Here is the story that has been passed down.

A Cherokee chief left the 'Indian Country' (now OK) and came to Illinois around 1790-1803, of which was then known as  St. Clair County and now known as Wayne County.  Supposedly he left OK because he had a falling out with a brother. He dropped the last part of each name Westwind Leatherface and became West LEATHERS.

When West LEATHERS moved to Wayne City or Fairfield area he brought his family, of which included six sons and one daughter.  West LEATHERS was born during 1775 in Casa Grand, OK.  He died  in  Wayne Co, either  Wayne City or Fairfield (year not known).

When West was ill he told his sons that buried under a rock around Antlers, OK, was a skin  with a map and a deed about a  large valley that  was supposed to be his property.   His grandson Oscar LEATHERS, son of James LEATHERS went to OK but could not find where the rock was but, found a city is built there now.

West Leathers married  a Cherokee woman in OK.  No information on their marriage date, her name, or her birth and death dates are known yet.  Also, the place of birth and death for the following people is either Casa Grand, OK or Wayne Co., IL.  Neither counties have records in their era.

West Leathers and unknown Cherokee wife children were, as following:
1)  Westley LEATHERS
2)  Ray LEATHERS.
3) John LEATHERS.
4) Alfred [Alf] LEATHERS.
5) Lou-eye-sa LEATHERS
Family history has it she was over 107yrs old when she died in Wayne Co., IL   She  never married so she stayed with different brothers and took care of their children.   Her favorite plact to stay was with Alf and his wif Eva.
6)  Unknown son LEATHERS
7)  Unknown son LEATHERS

SECOND GENERATION   [FULL CHEROKEE]
Again, the dates and place of are not yet none unless stated.
1)
2)
3)  John LEATHERS
4)  Ray LEATHERS
5)  Alfred [Alf] LEATHERS    Nickname was  "Alf.".  He  well  over 80 year old when he died during 1888 in Wayne Co., IL.  He was hauling logs on a wagon, fell from the wagon and died. He had black curly hair and kept it short. Never shaved. He had 6 children.

Alf married Eva (?) HERLET  in Wayne Co..  Eva HERLET was  Irish, had two children from her previous marriages, believed to be MELTON-BULLARD.  Eva's first child by another marriage was  William MELTON was born in Wayne Co. and .he died  in Hymas,  MO.  He married a woman called  Vinnie.   They lived in Hymas, Mo  and their children were  Bud, Jasper, Ruth, Mary, and Annie.

Another child of Eva was Elizabeth BULLARD and, she married Tom COX. They lived around Beecher City  and thier children were:  Bud, Harve, Joe, and Charlie

Alfred and Eva LEATHERS
(THIRD GENERATIONS) children:
LEATHERS  had the following children:
1)  James LEATHERS.
2)  Nathan LEATHERS.
3)  Ella LEATHERS was born in 1867 in Wayne Co.,  IIL.   She died in 1925 in Wayne Co.  Never married. She had some sort of illness which resulted in hearing loss and unable to speak. Always took care of brothers children
4)  John Baptist LEATHERS.
5)  Thomas Marion LEATHERS.
6)  Elmer Lewis LEATHERS.
 Step-children:
 William MELTON.
 Elizabeth BULLARD