The Wheeler & Dealer

Tonight's blog may get a bit long and I apologize in advance for that! There is just a lot to say about Henry John Leisenheimer. Known in my family circles as Grandpa Henry or simply HJ.

HJ was my great-grandfather.

He was born on May 26, 1893 to George Leisenheimer & Katherina Bey in Cleveland, Ohio. Both of his parents were German immigrants from Spiesheim, Germany. As an only child, he was given much love and attention but his true talents were to be found in selling.

Unknown date, early photo of HJ

He began working for what is now known as CLE-TRAC or the Cleveland Tractor Company. He traveled with his brother-in-law Mr. George Mora to sell tractors abroad. And boy could he sell them. CLE-TRAC records list him as being a 20 year employee of the company. 

He managed to amass quite a fortune, although the extent of that is unknown to me, based on my grandmother's college diary. At the height of the depression his son Robert (Bob) & daughter Dorothy graduated. Dorothy was my grandmother and her diary revealed that when she graduated high school she was given a diamond ring and her brother Bob was given a brand new car. HJ paid for both my grandmother and Bob to attend 4 years of college which they both graduated from. They also made many family trips during this period of time.

According to one article he and George travelled to Russia to help sell tractors to promote the  collectivization. Although the article is much too long to post here, it's quite interesting. 

When I began researching my family I was very confused why I found so many entries of HJ entering the US. This is due to his selling abroad. My father has boxes of full passports from the Leisenheimer's and their travels. 

After his wife, Isabel, died he married Grandma Leota. Towards the end of his life he set up a profitable export business in his own name run out of Cleveland and New York. His remarks on selling to industry abroad are held by the library of congress. 

Curiously, his obituary omits the names of his children. This included my grandmother Dorothy and her brother Robert. 

Initially I asked my Aunt to write about HJ as she was about 6 when he passed away but she wasn't able to get me something.

What I can share is that he is a highly regarded man by my family - and many others!