Belva was the youngest child of Watson Leach and Sarah Catherine Kenney. When Sarah died suddenly of typhoid-pneumonia, Belva was only 4 months old. She was raised by her Aunt Louisa Kenney (her mother's sister) and Uncle John Newton Conger. She was the sister of Charles Leach #5, the webmaster's grandfather.
According to the obituary of Sarah Kenney Leach (Belva's mother), Sarah "In October [1888] she came to Camden to attend a reunion of her mother, brothers and sisters near Sugar Valley. After a visit of several days and on the eve of returning home, she took typhoid-pneumonia and after three weeks died. She leaves her husband and dear little children at home. She was anxious to visit dear old mother and sisters when death came." (Sarah's obituary is courtesy of Matt Kenney, Great- Great- Great Grandson of Albert Kenney...Albert was Sarah's father.
Miscellaneous Information: According to the 1900 census, Belva was 11 years old and living with her Aunt Louisa Conger, Uncle John W. Conger, their children, their daughter-in-law of the Congers, and one of their granddaughters in Dixon, Preble, Ohio. The 1910 census shows Belva is 21, a boarder, living in Columbus Ward 10, Franklin Ohio and teaching in a public school. Ohio Marriage Records 1774-1993 shows on 20 August 1915, at the age of 27, she married Robert H. H. Spidel in Franklin, Ohio. (Robert's complete name was Robert Hugh Hooker Spidel. ) She and her husband had one child, Roberta Spidel (Smull) 1919-2010. Belva is buried at Rock Creek Cemetery is Washington, District of Columbia with her husband , according to her Washington Post Obituary. Click here to see more information in a link to Belva.
Photos below of the tombstones are courtesy of Kent Boese and Find a Grave Website
She lived in Bethesda Montgomery, Maryland in 1930 and District 7, Montgomery, Maryland in 1940. She died on 24 February 1975 at the age of 86.
Contact person for this website is Susan Snyder: susanleachsnyder@gmail.com
