Biography of John Leighty, pages 536 / 537. History of De Kalb County, Indiana. Inter -State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885. John Leighty, on of the prominent and successful early settlers of DeKalb County, is a native of Westmoreland Count, Pa., born Nov. 18, 1808, a son of John and Catherine (Welker) Leighty, natives of Pennsylvania, of German descent. When he was fifteen years of age he went to learn the shoemaker’s trade, serving an apprenticeship of three years. He then worked as a journeyman till his marriage and then settled on a farm in his native county, where he lived till 1844, when in the early part of June he moved to DeKalb County, Ind., and settled on section 33, Concord township, where he built a cabin and began improving a farm. In 1859 he left the farm and moved to the village of Spencerville, where in 1865 he engaged in the mercantile business with his son. In 1875 he and his son moved to section 15, Concord Township. Where they bought one hundred acres of land and laid out the town of St. Joe, which is now a thriving village. Mr. Leighty was married April 4, 1833, to Elizabeth Sowash, a native of Westmoreland County, Pa., a daughter of Abraham and Susan (Weaver) Sowash. To them have been born ten children, seven of whom are living---Catherine, Alexander, Jacob D., Maria, William, Charles B. and Mary. Susan, John and Elizabeth are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Leighty are members of the Lutheran church. Politically he is a Democrat. Submitted by: Arlene Goodwin Auburn, Indiana Agoodwin@ctlnet.com