Letter signed Jos. S. Pease, De Soto, to John F. Darby. Regarding Pease’s knowledge of Col. Leitensdorfer. In 1833 Leitensdorfer was presenting anecdotes of his life at the Salthouse Theater. Later he gave Major Wetmore a “production” to be turned into a book. Eugene brought it to Pease and proposed that Pease should enlarge it into a book. It contained accounts of his life: in the Austrian service, escape from a prison in Italy; living in Sicily or Malta, then in Egypt; married a Copt woman; came to St. Louis; farm near Carondelet. Some months later Eugene withdrew the manuscript and gave it to Judge Houghton to publish. Col. L. died in 1845, was buried in the Presbyterian cemetery on Franklin Avenue. If the manuscript exists, Eugene can produce it. The Leitensdorfers are bitter enemies to Pease. (2 items) [filed in 1879 Sept-Dec], 1879 Nov 20

Item — Box: 5, Folder: 2

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

This collection consists largely of the papers of John F. Darby and his wife Mary F. Darby, and relates mostly to the political, social, and business history of St. Louis. The papers also include family correspondence with relatives in North Carolina, Kentucky, and Missouri, and correspondence regarding legal and business matters. Of special note are the minute books of the Jefferson Society and the St. Louis Debating Club (1827-1828), both regional debating societies of which Darby was a member; letters of Mary F. Darby; correspondence with Montgomery Blair, William T. Sherman, and George Caleb Bingham; and fragments of a history of the Mormons by John Corrill, dated 1839.