LeRoy Highley, a greatly respected farmer and stockman of Richland township, Grant county, Indiana, and a gallant ex-soldier of the Civil war, was born in Union county, Indiana, January 31, 1844, and is a son of Clarke and Telitha (Wright) Highley, the former of whom was born in Franklin county, Virginia, October 11, 1813, and the latter was also a native of the same county, but their marriage took place in Union county, Indiana. Clarke and Telitha Highley brought their family to Richland township, Grant county, in 1846, and here Clarke Highley entered one hundred and sixty acres in section 15, while his parents, James and Mary (Wright) Highley, also natives of Virginia, came here the same year and entered eighty acres in section 13. James Highley died here in 1860, but his wife had passed away some years previously. To James and wife were born eight children, viz.: Clayborne, deceased; Clarke, father of LeRoy Highley; Lydia (Mrs. Curlingham), deceased; Nicey, now in LaPorte county, Indiana; John lives in Richland township, Grant county, Indiana; James died in this township, as also did Thomas.

        Clarke Highley died on his farm of five hundred and fifteen acres, in Richland township, in 1889, and here his widow also passed away some five or six years later. To their marriage were born seven children, namely; LeRoy, whose name opens this sketch; Anselom, also a resident of Richland township; Daniel K. is a resident of Washington; James O., William, Mary A., all of Richland township; and Marion, a resident of Carlisle, Indiana.

        LeRoy Highley was reared and educated in Richland township, Grant county, Indiana, and here enlisted, in 1864, in Company P, Twenty-third Indiana Volunteer Infantry, for one years, was sworn into the United States servcice at Wabash, Indiana, and was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland. He took part in the battle of Kingston, North Carolina, and for some time was on picket duty at Dalton, Georgia. He was also with General Sherman through the Carolina campaign and was honorably discharged at Washington, D. C., May 20, 1865, after having seen service in thirteen states.

        LeRoy Highley has made an excellent success both as a stock-raiser and cultivator of the soil, and has as neat a farm of one hundred and fifteen acres as any in the county of Grant. He found a true and faithful helpmate in the person of Mary A. Easley, a native of Richland township and a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Miller) Easley, the former of whom was born in Germany and the latter in Pennsylvania. Mr. Easley died some time since on his farm in Richland township, where his widow still resides at the great age of ninety years.

        Mrs. Mary A. (Easley) Highley was called away in 1884, and Mr. Highley married, in Richland township, Lola Helen Culp, who was born in West Virginia, and to this union have been born five children, viz.: Madge, Lula, Clara, Harriet and Edna Miller.

        In politics Mr. Highley, as was his father, is a Republican, and for four years has served as assessor. He is a member of the G. A. R. post at Somerset, Wabash county, and is one of the most widely known residents of Grant county.