CHARLES
EDWARD LEONARD, a respected farmer and live-stock
raiser of Harristown township, Macon county, was born on a
farm near Illiopolis, Illinois, Mar. 1, 1862. He is a
son of John and Rhoda (Humphrey) Leonard, the former
of whom was born Mar. 9, 1829, in Roanoke county, Virginia,
and came to Illinois in 1852, settling in Sangamon county.
He lived for a time near Mechanicsburg, but acquired near
Illiopolis a tract of land which was very wet and,
therefore, useless for farming purposes. In order to
remove the difficulty he sent to Piatt county for oxen an
plows by means of which he was able to make a ditch and the
land became as productive as any in the county. Mr.
Leonard was married in his native state before going
westward and was accompanied on his journey by his wife and
brother Samuel. He became highly successful in
his farming operations and was the owner of seven hundred
acres of land where he conducted agriculture and live-stock
raising upon an extensive scale. Eight children were
born to Mr. and Mrs. Leonard, seven of whom grew to
maturity: Virginia Ann, living in Illiopolis who
married Johnson Noel, now deceased, and has six
children; Mary Catharine, who married Henry Fait
and became the mother of four children, and who also lives
in Illiopolis; John F., a resident of Roodhouse, this
state, who married Nancy Thomas and is the father of
ten children; George D. living near Illiopolis, who
married Sarah Coleman and is the father of six
children; Charles Edward, the subject of this review;
Emma Josephine, living in Illiopolis; and Jessie
Lee, living near Illiopolis, who married Claude Fryer
and has become the mother of four children. Mr.
Leonard the father of the family was an unholder of the
principles of the democratic party but never sought public
office. He was a good and upright citizen and a stanch
friend of education, donating ground for the district school
which is now called the Leonard school.
Religiously he accepted the doctrines of the Methodist
Episcopal church of which he is an earnest member. He
was called from earthly scenes in March, 1910, his faithful
wife having departed in February, 1908.
Charles E. Leonard was reared upon the home farm
and received his education at the country schoolhouse.
After laying aside his books he continued to work upon the
farm and later rented land of his father and for eighteen
years farmed a portion of the old homestead. In
February, 1904, he moved to his present location, on section
18, Harristown township, where he owns one hundred and sixty
acres which he purchased at one hundred and thirty-five
dollars an acre. He also owns an interest in one
hundred and thirty-five acres near Illiopolis and is
recognized as one of the efficient and successful farmers of
the township, a man of marked energy and ability who could
have succeeded in anything that would have engaged his
attention.
On July 16, 1887, Mr. Leonard was happily
married at Springfield, Illinois to Miss Hannah Collins,
who was born in Springfield, Feb. 7, 1869. She is a
daughter of Michael and Margaret (Desmond) Collins.
The father was born in County Cork, Ireland, and the mother
at Waterford, Ireland. Both came to America when grown
and in New York they were married, locating in Springfield
soon afterwards. Mr. Collins was identified for
some time with the railroad business but became interested
in the dairy business and prospered, acquiring a fine farm
of one hundred and sixty acres in Sangamon county.
Mrs. Collins was called away Mar. 18, 1901, but her
husband is now living with his daughter near Niantic.
Eleven children have blessed the household of Mr. and
Mrs. Leonard; Charles Edwin, who was born Oct.
11, 1888, and is now assisting in the work of the farm;
Margaret Rhoda, born May 1, 1890, a graduate of the high
school, and also a student for two terms at the State Normal
School and two terms at Millikin University, being now a
popular teacher in the country schools; Jessie Lee,
born Nov. 6, 1892, as a teacher and a graduate of the high
school and a student for two terms at Millikin University;
Herbert, who was born Jan. 29, 1895, and died at the
age of two years, nine months and twenty-six days; Paul,
who died at the age of twelve years, in 1909; John Curtis,
born June 28, 1899; Erma Josephine, born July 31,
1901; Lucille Esther, born Mar. 19, 1903; Mary
Helen, born Mar. 27, 1905 Harold Eugene, born
July 22, 1907; and Carl, born Oct. 27, 1909.
Mr. Leonard has been a lifelong democrat and
cast his first presidential ballot for Grover Cleveland
in 1884. He has not sought political honors, but he
has served most acceptably as school director of his
district and for five years acted as road commissioner of
Sangamon county, during which time he assisted very
materially in improving the roads of the county.
Socially he is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, of
Illiopolis, having been a charter member of that
organization. He is also identified with Niantic
Lodge, Woodmen of the World. Mr. Leonard has
proved in all the relations of life trustworthy in the
highest degree and as a citizen has been patriotic and
public-spirited, devoting to the duties of public office the
same interest that he bestows upon his private affairs.
In his wife he has found a worthy assistant and loving
companion whose presence and example have been to her
husband and family an unfailing source of comfort and
happiness.
