James Leary was born on February 27, 1871, in Hancock county, Indiana. He was the son of Thomas J. and Marjorie (Johnson) Leary. Thomas J. Leary was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, and was married twice. His first wife was Rebecca Price, who was born in Maryland and who was the daughter of Willis F. Price, who later moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. The children by this wife were John, Parry, Willis and Jane. The second wife was Marjorie Johnson, of Wayne county, Indiana, who was a daughter of Peter Johnson, who was born in South Carolina. The children by his second wife were Sarah, Thomas B., James, who is the subject of this sketch, and Louisa D., who is deceased. John Leary, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in Maryland and after his marriage moved to Franklin county, Indiana, where he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Blooming township. Thomas J. Leary, the father of the subject of this sketch, was a man who took great interest in politics. He made many trips to Cincinnati after he located near Greenfield, Indiana, and he drove large herds of stock to market. He died on March 5, 1889, and his second wife, who was the mother of the subject of this sketch, died on September 17, 1907.

James Leary received his education in the common schools of Hancock county He was married on March 9, 1899, to Clara B. Dobbins. She was born in this county on September 17, 1872, the daughter of John W. Dobbins, who was born in Rush county on December 24, 1824, and who died on September 28, 1898. His wife was Susannah Eaton, who was born in Fayette county on July 4, 1834, and who died on April 22, 1915, at the age of eighty years. He was a daughter of John Eaton, a farmer and a preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church of Cambridge City, Indiana. John W. Dobbins was a member of the United Brethren church and he was a great Democrat. He was the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of land. He was the son of Jesse Dobbins, who was born in Rush county and who owned land in Richmond, Indiana, and who married Elizabeth Chappel. The children of John W. Dobbins were the following: Louisa, Elizabeth, Wilson, Milford, Olive, Cora, Nelson, Andrew, Clara B., who is the wife of the subject of this sketch; Walter, Mary and Ira, who are all living. The children of the subject of this sketch are: Helen, born on December 30, 1901; Autumn, born on January 26, 1908, and Neva born on December 17, 1912. After his marriage, Mr. Leary located on a farm near Mohawk. This was a farm of seventy acres which he bought on September 15, 1902. He does a general farming and stock raising, having a fine bunch of Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs. He is a member of the Knight of Pythias Lodge, and wife is a member of the United Brethren church.

Mr. Leary has been successful as a stock raiser. On March 9, 1916, he had a sale at which he sold one hundred and twenty-five head of cattle, which sold for three thousand dollars. This sale was conducted by W I. Burnside and Colonel Mount, of Greenfield.

Transcribed from History of Hancock County, Indiana, Its People, Industries and Institutions by George J. Richman, B. L., Federal Publishing Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1916. Page 936-37.

Submitted by Sylvia (Rose) Duda, Laingsburg, MI October 9, 2001.

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