 ichard A. Leavell, dealer in real estate, Winchester,
Ind., was born in Henry County, Ind., December 20, 1841. His father, James
M. Leavell, was born in Virginia, but removed, when quite young, with his
parents, to Kentucky. Staying there but a short time, the family removed
to Henry County, Ind. about the time of the organization of the county. His
mother, Ruth (Corwine) Leavell, was a native of Kentucky, but removed with
her parents, when quite young, to Henry County, Ind. The parents of Richard
A. removed to Randolph County in 1848, and settled on a tract of 160 acres
in the green woods just north of where the town of Parker now stands, where
the youthful days of our subject were employed in the necessary duties of
aiding in clearing the paternal homestead, and producing support for the
family. His opportunities for obtaining school education were quite limited,
yet being of studious turn of mind, he made the most of his surroundings,
and completed the common school course of that day. Upon the breaking out
of the rebellion, he enlisted as a private in Company E, Thirty-sixth Regiment
Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He served with his regiment through the full
term of his enlistment, participating in many of the most hard-fought battles
of the war, among the first of which were the battle of Shiloh and siege
of Corinth, spring of 1862. In the fall of 1862, Mr. Leavell was stricken
with disease, and passed several months in the hospital at Bowling Green,
Ky., and at home, on furlough, before recovering. In the spring of 1863,
he rejoined his regiment, and participated in the sanguinary campaigns of
1863-64, the more important battles of which his regiment was engaged in
being Chickamauga, Lookout-Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Ringgold, Dalton and
Resaca. He was severely wounded May 27, 1864, at Dallas, Ga., his right arm
being shot through; this casualty returned him to the hospital at Evansville.
He never returned to his regiment until it returned home, not recovering
sufficiently, but was mustered out with it at Indianapolis September 21,
1864. After his discharge from the army, he engaged in farming one year,
and then attended Liber College, Jay County, Ind., one year, and the Winchester
High School six months, after which, he was engaged in the public schools
of his county as a teacher until 1872, when he was nominated by the Republicans,
and elected Clerk of Randolph Circuit Court, the responsible duties of which
office he discharged in a manner highly creditable to himself for four years.
Since the expiration of his official term, he has been engaged in the real
estate business. In 1870, October 2, he was united in marriage with Miss
Sarelda J. Lewis, daughter of C. W. Lewis, of Monroe Township, a lady of
most excellent character, who only survived a few months, dying July 7, 1871,
leaving a babe only one week old to the care of the bereaved father. On the
7th of September, 1873, he was married to Miss Mary M. Barnes, of Spartansburg,
Ind., a lady of fine social qualities, who has proved, in all respects, a
worthy companion. They have two living children. Mr. and Mrs. Leavell are
both members of the Methodist Church, Mr. L. of the I.O.O.F., Knights of
Honor, and the Grand Army of the Republic. He is an active,energetic,
enterprising citizen, holding high position in the regards of his many friends
and neighbors. His oldest,and the only child by his first wife, is named
Minnie S., and was born June 30, 1871. Neal B., by his second wife, was born
September 2, 1875, Jessie M. was born August 5, 1878, and died April 29,
1880. John C. Was born October 6, 1882.
Submitted by Patricia Leavell James Richard A. Leavell was Patricia's great-grandfather and her grandfather was John Calvin Leavell (born October 6, 1882). The preceding is an exact transcription of a biography published in (Randolph County (?)) that was passed on to her as the last direct descendant of John Calvin Leavell.
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