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Delaware County, Iowa

 Biography Directory

 

M. F. LeRoy

Lawyer

Manchester

 

 

 

      M. F. LEROY, was born in the town of Manchester, Dearborn county, Ind., January 16, 1850. He is one of the two surviving children, out of a family of six, born to David and Lydia A. LeRoy, the other being a sister, Mrs. Jennie T. Updike, wife of A. R. Updike, of Remington, Ind., Mr. LeRoy comes of Scotch and English ancestry and of New York State and Indiana born parentage. He is of Scotch extraction on his father’s side, the name having been originally Roy, but becoming LeRoy by a strange confusion of Mr. LeRoy’s father’s Christian name Lee, with the family name Roy. The father, Dr. David LeRoy, who was also for some years a citizen of this (Delaware) county, being now a resident of Streator, Ill., was born and reared in Cattaraugus county, N. Y., moved to Indiana when a young man, where he married and lived for some years, moving thence to Grundy county, Ill., and still later to Delaware county, Iowa, being now as above stated a resident again of Illinois. Mr. LeRoy’s mother, who bore the maiden name of Bowers, was born and reared in Ripley county; Ind. She died in 1860 in Grundy county,

Ill.

 

     The subject of this notice was reared in his native place and in the town of Morris, Grundy county, Ill., whither his parents moved when he was young. He received a good common and high school education in the public schools of Morris, Ill., taking also a commercial course in the commercial department of Clark’s Seminary, of Aurora, Ill., completing his collegiate education at Moore’s Hill College, at Moore’s Hill, Dearborn county, Ind., graduating from the latter institution with the degree of “Bachelor of Science” in the spring of 1869. His father had moved to Manchester, Iowa, a year or two previously, and the son had also in the meantime visited the place and decided on taking up his residence there. He was desirous, however, of getting the benefit of the acquaintance with Western men and methods which a course in a western institution would afford him, and having selected law as a profession, he entered the law department of the Iowa State University, at Iowa City, in 1869, from which he graduated in June, 1870, with the degree of LL. B. and the right to practice in all the courts of the state. He was then under age, but located at Manchester and soon afterwards entered on the practice, beginning alone. On November 5, 1873, he formed a partnership with Charles E. Bronson and was engaged in the active practice of his profession under the firm name of Bronson & LeRoy for several years. Mr. LeRoy became interested in the banking business soon after locating in Manchester, and the handling of funds, collections, and other business of a quasi banking nature, both for himself and others, accumulated on his hands to such an extent that he was induced to relinquish the practice of law about three years ago, and having accepted the management of A. R. Loomis’ private bank at that date, he has since devoted himself entirely to banking. On the organization of the First National Bank of Manchester in February, 1890, which was the successor of Mr. Loomis' bank, Mr. LeRoy was elected cashier and now holds that position. Outside of his bank stock and some minor local investments Mr. LeRoy’s interests are largely in Illinois. He is, however, thoroughly identified with the growth and development of his adopted town and county. He is liberal, progressive and public spirited. He gives cheerfully of his means and works with willing hands for the promo­tion of not only the material, but the social, educational and moral interests of his community. Mr. LeRoy has never aspired to fill the public eye, politically or otherwise. He is a plain citizen of modest pretensions. His efforts for the public good have been exerted chiefly in behalf of the educational interests of his town. He has been a member of the school board of Manchester almost continuously for fifteen years, a large part of which time he has been secretary of the board.

 

     June 2, 1874, Mr. LeRoy married Miss Jennie P. Loomis, daughter of A. H. Loomis, of Manchester, a lady eminently qualified to bear him the companionship he sought with her hand. This union has been blessed with a family of three children: Dora M., Alma M. and Allan R. Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy have a pleasant home, owning one of the handsomest residences in the town of Manchester, complete in its appointments and in the comfort and elegance of which, surrounded by their children, they find the chief joys of this life.

 

      Mr. LeRoy has taken great interest in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and occupies an eminent position in that fraternity. He now occupies or has held at one time and another the following offices in this order: P. G., Manchester Lodge, No. 149, of Manchester, Iowa ; P. H. P. and P. C. P., Azur Encampment, No. 37, of Manchester, Iowa; Past Commander Canton Delaware, No. 2, Patriarchs Militant, Department of Iowa, and Major and Assistant Inspector General, First Brigade of Iowa of the Patriarchs Militant.

 

~ source: Biographical souvenir of the counties of Delaware and Buchanan, Iowa; Chicago : F. A. Battey, 1890. Page 379-381; LDS microfilm #985424

~ contributed by Thom Carlson