Son, Brother, Husband, Uncle, Judge

1911-1993

 

Robert was Russell's brother. He was born on December 18, 1911 to Charles Albert Leach (#5) and Hazel Rice Thatcher (#6).

The 1910 United States Census lists Charles as a City Solicitor Assistant. He and Hazel are living at 959 East Mound Street in Columbus Ohio. They are renting the house. Hazel and Charles had been married 2 years. Their first child, Dorothy Ann Leach, was born at their Mound Street home on April 3, 1910. Since Robert was born only about 20 months later than Dorothy, he was likely also born at the Mound Street home.

Details of Robert's (Bob's) life written below are quoted from "The Supreme Court of Ohio & The Ohio Judicial System" website on July 29, 2014. Family photographs of Bob are included within the text.

"ROBERT E. LEACH

The career of Robert E. Leach is one of devotion to the process of justice. He participated in the implementation of the Modern Courts Amendment, which reorganized the court system in Ohio.

Leach was born Dec. 18, 1911 to Charles A. and Hazel K. Leach. He attended Ohio State University and the OSU College of Law from 1929 to 1935, earning bachelor’s and law degrees. He graduated cum laude and was a member Delta Theta Phi and the Order of the Coif, an honorary law fraternity. Leach served as the first editor of the Ohio State Law Journal from 1934 to 1935."

Below: Bob was photographed as a young boy riding in a toy carriage. This photograph was found in an old trunk that had belonged to Robert's younger sister, Jane Webster Leach.

Below: The two children in this photograph in a wagon being pulled by a goat are likely Dorothy and Bob The photograph was found among Dorothy's possessions.

Below: The next ten photographs show Bob with Dorothy. These photographs were found in the old truck that had belonged to Jane Webster.

 

Bob is the catcher.

Below: This image of Bob was found among his brother (Russell's) possessions. It may be Bob's high school photograph. He went to South High School in Columbus, Ohio.

 

"After being admitted to the Ohio bar, Leach entered private law practice in Columbus. He served as secretary-treasurer of the Columbus Bar Association from 1937 to 1938. In 1940, he took a position as referee with the Ohio Industrial Commission that he held until 1942, when World War II interrupted. Leach served from 1942 to 1946 in the U.S. Army, both in the military police and overseas service as special agent with the Counter Intelligence Corps."

 

Below: More photographs of Bob were found in the old trunk that had belonged to Jane Leach Webster.

The back of the photograph below was labeled Ralph Wanamaker, Milton Lauver, Peter Lauver, Bob Leach, Bob Lauver. Ralph Wanamaker was Bob's first cousin on his mother's side. It is unknown what Bob's relation was to the Lauvers.

The photograph below had been taken by Russell.

This photograph below was taken just after Bob's marriage to Marie Chumbley on November 29, 1940. The wedding couple are shown here with Bob's parents.

Marie and Bob.

Bob is on a ship. The circumstances of why he is there are unknown.

Bob is in the U.S. Army.

"After the war, Leach returned to Columbus to a position as assistant city attorney. In 1951, he became chief counsel for Ohio Attorney General C. William O’Neill.

Leach entered elected office in 1954, when he won a two-year term on the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, following in his father’s footsteps. He was re-elected to two six-year terms, serving until 1968. His fellow judges elected Leach to the Ohio Common Pleas Judges Association 10 years in a row. From 1964 to 1967, Leach served on the Ohio Judicial Council, and was on the organizing committee for the 1967-1968 Ohio Judicial Conference. He was a member of the Civil Rules Committee from 1968 to 1969 and served on the faculty at Franklin College of Law as an adjunct professor of law from 1965 to 1970.

Leach began his judicial career in 1969, when Gov. James A. Rhodes appointed him to the 10th District Court of Appeals, a position that included sitting continuously by assignment on the bench of the Supreme Court of Ohio. It was during this time that the civil rules were adopted. In 1970, Leach attended appellate judges school at New York University."

Below: This image was found among Russell's possessions.

 

"In 1970, Gov. Rhodes appointed Leach to the Supreme Court to complete the unexpired term of John M. Matthias. In 1972, Leach ran for re-election, but was defeated by Frank D. Celebrezze.

