Frederick Leathers II (1729 - abt. 1796)

Born 1729 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania [uncertain]

Husband of Mary Jane (Dill) Leathers — married 1794 in Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died about 1 Apr 1796 at about age 67 in Bald Eagle Valley, Howard, Centre County, Pennsylvania [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Samuel Leathers [send private message]

Biography

Frederick Leathers II performed Patriotic Service in the American Revolution.

Frederick Leathers II is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A068155.

Frederick Leathers II was born in Lancaster County (now York County), Pennsylvania in 1732 (or possibly 1729). He is the son of Georg Friederich Wilhelm Leder (prob called Frederick) and Anna Elizabeth (maiden name unknown). They were immigrants from Switzerland in 1728. His father died in 1746 and his mother in 1749.

After his parents deaths, in 1749, when he was about 17, he lived with Martin Eichelberger.

He married 1st probably about 1753 (wife's name is unknown, but might be Jane Strickler).
His first son, Frederick III was born in York Co, PA in 1754.

He was still living in York Co., Pa. in 1783 when he was appointed the guardian of David Shirk (brother of Barbara, Mary & Joseph).

In 1790, after the War, the Leathers family moved to Bald Eagle Valley in Centre County, Pa. along with the Shirk family, the Hubers, Bechtels and other residents of York Co. This was a "new" area opening up. It had been purchased from the Indians in 1769. Iron was discovered there and several forges began springing up along the Creek which flows along the Bald Eagle Mountains. ^[1] The Leathers land was on the west or north side of the Bald Eagle Creek (probably near what is now Milesburg, Pa.)

History of Centre and Clinton Counties says:
Frederick Leathers [Jr-II] settled on the Christopher Spayd warrant, Central City (Hoover’s heirs, etc), as early as 1791, and died there in 1796. His children were Frederick, Jacob, John, Daniel, Barbara, Mary and Susanna. ^[2]

He married 2nd about 1794 York Co, Pa. to Jane Dill Lewis. She was the mother of the infamous robber, David Lewis. He had no children with her, but left most of his inheritance to her when he died.

He was listed in the DAR Patriot Index as: "Leathers, Frederick, b ante 1735 d. 1796 PA, m Jane Lewis, Pvt PA". His ancestor number is A068155. He paid the supply tax in 1779 and 1780.^[3]

His second marriage to Jane Dill Lewis was an unfortunate match. She had quite an infamous reputation owing to the fact that she was the mother of the well-known Pennsylvania robber, David Lewis. His marriage to her was a shock to the Leathers children. Frederick had been a man of substance when he left York Co, and yet he only left 5-10 shillings to each of his children and left the rest of his estate to his wife. All of his children went to court to try the validity of his will.

Two years after his marriage he died in 1796 (age 64) in Bald Eagle Valley (Mifflin Co until 1800, now Centre Co)
buried in Sand Hill cemetery, Howard, Centre County, PA.
Find A Grave: Memorial #89546385

Not long after he died, son Frederick III moved to Ohio and gave his brother Jacob the power of attorney to dispose of his property.

Sources

1. ↑ from: “Leathers” by N.H. (Mrs. Philander) Betts, 1938, p. 5 - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/92801538/nancy-bell-betts
2. ↑ History of Centre and Clinton Counties, (PA, by Linn 1883), Boggs Township, p 263
3. ↑ Frederick Leathers Sr in Daughters of the American Revolution ancestor database accessed 4 Apr 2021 Frederick Leathers, Sr in DAR ancestor database

• "United States Census, 1790", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHKR-6D2 : accessed 26 November 2015), Fretherich Leather, 1790.
• http://theperryhistorians.org/resources/Lewis+Family$2C+Pioneers+of+Second+Fork.pdf - Lewis Family (his 2nd wife)
• 1797 York County records: Notary Docket of John Morris, Esquire of Borough of York, York County, PA 1792-1809, page 73, pub 1985:
  

"On the seventh day of March 1797 certified that John Sharp Esquire (before whom the affidavit of a certain _____ Lether deceased, was taken with one of the justices of the peace for the County of York, etc. --Jno. Morris, N.P"

• http://rfmin.net/mjgen/leathers/leathers.html
• Harry A. and Vera A. Lingle, "Immigrant Frederick Leathers and early descendents", 1977, Only available in Pennsylvania Room of Centre County Library.
• Find A Grave: Memorial #89546385 memorial page for Frederick Leathers II (1729–1 Apr 1796), Find a Grave Memorial ID 89546385; Burial Details Unknown; Maintained by Nancy Leathers (contributor 47775799).