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 OBERT N. LEITCH, M. D.. was the first physician to locate at Lerna, where he has since practiced successfully and built up a good patronage. He has spent his entire life in this county, having been born in Pleasant Grove Township, Nov. 11, 1844. He is the son of Robert and Jane (Erwin) Leitch, and was reared on the farm, receiving such education as was furnished by the common school. Upon leaving school, however, he still applied himself closely to his books, and thus gained a fund of general information which has served him well. He was married in 1866, before taking up the study of medicine, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of William J. and Ellen Hughes, who was also a native of this county and born Aug. 24. 1844. After his marriage Dr. Leitch purchased a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1870. He then sold out and moved across the Mississippi into Dade County, Mo., where he invested a part of his capital in eighty acres of land, which he cultivated until 1878. He was not satisfied, however, with his condition, and the year following commenced the study of medicine, and subsequently removed to St. Louis, where he placed himself under the instruction of Dr. P. G. Valentine, and in September of that year entered the St. Louis College of Homeopathic Physicians and Surgeons, from which he was graduated in March, 1882. During the vacations in college he practiced in Paytonville, Ark. Afterward he returned to his native township, where he entered in earnest upon the duties of his profession, and where, he has since remained. Dr. Leitch, in the interval after leaving home and before his marriage, had been engaged as a soldier in the Union army, in which he enlisted soon after the outbreak of the Rebellion. As a member of Co. C, 61st Ill. Inf., he participated in the battle of Selma, Ala., and met the enemy in other minor engagements and skirmishes. His regiment was afterward detailed to join the array of Sherman at Atlanta, and about this time our subject was taken ill and obliged to retire. He was the pioneer of homeopathy in this part of Coles County, and in addition to being a young practitioner, labored under the disadvantage of the prejudice which naturally attaches to a new system. He has fortunately overcome this prejudice, and is as popular as he is successful. He meddles very little with politics, but is decidedly Republican and uniformly casts his vote in support of that party. He has been identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years, in which he officiates as Class-Leader, and socially belongs to the Masonic fraternity and the G. A. R. He was but a boy at the breaking out of the war, but until the failure of his health, performed his duties as a soldier among the bravest. He had some difficulty in obtaining permission to enter the ranks on account of his youth, but his persistence and patriotism finally won the day. As a citizen and physician no man is more highly esteemed. |
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