Biography of Obe Leas, pages 893 / 894.  History of De Kalb County, 
Indiana.  Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

Obe Leas, is a native of Steuben County, Ind., born Nov. 5, 1851, the 
seventh of twelve children of John and Susan (Schmipff) Leas, native of 
Pennsylvania.  In 1849 his parents moved to Stark County, Ohio, and thence 
to Steuben County, Ind., locating on the line of De Kalb County; now live in 
Smithfield Township, De Kalb County.  Obe Leas was reared on a farm, 
receiving a good education, completing it at Waterloo.  He remained with his 
parents till manhood, and soon after his twenty-first birthday was married 
to Lydia, third daughter of Joseph and Nancy Plum. After his marriage he 
settled on the farm where he has since lived, known as the old Middleton 
farm, near the city of Waterloo.  It contains ninety-six acres of choice 
land, the greater part under cultivation and with improvements are all 
substantial and in good repair.  He devotes considerable attention to 
raising horses, having several of the celebrated Clydesdale breed.  He is 
one of the enterprising young men of the township and a prominent and 
prosperous citizen.  He had three children---Byron, Franklin O. and Lulu 
M.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@cltnet.com