Joseph Lyle Ledlie (1927)

COPELAND, GRAHAM, KING, LEDLIE, LYLE

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 2/13/2011 at 12:54:48

Biography Source Unknown

Joseph Lyle Ledlie, a prominent citizen of Earlham, Madison county, Iowa, and one of the large property owners of this part of the State, is a native of the Emerald Isle and is a self-made man. As such, his life history is both interesting and instructive, and we take pleasure in presenting the following biography of him to the readers of this work.

Joseph L. Ledlie was born in county Armagh, Ireland, in March, 1848. William Ledlie, his father, was a native of the same place and passed his life and died there. By occupation he was a farmer and miller. Fraternally, he was a prominent member of the Masonic order in Ireland. He was twice married, first to Annabel Lyle, also a native of county Armagh, and after her death to Jane Graham. The children of his first wife were five in number, Joseph L., being the youngest and by his second wife he had thirteen children, there having been in this number triplets and two pairs of twins - seven children in three births. The subject of this sketch, his sister, Elizabeth Copeland, and his brother, Thomas, are the only representatives of this large family in America.

It was in 1870 that Joseph L. Ledlie landed in this country. For a number of years previous to this time he was a clerk in a grocery store, beginning this business when quite young, and being for nine years employed by the same man. On landing in America he came direct to Madison county, Iowa, where he secured employment as a farm hand, receiving $20 a month. In 1872 and during the following two years he clerked in a grocery in Des Moines, the next two years and a half he worked on the farm of Richard Roe in Dallas county, and after that he came to Earlham. His first occupation here was as a clerk for J. R. Thomson, with whom he remained two years and a half. Then he commenced buying grain for W. J. Leak. He was the employee of this man two years and a half, and on year bought grain for Mr. Gilchrest, and after this experience in the business engaged in it on his own account, buying and shipping under his own name for three years.

He has also been engaged in a loan and real-estate business, and to-day is the owner of a large amount of property. He has six housed, which he rents, in Earlham; has thirty acres of land within the city limits, thirty-three acres located a mile and a quarter west of Earlham, 100 acres two miles north of Earlham, and 120 acres in Dallas county. Besides this, he owns property in the city of Des Moines, which he rents. His home in Earlham is one of the attractive places of the town. He paid $1,700 for his property and has placed improvements upon it to the value of $800.

Mr. Ledlie was married in April, 1881, to Nannie King, a native of Ohio, and they have had four children, one of whom died in infancy; the others being, William L., Chester K., and Lora E., who died at the age of one year.

In his political views Mr. Ledlie harmonizes with the Republican party, and he has always taken a deep interest in the affairs of his community. For seven years he served on the Earlham Town Council.

Religiously he is a Presbyterian. He is a Trustee of the church and on of its most liberal supporters. A man of many sterling qualities, generous and public-spirited, he had the high esteem of all who know him.