BIO: William Thomas LEATHERS, Centre County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by jrb Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/1picts/commbios/comm-bios.htm _____________________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898. _____________________________________________________________________ WILLIAM THOMAS LEATHERS, a well-known and reliable business man of Howard township, Centre county, is the senior member of the firm of W. T. Leathers & Son, roof painters and dealers in the Excelsior Graphite Roofing paint for iron, tin, shingle and paper roofs, with headquarters at Howard. He was born on a farm near Mount Eagle, December 25, 1844, a son of Frederick and Rebecca (Working) Leathers, who spent their lives upon that farm. His paternal grandparents, Jacob and Mary (Slick) Leathers, were natives of York county, Penn., where they were married, but as early as 1795 they became residents of Howard township, Centre county. The maternal grandparents, Jacob and Christina Working, made their home in Penn's Valley, Centre county, whither they had removed by ox-teams when the place was an unbroken wilderness. Frederick Leathers was three times married, his first wife being Nancy Barthurst, of Mount Eagle, by whom he had four children: Hannah, who married James Antes (both are now deceased); Elizabeth, deceased wife of Reuben Idings, a farmer of Centre county; Martha, who wedded Eastings Guthrie (both are now deceased); and Mary, wife of John N. Barnhart, a retired school teacher living in New Jersey. For his second wife, Mr. Leathers wedded Rebecca Working, who died December 25, 1849, at the age of forty-five years, leaving four children: James K., a farmer of Howard township; Nancy E., widow of James Antes, of Jersey Shore, Penn.; William T., our subject; and Frederick M., a farmer of Farnhamville, Iowa. The third wife of Mr. Leathers bore the maiden name of Jane D. Stiver, and was a native of Penn's Valley, Penn. She died in 1891, at the age of eighty-five years, and her husband passed away April 1, 1879, when aged seventy-nine years. At the age of sixteen years, on August 16, 1861, young Leathers enlisted in Company A, 45th P. V. I., then commanded by Capt. John I. Curtin (later, Gen. Curtin), and until in July, 1862, the command served under Sherman. It participated in the battle of James Island and in many skirmishes. The command took part in the battle of Antietam, Md., on September 17, 1862, after which engagement Mr. Leathers was transferred to the 6th U. S. Cavalry, Troop I, in which he served until September, 1864. He was engaged at Beverly Ford and in other minor battles, and in the battle of Gettysburg almost his entire regiment was captured, he narrowly escaping. After the battle he served principally as a messenger at the headquarters of Gen. Sheridan. Mr. Leathers was twice wounded, once while with the infantry and again while carrying a dispatch from Gen. Sheridan to Gen. Kilpatrick, receiving a bullet in the left thigh, which he carried some six months or more. On September 21, 1865, Mr. Leathers was married in Canada, Centre Co., Penn., to Miss Mary E. Hughes, who was born in Howard township, July 22, 1844, a daughter of Rev. John and Mary A. (Goodfellow) Hughes, natives of Blair and Centre counties, Penn., respectively. When a small boy her father had come to Centre county with his parents, Corney and Margaret (Brown) Hughes, who were born in Ireland. His mother 254 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. died in Huntingdon county, Penn., but his father's death occurred in Centre county. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Leathers, Thomas and Mary A. (Graham) Goodfellow, were also natives of Ireland, but at an early age became residents of Howard township, Centre county, Penn., where they spent the remainder of their lives, and where for several years the grandfather engaged in farming, and then lived retired. Rev. John Hughes was a devout Christian, and a local minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was quite prosperous in his business undertakings, and was an extensive dealer in coal and wood. He departed this life in Canada, Centre county, February 14, 1876, at the age of sixty-three years; his wife died in the same house May 14, 1871, at the age of seventy-four. In their family were three daughters: Eliza, who died at the age of one year; Martha, wife of George D. Johnson, who is operating the old homestead farm in Canada; and Mary E. Twelve children graced the union of Mr. and Mrs. Leathers: (1) Mary A., died at the age of six years; (2) James L., a roof painter, of Mt. Eagle, married Edith Leathers December 19, 1888; (3) Frederick resides at home, and assists his father in roof painting; (4) Lott H. died in infancy; Lucy B. is at home; Ida R. was married to Howard B. Neff October 14, 1897; Mattie M. is at home; George H. travels for his father; Gilbert C. died when fourteen months old; and Cookman A., Jessie and Milton W. are all three at home. For seven years after his marriage, Mr. Leathers lived with his wife's parents, and then located on the old Leathers homestead, where he resided until April 7, 1897, when he removed to Howard. In 1884 he began the paint business, and July 2, 1895, patented the Excelsior Graphite Roofing Paint, which is highly commended by those who have used it. He has some excellent testimonials from prominent citizens of Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York State, etc., among whom may be mentioned President McKinley (all of whose roofs in Canton the firm covered in September, 1897), Lieut-Gov. Jones. The business of W. T. Leathers & Son has ever been conducted on the strictest principles of honesty, and their prosperity cannot be attributed to a combination of lucky circumstances, but rather to their well-directed energy, enterprise, integrity and intellectual effort. In February, 1895, Mr. Leathers was elected justice of the peace, and he has also held other local positions, which he has filled to the satisfaction of all concerned. Fraternally he is connected with the Veteran Legion of Bellefonte, the Grange, and Grand Army Post No. 262, of Howard, while politically he is prominently identified with the Republican party. He and his amiable wife are consistent and worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and occupy a high social position among the residents of the community.