Representative William Benton Leach View All Years
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William Benton Leach
Linn County
Judge, Leach was born July 4, 1832, at, Lisbon, N.H., and was educated at the University of Vermont. He came to Minnesota in 1857 and first located at Faribault, where he studied law with Bachelder and Buckam, commencing practice at Hastings, and enlisting from there on April, 1861, in Company H of the First Minnesota volunteers. Soon after enlistment in this famous regiment he was appointed first lieutenant, and adjutant, thus becoming the adjutant of the first three-year regiment sworn into the service of the United States during the civil war. He participated in several campaigns and battles. In May, 1862, he was promoted to the captaincy and appointed assistant adjutant general Third brigade, Second division, Second army corps, and Army of the Potomac. Following upon his honorable discharge Judge Leach located at Cedar Rapids from where he served one term as a member of the state legislature of Iowa. He was mayor of Cedar Rapids in 1869, and served as judge of the superior court of Iowa from 1877 to 1885. In 1887 he returned to Minnesota coming to Minneapolis as manager of the board of underwriters and later engaging in the adjustment of fire losses. Judge Leach was a member of the veteran organization of the old First Minnesota, John A. Rawlins post, G. A. R., the military order of the Loyal Legion, Army of the Tennessee and other military organizations. He was a Knight Templar and held many high offices in the Masonic order in Iowa. Judge Leach was married to Mary H. Hammond at Hastings, Minnesota in 1861.
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