Don, Cora and family Move to Missouri in 1929

Don Leach Family moved to Missouri in 1928 and back in 1929.  The Leach School was stolen while they were gone.  Read on. . .

Here is a picture of the homestead application which Don Leach turned in and paid $66 to get the section of land in Minnesota.  It was 160 acres.

And they began to raise a family and farm.  In the winter Grandpa cut wood to sell and this went on for years, even when we were kids in the 50’s.  I remember these two horses, Whisper and Rex, that looked like huge horses.  Uncle John told me that they were bought as wild horses brought in from Montana because they were cheaper.  Then there was a  man who came through with a stud to breed the horses.  He also said that Grandpa was a “horse whisperer” without the name.

So they started their life and raised 5 kids up to school age.  The Leach School was built on Grandpa’s property and stayed there until it was stolen during their absence to Missouri.  Let me back up a bit . . .

Grandpa and Grandma Leach moved back to Missouri in 1928.  They did this because Grandma was so lonesome for her family and home.  So off they went in a “touring car” with a little tent attached to the side of it.  They had a one burner stove where Grandma cooked their meals and they slept in the tent as they traveled.    It took about a week to make it to Missouri.  But in less than a year, they moved back to Minnesota because there just wasn’t a living to be made in Missouri.  There was not even enough food to eat.  My Uncle John says he was about seven years old when they left for Minnesota again.  “I was so excited!” John says, “Because we were going home”.   My dad, Jack, would have been nine years old.

 Above is the family as they said goodbye in Missouri to move back to Minnesota in April 1929.
Left is John (I am sending this to him to verify that) Lena with dark hat, Renee Foster Davis, Cora's sister with Etta (adopted daughter of John and Della Leach) right by her, unknown man, Charlie Davis (Rena's husb), John Leach (G'pa's bro) with pipe, Don Leach and Cora.
Front row: 3 unkn kids of Rena's and maybe John's, Phil, Jack (Davis girl) Ray and Charlie Leach, son of Great Uncle John and Della.
Don's brother, John died in Warrenton, MN and I remember Daddy taking us to see him as he lay on his death bed.  He is buried there and Dad later took a picture of his grave.

Below is a picture of Grandma Cora and her oldest child and only daughter Lena on that same day saying goodbye.