Hans Dewalt or (Tewalt) Leatherman

(1st through 5th Generation)

Hans Dewalt Leatherman (sometimes spelled Letherman) was the very first Leatherman to land on the shores of the new country, America, on Sept. 30, 1727, on the ship, "JAMES GOODWILL." The ship departed from Rotterdam with 200 passengers and landed at Philadelphia. Hans was the       head of a family of six, a wife and four sons; Daniel, John, Peter and Michael. The Leathermans came from Southwestern Germany and Switzerland.

Daniel was born in Germany during the 1700's and died in January 1798, in Frederick, Maryland. His wife was Catharine and he was a farmer and ordained minister and elder of the Dunkard Church. William Penn invited some Dunkards (8 people) of which Daniel was among them, to settle in Germantown, Pa., near Philadelphia. The Church was only 11 years old then. Daniel had a very long white beard and fathered three children after he was 70 years old. His will stated he had 243 acres. The children's names were: Joseph, Daniel, Peter, Michael, Catharine, Susanna, Magdalena, Mary, Hannah, and John.

Michael was born in Frederick County, Maryland, Jan. 9, 1761, and died in Washington County, Pa., on Sept. 23, 1811. They had 12 children, one of them Peter. They were farmers.

Peter was born Jan. 24, 1795, in Washington County, Pa., and died in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, on June 29, 1874. His first wife, Elizabeth Divan had 11 children: Jacob, Phoebe, Michael, Deborah, Margaret, Simon, Demas, Daniel, Moses, infant, infant. Peter's 2nd wife, Susan Madden had William and Jonathan.

Demas was born Nov. 14, 1830, and died in April, 1909. His wife was Eliza Jane Ferguson and was born Oct. 26, 1835, and died May 9, 1880. They had 8 children, five boys and three girls, Elmer, being the oldest boy.

(note) The above information taken from ALL LEATHERMAN KIN HISTORY - LETHERMAN, published by E. V. Publishing House - Nappanee, Indiana 1940. Researched by Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Leatherman, through book owned by Wayne Leatherman, Perrysburg (both grandsons of Elmer W. Leatherman 5th generation).