Leach returned to private law practice in 1973 at the Columbus law firm of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease. In 1978, Gov. Rhodes again appointed Leach to the Supreme Court of Ohio, this time as interim Chief Justice after the death of C. William O’Neill.

Leach did not run in the fall election to fill the unexpired term. In his acceptance of the interim position, he swore to be “nonpartisan.” Leach chose not to run again, believing he was not up to the rigors of a statewide election campaign.

Leach married Marie E. Chumbley on Nov. 29, 1940 and they had no children. Leach died on Nov. 21, 1993 in Columbus and is buried at Union Cemetery in Columbus."

 

Additional Information:

During WW II, besides Robert serving, so did his brother (Russell), and his brother-in-law (Dick Webster). Letter writing. and rarely phone calls, were the only way to communicate. All of Bob's family were writing letters to each other; many of these letters were saved by family members. Below are descriptions of some of what was included in five letters that Bob received in 1943 from Jane. The letters were found among Bob's possessions after he had died.

January 25, 1943, Jane told him about the love affair the family dog Zeppy was having, that Dick was being transferred to Georgia, that she had received a baby blanket from Marie, and that Russell was sending the future baby [Jane was going to have] a nickle every time he cussed. Her last sentence was "Well until my next letter, so long and keep your chin up. Your sister--- Jane."

February 13, 1943, Jane wrote that Dorothy [Bob's oldest sister] had given Bob's Valentine candy to Marie. Jane mentioned staying around home to "take Mother places." She said it had snowed again and that she said she'd been getting many letters that week, seven from Dick, two from Russell, and others from friends that were out of town. She ended her letter with, "Keep your chin up, I am. Your sister, Jane."

March 10, 1943, Jane wrote "Daddy is back at work and seems to be feeling pretty well. Mom and Dorothy seem to have slight colds, but nothing to worry about. Zeppy is as fat and sassy as ever. That's that!" "Let us hear from you as often as possible. Your sister-Jane"

April 14, 1943, Jane told Bob. "Last night Mother, Dorothy, and I went to the Eastern and saw 'Random Harvest'." Jane said that she enjoyed it very much. But she said that for the most part, she has very little desire to do anything. She describes herself as the size of a ten ton truck and feeling like it too. Dick is in Nashville, awaiting orders. Dick had been home for a visit, but now she is back to "my old boring routine of doing nothing and going nowhere. " "He really looked swell. All in all he looks super, of course, I'm prejudiced." "Keep your chin up, I am. Your sister, Jane."

April 29, 1943, Jane described the house as a horrible mess. It was being redecorated. "You can't find a place to sit down and you can imagine how Daddy goes for that. He keeps threatening to go away and stay 'till it's all over, but he actually does nothing about it. Poor guy!" After describing the new wall coverings, she says, "I hope you get somewhere with that O.C.S. application. It would really be swell if you could go to the U. of Michigan. It wouldn't seem so far from home." "Dick is still in Nashville and still doesn't seem to know when or where he will go from there. He writes everyday." Zeppy sends his love. Goodby for now. Jane."

Although Bob and Marie never had any children, at two different times, they had a dachshund. One was named Fritzie and the other Buttons. The dogs were treated like children.

Robert was an avid Ohio State Football Buckeye Fan. Steve Hayes, Woody Hayes' son, was Bob's bailiff before he himself becoming a judge.

Below: This image was found among Bob's possessions.

The article below, found in Jane's old trunk describes a three-week European trip that Bob and Marie took with friends.

When Robert died at 81 years of age, it greatly affected his brother Russell. To Russell, Robert wasn't only his big brother, he was his very good friend with whom he loved to talk about many topics.

Bob is buried at Union Cemetery, in Columbus, Ohio in the family plot, with his parents Charles and Hazel and sister (Dorothy). Bob's wife, Marie Elizabeth Chumbley, is buried next to him. Marie was born September 4, 1916 and died in 1996.

Contact person for this website is Susan Snyder: susanleachsnyder@gmail.com