The Leiber and Metherd Families

The Leiber and Metherd Families
Although our genealogy-related holdings are still somewhat modest, we continue to
receive important documentation about many different local families.
Some recent acquisitions to the archives include a typed genealogy called “The
Descendants of Johann Leiber.” This was donated by member Donald Roth. Johann Leiber
married Maria Rollweiler and a son Andreas was born November 17, 1758 in Niedereschach,
Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. Andreas (died June 11, 1825) and Catharina Renner (April 20,
1768 – March 16, 1837) married November 09, 1790 and had eleven children. Their seventh
child, Thomas Leiber (December 18, 1801 – April 21, 1875) married Helena Reiser April 04,
1825 in Niedereschach and the couple had ten children: Anton, Genovefa, Johann, Coelestin,
Theresa, Josef, Margaretha, ?, Friedolin and Sophia. This fourth generation of Leibers (except
Genovefa who died December 27, 1827) immigrated to America and settled in the Midwest in
Illinois, Wisconsin and Ohio.
Coelestin Leiber (May 06, 1832 – 1916) married Elenora Sunkle in New York, about
1850. He had met his wife at a boarding house shortly after he arrived in America. He had
studied veterinary medicine in Germany. After the marriage, he moved to Englewood, Ohio
where he opened a wagon making business. The couple had eight children: Fred (born 1858),
Mary (1859 – 1911), Caroline (born 1861), Charles (born 1864), Augustus “Gus”, (1866 – 1960),
Edward (born 1868), Celestin “Les” (1871 – 1957), and Ida Elnora “Nora” (born 1874). Coelestin
and his son Les operated a wagon making shop together in Englewood. The Society has several
Edwin Sinks photos of the Leiber family at their home on North Main Street and of Gus Leiber’s
blacksmith shop. Gus married Blanche Vore and Les married Elizabeth Poling. Mary Leiber
Toprano, Gus Leiber and Les Leiber and the parents are all buried in Fairview Cemetery in
Englewood, Ohio. Through other marriages, the Leiber's are related to area families with
surnames Albert, Sink, Laukoff, Applegate and Roth. Details are in the file.
Although we have no typed genealogy of the George and Harry Metherd families, we do
have a large number of original papers and photos related to this extended family. George and
Harry operated a sawmill on South Main Street during the 1920s-1950s (where Action Tire Co.
was once located). Much of this material was in the Metherd home at 207 South Main Street
when it was purchased by member Larry Crowell for his law office. Crowell has now donated
this collection to the Society.