themselves. This was the practice of William C. Leach and is very helpful up until the time that the next generation of young men named William C. begins to take their places in society. Tax records were reviewed from 1846 through 1866. Files for certain years, as will be noted, have been lost. Files for other years contain individuals named simply William Leach or, alternately, William Leach Sr. Details of the records of these years must be carefully reviewed to see if it is the same person already identified as William C. In more than one case, this is so. All other, non-matching cases were ignored.

The 1846 Ohio Co. tax rolls show that William owned 50 acres on Caney Creek in the eastern part of the County, worth just $200. The land was worked by one white male older than 20. He also had one slave older than 16. The slave was valued at $400. William had five horses or mares, worth $150 in total, 13 cattle, and two children older than 5 but less than 16 years. In total, the farm operation was valued at $750.[21]

The tax rolls for 1847 list a William Leach. When comparing the data with 1846, the size of the property, age of the white male, and presence of one slave confirm this to be William C. Leach. He owned 50 acres on Caney Creek in the eastern part of the County, worth just $150. The land was worked by one white male older than 20. He also had one slave valued at $500. William had five horses or mares, worth $100 in total, and 16 cattle. In total, the farm operation was valued at $750.[22]

The same critical details exist in the 1848 tax list. He owned 50 acres on Caney Creek in the eastern part of the County, worth just $200. The land was worked by one white male older than 20. He also had one slave older than 16. The slave was valued at $500. William had six horses or mares, worth $170 in total, 11 cattle, and two children older than 5 but less than 16 years. In total, the farm operation was valued at $870.[23]

The 1849 tax record for William was little changed from prior years, with the same property and the same valuation of that land. As before, the land was worked by one white male over 20 and one slave (age not specified). The slave was now valued at $500. William owned four horses or mares valued at $100 (in total) and 12 cattle. There was just one child at home older than 5 but less than 16. The farm operation was valued at $800.[24] That same year, on November 27^th, the 58-year-old William remarried, taking 33-year-old, KY-born Mary Ann Crowe as his bride in an Ohio Co. ceremony.[25]

The 1850 population census showed the 59-year-old William, the 34-year-old Mary, and three children making up the family. The children at home were Joseph (16), Mary Caroline (12),

[21] Ohio Co., KY Tax Lists, 1846, page 70.

[22] Ohio Co., KY Tax Lists, 1847, page 21.

[23] Ohio Co., KY Tax Lists, 1848, page 20.

[24] Ohio Co., KY Tax Lists, 1849, page 23.

[25] Marriage record: William C. Leach to Mary Ann Crowe. Ohio Co. KY. November 27, 1849. Paul Abney performed the service. Kentucky, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1783-1965, Ohio Co., #520.

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and Richard (26). Joseph and Caroline had attended school in the past year.[26] The 1850 non-population census provides a look at the farm’s productivity before William began to seriously decline. It is likely that Joseph and Richard were doing much of the work. William had 40 acres under cultivation with an additional 10 wooded acres. The cash value of the farm was $50, very low compared to surrounding farms. He owned $10 worth of farm implements. This was just below average for the surrounding farms. They had four horses, four milk cows, eight other cattle, nine sheep, and 15 swine. The total estimated value of his livestock was $300. The farm produced 200 bushels of Indian corn and 50 bushels of oats, 900 pounds of tobacco and 20 pounds of wool, five bushels of sweet potatoes, 80 pounds of butter, 25 pounds of flax and 3 bushels of flax seed. The value of home-manufactured goods was set at $35, while the value of animals slaughtered in the past year was estimated at $30.[27] The 1850 tax list presented much of the same data. The farm was still one of 50 acres on Caney Creek with a valuation of $200. The land was worked by a white male over 20. The slave was valued $300. William had three horses or mares and six cattle. There is one child at home older than 5 but less than 16, as before. The total farm operation is worth $600.[28] Knowing that William owned a slave, it was no surprise that he appeared in the 1850 Slave Schedules. That tabulation is thin, indicating that William owned a single, black, female slave.[29] Given William’s advancing age, a farmhand might have been expected. That the slave was female may have been the result of Nancy’s worsening condition and the need to augment her care of young children. This notion is bolstered by the fact that there were no slaves with the William C. Leach family in years when the mother of young children was not dying (i.e., 1820, 1830, 1840 or 1860 census records). It seems clear that William did not resort to human bondage to simply get things done on the farm.

