A history of Pickford Area Pioneer Families Daniel Morrison

LEACH (GEORGE)

George Leach was born in Canada in 1839 and was married to Sarah Ann Ratford in 1867. To this marriage was born six children. In 1887 he left Auburn, Ontario, leaving behind the oldest daughter, Mary Ann, bringing the rest of the family to Pickford. They came with their wagon loaded with their worldly possessions. They traveled west on the Town Line to John Smith's farm, where Lloyd and Fannie Rye now live. They lived there for a while, then traded farms with James Sterling who owned the farm better known as the Herb Beacom farm across the road from the Rutledge farm. Mr. Leach was a good farmer and had a green thumb in growing flowers which was handed down to his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He lived there until he was no longer able to farm. Then he built the home that was owned by Mrs. Fred Galer in Pickford.

His children were Mary Ann, Hugh, John, Elizabeth, Harriet, and Hannah. MARY ANN married Thomas Cousins and stayed in Canada. She had ten children. JOHN married Mary Jackson and had six children: Joe, Clarence, Eva, Harry, Wallace, and Earl. ELIZABETH married Hiram Kelly and had one daughter, Elva, who married Eugene Baldwin and in turn, had three daughters, Edessa, Aurelia, and Fern. HARRIET married John Thomas Rutledge and had eight children: Leonard; Elmer, Ross, Hilda, Marie, Ester, Marjorie, and Ruby. HANNAH married Albert Miller and had no children.

HUGH LEACH, the oldest son farmed 2 miles south and 4 1/2 miles west of Pickford. He married Harriet Wonnacott. They had six children: Lottie, George, Martha, Mildred, Hugh, and Minnie.

Lottie married John Little and had seven children: Alma (Mrs. Charles Rye); Etta (Mrs. Clarence Smith); Howard; Hazel (Mrs. Caverly); Herb; John (deceased); and Eileen. One son, Clifford, died at birth. John died in September 1958, and Lottie in April 1969.

George married Mildred McDowell and settled on a farm west of Pickford now owned by his son, Howard. George was well known as a livestock dealer in this area. His children were Ivan, Elwin, Vern, Howard, Dorothy, Esther, Ruby, and Mildred. Ivan married Effie Bawks. They had six children: John, Bill, Lila (Mrs. Gary Williams), Ivana (Mrs. Robert Jones), Richard, and Duane (deceased)*. John and Ivanna* are the only ones living in Pickford. Elwin Hugh married Minda Kangas and had eight children: Eldred, Ronell, Jaynce, Deanna, Helen, Mary Ann, Elwin Hugh, Jr., and Gary*. Eldred* married Joan Kauppinen, a nurse. Their children are James, Jeffery, and Dana**. Eldred was the first freshman to be a 4-letter winner at Pickford High School. He now teaches in Cedarville. Ronell* is a building contractor in Pickford. He married Wava Rye and has three children, Melanie, Timothy, and Lennae**. Jaynce* married Geraldine Carlson of Marquette and they have four children: Wendi, Daniel, Michele, and David**. Deanna* married Raymond Salo and lives in Rudyard. They have four children: Kevin, Karen, Keith, and Kenneth**. Helen* married Bemard Walker of Gladwin. They have three children, Randall, Rhonda, and Renee**. Mary Ann* married Gary Salo of Rudyard and they have five children: Troy, Tanya, Tammie, Terin, and Todd**. Elwin Hugh, Jr.*, married Peggy Morgan of Marquette. They have two children, Douglas and Carey**. Elwin teaches at Kincheloe. Gary* has a teaching certificate. Vern married Pearl Smith. They have five children: Verna (Mrs. Herman Hill); Elva Jean (Mrs.Whillinton); Larry; Marcia (Mrs. Lester) and Roger*. Roger* is the only one living in this area. He lives on his father's farm, the former Huyck farm. He has two children. Howard married Nettie Lewis who teaches second grade in Pickford. Their two sons are Charles and Melvin*. Charles* and his wife are both teachers. Melvin* is a minister. Dorothy married Ray Jacobson and had one son, Larry*. Ray died in 1950. Dorothy is now married to Howard Bell. Mildred married Kermith Hanna and they have two children, David* and Gloria* (Mrs. James Clegg). Esther married Ted Reamer (deceased) and they had four children: Carolyn (Mrs. Larry Kyle), Alan, Marjorie, and Steven (deceased)*. Later Esther married Jim Waybrant and they live in Pickford. Ruby married Lyle Crawford and they live in Sault Ste. Marie. Their two children are Austin and Debra*.

Martha married John D. Thompson who operated Thompson's Garage, now owned by his sons, Morrell and Cecil. They had four children: Morrell, Cecil, Shirley, and Geraldine. Morrell married Lelia Shoberg and they have four children: Barbara, Don, Lyndean, and Steven*. Barbara* married Carl Hanna and they have one son, Brian**. Don* teaches in Traverse City and is married to the former Trinda Harrison. Their three children are Robin, Steve, and Sarah Elizabeth**. Lyndean* married Daryl Bosley and they have one son. Steven* is working for his father in Pickford and recently married Deborah Wojnaroski. Cecil (Pete) married Mona Staley and they have four boys: David, Jack, Larry, and Gene*. David married Linda Galer and their daughters are Candi Lynn and Cheri Marie**. Jack* married Marcia Smale and they both teach in Cedarville. Gene* married Jane Moore and their two children are Wendy Sue and Debbie Marie**. Larry* is a student at Alma College. Shirley married Robert Stevenson and lives in Hawaii. Geraldine married Rudy Nayback and has six children: Cynthia, Ruth Ann, Janis, Linda, Ronnis, and Paul**.

Mildred married William Barker and had three children, Howard, Thelma, and Deloris.

Hugh married Marie McLaughlin. He worked in the area lumber camps for many years and did some farming. Hugh and Matie had eight children: Hattie, Betty, Jim, Donald, Robert, Phyllis, Gerald, and Janice. Hattie is Mrs. Cleve Lockhart. Betty married Howard Anderson and has three daughters, Donna, DiAnn, and Debra*. James drowned when he was 19 in 1946. Donald married Esther Sherlund and had one son, Terry Lee*, who died at 4 1/2. They adopted two Children, Tami Jo and Keith Donald* and live in Cedarville. Robert married Norma Mattson and has three children, Mark, Patti, and Michael*. They live in Royal Oak. Phyllis married Conrad Schmitigal and has two children, Kathy and Greg*. Gerald married Jean Roy and had two children, Sandra and Steven*. Gerald was killed in a jeep accident in December 1963, at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. Janice died at the age of 3 months.

Minnie married Andy Smith and they operated a barbershop in Rudyard and in the Sault. After Mr. Smith's death, Minnie married Walter Hasse, sold the barbershop, and moved back to her hometown of Pickford.

Many of the descendants of George and Sarah Ann still live in the Pickford Area and now number into the sixth generation.