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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. |
