Source: Wood County History, 1895 DENNIS O'LEARY, a worthy representative of one of the honored pioneer families of the county, resides in Section 29, Lake township, where his birth took place in 1846 at the home of his parents. John and Ellen (McCarty) O'Leary, both natives of Ireland. When about eighteen years of age, the father left the Emerald Isle on a sailing vessel, which dropped anchor in the harbor of New York after voyage of seven weeks. After remaining in that city for a short time, he went to Georgia, where he was employed on public works until 1835 when he secured a position with a railroad. The next year, however, he came to Maumee, Ohio, where he worked on the Maumee canal; but the following winter was again spent in railroading in Georgia, and on his return to Maumee, he resumed work on the canal. He was also employed on the National pike, until it was completed, during which time he was married at Detroit, Mich. He became one of the First settlers of Lake township, Wood county, where he secured eighty acres of government land, to which he later added another eighty-acre tract, covered with a dense growth of trees, and not even a road had been laid out to the place. It was about 1842 when he located upon his land, his first home being a log cabin, but he went earnestly to work, and soon acre after acre was placed under the plow. He became quite well and favorably know throughout the county, and was serving as trustee of his township (which office he filled for three years) at the time of his death. His political support was given the Democratic party, and religiously he was a member of the Roman Catholic Church at Maumee. He was an excellent walker, often going to church and back on foot, and in his youngest years would walk from near Perrysburg to Wilkinson, Ohio, where he would do a day's harvesting for fifty cents, and then return home at night. His death occurred 1883, upon the old home farm, where his widow still resides. Six of their nine children are yet living, namely: Mary, at home; Dennis, subject of this sketch; John, Johanna and Ellen, all at home: and Dan, a resident of Mercer county, Ohio. Dennis O'Leary was reared upon the old homestead and obtained his education in the district schools of Lake township. On leaving the parental roof, in 1868, he went to Iowa, locating in the city of Tama, Tama county, where he was employed for two years at the carpenter's trade, after which he returned to Wood county, and has since been numbered among its most energetic and progressive farmers. In 1873 Mr. O'Leary was united in marriage with Miss Eliza Ludington, a native of England, and a daughter of William F. and Susan (Cornwall) Ludington. Since the death of her father, her mother has become the wife of Dr. Buckland, of Stoney Ridge, Ohio. Four children have been born to our subject and his wife: Mary, wife of Sydney Weaver, of Lake township; John; William; and Edward. In politics Mr. O'Leary is a stalwart Democrat, has served as a member of the school board since April 1893, has been trustee of his township. He holds membership with the Roman Catholic Church of Perrysburg, Ohio, and is largely interested in any movement that is for improvement of the township and county or that will elevate and benefit the people among whom he lives.