Elizabeth Faulcon Leach

Full text http://archive.org/stream/alstonsallstonso03grov#page/348/mode/2up "The Alstons and Allstons of North Carolina and South Carolina" by Dr. Joseph A. Groves, M.D.

Full text https://archive.org/details/genealogyoffitts01fitt/page/n8 "Genealogy of the Fitts or Fitz Family in America" by James Harris Fitts, Jr.

James Harris Fitts, "Genealogy of the Fitts or Fitz Family in America" MDCCCXCVII page 80 No.36 Elizabeth Faulcon (James Harris/3,Oliver/2,Henry/1) Fitts/4 was born at St. Stephens, Ala., Jan. 23, 1821, and was educated at Tuscaloosa, Ala., where she now (1897) resides. She was married to Sewall Jones Leach, on the 10th of October, 1839.

Sewall Jones Leach was born on the 28th of November, 1812, in the city of New York, and was the oldest son of Ephraim Leach and Sophia (Jones) Leach. When he was eight years old his father moved to Owego, N.Y. His educational advantages were limited; four months in the year being the longest period he attended school in any twelve months. Yet such was his energy and aptitude for learning that at the age of eighteen he had prepared himself as a teacher, and successfully and satisfactorily conducted a school in the State of New York. At the age of thirteen he made a violin, a very nice instrument, which he kept for thirty years. Upon this instrument he learned to perform. At this early age he exhibited two predominant characteristics-love of mechanics and music. He studied dentistry at Utica, New York, and in 1837, having determined to locate in the South, he went to Mobile, Ala., where he engaged in the practice of his profession with Dr. Palmer, an eminent dentist who was practicing in that city. It is related of Dr. Leach, that he reached Mobile with nine dollars, and that he had increased the amount to nine hundred within a year. In 1838 he removed to Tuscaloosa, Ala., and was for two or three years engaged in the jewelry business with his younger brother, Cyrus Sidney Leach. After his marriage he moved to Uniontown, Ala., where he practiced dentistry, and supervised his plantation near there, in Marengo County. He returned to Tuscaloosa, in 1842, and resumed the practice of his profession, where he was the leading dentist for many years. In 1852, Dr. Leach established, on the banks of the Warrior River, within the corporate limits of the city of Tuscaloosa, an Iron and Plow Factory, under the name of Leach & Avery, which was subsequently changed to Leach, Avery & Co., and later, Leach & Co. This enterprise was for many years the leading industry of the city, and was carried on until 1878, when, on account of failing eyesight and declining health, Dr. Leach sold his interest and accepted a less arduous position of general superintendent and machinist of the Tuscaloosa Cotton Mills, into which the foundry was converted.

In the foundry were made all kinds of hollow ware, gin segments, grates, mills for grinding sugar cane, and other farming implements, in addition to plows; and during the war they manufactured wool hats on a large scale, and carried on a large grist and flouring mill. This foundry was totally destroyed by fire twice; once by a murderer to conceal the body of the watchman, his victim; and again at the close of the war by the Federal Army, because cannon had been cast there for the Confederates. *http://www.historictuscaloosa.org/index.php?page=tuscaloosa-during-... On account of his scientific attainments and practical knowledge of machinery, he was employed to purchase the outfit for the first cotton mill built in Tuscaloosa, in 1846, and remained several months in Philadelphia during its construction. He also purchased the machinery for the paper mill, and had it erected. Dr. Leach was a Mason, an Odd Fellow and a vestryman of Christ (Episcopal) Church from November, 1845, to 1874, when he declined to serve on account of feeble health.

He was universally beloved and generally regarded as one of the most useful men of this section for many years. He was of uniform temperament and habitually cheerful, and as a Christian gentleman of great humility; wholly incorruptible and honest. Few men bear so blameless and so honorable a name among their fellows. He was a fine musician, and performed upon several instruments. He was also a devoted laborer, neglecting nothing that could insure satisfaction, and equally interested in his music after hours of labor. In both relations he exhibited the strongest and most marked characteristics, performing both, purely and simply, for the love of them. He could do nothing except in the most thorough and satisfactory manner, and his musical accomplishments attracted to his hospitable home many disciples of the "divine art." Among these were Dr. Barnard, afterwards President of Columbia College, New York, and Dr. L.C. Garland, late the venerable Chancellor of the Vanderbilt University, who was never so happy as when listening to or playing with his musical friend. For so strong a man, he was singularly gentle and winning in manner, attracting the young and old alike in the social circle; and among the cultivated young ladies of the city it was deemed a compliment to have him select one of them to play the piano accompaniment to his flute.

Although of Northern birth, Dr. Leach was a man of strong Southern feeling, and an advocate of the Confederate cause. Two of his sons served with honor as Confederate soldiers.

After more than a year of feeble health and partial blindness, during which time he was tenderly cared for by his wife, Dr. Leach died in the city of Tuscaloosa, Ala., on the 6th day of August, 1885, and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery

The children of Sewall Jones Leach and Elizabeth Faulcon (Fitts/4) Leach were six sons and five daughters. wife of Dr. Sewell J. Leach

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Mar 17 2019, 18:50:52 UTC