The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1882-12-21
Death of n Pioneer Priest.

Died. Nov. %. at Csrroltown, Cambria Co, Pa,
Rev. HENRY LEAKE. o. s. B.
The venerable priest whose long career death Just
put an end TO, will be remembered by mauy an old
settler of Doniphan County. as the pioneer of an
order of priests that. until quite recently have had
exclusive charge of the spiritual wants of Catholics
in Doniphan and adjoining Counties. He was born
July q, 1875, in the Duchy of Mecklenburg. His
grandfather. who had served under King Frederick
in the Seven Years War. having gained the aifec.
tion of young Henry took charge Of his early relig
ious training. and brought him up in the Lutheran
faith The social and political disorders following
the hattie of jena in 1906 proved disastrous to the
temporalities of his parents On the death of his
grandfather, which also happened during this period
Henry started for Schwerin. the principal town of
the puchy, where he entered an academy TO con-
Time the studies he had begun under q private
tutor. The reverses of Napoleon. in 1913. revived
the hopes of the Germans and Henry, then eighteen
years old, with number Of his scLooiinat-s joined
the army. and served against Napoleon till peace
was established He then went to Rostoek, where
he finished his in divinity, and ordained
ministrr of the Lutheran Church. His maiden
sermon WAS preached in his native village, on Easter
Sunday 1919. Three years later. in 1923 he left his
charge. and went Ratisbon, in Bavaria. where he
subsequently became convert to the Catholic
Church. and having studied Catholic theology.
ordained priest, April y. 1876 For about seven
years he followed the duties Of his calling in Rats
bon aud surroundings. when he resolved TO go TO
the United States. lie landed in Philadelphia, in
1884, and assigned by Bishop Keurick to the
Allegheny Mountains to assist DE-. Gallitzia. the
venerable Prince-Inissionary, in his vast charge.
Soon after his arrival, Fatrr Henry purchased four
hundred of land, which Carrolltown was
laid out, present hourishing little inland town.
ten miles north of Ebensburs. the County yseat Of
Cambria County. For twenty-five years his labor
confined chiefly TO this part OF the Alleghenies.
In 1856. he joined the throng that pushing
westward and landed, by steamboat, at Doniphan
The first person to greet him. he stepped of the
stasr-plauL, Was Mrs. L. O'Driseoli. lie at once
set about acguainting himself with the lay of the
land ard the nature Of the soil. and picked
tral sites which his experience suggested ne favora
ble points for centres of settlements. Thus, the
neighhorh0od south Of Severance. if not Severance
itself owes, mach 10 Father Henry, does also
Marak. in Brown County. lie did not stay long
enough to carry ont his plans; hut he had done the
pioneer work and left his brethren OF the order to
continnr the work he had begun He returned
East, and uiSio ahont year ago doing pastoral
duty in Elizabeth. v J. Feeling his strength begin
to fail. lie Withdrew TO CarroIltcwn, where. fifty
years before, he had starieh his missionary
in the then almost unhrokrn wilds of the Allie
gheuies. Here. among n host of friends most of
whom were born in the town he had helped to stake
out. he calmly awaited his end, and peacefully
passed away, in the egh eighth year of his age.
FIrz BLoSD.