"Benjamin Leavell was a carpenter by trade, and did most of the building of the log cabins of the new town. He was born July 17, 1781, in Culpepper County, Virginia, and came to Piqua in 1805 where he built a cabin on what is now the south-west corner of Main and Water streets. In the fall of 1807, he married Martha McCorkle, whose father and family had located just below town in 1805. This is said to have been the first wedding in Miami County. He was the first treasurer of Washington Township, and also served as Quartermaster in the war of 1812. In 1825 he moved to Williams County, where in connection with HG Philips, of Dayton, established the town of Defiance. He was one of the Associate Judges of Williams County for several years, and also laid out the town of Napoleon. In 1831 he came back to Piqua and built a tavern on the east side of Main street, between Greene and North. After several years of this business he retired and built a fine residence on Wayne street afterward owned by Dr WS Parker. Here he died in 1860, honored and loved by the citizens of the whole town."(THE FIRST CENTURY OF PIQUA, OHIO)
"As early as 1805 Benjamin Leavell, a millwright, came to Piqua and engaged in his business. It was the first milling done in this part of the country. The first manufacture of linseed oil, a business which has given Piqua a name everywhere, was engaged in by John McCorkle of that city in 1824. The McCorkle mill was run by water power, and the crusher was a large circular block of limestone. Notwithstanding Mr McCorkle's industry his primitive machinery proved a serious drawback and there was but a limited demand for his output, owing no doubt to this handicaps and other parts of the county little flour mills sprang up and proved a great benefit to the inhabitants. As most of these were operated by water power they were to be found along streams. Their machinery was of the simplest description, built by the hands that had erected the pioneer cabins or guided the first emigrant teams over the mountains."
(Harbaugh's 1909 History of Miami County OH)
Ben was a merchant in early Piqua and the first millwright in the county; by 1808 his was one of seven long houses in Miami County on Water Street east of the canal.
He took out a license to marry Martha McCorkle in Dayton, Ohio. The McCorkles came to Miami Co in 1806. He married MARTHA MCCORKLE July 14, 1807 in Miami County, Ohio, daughter of JOSEPH MCCORKLE and MARGARET SNODDY.
Defiance, Ohio, was laid out in November of 1822 by Benjamin Leavell and Horatio G Phillips. Ben became a resident and was its innkeeper; he also kept the first store for white settlers, located on the banks of the Maumee, at the foot of Jefferson Street. His home was the first frame building in the village, a 1 1/2 story built in December 1822 on the NW corner of Jefferson & Water St. It was opposite the fort grounds. He was elected commissioner in 1824. The court granted him license to vend merchandise at his home in Defiance for one year on 8 May 1824 for $10 fee. He resigned by October 1825, and returned with his family to Piqua, Ohio.
"As early as 1805 Benjamin Leavell, a millwright, came to Piqua and engaged in his business. It was the first milling done in this part of the country. The first manufacture of linseed oil, a business which has given Piqua a name everywhere, was engaged in by John McCorkle of that city in 1824. The McCorkle mill was run by water power, and the crusher was a large circular block of limestone. Notwithstanding Mr McCorkle's industry his primitive machinery proved a serious drawback and there was but a limited demand for his output, owing no doubt to this handicaps and other parts of the county little flour mills sprang up and proved a great benefit to the inhabitants. As most of these were operated by water power they were to be found along streams. Their machinery was of the simplest description, built by the hands that had erected the pioneer cabins or guided the first emigrant teams over the mountains."
(Harbaugh's 1909 History of Miami County OH)
Ben was a merchant in early Piqua and the first millwright in the county; by 1808 his was one of seven long houses in Miami County on Water Street east of the canal.
He took out a license to marry Martha McCorkle in Dayton, Ohio. The McCorkles came to Miami Co in 1806. He married MARTHA MCCORKLE July 14, 1807 in Miami County, Ohio, daughter of JOSEPH MCCORKLE and MARGARET SNODDY.
Defiance, Ohio, was laid out in November of 1822 by Benjamin Leavell and Horatio G Phillips. Ben became a resident and was its innkeeper; he also kept the first store for white settlers, located on the banks of the Maumee, at the foot of Jefferson Street. His home was the first frame building in the village, a 1 1/2 story built in December 1822 on the NW corner of Jefferson & Water St. It was opposite the fort grounds. He was elected commissioner in 1824. The court granted him license to vend merchandise at his home in Defiance for one year on 8 May 1824 for $10 fee. He resigned by October 1825, and returned with his family to Piqua, Ohio.
