John McLeland and his three wives had a total of 13 known children. (There is a 7 year gap between the younger two children of John and second wife Martha Jane Leeson so there was likely at least one infant death during that period.) Of those known children, 5 died young and unmarried – James R. 1838-1862; Elizabeth 1846-1864; Miranda 1860-1860 and Garrilda 1864-1894. The remaining children were separated by migration as all the children of John’s first wife Matilda Asher moved away – first Caroline to White County then Lindmira’s move to Kansas where she was soon followed by Thomas A. and James R. Of the children of John’s second wife Martha Jane Leeson, Matilda moved back to Henry County, Indiana where she made a home for her father in his old age and John L. remained in southern Indiana, settling in Delaware County. Among the surviving remaining children of John and third wife Miranda Rogers, Melvina remained in Boone County where she was born, Marietta settled nearby in Clinton County, A. Lincoln moved first to Nebraska and then to Washington state and the baby of the family Robert B. moved to Minnesota. Certain parts of the family apparently kept in touch with each other and sent letters and photos from time to time. The letters sent to Thomas Asher McLeland and many of the photographs have not survived the more than 170 years since the family began to move apart. Thomas and his wife Caroline Decker kept a number of photos many of which were carefully labelled by daughter in law Nellie Valentine Whitman McLeland. The photos here comprise those she identified. There are a small number of additional photos which I hope to identify someday.
The photo of Robert Beeson McLeland on his father’s lap as a child is the only photo of John that I am aware of. It was taken in mid 1868 or early 1869 based on ages and clothing styles.
Lindamira McLeland Winslow and her family
Thomas Asher McLeland and his family
Matilda McLeland Hill and John Hill