The Leo family of Cohoes, New York, was founded in the United States by Patrick Leo, born in Limerick, Ireland, 1806, came to the United States and died at Victory Mills, Saratoga county, New York, August, 1866. He was a farmer and was for a time a resident of Washington county, New York, where his son James was born. He was a Democrat in politics and Catholic in religious faith. He married Mary Corcoran, born in the same city and county as himself. They were married in Ireland, came together to the United States in the year 1836, and made their first settlement on a Washington county farm, and lived useful and successful lives.
(II) James, son of Patrick and Mary (Corcoran) Leo, was born in Washington county, New York, August 31, 1857. He attended the public schools in his youth and at the age of nine years lost his father by death. Soon after the family had removed to Victory Mills, Saratoga county, New York, James found work in the cotton mills, where be was employed until 1870. In 1876 he settled in Cohoes, New York, being employed until 1888, as an operative of the Harmony Mills. In the spring of that year he invested the capital he had accumulated in a grocery store and meat market on Congress street, Cohoes. This enterprise has been carefully conducted and a profitable business is now firmly established. He is a member of the Butchers' and Grocers' Association of Cohoes. Mr. Leo is affiliated with the Democratic party, but he is not very active in politics. He is a communicant of St. Bernard's Roman Catholic Church and of the Knights of Columbus. He married, in January, 1887, Letitia Reynolds, born in New York City, daughter of John and Letitia Reynolds. Child of James and Letitia (Reynolds) Leo:
- Mary L. Leo, born May 20, 1890; educated at St. Bernard's Academy in Cohoes. She married J. L. Gibeau, attorney of Cohoes, and has one child, Henry Leo.