Leitha, John F.

GABRIEL, NOTDORF, PENNINGTON, WILE MAASER, SCHLUTSMEYER WATKINS, DEAN

Posted By: BCGS
Date: 1/3/2010 at 11:45:59

John F. Leitha, one of the energetic and progressive young business men of Waverly, well known as an able and successful architect and builder, was born in Austria, December 4, 1880. He is a son of John Gabriel, whose wife died when the subject of this review was only nine months old. The family afterward moved away and Mr. Leitha was adopted by Sylvester Leitha, whose name he assumed.

John F. Leitha acquired a district-school education and after laying aside his books learned the carpenter's trade, in which he continued for eight years. At the end of that time he established himself in the contracting and building business in Bremer county and erected buildings in practically every part of this locality. Being ambitious to go further along this line, he took a course in architecture from the International Correspondence Schools of Scranton and since completing it seven years ago has designed and planned his own buildings. Among the structures which he has erected are the church at Tripoli and the residence of William Notdorf in the same city, as well as a number of other homes. At Sumner he planned the Lutheran church, the residence of Charles Pennington, and he has been the architect of practically all of the fine buildings in Bremer county, such as the Lutheran Mutual Aid Association building, the Wile & Maaser furniture store and the Schlutsmeyer building, one of the most attractive store buildings in the state. He designed also the residence of R.R. Watkins, one of the finest in Bremer county, and planned and erected a number of school buildings. During the past year he drew the plans for the dormitory at the Wartburg Seminary as well as for the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital and for a number of modern residences throughout the county. He has already attained a high place in his profession and will undoubtedly be carried forward into still more important relations in it.

On the 25th of December, 1903, Mr. Leitha married Miss May B. Dean, who was born in Illinois, a daughter of Geroge H. Dean, who passed away August 13, 1913. Mr. and Mrs. Leitha have become the parents of a daughter, Lauretta Lucille. The family reside in a fine modern residence on the west side of the city and are well known in social circles. Fraternally Mr. Leitha is connected with the Knights of Pythias, of which he is chancellor commander, and the blue lodge Masons. His attention, however, is principally concentrated upon his business, to which he gives a great deal of time, transacting his important affairs in a well equipped office such as is generally found in the larger cities. He is a man of marked ability, energetic, enterprising and ambitious, and in a profession where advancement comes only as a result of individual merit, has gained a place of well deserved prominence and distinction.

History of Bremer County, Iowa Vol. II 1914