Mary Ann bore him five children. The first of these was Silas Dyer, born about 1851.[30]

The 1851 tax list noted a drop in the farm valuation to $100. There is still just one white male over age 20, one white child between 5 and 16, and one slave (now valued at $500). William has three horses ($100) and eight cattle. The total farm valuation was $750.[31] Two William Leach families appear in the 1852 Ohio Co. tax list, making positive identification impossible.[32] However, a review of both assessments shows that neither household owned a slave. How she left her term of bondage is unknown. She may have been released, sold, fled, or died. Perhaps further research into Court Orders or local newspapers may yet reveal how her story of captivity ended. Ohio Co. tax lists are not available from 1853 through 1856.

[26] Ohio Co., KY Census, 1850. The typical structure of a census listing is to present the head of the house, then the spouse (if one exists), followed by children starting with the oldest, followed by boarders, relatives, and servants. In this case, 26-year-old Richard has been shown last, likely because he was considered an adult and no longer one of the “children”.

[27] U.S., Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880, Ohio Co., KY, 1850 data.

[28] Ohio Co., KY Tax Lists, 1850, page 32. The drop in value of the slave may attest to the declining ‘social respectability’ of slaveholding in KY or the recognition by every slaveholder in the region that the Ohio River, and the freedom that it represents, is just 40 miles away.

[29] 1850 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules, Ohio Co., KY.

[30] Silas Dyer, born about 1851. He died June 1, 1921. Some records list his first name as Silas, but most later records list the name as Dillis. There is some uncertainty in this identification. He married a Margaret DeHart in 1876.

[31] Ohio Co., KY Tax Lists, 1851, page 24. The entry is for William Leach, Sr. The details of the farm, its family, and single slave confirm this as the William C. of prior years.

[32] Ohio Co., KY Tax Lists, 1852, pages 9 and 23. Neither entry includes a middle initial or sufficient alternate detail.

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A second son, Ignatius B., was born March 28, 1852.[33]

Bounty Land Applications and Grants

During this time of the growth of his second family and growing turmoil in the nation, William sought to reap the benefits of his earlier military service. Just prior to the War of 1812, during the War, and again shortly thereafter, the US Congress passed laws providing inducements for men to join the armed forces and stay for a long period of time, for the relief of the disabled, and for the relief of the families of those killed in service. The laws provided that every non-commissioned officer, soldier, or surviving heir of a soldier killed in the War could receive land in IL, AR, or MO provided that the soldier had been honorably discharged. The land was referred to as "bounty land". The amount of land granted appears to have been dependent upon one's rank. Later, in 1842, a law was passed permitting qualified veterans to receive bounty land in any state or territory in which land was available. As before, the amount of land depended upon the rank that a soldier had held.

William applied, having to eventually submit his original honorable discharge certificate to convince the Pension Office of his service. He finally received forty acres under warrant 43,648, issued February 25, 1852, in compliance with the act of Congress of September 28, 1850. Like many veterans, he had no desire at this stage of his life to move to the frontier and be remote from family and friends. So, William quickly sold his land through a network of lawyers who acted as land brokers. He sold the land for an unspecified sum to Walter M. Paish. Paish redeemed the warrant at the Palmyra, MO land office in Marion Co., January 3, 1853, just to the northwest of his home in Knox Co., MO.[34]

