Here is my first posting to this list, and my Brickwall ancestor. James W. Leach was born about 1802 in Maryland, though some sources say Virginia or Pennsylvania. According to several History Books written about Salem, Columbiana Co., Ohio, this James W. Leach was raised in the household of Joseph Wright, and that Joseph Wright had a son in law named John Spencer. That in the fall of 1809 my ancestor James W. Leach b. 1802 recalls coming thru Salem, OH to visit John Spencer, who he describes as the son in law of Joseph Wright, his foster father. (Salem, OH is famous for being founded and settled by Quakers, however, there were plenty of non-Quakers there as well. Probably the FIRST settlers came there as of 1803.) On the 1810 Tax roll of Salem , OH is listed: Joseph Wright, Sr Joseph Wright, Jr John Spencer I have found that a Joseph Wright, Sr b. 1737 VA d. 1831, and his son Joseph Wright, Jr b. 1781 d. 1860 both were from Bedford Co, VA. The Sr. stayed Quaker lifelong, but the Jr. was dismissed in VA for marrying out. ( There is a CD for sale with information about this specific Wright family of Bedford Co VA, and I can give you privately information where to order it.) Both father and son did arrive in Salem, OH about 1803. The route taken was : Bedford Co VA (Goose Creek MM) to Westland, Washington Co PA (Westland MM) to Salem, Columbiana Co, OH (Middleton MM) as of Nov 12, 1803. In the History of Salem, OH it is said that both Joseph Wright and wife, and John Spencer and wife were early members of the First Baptist Church in Salem, OH, deed dated 1809, located in Perry twsp. It appears that the Joseph Wright who was the Baptist in Salem was Joseph Wright, Jr originally of Bedford Co VA, who had been dismissed in 1802 for marrying Sarah EDGAR in VA. However, this Joseph Wright was too young to be the father in law of John Spencer of Salem, but perhaps was only a neighbor and fellow Baptist? According to Wright researchers, both Joseph Wright, Sr and Jr did leave Bedford Co VA and did settle in Salem, OH. While the father remained Quaker lifelong, the son did not, because of a marriage out of faith. I need to find the parents of my ancestor James W. Leach, who apparently is NOT blood related to the WRIGHT family, or the Spencer family, but was either orphaned or abandoned either in Westland, PA or at Salem, OH. Could there be a Mr. Leach, married to a Miss Edgar in Bedford Co VA, who produced James W. Leach, and was given to Joseph Wright, Jr and Sarah Edgar to raise in Salem, OH?? The author William Fetters, who has written so much on the LEECH-LEACH families of Salem, OH, who were Quaker, does not see any connection to my ancestor James W. Leach of Salem, OH. In 1821 my ancestor James W. Leach b. 1802 MD was one of the founders of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Salem, OH. He married Mary Bowker, who was of Quaker ancestry in Burlington Co NJ, she was daughter of Isaiah Bowker, Rev War Vet. They married and lived lifelong in Salem, OH. On census reports, James W. Leach never gives a place for his father's birth, but does state his mother was born in IRELAND. I am looking for a Mr. LEACH/LEECH/LEITCH, who married an Irish immigrant, perhaps they were Quakers who arrived from Maryland to Westland MM, PA with an infant in 1802-3 time frame. Something occurred to cause the son to be given away to Joseph Wright, who in 1803 arrived in Salem, OH and raised the child in the Perry twsp (formed from Butler twsp), of Salem, OH, on the Lisbon road. The causes could be: death to the parents, an illegitament birth of James W. Leach, a divorce, abandonment. The exact cause is unknown as to WHY he would be raised in a Non-related household. Please give me your thoughts and comments and advice as to my oldest ancestor James W. Leach b. 1802 MD. Best regards, Lillian Martin, d/o Emily Leach, d/o Charles E. Leach, s/o William Edgar Leach (Salem), s/o James Augustus Leach (Salem), s/o Thomas Lupton Bain Leach (Salem), s/o James W. Leach b. 1802 MD. died 1888 Salem, OH.