ESOM RUBEN LEACH, head of the firm of E. R. Leach & Co., of Sullivan, was born March 16, 1855, in Grant county, Indiana, a son of Edward and Emily (Brewer) Leach, both of whom died in Sullivan county. The father came to this state from the East with his father and mother, and he was engaged in mercantile pursuits in Grant and Sullivan counties, moving to the last named county in 1864. In 1887 he went to Nebraska and returned about 1890. When he first came to Sullivan county, he settled in Cass township and raised one crop, and then moved to Sullivan, where he engaged in business. He and his wife were members of the old style Baptist church and exemplary Christians. Their children were as follows: William Jasper, residing in Sheridan, Nebraska; Rachael Ann, deceased; Charles Milton, residing in Grant county; George W., resides at Sullivan; James S.; Esom R., of this review; Lucinda L., wife of William Lucas; Richard E., of Sullivan; Mary, deceased; John W., deceased. The mother of these children died in 1865. For his second wife, Mr. Leach married Mrs. Sallie Martin. The children born of the second marriage were as follows: Levy, Emily, Jesse, John, Bessie, Oliver, Daisy, and Marten.
E. R. Leach, of this biography, was only nine years of age when he came to Sullivan county. Here he obtained his common-school education and clerked for his father while yet in his teens. When he had reached his twenty-first year, with two brothers, J. S. and G. W., he engaged in the livery business in Sullivan, continuing about two years. He then returned to the farm, which he conducted about three years. His next business was that of the grain, stock and implement business, which he carried on under the firm name of E. & E. R. Leach, operating this until 1886, when he went west, remaining in Nebraska until 1896 and being engaged in farming in that state. Upon his return to the east, he was employed as a clerk for G. W. Borders, being appointed, in the fall of 1897, superintendent of the county asylum, which position he resigned after four years' faithful service. He was then appointed superintendent of the Orphans' Home, at Greencastle. He remained there four years, when he resigned and moved back to Sullivan. In April, 1907, he purchased the business of the firm of Whitman & Asdel, who operated in grain and feed. This business was run by Mr. Leach and his nephew, Clell Leach, until September, 1907, when G. F. Botts bought an interest in the business.
Mr. Leach was married March 12, 1889, to Mary J. Turman, who was born in Turman township, Sullivan county, a daughter of Charles and Nancy E. (Johnson) Turman, both of whom were natives of Sullivan county. Charles Turman is dead, but his wife resides at Graysville, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Leach are the parents of two children: Glenn Emma, born January 21, 1890, single, and a graduate of the Sullivan High School with the class of 1908; Ruth Hazel, born November 28, 1893. Mrs. Leach is a consistent member of the Christian church. Politically, Mr. Leach affiliates with the Democratic party.