A subsequent act of Congress in 1855 reduced the qualification requirements and increased the award acreage. So, on March 3, 1855, William appeared with his friend, Hedgman Simpson, before the Ohio Co., KY Court Clerk, Robert Mosley, to make an application for the additional land. William provided a sworn statement regarding his receipt and disposition of the 40 acres under the 1950 Act and then made his request. Simpson provided an affidavit that affirmed William to be who he claimed. For unknown reasons, a second, almost identical letter of request was sent off in May of 1855, this time with Simpson and Wesley Phipps attesting to William’s identity. On May 21, 1856, William appeared before C. Lawton, Police Judge of Hartford, KY to provide an explanation why his application made under the 1850 statute had been signed but the 1855 application had only been attested to with his mark. This he explained was due to sickness and disability. In 1856, his labor at reapplication paid off and he obtained an additional 120 acres on May 15^th under warrant number 73,778. This warrant was sold (also for an unspecified sum) to Edward W. Jack, a land broker, who redeemed it at a land office in Stillwater, MN in 1858.[35]

A search was also made for pension records, but none were located. This was as expected since, until 1871, pensions were not granted for satisfactory service unless an injury or death was involved, while William died in 1863. Given that America was a young nation with more land than cash, this use of land is not surprising. His military record was also obtained, but

[33] Ignatius married Fannie A. Tilford August 21, 1883. Ignatius' date of birth taken from the Ohio Co., KY 1852 Birth Records.

[34] Bounty Land application file, William C. Leach. Warrant number 43,648-40-50. An interesting side note of the 1850 application process is that one of the people who signed as a witness on William’s application was Hedgman Simpson, my great-great-grandfather, and another War of 1812 veteran.

[35] Bounty Land application file, William C. Leach. Warrant numbers 73,778-120-55.

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recorded little other than his entry into service and his unit designation. While William received little in the way of financial compensation for his service of less than 6 months ($26.88), it seems astounding to us to know that for a relatively short stint he received two grants for a total of 160 acres.

Years of Quiet Before the Storm

As William’s efforts to secure Bounty Land began to pay off, his family continued to grow. A third son, John Denham, was born in 1853 or 1855.[36]

The fourth son, Warren Crown, was born to the couple on December 16, 1856.[37]

The 1857 Ohio Co. tax records include just one William C. Leach family. The related property details (50 acres in Caney Creek, valued at $200) ensure that this is the correct individual. As before, there is just one white male over 21, three horses valued at $150, five cattle, and 20 hogs older than six months. There is one child between 6 and 18 at home. In a new category, William reported that he had $5 in gold or silver on hand. Despite the gap of several years and the sale of two Land Warrants, the family’s financial circumstances have not visibly changed.[38] The 1858 Ohio Co. tax data is unavailable.

William was again clearly identified in the 1859 Ohio Co. tax lists. The family continued to live on their 50-acre Caney Creek farm. Its valuation has dropped to $100. There is one white male over 21 on the farm and three children between 6 and 18 (probably Silas, Ignatius, and John). He owns two horses ($150), seven cattle ($40), and 20 hogs older than six months. In the last year, the farm produced 2,000 pounds of tobacco. The total tax value for the farm was set at $290.[39]

Their final child, Sarah E., was born in 1860.[40]

As the tumultuous years of the Civil War approached, the old veteran turned 70, while Mary was only 45. All four of their boys were still at home, from nine-year-old Silas to three-year-old Warren, and all would mercifully miss the War. Some of William’s sons by Nancy almost certainly served, but none have been confirmed. Also living with the family in 1860 was 15-year-old Jesse Keown. Keown was almost certainly helping William with the farm. Given the number of Leach, Crowe, and Keown families in the area, it is probable that Jesse was a relative. Consistent with other tax documents, William’s real estate was valued at $200, and his personal estate was valued at $525. The census taker noted that Mary was unable to read or write.[41] Not surprisingly, the 1860 Ohio Co. tax data is little changed from 1859 and was very consistent with the non-population census.[42] The farm, its size and location, have not changed, though its value has returned to

[36] The 1853 Ohio Co. Birth Records list a John L. Leach born to William and Mary on June 1, 1853. The confusion in date and middle initial may indicate the all-too-common clerical error or it may indicate that a son, John L., was born and died in 1853 and then the same name was used for the son, John D., born in 1855. This practice was not uncommon, though it cannot be said that this is what happened. John D. was John Denham Leach. He died November 29, 1941.

