John William Leech, "Civil War Southern Sympathies in Blackford County" essay
Collection — Folder: S2832
Identifier: S2832
Scope and Contents
This collection includes a typed copy of a class paper written by John William Leech for the Ball State Teachers College course Social Science 503 on August 20, 1964, entitled "Civil War Southern Sympathies in Blackford County."
Dates
- 1964
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
John William Leech was born on April 4, 1941, to Russel Leech and Ella McGary Leech. He graduated from Harford City High School in 1959 and earned his undergraduate degree and his master’s degree from Ball State University. Leech taught Social Studies and Latin at Blackford High School for decades before retiring in 2001. He married Sharon Kay Futrell on June 3, 1967, at the First Christian Church in Hartford City, Indiana and the couple had two children, Lisa K. and Kevin M. Leech was a member of Blackford Federation of Teachers, Indiana Federation of Teachers, and the American Federation of Teachers; served on the board of the Blackford County Health Department and the Blackford County Alcohol Beverage Commission; and was a member of Grace United Methodist Church. He died on September 24, 2022, in Muncie, Indiana and was buried in Hartford City Cemetery in Hartford City, Indiana.
Sources:
FindAGrave.com. “John W. Leech.” Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/243905168/john-w-leech.
“John W. Leech.” Obituary. Star Press. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.thestarpress.com/obituaries/msp049998.
Sources:
FindAGrave.com. “John W. Leech.” Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/243905168/john-w-leech.
“John W. Leech.” Obituary. Star Press. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.thestarpress.com/obituaries/msp049998.
Historical Note
Blackford County in Indiana was greatly impacted by the Civil War, both during and after the war. With divided sympathies towards North and South, the town's issues came to a head with an attempted draft in 1862 when trying to follow the provisions for conscription laid out by President Lincoln. When the draft was attempted, a riot broke out and caused the destruction of the enrollment lists and the draft box. The riot was quelled with around 300 Union infantrymen arriving in the small county. With the force provided, enrollment lists eventually enlisted over 350 volunteers for the Union cause but violence and bitterness lasted through the end of the war. Many elections in Blackford County after the war were impacted by these events and allegiances.
Sources:
Blackford County Historical Society. A History of Blackford County, Indiana: with Historical Accounts of the County, 1838-1986 and Histories of Families Who Have Lived in the County. Hartford, IN: Blackford County Historical Society, 1986.
Henley, Lucile and Orville Uggen. “Indiana Civil War Veterans, Blackford County, 1861-1865.” 1994. Blackford County Civil War Reenactment Club, Inc. collection. Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library.
“Blackford County Civil War Honor Roll.” The Historical Marker Database.. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=54347.
Sources:
Blackford County Historical Society. A History of Blackford County, Indiana: with Historical Accounts of the County, 1838-1986 and Histories of Families Who Have Lived in the County. Hartford, IN: Blackford County Historical Society, 1986.
Henley, Lucile and Orville Uggen. “Indiana Civil War Veterans, Blackford County, 1861-1865.” 1994. Blackford County Civil War Reenactment Club, Inc. collection. Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library.
“Blackford County Civil War Honor Roll.” The Historical Marker Database.. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=54347.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection consists of only one item.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Cecil Beeson in 1966.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2024/08/21 by A.J. Chrapliwy. EAD finding aid created 2024/08/23 by A.J. Chrapliwy.
- Blackford County (Ind.)
- Confederate States of America
- Draft -- Indiana
- Essays
- Indiana -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
- Murder -- Indiana
- News agencies
- Newspaper editors -- Indiana
- Trials (Murder) -- Indiana
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
- United States. Army. Indiana Infantry Regiment, 63rd (1862-1865)
- Voting
Source
- Ball State University (Organization)
- Title
- John William Leech, "Civil War Southern Sympathies in Blackford County" essay
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
