The Leasures of Bradford, Pennsylvania

The Leasures of Bradford, Pennsylvania, are descended from the ancient French family of Le Sueur, who were of royal origin, and have frequently appeared in later French history. Eustache Le Sueur was, in 1617-55, one of the founders of the French Academy of Painting, and was the son of Catherine Le Sueur, a turner and sculptor in wood. He became one of the famous painters of France, and left numerous paintings and drawings that are highly valued and carefully preserved. A latter day artist of the family, Eugene, and a relative of the branch that came to America, amassed a large fortune through his art. A brother of Eustache was Francois Le Sueur, a French Huguenot, who came to this country, and in 1659 was living in Kingston, New York. He married Willdebrand Patterson, of Amsterdam, Holland, and is the American ancestor of the Lasher family of New York. The name in early colonial records is spelled in every conceivable way, and from Le Sueur has come both the Lasher, Loescher, Le Chaire, Lashier and Leasure families in the United States.

This branch of the family were Huguenots and held prominent positions. They were Masters of Horse and held their positions until the persecutions became so fierce that they were obliged to flee. They came to Pennsylvania with the DuPont family, of Philadelphia and Delaware. The name became quickly anglicized, but just when the present form Leasure became generally used does not appear. The emigrants settled on the shores of the Susquehanna, where they farmed, and made salt, furnishing the colonial forts and posts with that article, and sending their product as far west as Fort DuQuesne. The great-grandfather of James W. Leasure of Bradford received his grant of land at Blue Ridge directly from the government, and the patent bore the name of George Washington.

The farm at Blue Ridge, Pennsylvania, was the family homestead for many years, and there John Thorley Leasure lived to the great age of one hundred and four years. He lived in perilous times and reared a large family amid frontier dangers. One of his daughters was slain and scalped by Indians, and danger lurked in every quarter. But in time peace came and the old Blue Ridge farm became a scene of peace, prosperity and happiness. John Thorley Leasure reared a family of thirteen children. One of his sons, Colonel Daniel Leasure, was a brave and daring officer of the civil war. The family were members of the Dutch Reformed church, of which the father was a deacon for many years.

(III) George Leasure

George, seventh son of John Thorley Leasure, was born at Hansted Farm, in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in 1824, died at Bradford, Pennsylvania, July 2, 1880. He was educated in the schools of Pleasant Unity, and on arriving at manhood went to Ohio, where he owned and operated a grist mill for several years at West Salem. Later he moved to Burning Springs, West Virginia, and later became one of the pioneer oil producers of Calhoun county. He was a Republican in politics, and a deacon of the Presbyterian church for many years. He married Priscilla Fry, born in Pleasant Unity, the oldest of three daughters. She died at Sistersville, West Virginia, in 1907, aged eighty years.

Children

1. Frances Marian.
2. William Jefferson.
3. Margaret.
4. John Thorley. Deceased.
5. Eugene. Deceased.
6. Charles G.
7. Hiram T.
8. Allen Bales.
9. James W. Of whom further.
10. Etta Kate.
11. Jacob Fry. Deceased.

(IV) James W. Leasure

James W., seventh son of a seventh son, George Leasure, was born in Salem, Ohio, February 18, 1864. He was a babe when the family moved to West Virginia, and four years old when he was sent to Greensburg, Pennsylvania, where he was educated in the public schools, and lived until he was thirteen years of age. He then entered the employ of the Standard Oil Company at Bradford, remaining nineteen years, in the meantime learning the printer’s trade and also bookbinding. In 1896 he bought the job printing and bookbinding department of the Era Publishing Company, that had been owned by the Standard Oil Company, and operated the plant successfully until 1903. The three following years until 1906 he was engaged in the general insurance business at Bradford, Pennsylvania, also operating in Ohio oil and gas properties. He is interested in many business enterprises both at home and abroad. He has forty-three inventions to his credit, among which may be mentioned a vacuum cleaner, an automobile non-skid tire, a sanitary wind shield and an exceedingly durable railroad tie, which is conceded to be one of great importance and which is fast coming into general use. In politics he is a Republican. He is prominent in the social and beneficial orders of his city and a past officer of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Heptasophs, Junior Order of American Mechanics, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Typographical Union. His club is the Merchants’.

He married, June 26, 1896, Anna, daughter of Franklin A. Moore, a farmer and oil producer of Bradford, Pennsylvania, and a granddaughter of Amos and Cynthia (Gardner) Moore, natives of Massachusetts, who moved to McKean county, Pennsylvania, in 1839, settling on a farm of two hundred and thirty-six acres, where Amos Moore died in 1845, and his wife Cynthia in 1839. Franklin A. Moore was born in Erie county, New York, August 8, 1822, came to Pennsylvania with his parents in 1839, and worked on the farm until the death of his father in 1845, when he succeeded to its ownership. Several oil wells have been drilled on the farm which have produced a large quantity of oil, and are still a source of considerable revenue. In 1888 Mr. Moore built his present residence in Bradford, where he was extensively engaged for many years in coal, lumbering and oil operations. He married Edith, daughter of Abraham and Dorothy (Vanderhoff) Vandine, of New York and New Jersey.

Children

1. Amos T. A merchant of Bradford; married Amanda Potter, of Friendship, New York; children:
   1. Charles.
   2. Lillian Maude.
2. Anna. Married James W. Leasure. They have no children.

Source

Jordan, J. W. 1840-1921. (1913). Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania. New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co.

This genealogy is based upon the source cited above. Only the structure and formatting have been changed for clearer presentation; the genealogical and biographical content has been preserved.