[37] Warren Crown was born December 16, 1856. He died December 4, 1839, in Ohio Co., KY. He had developed a lung abscess in late November 1939. He was buried on December 5^th in the Leach Cemetery in Ohio Co.

[38] Ohio Co., KY, Tax Lists, 1857, page 29.

[39] Ohio Co., KY, Tax Lists, 1859, page 33.

[40] Their final child, Sarah E., was born in 1860.

[41] Ohio Co., KY, 1860 Census, Caney District.

[42] Ohio Co., KY, Tax Lists, 1860, page 34.

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$200. As before, there is one white male over 21, but not only two children between 6 and 18 (Silas is now over 18). William has two horses and seven cattle (as before) but only four hogs older than six months. Over the last year, the family produced 250 bushels of corn. The total tax value of the farm was set at $330. The 1860 non-population census (commonly known as the agricultural census) provides some insight into the economics of the household just before the outbreak of the Civil War. While William, age 70, has five young men at home, four are under 10. That considered, his productivity is impressive. He had 40 acres under cultivation with an additional 10 wooded acres. The cash value of the farm was $200, somewhat low, reflecting its small size. He owned $5 worth of farm implements. This was low compared to surrounding farms. Of the 40 farms recorded on the same page, one had implements valued the same as William, and one had a lower valuation. They had one horse, four milk cows, two working cattle, five other cattle, five sheep, and seven swine. The total estimated value of his livestock was $370. The farm produced 200 bushels of Indian corn and 700 pounds of tobacco and six pounds of wool, 10 bushels of Irish potatoes, five bushels of sweet potatoes, and 100 pounds of butter. The value of animals slaughtered in the past year was estimated at $40.[43]

The chaos of the Civil War did not deter the annual tax assessment. The 1861 tax assessment noted the farm valuation had not changed.[44] There was still just one white male over 21 at home and two children between 6 and 18. They now have only one horse, five cattle, and four hogs. In the past year, they were able to produce 700 pounds of tobacco and 100 bushels of corn. The total tax value of the farm was down to $270 (probably reflecting the fewer cattle, the single horse, and the lower farm productivity.

Decline and Death

The last three children of William and Mary Ann were born at a time that William's health was failing. On documents dated 1855 and 1856 related to his land bounty applications, it is noted that he was so ill as to be unable to sign his name.

The 1860 census lists William's real estate as being worth $200 and his personal property as being worth $525. By 1862, William C.'s life was almost over. In January 1862, he appeared on a short list of “old persons (released) from paying the County levy”.[45] In early1863, William died. On February 16^th of that year, the County Court Orders noted;[46]

On the motion of Wm. M. Miller. Esq., it is ordered that he be and he is hereby administrator of the Estate of Wm. C. Leach, dec. intestate - who thereupon took the oath and entered into Bond to the Commonwealth of KY with William P. Allen and Leonard W. Leach on his being approved by the Court.

Ordered that Jos. S. Arnold, John W. House and Marvin Sinclair be appointed appraisers of the estate of Wm. C. Leach, dec., any two of whom may act being first duly sworn, to appraise in current money, the slaves, if any and personal estate of said deceased as proscribed by law and report to this Court in due form.

[43] U.S., Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880, 1860 data. Ohio Co., KY.

[44] Ohio Co., KY, Tax Lists, 1861, page 35.

[45] Ohio Co., KY. Court Orders, Vol. 9 (1858-1863), January 6, 1862, p. 387. Even though he was exempt, County agents typically recorded farming and farm productivity. However, Tax Lists for 1862 are no longer available.

[46] Ohio Co., KY. Court Orders, Vol. 9 (1858-1863), February 16, 1863, p. 523.

