His parents were George W & Catharine Panton Meldrum Leeth.
He & Ruth Ella Watson were married July 4, 1880.

J. J. Leeth, 92, Passes Away at Home in Hico
The Hamilton Herald-News May 30, 1947


Funeral services were held Sunday at 2 p.m. at the family residence in Hico for J. J. (Jim) Leeth, 92, a resident of Hamilton County for the past 71 years. Rev. J. L. Ray, pastor of the Hico Methodist Church, was the officiating minister. Interment was in the Fairy Cemetery.
Pallbearers for the service were the following grandsons of Mr. Leeth: George D. Leeth, Jr., Howard Jordan, Charles Burden, B. B. Trimmier, James McAnally, and Jim Cornett. Honorary pallbearers were Ray Trimmier, Jack Leeth, Clint Leeth, Russell McAnally, Orville Cornett, and Rev. McAnally.
Born near Jacksonville, Texas, Marcy 15, 1855, he came to Olin at the age of 21 and lived there 20 years before moving to Fairy where he lived another 20 years. From Fairy he moved to Hico where he lived until his death Friday night. He was married to Miss Ella Watson 67 years ago. Fifteen children were born to them, eleven of whom with their mother survive him. He was engaged in farming until he moved to Hico where he operated a cotton gin.
Mr. Leeth took an active part in the early growth of Hamilton County. He often told of having helped to build three court houses in this city. He belonged to the Masonic fraternity and spoke of riding horseback fifteen miles to attend lodge meetings.
He had more than 60 grandchildren and 80 great-grandchildren. Twenty-two grandsons served in the Armed Forces during World War II.
Surviving are his widow and eleven children. The latter are George D. Leeth, Sr., of Hamilton, N. A. Leeth, Willie Leeth, Mrs. Sam Trimmier, and Mrs. A. A. Brown, all of Hico; Fred and Doc Leeth of Dallas, Mrs. Orville Reesing of Carlton; Mrs. Mamie Appleby of Meridian; Mrs. Oscar Sorely, Cranfills Gap, Mrs. Lela McAnally of California. A half-brother, Sid Counts of Oklahoma, also survives him. He attended the funeral service.
Many out-of-town people were present at the service, to join his friends and neighbors in paying a last tribute of respect to this well-loved resident of the county.

This is additional information from a grandson, Tommy Leeth, son of George D. Leeth and grandson of James Jeremiah Leeth.
"In the nation's Centennial year of 1876, James Jeremiah Leeth moved to Hamilton County, TX.
He was born in Cherokee County, TX on March 15, 1855. Leeth's plans were to lay roots in this still rugged pioneer area he helped settle. The roots deepened after his marriage to Ella Watson on July 4, 1880. To this union was born 15 children, 12 of whom were raised to adulthood and families of their own. J. J. and Ella lost three children, two young sons and one daughter who died around age 20 during the flu epidemic of 1918. They had 67 grandchildren and over 155 great grandchildren.

J. J., or "Jim" as he was usually known, first farmed in the Olin community of Hamilton County. About 1900 or perhaps a year or so earlier, based on the location of the birth of his children, he moved to the Fairy community, about 10 miles east where he found success in the cotton gin business. The family stayed in this community until about 1920 when it became obvious the railroad was not coming to Fairy but rather a few miles north in Hico. He moved there along with his gin and remained in this community until his death in 1947 at age ninety-two. Prior to his moving to Hico and its railroad, Jim transported baled cotton by wagon to Waco, Texas.
Jim was outspoken in his pride for four subjects: his family, his 28 grandsons who served in World War II, his interest in the Masonic Lodge and the fact that he helped to build two court houses in Hamilton County.
One of Jim's habits was a blessing to those who knew him and a problem for his wife, Ella. He frequently brought home unannounced guests for lunch. Ella always had plenty of food cooking so that while an extra mouth or two was hardly noticed, it was always the cause for some jostling, joking and laughter between the two.
Jim's father seems to have disappeared during Jim's very early childhood. No record of the father, George W. Leeth can be found after 1855, the year of Jim's birth. A brother, Lemuel was born in December 1856. Some records are found for Jim's mother, Martha Emily Rogers in 1860 in Erath County, Texas where Jim lived as a small child. Legend has it that George Leeth died while on the way to California from Texas. Since he is found in the 1850 census in California, it is considered a real possibility that he was trying to find his way back to the gold rush country. The fact that Jim did not know his father may well have led to his great fondness for his own offspring. The family was known to attend the Methodist Church.
Jim and Ella are buried in the Fairy Cemetery on the same plot with their good friends, William Dale and Flora Tennessee Corley Cole. The Cole's oldest daughter, Mattie Jo married the Leeth's oldest son, Nonie. They also are buried on this family plot along with one of their two sons, Adolph. The Coles were also early settlers in the Fairy community.
The above information was compiled from information previously gathered by two grandsons, Russell McAnally and Clinton George Leeth and a great-grandson, Drew CampbellPhillip Andrew "Drew" Campbell. All of those contributors are now deceased and it is becoming more and more difficult to gather any additional information about the life of James Jeremiah Leeth.
Decedents of Jim and Ella continue to have a yearly reunion in Fairy, Texas on the first Sunday in June.


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