The career of George M. Leffel, now one of the highly respected retired citizens of Springfield, has been one of diversified activity, in which he has engaged in a number of pursuits and enterprises, all of which have been successful under his management. His versatility in business may be seen when it is stated that during his life he has conducted a grocery, sold nursery stock, manufactured tricycles, operated a farm and conducted a hotel, in addition to carrying on various other investments. At the same time he has found the opportunity to devote his talents to the support of Springfield's interests.
Mr. Leffel was born September 2, 1843, in Bethel Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of James and Lucy Jane (Patterson) Leffel, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of German Township, Clark County. His grandfather, Jacob Leffel, came from Pennsylvania to Clark County at an early day, and settled as a pioneer in Bethel Township at a time when the country was still the abiding place of numerous Indians, and bear, panthers and other wild animals roamed the forests. Joseph Patterson, the maternal grandfather, was born in England and was an early settler of German Township, where he became a large landholder. He was killed while driving cattle, when his horse fell while endeavoring to jump over a large log. Jacob Leffel and his wife were the parents of seven sons and seven daughters. After their marriage James and Lucy Jane (Patterson) Leffel settled on a farm in Bethel Township, when Mrs. Leffel died in 1868, at the age of forty-four years. Mr. Leffel then moved to Springfield, where he died in 1901, when eighty-seven years of age. They were the parents of three children: Joseph O., who died when sixty-seven years of age; Mary Ellen, who died as Mrs. Joseph W. Stafford, also aged sixty-seven years; and George M.
