McCaughey Kelly Family Tree » Daniel Leonard (1830-1913)

Persönliche Daten Daniel Leonard 

• Er wurde geboren am 24. Juni 1830 in Washington County, Pennsylvania, USA.Quelle 6
• Wohnhaft:
• im Jahr 1830: Somerset, Washington, Pennsylvania, USA.Quelle 7
• im Jahr 1850: Somerset, Washington, Pennsylvania, USA.Quelle 8
• im Jahr 1860: Washington, Gravity, Taylor, Iowa, Verenigde Staten.Quelle 9
• im Jahr 1870: Holt, Holt, Taylor, Iowa, USA.Quelle 10
• im Jahr 1880: Holt, Taylor, Iowa, USA.Quelle 11
• im Jahr 1885: Holt, Taylor, IA.Quelle 12
• im Jahr 1895: Corning, Adams, Iowa, USA.Quelle 13
• im Jahr 1900: Holt, Taylor, Iowa, USA.Quelle 14
• im Jahr 1905: Taylor, Iowa, United States.Quelle 15
• im Jahr 1910: Holt, Taylor, Iowa, USA.Quelle 16
• Er ist verstorben am 31. März 1913 in Taylor County, Iowa, Verenigde Staten, er war 82 Jahre alt.Quelle 6
• Er wurde beerdigt am 2. April 1913 in Corning, Adams, Iowa, USA.Quellen 6, 17
• Ein Kind von Mary van Ort und William Leonard

Familie von Daniel Leonard

Er ist verheiratet mit Mary Jane Heath.

Sie haben geheiratet am 25. März 1855 in Eden Delaware County, Ohio, Verenigde Staten, er war 24 Jahre alt.Quelle 14

Kind(er):

1. William Henry Leonard  1857-1942
2. Guy A Leonard  1860-1937 
3. Sarah Ann Leonard  1862-1863
4. Rosana Leonard  ± 1864-????
5. Charles Leonard  1865-1947
6. Luzanna Leonard  1866-1879
7. Arthur Leonard  1869-1955
8. Harry H. Leonard  1869-1883
9. Mary Elma Snyder  1870-1957
10. Elisha Smith Leonard  1876-1950
11. John Weslie Leonard  1876-1942

Notizen bei Daniel Leonard

Danial Leonard

Few men of Taylor county have endured greater hardships in the early settlement of this part of the state or have borne their
experiences with greater courage and derived from them a larger share of the prosperity of the world and the gifts of the spirit
than has Daniel Leonard, who for more than a half a century has farmed in what is now Holt township.

The memories of the day on which he arrived here and of the struggles and discouragements of the first few years are still vivid,
and sometimes, as he looks back over the past he wonders not so much how he surmounted them, but how his loyal wife, gently born
and reared amid luxury, had the courage to brave conditions to which he all unwillingly had to submit her. He was born in
Washington county, Pennsylvania, in June, 1830.

His father, William Leonard, was a farmer throughout his life and five years before his death moved to Ohio, where he passed away
at the advanced age of eighty. His mother, who had been Miss Mary Van Nort before her marriage, was also a native of Pennsylvania
and lived to be sixty years of age. The family of Leonard was of English descent and Daniel can remember that his grandparents
frequently spoke of the "log book," from which he infers that his ancestors were sea-faring people, though he was too young to
find out at that time. However that may be they were able to transmit to their descendant strong qualities of character which
have been the making of him.

About three miles from the birthplace of James G. Blaine, Daniel Leonard opened his eyes upon the world and there grew to maturity.
His parents were very poor people and he was able to acquire but a limited education, though he was early initiated into the realm
of toil. At the age of twenty-two he left his home and started in life for himself. He went first to Delaware county, Ohio, where
he remained two years and was married, and then moved to Fulton county, Illinois, where he lived for about nine months.

In 1856, with a team of horses and all their household possessions loaded upon a wagon he and his wife started on their journey
across the country to Iowa. On the 25th of September, they stopped at the place where his home has been ever since and where he
preempted one hundred and sixty acres of government land. No shelter of any kind was to be seen, so they took off the bows and the
cover from the wagon, fastening them to the ground so that they would not blow away, for a storm seemed to be rising, and then
inverted the wagon box on the ground. Under this the wife crawled, and after handing her a few clothes Mr. Leonard crawled under
himself.

During the night the threatened storm arrived and although the rain poured down harder than he had ever known it to do before or
has seen it since they were as dry and cozy under their improvised shelter as if they were provided with more comforts. Mr. Leonard
had in his pockets only thirty-seven dollars and thirty-seven cents, but with that rare foresight which has distinguished him in his
acquisition of land since, he traded his team for ninety acres. For four years he managed to do without any horses, although he
bought a couple of calves which he broke into work.

They were well broken, too, as one incident will show. In the early morning Mr. Leonard would take them to the timber, fell a tree,
trim it, put the butt and larger limbs together, fasten a chain about them, and then hitch the young oxen to the whole. Forthwith
they would "mozey" to the cabin, where Mrs. Leonard would "untoggle" the chain, turn them around and start them on the road to the
woods which they would reach by themselves. On the next trip Mr. Leonard would accompany them, as he went to his dinner, and in the
afternoon would bring up the third load. They were also of value in the plowing when they were fastened with a yoke eight feet long,
and with them he was able to plant his corn. The animals grew to be oxen of mammoth size and when he disposed of them they brought
a price of two hundred and seventy-five dollars.

