University of Virginia Library

LEAKE.

The Leakes have been domiciled in the county since its
formation. Walter Leake Jr., patented land on the south
fork of Hardware in 1746, and John on Green Creek in 1748.

It is believed these two were brothers. Data for accurately
tracing the early relations of this family are wanting, but it
is probable that John Leake and his wife Ann were the
parents of Samuel and Mask. Samuel was one of the first
Presbyterian ministers, who were natives of Virginia. In 1770
he was installed pastor of the Cove and D. S. Churches, and his
home was four or five miles northeast of Covesville. He
died young in 1775. He and his wife Elizabeth had three
children, Elizabeth, the first wife of Andrew Hart, Sarah,
the wife of Rev. James Robinson, one of Mr Leake's successors
in the Cove pastorate, and Mary. His widow died in
1799.

Mask Leake lived in the same section of the county, not
far from the South Garden Thoroughfare. He was a ruling
elder in the Cove Church, and frequently represented it in
the Presbytery of Hanover. He died in 1813. His wife
was Patience Morris, and his children William, Walter,
Austin, Samuel, and Lucy, the wife of John Buster. William
succeeded his father at the homestead, and died in 1833. He
and his wife Caroline had five children, Elizabeth, the wife
of an Anderson, Samuel, Walter, William M., and Josiah.
Walter, son of Mask, was deputy Surveyor of the county in
1784, and was admitted to the Albemarle bar in 1793. It is
believed he was the Walter Leake who emigrated to Mississippi,
and rose to prominence in the legal and political affairs
of that State. He was elected United States Senator in 1817,
and resigning soon after was appointed to the State bench.
He died in Hinds County in 1825. Austin was also a member
of the Albemarle bar, and died before his father, leaving
two sons, Joseph and Philip Jefferson. Samuel, son of
Mask, was a physician, and practised in the southern part
of the county, and also in Nelson. His wife was Sophia, a
daughter of Richard Farrar, and his children William, Philip,
Samuel, Shelton F., Eliza, and Lucy, the wife of Addison
Gentry, who at one time conducted a school for young ladies
near Hillsboro. The career of Shelton F. is well known,
not only in the county, but in the State. His natural gifts
were unusually brilliant. He settled in Charlottesville, was

admitted to the bar in 1838, easily attained a place in its
front rank, was a member of the House of Delegates, was
Lieutenant Governor of the State, and for a term represented
the district in Congress. He married Rebecca Gray, and
departed this life in 1884. Samuel in 1836 married M. A.
Boyd of the Cove neighborhood, and finished his course a
few years ago near Hillsboro, where his son William now
resides.