Monroe Commercial, Monroe, Monroe County, Michigan, 9 Sep 1869

"Leander Sackett, old well known and highly esteemed resident of Monroe County, died at his residence in Raisinville, on Thursday Sept. 2, after a protracted illness of tumor in the stomach. Mr. Sackett was born in Windham, Connecticut, in April 1794, and was therefore in the 76th year of his age. His father's family removed from Connecticut to the Western Reserve, in Ohio, when he was a lad of ten or twelve years, the trip being made with ox teams, and occupying six or eight weeks. In 1822, Mr. Sackett, having then married, came to Maumee with his wife; and associated with Mr. Vantosole, established an Indian Mission, some 30 miles above Toledo. Here he remained until 1829, when the Station was abandoned; the Indians having been removed farther west. He then resided some three or four years at Maumee City, during which time he married Miss Eliza Conant, having lost his first wife while at the Mission Station. In 1832 or 33 he removed to Monroe, where he remained until 1836, as proprietor of the old Mission House, the leading hotel, which occupied the present site of Dansard Bank. Mr. Sackett then removed to a farm on the banks of the River Raisin, in Raisinville, and there he spent the remainder of his days. He was a man of great energy and activity, with an unusual developement of hopeful enthusiasm, and became intimately connected with every movement for the benefit or improvement of the town or community, frequently neglecting his own interests and bearing burdens alone that should have been shared by others. In 1852, Mr. Sackett was a delegate to the Buffalo Convention that formed the Free Soil Party. He has been an enthusiastic and earnest advocate of its principles. He leaves a wife and one son, S.M. Sackett, Druggist of this City."

[Researched by Myra Roper (Monroe County Museum)]