Dennis Leary is the owner of eight hundred acres of land on Grand Island, where he is engaged in the cultivation of grain and the growing of fruit. He has resided on the island since 1876 and has been a resident of Sacramento county since 1865--the year of his arrival in California. He was born in Ireland, December 25, 1849, and during his infancy was brought to America by his parents, Dennis and Mary (Sheehan) Leary, who were also natives of Ireland and are now deceased. He was reared in Monmouth county, New Jersey, and his education was acquired in the public schools there, supplemented by practical experience in the active affairs of life. He spent some time in the United States navy, including a portion of the Civil war, joining the navy August 10, 1864. He was aboard three different war ships, and he came to California on one of the government vessels, by way of the Isthmus of Panama. On the Pacific side of the isthmus he was on the United States sloop of war, Lancaster, and thus proceded to San Francisco, where he left the naval service. He then came to Sacramento county, where he has since resided. He settled on Grand Island in 1876 and has here resided almost continuously since, devoting his attention to general frming and the raising of fruit, having eight hundred acres of land, constituting a fine ranch, which he is continually improving.

Mr. Leary married Mrs. Maggie Jackson, a native of Ireland, and to them have been born a son, Dennis W., whose birth occurred December 28, 1897. The wife and mother died in July, 1899.

Mr. Leary is a Democrat in politics with independent proclivities. He is now serving his second term as a trustee of reclamation district No. 3, but he has never been an office-seeker, preferring to give his undivided attention to his business affairs, in which he is prospering, for he is energetic, progressive and practical, and is therefore meeting with well deserved success.

Source: History of the New California - Its Resources and People, Volume II

The Lewis Publishing Company - 1905
Edited by Leigh H. Irvine