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John
Leech, the founder of Leech’s Corners or Salem village,
a soldier in the war of 1812, a member of the state legislature, and for
over thirty years a justice of the peace and otherwise prominent in the
early affairs of Mercer county, settled at the site of Leech’s Corners
May, 1802. A postoffice called Salem was established at this cross-roads
in March, 1832, William Leech being the
first postmaster. The office was continued under this name until 1864,
was discontinued awhile and
in April, 1868, was re-established under the name of Leech’s
Corners. The office was abolished a few years ago. John
Leech was the first merchant at this place, and a church, school,
sawmill and grist mill and a few shops represented the substantial part of
the town’s growth.
Twentieth
Century History of Mercer County,
1909, pages 172-173
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Sawmill
and Cheese Factory
The
second [saw] mill was established by Jacob Leech,
near the hamlet of Leech’s Corners. It was a saw-mill. In later years
the movable steam mill superseded the old stationary water-power ones, and
many of the latter are now in operation in the northern part of the
county. In this connection might be mentioned the cheese factory, which
was opened at Leech’s Corners in 1873, by Breckenridge
& Harper, in a small frame building,
40x50 feet in size. It served a good purpose, turning out at one time as
many as eight cheeses per day.
History of Mercer County,
1888, page 603
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