According to the 1884 History of Owen County, the
first recorded murder was the killing of James CARTER
by William LEAK. William LEAK was a
grocery/saloon-keeper and in Spencer. He located in
Owen County about 1828. William married Margaret BARNS
daughter of Stephen BARNS and Margaret (LNU)29
December 1831 in Owen County, Indiana. Sometime before
April 1838 William killed James CARTER "with a heavy
hoe, by striking him on the head and crushing in the
skull. LEAK was arrested, and gave bail in the sum of
$2,000 with George DUIGNAN, Stephen BARNS, Isaac
BARNS, Ambrose FOSTER and William WELLS as his
sureties. At the March term, 1839, said William LEAK
was thrice solemnly called and came not; his bond was
therefore declared forfeited." Stephen BARNS hired
several attorneys to track down William LEAK. And he
may have succeeded. There were several bills applied
to his estate regarding the search for William. Anyway
William, avoiding prosecution, fled the county
abandoning Margaret and their thee sons, Silas, Giles
and William. After Stephen BARNS' death in 1843,
Margaret divorced William in Owen County in 1844. She
married (2) Daniel PRICE, Jr. 13 March 1851 in Owen
County, Indiana.
Children of Margaret (Peggy) BARNS and William LEAK:
i. Silas A. LEAK was born 16 October 1832 in Indiana.
He married Louisa MORRIS 07 December 1854 in Owen
County, Indiana. Louisa was born about 1836 in
Indiana. Silas was a member of the Bethel Methodist
Episcopal Church near Spencer. Silas served with the
Ninety-Seventh Indiana Company H at the rank of
Corporal during the Civil War. He died 09 September
1862 at Jackson, Mississippi. Silas was buried at
Barnes Cemetery, Owen County, Indiana. Louisa married
(2) Washington H. PHIPPS 22 August 1865 in Owen
County, Indiana. He was born about 1835 in Indiana.
Lousia died in 1912 and was buried at Barnes Cemetery.
Washington died in 1920 and was buried at Barnes
Cemetery, Owen County, Indiana.
ii. Giles J. LEAK was born December 1835 in Indiana.
He was a member of the Bethel Methodist Episcopal
Church near Spencer. Giles died 17 November 1857. He
was buried at Barnes Cemetery, Owen County, Indiana.
iii. William C. LEAK was born 10 January 1839 in
Indiana. William served with the Ninety- Seventh
Indiana Company H at the rank of Private during the
Civil War. He died 01 March 1864 at Scottsborough,
Alabama. William was buried at Barnes Cemetery, Owen
County, Indiana.
Charlotte Lewin
macslewin(a)bwophotolab.com