Carroll County IN Archives Biographies.....Lesh, W. H. 1857 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 21, 2006, 3:38 am Author: John C. Odell (1916) W. H. LESH. The Lesh family have been prominent in the public life of Carroll county, Indiana, for almost a century, Jonathan Lesh having settled in Rock Creek township, Carroll county, Indiana, shortly after the state was admitted to the Union in 1816. W. H. Lesh is a man who, for nearly a half century, has been an honored and respected citizen of the county. Formerly a farmer, he engaged in the livery business in Flora some twenty years ago and continued in that business until he embarked in the real-estate and loan business, in which he was engaged at the time of his election as county treasurer in November, 1912. He is numbered among the enterprising and progressive citizens of Carroll county, and the definite recognition of his worth as a man and a citizen was fittingly bestowed in his triumphant election to one of the most responsible offices within the gift of his fellow citizens. W. H. Lesh was born on November 4, 1857, in Rock Creek township, Carroll county, Indiana, on what is known as the old Lesh homestead, where his grandfather, Jonathan Lesh, had settled in early pioneer days. W. H. Lesh is a son of Baltzer Benjamin and Eliza A. (Clippinger) Lesh, natives of Pennsylvania, and of Cass county, Indiana, respectively. His paternal grandparents were Jonathan and Rachel Ellen Lesh, both of whom came to Indiana from Pennsylvania. Baltzer B. Lesh was a farmer by occupation, having come to this county with his parents from Pennsylvania, and settled with them on the Lesh homestead then situated on a prominent stage line. Baltzer B. Lesh subsequently located on a farm in Cass county, Indiana, about a mile and a half from the old homestead, and there he lived until his death in February, 1904. His widow is still living. They were the parents of nine children, of whom one, Rachel Ellen, the third born, who was the wife of John Hines, is deceased. Almeda is the wife of John Benner, of Clinton township. W. H. is the immediate subject of this review. Jennie M. is the wife of F. M. West, of Rock Creek township. Margaret A., is the wife of Samuel Stewart, a farmer of Rock Creek township. Nancy Madison is the wife of John McCormick, of the Carroll County Trust Company. A. L. is a farmer living in Rock Creek township. J. H. is engaged in the livery business at Camden, Indiana. Ziba S. lives on the farm in Cass county. Born and reared on the farm in Carroll county, W. H. Lesh is the only member of the family born on his grandfather's old homestead. Mr. Lesh lived qn the farm until 1895, having in the meantime received a liberal education in the common schools and at Valparaiso University. In December, 1883, W. H. Lesh was married to Susan C. Houston, the daughter of Benjamin F. Houston, and a native of Henry county, Missouri, her father having been a native of Ohio who emigrated to Missouri and there enlisted for service in the Union army. Of the three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Lesh, one child, Dwana May, is deceased; Bessie A. is the wife of Okall Vorhees, of Mishawaka, Indiana, and Benjamin B. is serving as deputy county treasurer. Mr. Lesh has not been engaged in farming since 1895. After having taken up the livery business at Flora, Indiana, in which he remained until 1903, he took up the real-estate and loan business, serving in the meantime as justice of the peace. He continued at this business until his election as treasurer of Carroll county, November, 1912. He had been previously nominated in the Democratic county convention held in June of that year. Mr. Lesh took the office of county treasurer on January 1, 1913, for a term of two years. W. H. Lesh is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and the Knights of Pythias. Mr. and Mrs. Lesh and family are members of the Presbyterian church. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Biographical Section of HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY INDIANA ITS PEOPLE, INDUSTRIES AND INSTITUTIONS BY JOHN C ODELL With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families ILLUSTRATED 1916 B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY, Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/carroll/bios/lesh166nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/infiles/ File size: 4.7 Kb