Joseph Leedy

As printed in 1902

JOSEPH LEEDY.

Throughout his active business career Joseph Leedy was prominently connected with the agricultural interest of Berlin township and as an honorable business man and public-spirited citizen he was widely known in Knox county, commanding uniform respect by his sterling worth.

Mr. Leedy was born in Pennsylvania, December 5, 1825, a son of Abram and Elizabeth (Zook) Leedy, who with their family emigrated westward to Ohio when our subject was but four years old. They located on a farm on which Ankenytown has since been built, and there the Httle son grew and developed into manhood, pursuing his education in the district schools, while in the summer months he gained practical experience in farming from work in the fields. He was thus well prepared to carry on agricultural pursuits on his own account when he married and began life for himself. He became the Owner of a valuable property, the well tilled fields annually returning to him golden harvests. Upon the place were seen substantial barns and outbuildings, good grades of stock, the latest improved machinery and well kept fences which divided the place into fields of convenient size. Everything about the place indicated the supervision of a progressive owner.

On the 5th of October, 1854, Mr. Leedy married Miss Elizabeth Keiser, who was born in Richland county, Ohio, May 12, 1834, daughter of Jacob Keiser, who was a native of the Keystone state and became one of the early settlers of Richland county. He wedded Elizabeth Worst and they became the parents of twelve children, of whom Mrs. Leedy was the sixth in order of birth. Her girlhood days were spent in the county of her nativity and she was trained to the duties of the household. At their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Leedy took up their above upon the farm which is now the home of the widow, and eleven children were there born unto them: Nancy, the wife of Seth Conrad; George; Sylvester; Josephus; Caleb; Dennis; Sada, the wife of C. V. Humphrey; Cerelda, the wife of W. H. Cocanour; Lenora, the wife of John Fry; William; and Cora May, the wife of V. A. Merrin. All are married and the family circle yet remains unbroken as far as the children are concerned, but the husband and father was called away, leaving behind him a large circle of sorrowing friends as well as his immediate family, among whom his place can never be filled.

Mr. Leedy was very reliable in all business transactions, and his honesty, as well as his industry and perseverance, was a salient feature in his career. His success as a farmer enabled him to leave his family in comfortable financial circumstances. In his political views he was a Democrat, but never aspired to office. He held membership in the Progressive Brethren church and his wife also belongs there. She is still living upon the home farm, which comprises three hundred acres of the rich land of Knox county. The family is one of prominence in the community and well deserves mention among the representative citizens of this portion of Ohio.

As printed in The Biographical record of Knox County, Ohio : to which is added an elaborate compendium of national biography (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.