Source: City of Decatur and Macon County, Illinois -
VOLUME II - Published Chicago -
The Pioneer Publishing Company -
1910 ~ Page 286 |
HARVEY K.
LEONARD, a promising young business man of Macon
county and agent for Illinois Traction System at Harristown,
was born on a farm in Harristown township, Mar. 17, 1884.
He is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Foster) Leonard,
the father a native of Roanoke county, Virginia, and the
mother of Adair county, Kentucky. Samuel Leonard
came to Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1850, when he was
seventeen years of age, and two years later, at the age of
nine years, Elizabeth Foster arrived in the same
county with her parents. There the young people grew
up and after their marriage came to Macon county about 1864
and Mr. Leonard purchased land on sections 12 and 13,
Harristown township, becoming the owner of 1880 of a farm of
four hundred and ten acres, which he purchased at sixty-five
dollars per acre. His wife departed this life in 1906
and he was again married. He was called away in 1909
and he and the mother of our subject were both buried in
Harristown cemetery. They were the parents of six
children: George W., now living in Decatur; James
G., living on the old homestead; Samuel T., who
is the owner of ninety-nine acres of the old homestead;
Luther A., now a bookkeeper for the Power & Light
Company, of Spokane, Washington; Cotna A., now
Mrs. John L. Helphinstine, living on the Leonard
homestead; and Harvey K., the subject of this
review.
Harvey K. Leonard grew up upon the home farm and
attended the district schools, where he was an apt scholar,
and evinced a fondness for books which led him to further
investigations in the educational field. He was a
student at Millikin University for two years, at the end of
which time he spent ten weeks at Brown's Business College,
in Decatur, and completed his business training at
Draughon's Business College of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma,
graduating with high honors from that institution in the
class of 1908. Returning the Decatur, Mr. Leonard,
entered the freight office of the Illinois Traction system
as cashier and at the end of four months was made baggageman
for the system, and after nine months of that position he
was advanced to the position of agent at Harristown.
Mr. Leonard inherited eighty acres of land from the
family estate, which he disposed of at one hundred and
eighty dollars per acre. He has purchased sixty-three
acres at two hundred dollars an acre in Harristown township,
which he proposes to improve in the spring of 1911, being a
strong believer in the agricultural possibilities of this
region.
On Nov. 24, 1909, Mr. Leonard was united in
marriage to Miss Irene Ellen Joynt, who was born on a
farm near Latham, Logan county, this state, July 21, 1888.
She is a daughter of John J. and Eliza O. (White) Joynt,
the father a well known farmer of this region.
Mr. Leonard was reared a democrat and cast his
first presidential ballot for William Jennings Bryan
and still adheres to the democratic party. He and his
estimable wife are earnest and consistent members of the
Christian church. Although he is quite a young man, he
has already made a fair start in the business world and by
his pleasing manner and striaghtforward methods has won the
respect of the entire community.
Source: City of Decatur and Macon County, Illinois -
VOLUME II - Published Chicago -
The Pioneer Publishing Company -
1910 ~ Page 497 |
JAMES G.
LEONARD. Among the prosperous young farmers of
Macon township is James G. Leonard, who is the owner
of one hundred and forty-seven acres of the Leonard
homestead and the home place in Harristown township,
Macon county. He has spent his life upon a farm and
was born near Illiopolis, Sangamon county, Illinois, Oct. 2,
1876. He is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth S.
(Foster) Leonard and was quite young when the family
removed to Macon county. He was educated in the
district schools and as he grew up he became acquainted with
the varied operations of the farm, including not only the
plowing and planting and gathering in the harvest, but also
the raising and marketing of live stock, in which, from his
boyhood, he has always taken a keen interest. He
became a successful farmer and stock-raiser and in addition
to his regular farming operations, he is the owner of two
steam threshing outfits which eh has managed so well that
they have proven excellent paying investments.
On Dec. 22, 1900, Mr. Leonard was united in
marriage to Miss Margaret Moore, who was born in
Virginia, a daughter of Hayden Moore. She came
to Illinois with her parents in her girlhood, the family
locating near Auburn, Sangamon county. She became
acquainted with her future husband at the home of John
Leonard near Illiopolis. After residing on the
home farm for four years, Mr. Leonard and his wife
took up their residence on another farm, and in 1906 bought
sixty-three acres on section 14, Harristown township, at one
hundred and twenty-eight dollars an acre. At the time
of the settlement of the Leonard estate he sold this
land to his brother, H. K. Leonard, at two hundred
dollars per acre. Four children have been born to
Mr. and Mrs. Leonard: Dora, Myrtle, Edgar and
Lawrence. The parents are both members of the
Christian church. Mr. Leonard has always voted
with the democratic party but has never been a seeker for
political honors. He is now serving as road
commissioner of his district. He is a man of energy
and determination and is the fortunate possessor of an
abundance of good common sense which he applies in the
various details of his business. He has never been
afraid of work and seeks labor rather than recreation and
thus finds an outlet for his energy in what is useful rather
than ornamental. Financially he is independent and he
has many friends who recognize his sterling worth and are
interested in his continued prosperity.
