grave import

Obituary

Samuel Leebrick, a pioneer of Burlington, after a long illness, died last night at the family home on West avenue. Mr. Leebrick was eighty-eight years old and had retired from an active business life many years ago. He had lived in Burlington continuously for sixty-seven years and was probably the oldest inhabitant of this city. It is believed that Mr. Leebrick was the oldest settler of Des Moines county at the time of his death. He is survived by seven children as follows; Mrs. Gertrude Crouch of Henderson county, Illinois; Mrs. Mary Moore of Audubon county, Iowa; Mrs. Clara Preston of Montana; John Leebrick of Arizona; William Leebrick of Colorado, and Samuel and George Leebrick of Burlington. Two children Mrs. Lizzie Van Behren and Edward Leebrick are deceased. Mr. Leebrick was married twice, his first wife being a Miss Pierson, daughter of John Pierson, an early settler of Des Moines county, who came here from Virginia, His second wife was a Miss Sturgis, a sister of General Sturgis of civil war fame. Mrs. Leebrick died many years ago. Samuel Leebrick was born in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, on March 13, 1813, where his father was a country store keeper. When a young boy he entered as a clerk, and on the death of the latter conducted the business with his mother. In 1833 when twenty years of age Mr. Leebrick determined with steady self-reliance to strike out for the great west, an undertaking that in those days involved hardships little dreamed of to-day. He was accompanied by his elder brother George, and the two young men learning of the small settlement of Flint Hills, on the banks of the Mississippi resolved to settle here. The two brothers shortly after their arrival built a saw mill on the river bank a short distance above the city. Afterward George Leebrick went to Qunicy, where he was in business for many years and Samuel Leebrick started a mercantile business in the growing village that afterward became Burlington. Mr. Leebrick operated largely in real estate and the property known as Leebrick's addition was obtained by him on a goverment patent. He was untied with Old Zion church and took a prominent part in the affairs of that organization.