John Meek Leedom
His grandfather, William Leedom, emigrated from the State of Virginia in company with Israel Donalson, Isaac, Asahel and John Edgington, who were with the first white mem who located at Manchester. They assisted in making all the surveys between 1790 and 1795, when they might expect the crack of an Indian rifle at any time. They fought the Indians to long as the Indian war lasted and Asahel Edgington was one of their victims.
In 1795, William Leedom married Tacy Edgington, daughter of George Edgington. When Zane's Trace was marked out in 1797, William Leedom left Manchester and located on the Trace just below Bentonville. There he built the Leedom Tavern, which became a celebrated hostelry in its time. The innkeepers were the aristocrats of those days. They obtained about all the silver and gold in circulation and the old time taverns were the headquarters for all news and for the consummation of all important trades. William Leedom enjoyed an extensive acquainance up and down the river and throughout the country. He traded on the river with keel-boats much of his time, and made a number of trips to New Orleans. In his day it was fashionable to have large families and William was in the fashion. His wife died in 1824. He had twelve children, eight sons and four daughters. His sons were: John, Elijah, Joseph, Asa, Aaron, Thomas, William and George Washington. His daughters were: Tacy, Sarah, Nancy and Mary. His first wife died and he married in 1826, a second time, to Mary Rogers. Of this marriage there was a daughter, Telitha, now the wife of John Watson, of Bentonville, and she is the only survivor of the twelve.
William Leedom prospered in his trading and tavern keeping. He gave each one of his children one hundred acres of land, or the equivalent of that in money. He had 275 acres of land left after the distribution among his children and he died seized of this in 1849 at the ripe age of eighty-eight. His second wife died in 1865. He was a man among men, a natural leader, and his characteristics were improved in some of his children.
His son Joseph was born in 1797. When the latter was eighteen years of age, his father put his in charge of the old Andrew Ellison home on Lick Fork to run it as a tavern, and, assisted by his sister, Nancy, conducted it until 1817. Joseph and his sister, Nancy, then conducted the Rose Hotel at the foot of the hill, west of West Union, on the old Maysville road, for some time. Joseph Leedon was born a politician, but somehow he mistook his calling and became a Methodist minister. He was a circuit rider for five years. Two years of this time he was a preacher, in the State of Virginia and while there his son, John Meek Leedom, was born November 3, 1827, and was named for that famous Methodist minister, John Meek. Joseph Leedom was not pleased with Virginia and returned to Ohio to become a farmer. He would preach from time to time as opportunity offered. He was a great traveller. He made twenty-six trips to New Orleans, eight of which were with horses and mules driven through by land. His son, John Meek, went with him in 1840, when only thirteen years of age, and rode all the way on horseback. Joseph Leedom represented Adams, Brown and Scioto Counties in the House of Representatives in the Thirty-seventh and Thirty-eighth General Assemblies, 1838 to 1840. During his first session, Benjamin Tappan was elected United States Senator, and the celebrated Ohio Fugitive Slave Law was enacted and he voted for it.
Joseph Leedom was fond of young men. and he took a fancy to Joseph McCormick and made him Prosecuting Attorney of the county. He formed a friendship for Joseph Randolph Cockerill and made him Surveyor of the county. Col. Cockerill laid out the town of Bentonville for Jesoph Leedom in 1841. In 1847, Joseph Leedom went to Carroll County, Missouri, and died there in July. 1867. He was married four times. His first wife was Ann, daughter of David Cox. He married her in 1822. She had two children and died. In 1825, he was married to Elizabeth Hopkins, a native of Snow Hill, Maryland. She had four sons and two daughters. The sons were John Meek, William Thompson. Greenbury Jones and Martin Herriford, and the daughters were Elizabeth Ann and Virginia H. His third marriage was in November, 1851, to Nancy Matheny, daughter of. Rev. Charles Matheny. In 1853, he was married to Mary Burgess, in Ray County, Mo., and two children were born of this marriage, Sallie B. and Samuel H. Sallie B. and John Meek are the only ones of Joseph Leedom's family surviving, and she resides in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Joseph Leedom was a man of public spirit. He gave the ground for the Methodist Church in Bentonville and donated the material for the first building in 1841. The home was logs replaced by a frame in 1851 and which stood till 1899. In his later life, in 1852, Joseph Leedom left the Methodist Church and connected with the Cumberland Presbyterians. John Meek Leedom was born in Kanawha County, Va., was reared in Ohio, and resided in the State till 1847. when he accompanied his father to the State of Missouri. He returned to Ohio in 1853 and drove a stage from Maysville to Chillicothe. He went to Kentucky and drove a stage from Maysville to Paris for four years. During the cold Winter of 1856, he drove the round trip from Maysville to Paris every day for two weeks.
He afterwards drove on other routes in Kentucky and then returned to Bentonville and opened up a general store. September 17. 1861, he married Jane L. Francis, and in 1863 he bought a half interest in the Bentonville Mill. In 1865, he bought the John D. Francis farm in Liberty Township. His wife died April. 1866, leaving one child, Margaret, now Mrs. James Dunkin. November 15, 1866. he married Mary A. Brookover, daughter of John Brookover. and of this marriage there is a son, Shilton A. White. In 1885. he bought the Hour mill at Manchester and conducted it for a short time. In 1890, he purchased the farm originally located by the Rev. William Williamson and by him named "The Beeches," and since 1892, he has resided on it. Mr. Leedom is a Democrat in his political faith. He is not a member of any 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