Richland Co., Ohio

 
 

Obituaries

 
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Jacob Leiter / Rev. S.B. Leiter

THE MANSFIELD HERALD:  12 April 1883, Vol. 33, No. 21

 
 
 

Submitted by Amy

 

Mr. JACOB LEITER, an aged and highly esteemed citizen, died at his home in Lucas, this county, after a brief illness, on Saturday the 7th. inst., in the 80th. year of his age.  He was born in Leitersburg, Washington Co., Maryland, and attained the age of manhood at that place.  He was married at Quincy, Pa., in 1832 to Miss Fannie Fisher, and came to the vicinity of Mansfield in 1834.  In his father's family there were ten sons and three daughters, only one of whom, a sister, survives him.  His wife died in 1862, and a daughter in 1866.  A few years ago he removed to Lucas, where he resided with his sister until the time of his death.  He was an upright and exemplary citizen, respected and loved by all who knew him.  He was a good husband, a kind father, and a faithful friend.  

Mr. Leiter united with the English Lutheran Church when he was 19 years old and remained a faithful member for the long period of sixty years.  On his arrival at Mansfield, he immediately became a member of the Lutheran congregation of this city, and has been practically identified with its interests ever since that time.  As early as 1834 he was chosen as a member of the Church Council, and was almost continuously in office for the period of thirty-nine years, showing the high esteem in which he was held by the members of the church.  He participated in the purchase of the first house of worship owned by the congregation, and in many ways contributed to all its succeeding material and spiritual progress.  He was the last surviving one of the number who composed the first permanent organization.  His life was good and his death peaceful.  He retained his usual cheerful and happy disposition to the close of his life.

Two of his brothers were ministers, Rev. George Leiter, of the Lutheran Church, and Rev. Samuel Leiter, D.D., of the Reformed Church, both of whom attained to great usefulness in the ministry, and both preached here in the early history of the city.  

The remains of the deceased were brought to the residence of his son-in-law, Mr. Isaac B. Hoffer, on East Market Street, this city, where the funeral services were largely attended on Tuesday at 10:30 A.M.  The four sons acted as pallbearers.  This was a touching and appropriate feature of the funeral.  Six children and a large circle of friends and acquaintances mourn their loss.

Of one of his brothers spoken of above, Rev. S.B. Leiter, the Wadsworth, Ohio, ENTERPRISE, of April 4th. says:  

"Rev. S.B. Leiter, of this village, departed this life Saturday evening, March 31st., 1883, at 8:25 o'clock, after a recent severe illness lasting from Thursday previous to his death, aged 73 years, 11 months and 11 days.  Dr. Leiter is a native of Maryland;  educated at York, Pa., he entered the Christian ministry in the Reformed Church in 1835, at the age of 26 years.  He at once came to Mansfield, Ohio, -- then the "far West" -- and the fields of Western missionary labor.  For fourteen years he labored in Richland County;  for eighteen years following in Stark County, and the remainder of his life was spent in this village, he having been called to this place to take the pastorate of the "Union Charge" in the spring of 1868.  About a year ago he was stricken down with paralysis, from which, however, he partially recovered again.  Since that time he has suffered the return of his trouble several times.  The last coming on in violent form proved too much for his once strong but now weakened constitution, and he fell asleep on the 15th. anniversary of his removal to Wadsworth."


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