David Leitch (settler)

David Leitch (September 11, 1753 – November 9, 1794) was the founder of Leitch's Station, Kentucky, United States.

Leitch was born in Glasgow, Scotland. At an early age he and his older brother James immigrated to Virginia. He served in the American Revolutionary War, where he attained the rank of major.

In 1789, Leitch traveled to Fort Pitt (Pittsburgh) hoping to recruit settlers interested in exploring the Kentucky region. Upon acquiring a raft and supplies, Leitch found 20 hearty souls who agreed to accompany him. When the party arrived at Losantiville (Cincinnati), they encountered many hostile natives, so they traveled up the Licking River for about six miles. There, they dismantled the raft and built a blockhouse with a high picket fence and established Leitch's Station. In December 1790, Leitch traveled to Bryan's Station, near Lexington, where he met and married Keturah Moss. Leitch was sent as a delegate to Kentucky's first Constitutional Convention, at Danville, Kentucky in 1784.

David Leitch of Kilmardinny (near Glasgow) in Scotland Sep 11 A.D. 1753. At an early age he migrated to America with an older brother (Andrew) and settled at Richmond, Virginia. A brave and patriotic republican. While quite young he took part in the struggle for American independence as an aide de-camp to General Lawson. In the year 1785 he came to Kentucky and settled near Lexington subsequently he came to his estate on the Licking River near Newport called Leitch’s Station. There he erected himself a block-house to protect himself and his associates against the Indians at which place he died Nov 7th A.D. 1794. He was also a member of the first convention of Kentucky.

David was the youngest of 5 sons, and six daughters, born to David Leitch of Kilmardinny, and Jean Bryson of Craigallan. David was the brother of Major Andrew Leitch, 3rd Virginia Regiment, who died shortly after the Battle of Harlem (d. 10.1.1776) on 9.16.1776. The eldest brother, John Leitch, was the senior partner in Leitch & Smith, the West Indies trading company.

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