John Leyendecker, Jr., eldest son of John and Elizabeth (Gorg) Leyendecker, was born in Germany 22 Oct 1826. He married in Prussia 12 Jul 1852 to Maria Heuch, born in Germany, 14 Dec 1823. In 1852 settled in Buffalo, NY and the following autumn proceeded to Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and one year later bought eighty acres of land in the township of Byron in section 31.

After a residence of four years, they purchased 80 acres in Salem, Allegan County, where they lived eighteen years. Then they returned to Byron and bought 160 acres of land in section 33, 100 of which was under culture. One of their children was born in Byron, and three in Salem. Mrs. Leyendecker’s faith was Roman Catholic. The senior John Leyendecker was a soldier under orders of Bonaparte six years and fought at Waterloo.