Leah Jones Gaskill was born in Ocracoke, Hyde County. She was first married to William Allen Ballance on August 22, 1875.  William was born December 27, 1845 at Hatteras Banks, Hyde Co. and drowned October 8, 1880.  Leah and William had two sons:

• William Jardella Ballance was born June 30, 1876 at Hatteras, Dare Co. and died Sept. 3, 1937 at Hatteras.  He married Rebecca Ann Peele at Hatteras on April 20, 1898.
• John Rufus Ballance was born Sept. 30, 1879 and died Jan. 11, 1955.  He married Annie Daisy Stowe at Hatteras on Oct. 15, 1902.

Leah next married Levin Burrus Austin at Hatteras on Nov. 17, 1881.  Levin was born at Hatteras, Hyde Co. on Oct. 8, 1850 and died Dec. 22, 1921.  Leah and Levin had the following children:

• Henry Quidley Austin was born Dec. 18, 1883.  He married Mary L. Jungsten and lived on Staten Island, N.Y.
• Claudius Cecil Austin was born at Hatteras on Feb. 22, 1887 and died in Portsmouth, Va. on Jan. 22, 1965.  He married Bessie Etheridge Austin at Hatteras on June 15, 1910.

(Photo kindly submitted by Jack Oden, great-grandson of Leah Austin.)

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