JEREMIAH LEITER
Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES: BARGER, PHILLIPS, SCHAFFER
A man of unusual intellectual ability, and high Christian character,
Jeremiah Leiter, at the age of eighty-three, looks backward over the
years with a satisfaction born of right living. While still a young
man, he was threatened with pulmonary troubles, and was, on this
account, debarred from entering the Civil War. Although retired from
business cares, he gives much time to religious and educational lines,
and takes an active interest in the affairs of the College of the
Pacific.
Mr. Leiter comes from Holland ancestry, his forebears being two
brothers who came to America in pre-Revolutionary days, one settling in
Maryland and the other in Pennsylvania. He was born in Seneca County,
Ohio, December 15, 1838, in the vicinity of Bellevue, a son of John
Leiter, who was engaged in farming pursuits in Ohio. The mother, who
before her marriage was Miss Sarah Barger, was born in Pennsylvania,
and came to Ohio in an early day. They were the parents of nine
children, four boys and five girls, of whom Jeremiah Leiter is the
second son. During the year of 1845, the family removed to Fulton
County, Indiana, and purchased a farm. The Indians were just leaving
this part of the county, the farm was covered with a thick growth of
trees and here on the farm Jeremiah was reared and learned to grub,
clear, cut brush, plow and do every other kind of farm work, thus
having a general pioneer experience in the Hoosier State. When the
family settled on this piece of land, not a house was in sight. A
shanty was built and the family moved in, and the following summer the
first log house in that locality was erected out of tamarack logs, cut
and prepared from logs obtained from a nearby tamarack swamp. His
summers were spent working on the farm, going to school during the
winter months. He afterwards followed the profession of teaching for
five winters.
Mr. Leiter was married in 1862 to Mrs. Jane (Phillips) Schaffer, who
was born in Virginia. For a number of years Mr. Leiter was engaged in
the mercantile business with his brother-in-law, Hickman Phillips, at
Kewanna, Ind., and was thus engaged until 1875, when he was obliged to
retire from the business on account of failing health. He removed to
California and spent one year here, greatly benefited in health.
Returning to Indiana, he again entered the mercantile business, but at
the end of the year was again forced to take a vacation, going to
Florida for one year; later removing to California, settling in Napa,
where he remained for a year, removing to San Jose in 1883, where he
has continuously resided. For a number of years he was engaged in the
real estate business, and, as in other lines of work, he was
successful.
For over sixty years Mr. Leiter has been a consistent and active member
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and for twenty-nine years was the
efficient superintendent of the Sunday school of the Methodist Church
in Kewanna; for nineteen years he was the teacher of the adult Bible
class and has served as a. member of the official board for thirty-
seven years. Perhaps his most outstanding activity was in connection
with the College of the Pacific, being elected treasurer of that
institution twenty-five years ago. Owing to his careful and
conservative handling of the funds of the college, a large debt was
cancelled, many buildings and general improvements have been made, and
the endowment increased some $300,000. During 1920 five trustees were
reelected who had served on the board twenty years before, among them
being Mr. Leiter. At one time, he was voted a salary of $25 per month,
but declined it and never drew a single month's salary.
Mrs. Leiter was a charming woman of attractive and pleasing personality
and joined her husband in his business, social and religious
activities. She was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church
from the time of their marriage until her death. Unfortunately Mr.
Leiter was bereaved of his faithful wife and life companion, who passed
away in February, 1917, mourned by her many friends.
In his political affiliations Mr. Leiter is an independent, always
voting for the clean, temperance man. He is an ardent admirer of the
beauties and opportunities of Santa Clara County, and gives freely of
his time and means in the support of worthy measures looking to the
improvement and advancement of the community, which has been his home
for so many years. He is a highly honored and respected citizen and
well deserves the esteem conferred upon him by a large circle of
admiring friends and acquaintances.