James Leak Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 1025-1026

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside
	a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at

	http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm


JAMES LEAK, a prosperous and influential farmer residing on section 8, 
township 125, range 60, in Claremont township, Brown county, is one of 
the pioneer settlers of that region. He now possesses a fine tract of 
land, and is surrounded by all that goes to make a pleasant country 
home. 

Mr. Leak was born in Lincolnshire, England, April 30, 1835, and was the 
son of Christopher and Mary (Woods) Leak. At the age of fourteen years 
he came with his parents to America and settled in Monroe county, New 
York, and at the age of seventeen was apprenticed to the shoemaker's 
trade. He later established a shoemaking business which proved very 
successful, and he followed the trade some years. In 1864 he left his 
shop to enlist for the cause of his country, and became a member of 
Company C, Twenty-second New York Cavalry. After joining the main army 
he was attached to Burnside's Corps of Infantry, and engaged in the 
battle of the Wilderness. Then followed White Oak Swamp, Malvern Hill, 
Ream's Station, Winchester, Front Royal, Wayneston, Fisher's Hill, both 
battles of Cedar Creek and Lacy's Springs. He served in every 
engagement of the regiment and was never in the hospital and never 
wounded. His record shows eighteen battles and twenty-eight skirmishes. 
He was discharged from the service August 9, 1865, with the rank of 
orderly sergeant. He went to Ionia county, Michigan, the following year 
and worked at his trade and also engaged in farming, and in August, 
1881, went to Brown county, South Dakota, and in March following took 
up his residence on the farm. He now owns two hundred and forty acres 
of land and is one of ;the substantial men of his calling in that 
vicinity. 

Our subject was married, in 1858, to Miss Elizabeth Johnson. Three 
children have been born to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Leak, as 
follows: Maurice J.; Harriet E., now Mrs. W. H. Willsey; and Arminda A. 
Mr. Leak is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and the G. A. R. 
He was commander of Ralph Ely Post of Columbia, and of General 
Wadsworth Post of Claremont. He has been actively identified with 
public affairs since taking up his residence in Dakota, and is now 
chairman ,of the board of supervisors of his township, and assisted in 
the organization of the township. He is a Republican in political 
sentiment, and has almost, without exception, attended as delegate 
every county convention, and has served as a member of the Republican 
county central committee. He is a man who keeps abreast of the times in 
all public matters, and is strong in his convictions, lending his 
influence for the upbuilding of his community and for the advancement 
of local government. He has an enviable military career, and can 
recount the time spent in the service of his adopted country with 
justifiable pride. His career has been marked with loyalty, untiring 
perseverance and honesty, and he is a well known citizen of Brown 
county, where he has chosen to reside for so many years, and is held in 
the highest esteem by his many friends. He has sufficient of this 
world's goods to tide him through life, and he has pleasant home 
surroundings.