David Leitch
Encyclopedia
David Leitch was the founder of Leitch's Station
, Kentucky
, United States
.
Leitch was born in Glasgow
Scotland
. At an early age he and his older brother James immigrated to Virginia
. He served in the American Revolutionary War
, where he attained the rank of major.
In 1789 Leitch traveled to Fort Pitt
(Pittsburgh
) hoping to find people interested in settling the Kentucky
region. He bought a raft and supplies and eventually 20 hearty souls agreed to accompany him. When the party arrived at Losantiville (Cincinnati
), they found many hostile natives in the area, so they traveled up the Licking River
for about six miles. There they dismantled the raft and built a blockhouse
with a high picket fence and established Leitch's Station. In December 1790, Leitch traveled to Bryan’s Station near Lexington
, and met and married Keturah Moss. Leitch was sent as a delegate to Kentucky’s first Constitutional Convention, at Danville, Kentucky
in 1784.
On his deathbed, Leitch called in his lawyer and dictated his last will and testament
, in which he left all of his holdings to his wife, Keturah.
Keturah and David did not have any children. David was buried in the yard of the Leitch home. However, many years later in May 1853, Keturah had his body moved to the Evergreen Cemetery
in Southgate, Kentucky
.
Keturah had a monument erected with the following inscription:
On the north side of the monument is this inscription:
Leitch's Station
Leitch's Station was the first settlement in Campbell County, Kentucky, USA, now the City of Wilder, Kentucky on the Licking River. It was located six miles south of the mouth of the Licking and was named for Major David Leitch , who was given the land for his service in the American Revolutionary...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Leitch was born in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. At an early age he and his older brother James immigrated to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. He served in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, where he attained the rank of major.
In 1789 Leitch traveled to Fort Pitt
Fort Pitt (Pennsylvania)
Fort Pitt was a fort built at the location of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.-French and Indian War:The fort was built from 1759 to 1761 during the French and Indian War , next to the site of former Fort Duquesne, at the confluence the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River...
(Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
) hoping to find people interested in settling the Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
region. He bought a raft and supplies and eventually 20 hearty souls agreed to accompany him. When the party arrived at Losantiville (Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
), they found many hostile natives in the area, so they traveled up the Licking River
Licking River (Kentucky)
The Licking River is a tributary of the Ohio River in northeastern Kentucky in the United States. The river and its tributaries drain much of the region of northeastern Kentucky between the watersheds of the Kentucky River to the west and the Big Sandy River to the east.-Origin of name:The Native...
for about six miles. There they dismantled the raft and built a blockhouse
Blockhouse
In military science, a blockhouse is a small, isolated fort in the form of a single building. It serves as a defensive strong point against any enemy that does not possess siege equipment or, in modern times, artillery...
with a high picket fence and established Leitch's Station. In December 1790, Leitch traveled to Bryan’s Station near Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, and met and married Keturah Moss. Leitch was sent as a delegate to Kentucky’s first Constitutional Convention, at Danville, Kentucky
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
in 1784.
On his deathbed, Leitch called in his lawyer and dictated his last will and testament
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
, in which he left all of his holdings to his wife, Keturah.
Keturah and David did not have any children. David was buried in the yard of the Leitch home. However, many years later in May 1853, Keturah had his body moved to the Evergreen Cemetery
Evergreen Cemetery (Southgate, Kentucky)
Evergreen Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Campbell County, Kentucky. It is still in operation and is located at 25 Alexandria Pike in Southgate, Kentucky. The Cemetery was begun in the 1840s, to replace the Newport, Cemetery...
in Southgate, Kentucky
Southgate, Kentucky
Southgate is a city in Campbell County, Kentucky, United States, a part of metropolitan Cincinnati, Ohio. The population was 3,472 at the 2000 census.-History:...
.
Keturah had a monument erected with the following inscription:
In Memory of Major David Leitch.
Who was universally beloved
For his
Benevolence, generosity
And many virtues
This monument erected
By his devoted wife
May 1853
celtics famous fan
On the north side of the monument is this inscription:
Major David Leitch. Who was born at Glasgow in Scotland
Sep 11 A.D. 1753. At an early age he migrated
to America with an older brother and
settled at Richmond, Virginia. A brave
and patriotic republican. While quite young
he took part in the struggle for American
independence as an aide de-camp to General LawsonRobert Lawson (Virginia)Robert Lawson was an officer from Virginia in the American Revolutionary War.In early 1776 Lawson was commissioned a major in the 4th Virginia Regiment of the Continental Army. He eventually became the colonel in command of the regiment...
. In the year 1785 he came to
Kentucky and settled near Lexington
subsequently he came to his estate
on the Licking River near Newport
called Leitch's Station. There he
erected himself a block-house to protect
himself and his associates against
the Indians at which place he died
November 7th A.D. 1794. He was also a member
of the first convention of Kentucky.