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The 1863 tax assessment provides one view of William’s finances just as his Administrator would have been working to settle the estate. The family still owned the 50-acre Caney Creek farm ($150), two horses ($75), eight cattle ($25), one hog, and 150 bushels of corn. The total valuation was $250.[47]

In April 1863, the Court noted that the inventory of William’s estate and a list of sales had been completed. These had been approved and filed in Court records.[48] No copy of William’s will has been found. Such a document would give insight into his personal possessions and how they were distributed. Ohio County Court Settlement records do provide a look at his financial condition at the time of his death. His court-appointed administrator, Miller, reported that William had $20 in cash when he died. An estate sale seems to have been ordered in 1863 that netted $86.76. This brought his total worth to $106.76. Miller then advised the Court of outstanding debts and settlement costs. These included the following:

Dr Wm J. Berry’s note	$22.49
H. Thomson’s acct	$3.00
J. M. Tilford’s acct	$18.00
R. J. David’s note & acct	$7.25
J. M. Tilfor’s note & acct	$20.16
Nathan Liken’s acct	$16.80
Lucinda Crowder’s acct	$1.30
Tax Receipt for 1862	$1.60
Ja’s Thomas’ coffin acct	$5.00
Appraiser’s claim	$2.00
R. S. Morely’s fee bill	$4.00
Allowance to ??? for services	$10.00
Allowance making this statement	$2.00
Recording this settlement	$1.50

The way that the list was structured, it appears that the last four items were administrative, meaning that his Doctor’s bill and Court costs consumed almost 40% of his estate. The debts totaled $115.13. The estate was $8.37 short. Miller’s report was submitted to the Court on July 1, 1865. [49] Two days later, Court records note that, “The following settled accounts having laid over one Term for exceptions being at this Term approved are ordered to be recorded. … Wm M. Miller Admin of Wm C Leach Decd…”.[50]

William was buried in the old Hatler (or Leach-Hatler) Cemetery. The cemetery is located just off Highway 505 in Ohio Co. between Rosine and Horse Branch. The gravesite is on property owned by the Morris family. William's son, Leonard Washington, married into the Morris family (Rosannah), and the land appears to have been in the family for several generations.

Mary Ann appears in the 1864 and 1865 tax lists. In 1864, she appears on the tax list in the Caney Creek District. The 50-acre farm was still valued at $200. Mary owned two horses valued at $75 each, and four cattle. The total farming operation was worth $215. She has four children between 6 and 18 years (Silas, Ignatius, John and Warren), and two hogs older than

[47] Ohio Co., KY, Tax List, 1863, page 35. The family remained exempt.

[48] Ohio Co., KY. Court Orders, Vol. 10 (1864-1868), April 6, 1863, p. 544

[49] Ohio Co., KY. Estate Settlements, Vol. B (1863-1871), Vol B, July 1, 1865, p.133.

[50] Ohio Co., KY. Court Orders, Vol. 10 (1864-1868), Monday, July 3, 1865, p. 169. The same note appears in the Court records a second time. Ohio Co., KY. Court Orders, Vol. 10 (1864-1868), Monday, August 7, 1865, p. 179.

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six months. Over the last year, she grew 500 pounds of tobacco and 100 pounds of corn. Almost certainly, the labor to run the farm has fallen to the boys.[51] The details reported in 1865 are similar to 1864. The valuation of the 50-acre farm remained at $200. She owned three horses, valued at $150, bringing the total for the farm to $350. There are 4 children at home between 6 years and 20.[52] Tax records have not been researched after 1865.

Mary Ann lived almost two more decades. In 1870, Mary and the children (Dillis, John, Warren and Sarah) lived on and worked on the old family farm. The farm was valued at $200, as it had been most of the time for several decades. Mary’s personal estate was valued at $150. The family was joined by an 18-year-old female farmhand, also a Leach.[53] John, Warren, and the farmhand all attended school. By 1880, Warren took over the farm, now in the Rosine District. Mary lived with him along with his brother, John.[54] Mary died sometime in 1885 in Rosine. She is buried in the Leach (or Leach-Hatler) Cemetery in Ohio Co.