From the trees he felled Mr. Leonard built a cabin sixteen feet square, and as the logs were short in this part of the state he had
to splice them to make the cabin large enough. In that rude home he and his wife lived for a number of years, until he erected his
present residence, the lumber for which he hauled from St. Joseph, Missouri. But even when their cabin was built their hardships were
not lightened very much, and many a time Mr. Leonard said he wept at the thought of the severity of the life to which he brought his
wife so tenderly reared in her girlhood and now bearing the struggle of a pioneerman's wife cheerfully, without complaint.

On one occasion he came to the shanty from the fields and found her clad in her nightdress, washing the only outside garments she had.
She was using a brass kettle given her by her mother the only utensil among their few possessions large enough for the purpose.

Mr. Leonard returned to the fields, sat down in the furrow and cried, heart sick enough to commit suicide. But he thought to himself,
"Leonard, you won't be such a coward. Get up, pull yourself together and get out of this condition." It was a long time, however,
before ready money found a place in his pocket. On one occasion he wrote a letter to his people in Ohio, but could not send it for
lack of the price of postage, which in those days would have been fifteen cents.

Nor could that amount be found in Taylor county. At different seasons of the year hogs were gathered together at some place and driven
to Ottumwa to be sold. One time Mr. Leonard had twelve to dispose of, but they weighed three hundred pounds and were too heavy to
drive. Accordingly he butchered them himself and sold the hams in Bedford for two and a half cents a pound but could not sell the
shoulders at any price.

So he left two with a blacksmith and said he would take their value out in work, later receiving for them a pair of hinges, which
anywhere today could be procured for a quarter.

That these conditions have passed and that Mr. Leonard is in the enjoyment of a handsome income are due not only to his capacity for
work and his determination to get ahead, but equally to the native sagacity which enabled him to discern the increase in the value of
land, for besides the location he chose for his own home whenever he saw opportunity he bought land until at one time he held over a
thousand acres, of which he gave generously to each of six sons, whom he assisted in improving their farms and in stocking them.

His own farm is situated on an elevation, from which, before the trees were so thick he could look southwest into Missouri, west into
Page county, northwest into Montgomery county, north into Adams county, northeast into Union county, east into Ringgold county, and
southeast and south over Taylor county, obtaining a beautiful view in whatever direction he gazed. In addition to his purely
agricultural interests, for more than fifty years Mr. Leonard has given especial attention to the breeding of sheep, and with his sons
under the firm name of Daniel Leonard & Sons, became the pioneer importers of Shropshire sheep, and they are now noted all over the
southwest for the quality of their animals. Farm work and the air from his fields are his life, as he learned when at one time he
retired to Corning. It was not for long, however, as he was not made for a life of comfort, and he came back to the farm, determined
not to relinquish its cares until the last moment.

In 1853, Mr. Leonard married Miss Jane Heath, who was born in Washington county, Ohio, in 1833, and for fifty-six years she was his
companion. With the courage that some loving women possess she never faltered before the difficult life to which her husband brought
her, but without complaint assumed her duties. Her example of hard work and her cheerfulness were the encouragement for many, while
her virtues and the Christian spirit which prompted her many acts of kindness made her well beloved by all, but especially by her own
family.

Nine children were born to them: Mary, who died at the age of eighteen months; William, who is living in Grove township; Guy, a
resident of Holt township; Charles, who is at home; Arthur, Smith and J. W., who are living in Holt township; Luzanne, who died at the
age of fourteen years, and Harry, who was killed when but fourteen years old.

Mrs. Leonard was taken from this world June 23, 1909, but her memory is still a strong factor for good, though she was never a member
of any church.

In the early days Mr. Leonard had helped organize a Methodist church in the neighborhood, of which he became a member and a class
leader. There were but five professing Christians in north Taylor county then, and his descriptions of the first meeting house
contrasts strangely with the edifices prepared for worship today. He says: "It was a log building, one end out for the chimney, the
other end for the door, the sides out for the windows. Split linn tree logs on pegs formed the seats."

For fourteen years he regularly attended the services at that church, but his ideas gradually broadened and today he would be
considered liberal, subscribing to no creed. His rule of life has always been, "Do as I would be done by," and he says repeatedly,
"That if people would follow the Golden Rule, they would need no other religion." It has profited him well in a worldly way and three
years ago he was able to take a trip to California and the Pacific Slope, on which his wife accompanied him.

Politically Mr. Leonard is a republican, attending and participating in the first convention held in Taylor county. Indeed, he has
always wielded a wide influence in shaping the public opinion of this section of the state and has been active in the local affairs
for time and again he has held township offices and has served on the board of supervisors for two terms.

Having seen the county grow from its earliest days, it is but natural that he should be actuated by a large public spirit for its
welfare. Times have advanced since the pioneer days, and he has been largely instrumental in bringing about the progress.

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