Source: City of Decatur and Macon County, Illinois -
VOLUME II - Published Chicago -
The Pioneer Publishing Company -
1910 ~ Page 696 |
SAMUEL
THOMAS LEONARD. Many of the early settlers of
Illinois came from Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and
other southern states and their descendants are now among
the leading people of that state. The Leonard
family of Virginia were pioneers of Illinois, and
Samuel T. Leonard is a worthy descendant of that family.
He was born on a farm near Illiopolis, Sangamon county, this
state, Nov. 10, 1868, a son of Samuel and Elizabeth
(Foster) Leonard. His father was born Aug. 23,
1833, in Roanoke county, Virginia, where he grew to manhood,
receiving a good education in the common schools. He
came to Sangamon county, Illinois, with an older brother,
John Leonard, and they settled near Mechanicsburg, where
they broke the prairie with a wooden plow and several yoke
of oxen. John Leonard was possessed of a land
warrant and secured a tract a tract of land near Illiopolis,
where he obtained one hundred and sixty acres at one dollar
and a quarter an acre. This land at that time was
covered so deeply with water that the corners could be
designated only by willow trees and bushes. Here the
brothers built a cabin and for a time the father of our
subject made his home there. John Leonard
developed the farm and resided there until a few years
before his death, when he removed to Illiopolis. The
old farm is still in the possession of the family.
Samuel Leonard was married Feb. 25, 1864, to
Elizabeth Foster, a native of Kentucky, who came to
Macon county when she was twelve or thirteen years of age
and was reared on a farm in Niantic township. He
farmed for a time on land near the county line between Macon
and Sangamon counties, but finally traded this land for a
farm near Niantic, and after he had developed the new
property, he traded it for another farm in Niantic township,
which later he exchanged for two hundred and eighty-nine
acres on sections 12 and 13, Harristown township, where he
located in 1880. This land cost him about sixty-five
dollars an acre, and was well improved, having a handsome
residence of ten or twelve rooms in which he lived until he
retired to the village of Harristown where he departed this
life on the 28th of April, 1901. He was a man of great
energy and was always highly respected by his friends and
neighbors. In politics he was a democrat, and as an
ambitious and persevering farmer, his life work was
essentially a success. His wife was greatly loved by
all who knew her, and her death Jan. 31, 1906, was the
occasion of profound regret. Of the children born to
Mr. and Mrs. Leonard, six grew to maturity: George
William, now living on Ewing avenue in Decatur; James
Gideon, who lives on a farm near Harristown; Samuel
Thomas, the subject of this review; Luther A.,
now a resident of Spokane, Washington; Cotna Ann, now
Mrs. John Helphenstine, living on a farm in
Harristown township; and Harvey K., a sketch of whom
appears in this work.
Samuel T. Leonard was reared in Macon county and
received his education in the common schools. At
twenty-three years of age he went to St. Louis and entered
the Wabash Commercial School, where he studied bookkeeping
and telegraphy. Returning home the following summer,
he resumed farming, in which he has ever since continued,
operating for fourteen years upon rented land owned by his
father and also by a Mr. Cross. In the
settlement of the family estate he receives one hundred and
five acres of land in section 13, Harristown township, and
also thirty-six acres at Wyckle Station on the interurban
electric line.
On Feb. 14, 1894, Mr. Leonard was united in
marriage to Miss Mary Florence Cross, who was born
Feb. 4, 1878, and is a daughter of William and Eliza
Helen (Teeguarden) Cross of this county. Mrs.
Leonard received a good common-school education, and has
been a constant support and encouragement to her
husband. Three children have been born to them:
Nova Maria, born Feb. 10, 1895, who early gave evidence
to unusual musical talent, and is now a teacher of music;
Elizabeth Helen, born Nov. 13, 1896; and Leo Eugene,
born Sept. 25, 1903.
Mr. Leonard has been a lifelong democrat and
cast his first ballot in 1892 for Grover Cleveland.
He is a member of the school board, and in 1894 was selected
as assessor of his township. He holds membership in
the Christian church, while his wife and daughters are
identified with the Methodist church. Their home is
one of the attractive centers in the neighborhood, and is
the abode of peace and harmony. As the head of a happy
family, the owners of a productive farm and a man who is
respected by all who know him, Mr. Leonard occupies
an enviable position; but in the opinion of his friends, it
is a position he has fairly earned.
Source: City of Decatur and Macon County, Illinois -
VOLUME II - Published Chicago -
The Pioneer Publishing Company -
1910 ~ Page 478 |
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