William Leeman

OBIT:

WM. LEEMAN WAS BURIED SATURDAY

FUNERAL OF OLDEST MAN IN COUNTY HELD IN WHITE RIVER TOWNSHIP

NINETY-SEVEN YEARS OF AGE

Lived on Same Farm Three Quarters of a Centry-Second Wife and Three Children Living.

The funeral of William Leeman was held at 10 o'clock, Saturday morning in the Christian church at Omega, White River township, and the interment took place in Hobbs Cemetery.

Mr. Leeman died at 4 o'clock Thursday evening at the age of ninety-seven. His death was not unexpected as he had been in precarious condition for some time. He died on the farm where he located more than three quarters of a century ago.

This pioneer of the woods was born in Kentucky, July 5, 1818, and when but five years old, he settled in Marion county, about the time that Indianapolis became the capital of the state. His father was Robert Leeman, who was one of those sturdy settlers of the Daniel Boone type, who had no fear, and Indians, wild beasts and denise forests only tempted him to penetrate more deeply into the wilds of the new and undeveloped country. A few years later, Robert Leeman moved to Hendricks county, where he died when William was but 18 years of age. The mother was Mary, daughter of W. A. Richey, of Kentucky. A few years after the death of his father, William was united in marriage to Harriet, daughter of Joshua Edwards, of Hamilton county. This was in 1846, after which his mother made her home with him, until 1867, when she died, and her body was buried in the old Hobbs cemetery, located on the Tipton-Hamilton county line.

William Leeman was the only survivor of a family of nine children, and he was the father of five children by his first wife, one being the wife of James Gordon, who died in 1909, two having died, and three still survive. The living are Jasper and Alfred Leeman, who reside near Omega, and Mrs. John R. House, of Tipton County. His first wife died in 1868 and in 1872, he was again married, this time to Mary, widow of Enos Oxley, she being the daughter of Joseph Tibett, of Henry County.

He lived on the farm on which he died since 1838, a period of seventy-seven years and by economy, industrious habis, a good clean life and a respected citizen, he accumulated a splendid farm of 160 acres, where he and his good wife lived a peaceful, contented and happy life. He was a specimen of that grand character that made it possible for the present generation to enjoy one of the best developed sections of this great country of ours. There were no children born to this second marriage. He was a consistent and devoted member of the Christian church.

Source: Noblesville Daily Ledger, Aug 21, 1915