- LEVI LEONARD, a retired farmer residing in Evansville, is
numbered among the pioneer settlers
- of Rock County, dating his residence from 1840. He was born
in Broome County, N.Y., in 1815. His grandfather, Capt. Joseph
LEONARD, was one of the few survivors of the Wyoming massacre,
and was the earliest settler of Broome County, N.Y. The LEONARD
family in America originated in Connecticut, and was of English
descent. After settling in Broome County, Capt. LEONARD there
continued to reside until his death, which occurred at the advanced
age of ninety-six years. His son, Amasa LEONARD, the father of
our subject, was the first white child born in the county. After
arriving at years of maturity, he wedded Miss Lorana BENNETT,
a daughter of Silas and Lydia (CROCKER) BENNETT, who were long
residents of Broome County, where they made their home until
death.
- Our subject was deprived of a mother's care when only seven
years of age, after which he went
- to live in the family of his paternal grandfather, where
he remained for a number of years, when his father remarrying
he returned to the parental roof, where he made his home until
his emigration to the West in 1840. He had then attained to a
man's estate, had received a good English education, and has
also followed the profession of teaching. When he left his father's
home in 1840 his objective point was not the Territory of Wisconsin,
for he had resolved to make his home in the Sunny South, where
he proposed to engage in teaching. He was accompanied by William
BROWN, and together they started for the land of Dixie. Going
west to Chemung County, N.Y., they there engaged to raft lumber
down the Chenango and Susquehanna rivers to Port Deposit, the
head of navigation on the latter stream, but on arriving at Port
Deposit events so shaped themselves as to induce the young men
to change their minds, and they determined to seek their fortune
in the unsettled West. Going to Havre de Grace and from there
to Baltimore by rail, they continued to York, where they took
a stage and proceeded to Harrisburg, continuing their journey
by canal to Hollidaysburg, and crossed the mountains to Jamestown.
From the latter place they proceeded by canal to Pittsburgh,
where they again took a stage and went to Cleveland, Ohio, and
from there by steamer to Chicago, continuing their journey to
Rockford by a private conveyance. They then crossed the prairie
on foot to Janesville, arriving in Rock County in April, 1840.
- The pioneer life in the West was then begun. Mr. LEONARD,
accompanied by Virgil POPE,
- went to what is now the town of Union, Rock County, where
he was engaged as a farm laborer with Hiram GRIFFITH, receiving
as compensation $14 per month. He made his home with Mr. GRIFFITH
at intervals for several years, and in the fall of 1840 purchased
forty acres of land in the town of Union, breaking twenty acres
the following season. For some time he spent his summer months
in working upon a farm, and when the coming of winter caused
the discontinuance of outdoor labor he engaged in school teaching.
In the meantime he assisted in opening up a farm in Brooklyn,
Dane Co., Wis., in which he owned an interest. At about this
time he became a victim of fever and ague, a disease then quite
prevalent among the early settlers, and in consequence thereof
he sold his interest in the farm in Dane County, and in 1844
returned to New York on a visit to his old home. The spring of
1845 again found him in Rock County as an inmate of the home
of Mr. GRIFFITH. The same season he planted a nursery on a portion
of the site of the present village of Evansville, and also purchased
the farm near the village which is now the property of Henry
CAMPBELL.
- In 1852 Mr. LEONARD led to the marriage altar Miss Charlotte
TAGGART, who was born
- near Portage, N.Y., but on being left an orphan in childhood
by the death of her parents, came west with an uncle, Levi TAGGART.
But two years of happy wedded life had passed when Mrs. LEONARD
departed this life, leaving a young son, who died in infancy.
In 1858 Mr. LEONARD was again married, Mrs. Sarah M. JONES becoming
his wife. She is a daughter of Elisha and Sarah (HOWARD) PRENTICE,
and by her first marriage became the mother of one son, who is
now the Hon. Burr W. JONES of Madison. She came to Rock County
with Mr. JONES in 1845, and has here since resided.
- Mr. LEONARD continued to engage in farming until 1865, when
he removed to Evansville, and
- has since continued to reside in that town. For nearly half
a century he has been identified with the history of Rock County,
has witnessed its rapid growth from a wild and undeveloped region
to its present condition of wealth and prosperity, and has taken
an active part in the promotion of its interests, especially
the cause of education. He taught the first school on the present
site of Evansville, and for not less than six winter terms was
there engaged in that line. He also served as town Superintendent
of Schools for a number of years, and probably no man has been
more prominently connected with the educational interests of
Rock County. In his business pursuits he has been successful,
and has secured a comfortable competence by his untiring industry,
perseverance and enterprise. For a number of years past he has
not been engaged in active business, and during the time has
found an opportunity to gratify his taste for reading. He possesses
a fine library of standard literary and scientific works, and
to the latter especially has given much attention, having explored
extensively the fields of geology, astronomy and other sciences.
In his political affiliations Mr. LEONARD was in early life a
Democrat, later supported the Republican party, and is now a
Prohibitionist, believing that the evil of intemperance should
be suppressed by the strong arm of prohibitory law. Mr. and Mrs.
LEONARD have a beautiful home, the abode of elegance and refinement,
and are highly respected by their many friends throughout the
county.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 788-790.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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