"Benjamin Leavell was a carpenter by trade, and did most of the building of the log cabins of the new town. He was born July 17, 1781, in Culpepper County, Virginia, and came to Piqua in 1805 where he built a cabin on what is now the south-west corner of Main and Water streets. In the fall of 1807, he married Martha McCorkle, whose father and family had located just below town in 1805. This is said to have been the first wedding in Miami County. He was the first treasurer of Washington Township, and also served as Quartermaster in the war of 1812. In 1825 he moved to Williams County, where in connection with HG Philips, of Dayton, established the town of Defiance. He was one of the Associate Judges of Williams County for several years, and also laid out the town of Napoleon. In 1831 he came back to Piqua and built a tavern on the east side of Main street, between Greene and North. After several years of this business he retired and built a fine residence on Wayne street afterward owned by Dr WS Parker. Here he died in 1860, honored and loved by the citizens of the whole town."(THE FIRST CENTURY OF PIQUA, OHIO)
"As early as 1805 Benjamin Leavell, a millwright, came to Piqua and engaged in his business. It was the first milling done in this part of the country. The first manufacture of linseed oil, a business which has given Piqua a name everywhere, was engaged in by John McCorkle of that city in 1824. The McCorkle mill was run by water power, and the crusher was a large circular block of limestone. Notwithstanding Mr McCorkle's industry his primitive machinery proved a serious drawback and there was but a limited demand for his output, owing no doubt to this handicaps and other parts of the county little flour mills sprang up and proved a great benefit to the inhabitants. As most of these were operated by water power they were to be found along streams. Their machinery was of the simplest description, built by the hands that had erected the pioneer cabins or guided the first emigrant teams over the mountains."
(Harbaugh's 1909 History of Miami County OH)
Ben was a merchant in early Piqua and the first millwright in the county; by 1808 his was one of seven long houses in Miami County on Water Street east of the canal.
He took out a license to marry Martha McCorkle in Dayton, Ohio. The McCorkles came to Miami Co in 1806. He married MARTHA MCCORKLE July 14, 1807 in Miami County, Ohio, daughter of JOSEPH MCCORKLE and MARGARET SNODDY.
Defiance, Ohio, was laid out in November of 1822 by Benjamin Leavell and Horatio G Phillips. Ben became a resident and was its innkeeper; he also kept the first store for white settlers, located on the banks of the Maumee, at the foot of Jefferson Street. His home was the first frame building in the village, a 1 1/2 story built in December 1822 on the NW corner of Jefferson & Water St. It was opposite the fort grounds. He was elected commissioner in 1824. The court granted him license to vend merchandise at his home in Defiance for one year on 8 May 1824 for $10 fee. He resigned by October 1825, and returned with his family to Piqua, Ohio.
"As early as 1805 Benjamin Leavell, a millwright, came to Piqua and engaged in his business. It was the first milling done in this part of the country. The first manufacture of linseed oil, a business which has given Piqua a name everywhere, was engaged in by John McCorkle of that city in 1824. The McCorkle mill was run by water power, and the crusher was a large circular block of limestone. Notwithstanding Mr McCorkle's industry his primitive machinery proved a serious drawback and there was but a limited demand for his output, owing no doubt to this handicaps and other parts of the county little flour mills sprang up and proved a great benefit to the inhabitants. As most of these were operated by water power they were to be found along streams. Their machinery was of the simplest description, built by the hands that had erected the pioneer cabins or guided the first emigrant teams over the mountains."
(Harbaugh's 1909 History of Miami County OH)
Ben was a merchant in early Piqua and the first millwright in the county; by 1808 his was one of seven long houses in Miami County on Water Street east of the canal.
He took out a license to marry Martha McCorkle in Dayton, Ohio. The McCorkles came to Miami Co in 1806. He married MARTHA MCCORKLE July 14, 1807 in Miami County, Ohio, daughter of JOSEPH MCCORKLE and MARGARET SNODDY.
Defiance, Ohio, was laid out in November of 1822 by Benjamin Leavell and Horatio G Phillips. Ben became a resident and was its innkeeper; he also kept the first store for white settlers, located on the banks of the Maumee, at the foot of Jefferson Street. His home was the first frame building in the village, a 1 1/2 story built in December 1822 on the NW corner of Jefferson & Water St. It was opposite the fort grounds. He was elected commissioner in 1824. The court granted him license to vend merchandise at his home in Defiance for one year on 8 May 1824 for $10 fee. He resigned by October 1825, and returned with his family to Piqua, Ohio.
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