By the 1890s, the memory and reverence for the old soldier had not died in his local community. In late 1894, the leading local paper, the Hartford Republican, reported that Elder J. W. Keown would preach the funeral of Eliza Stewart at ‘the old Wm C. Leach graveyard’.[55]

[51] Ohio Co., KY, Tax List, 1864, page 37. Since the Court had excused William from paying taxes, it is probable that the exemption passed to his widow. Cases of old soldiers having to report after they had been excused from paying have been noted elsewhere.

[52] Ohio Co., KY, Tax List, 1865, page 36.

[53] Ohio Co., KY, Census, 1870, Caney District. The name of the unidentified farmhand mentioned above was written in an illegible scrawl.

[54] Ohio Co., KY, Census, 1880, Rosine District.

[55] Hartford Republican, October 12, 1894, page 3. It is likely that the graveyard mentioned is what today is simply called the Leach Cemetery. It is interesting that the funeral is being preached by a J. W Keown. Could this be the Jessie Keown who lived with the Leach family in 1860? More research is needed to confirm or refute this.

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William C. Leach Nancy (Nanci) Leach

Lucinda Linsey Leach (Morris) John H. Leach

Leonard Washington Leach William Francis Leach Mary Caroline Leach (Crowe)

John Denham Leach Warren Crown Leach

Joseph Leach Dillis Dyer Leach

Sarah (Mary) Elizabeth Leach (Dehart)

Marriage Certificate

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Notes and References

1790 MD census; Leach families were living in Ann-Arundel (1), Baltimore (3), Cecil (1), Montgomery (5), Prince Georges (1), and St. Mary's (2) counties.
1810 Ohio Co., KY census, pages 74 and 81.

1820 Ohio Co., KY. census, p.8.

1830 Ohio Co., KY census, p. 241

Name	Males	Females
William C. Leach	1 - 40-50 years 1 - 5-10 years 3 - 0-5 years	1 - 30-40 years 2 - 5-10 years

1840 Ohio Co., KY census, p. 35.

Name	Males	Females
William C. Leach	1 - 50-60 years (William C.) 1 - 10-15 yrs (probably Wm. F.) 1 - 5-10 yrs (probably Joseph) 1 - 0- 5 yrs (unknown)	1 - 40-50 yrs (Nancy) 1 - 20-30 yrs (Salle B. or Lucinda) 1 - 0- 5 yrs (probably Mary Caroline)

1850 Ohio Co., KY census, p. 122.

1860 Ohio Co., KY, census, p. _______

1870 Ohio Co., KY, census, p. _______

1880 Ohio Co., KY, census, p. _______

Book, KY in the War of 1812, by Anderson Chenault Quisenberry, pages 28-30, Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore 1969.
Book, War of 1812, Benson Lossing, Harper and Brothers; NY; 1868: pages 336-337.
Book, War of 1812 Genealogy, Dr. George K. Schweitzer, 1983.
Book, The KY Land Grants, compiled by Jillison. Part 1, p. 224. Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, 1971.
1800 Ohio Co., KY. tax list, page ________
Ohio Co. Deed Book A, p.83, October 6, 1801. William and Sarah Leach swap lands with Ignatius Pigman.
America: Changing Times to 1877, John Wiley and Sons, 1979, p. 297-298.
Book, History of Indiana, Dillon. p. 501-505.
Is Mary Ann’s death covered in the papers

Areas for Future Research

Research in Montgomery Co., MD.
Research Ignatius Pigman.
The following was noted on the Mongomery Co., MD GenWeb, "I am searching for any information on William LEACH and his wife Martha. According to the DAR Patriot index, he was born in 1718 and died in Montgomery Co., MD in 1779. His wife Martha received his Revolutionary War pension. His son William left Montgomery Co. in 1799 with his three sons, William B., Leonard, and John and their families, and came to Ohio Co., KY. Ercie J. Leach eleach@Charleston.Net"

Ohio County, Kentucky History