Elijah Darius Leedom
William Leedom, the grandfather of our subject, came from Virginia. He landed at Manchester in 1795, and settled near Bentonville, where the old Leedom Tavern now stands. He was the father of twelve children, six boys and six girls. He erected the celebrated Leedom Hotel, a portion of which is still standing, called the Farmer's Inn. He was a very popular landlord, as he fed well and charged moderately. He entertained Gen. Jackson when he was on his way to accept the Presidency. Joseph Leedom is sketched under the title of John Meek Leedom in this work. William Leedom's son George was a minister in the Methodist Protestant Church. His other sons were farmers.
His son Aaron was the father of our subject, and located north of where Bentonville now stands. Aaron Leedom was a large dealer in horses and mules, taking many droves to New Orleans by land. He was quarantined in New Orleans seven months on account of yellow fever and cholera, in 1832. He also loaded may flatboats with flour and bacon, floated them to Natchez, and sold them to the planters. He was born in Sprigg Township in 1803, and married Miss Henrietta House in 1824. To this union were born five sons and seven daughters. There are three sons and four daughters living. David C, the oldest son, settled in Thayer County, Nebraska, where his sons are representative members of society: two of them having been elected to county offices several times, while another owns and edits the leading journal of the county. Shannon W., went to Pike's Peak during the gold excitement, and has been in the mining business ever since. He is at present part owner and manager of a silver mining company near Monterey. Mexico. Their son, Elijah D. Leedon, our subject, was born near where Bentonville now stands, in 1832. He was educated in the common schools until he was seventeen years of age, when he attended the select school of Prof. Miller for two years. He then began teaching and taught five years. In 1854, he was married to Miss Eveline Watson, by Rev. W. J. Quarry, then Methodist minister on the West Union Circuit. He had three daughters and one son. His son, William A. Leedon, died at Osgood, Indiana, in 1874. Frances, the oldest daughter, married W. L. Yates, a real estate dealer of Cincinnati. His daughter, Nora A., married H. B. Andrews, a hardware dealer of Osgood, Ind. His third daughter. Ella B.. is still single. She studied music at the Cincinnati College of Music.
Our subject was elected Township Trustee of Sprigg Township for four terms, and Township Treasurer for two terms. He was Postmaster of Bentonville, Ohio, under President Buchanan from 1857 to 1861. On September 20, 1864, he was appointed First Lieutenant of Company I, 182d O. V. I. He was appointed Adjutant of the Regiment November 29, 1864, and mustered out July 7, 1865. He was elected County Treasurer of Adams County in 1867 for two years, and re-elected in 1869. His term expired in 1872, and he removed to Osgood, Ind., in November, 1872. He was in the mercantile business there for ten years. He removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, and was in the wholesale boot and shoe business there under the firm name of Butterworth & Company for three years. At that time his health failed to such an extent that he withdrew as a partner and took a position as travelling agent for the firm until 1891, at which time he entered into business at Young's Station, Scioto County, Ohio. He was appointed Postmaster at Young's under President Harrison in 1891, which position he still holds.
He has always been a Democrat, prominent and influential in the councils of his party. He has been a member of the Christian Disciples Church since 1867, and has been a consistent member and hard worker in the church. He holds the position of elder in the church.
From "History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time" - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900