|
NAVAGATION
Jefferson County Biographies
Names A to B
Names C to E
Names F and G
Names H to K
Names L to O
Names P to S
Names T to Z
===========
QuickLinks
Online Biographies
Jefferson County
History
New York History
|
Leonard, Edgar, was born in the town of Lyme, August 15, 1832, his father being Charles Leonard and his mother
Rosina Estes. He was educated in the common schools at Three Mile Bay. He worked at wool carding and cloth dressing
with his father until 1850, when he went with him to Dexter and continued in the same business. He married Mary
A. Huntington, daughter of Joseph Huntington, of Dexter, in 1853, and they had three children: George B., Addie
E. and William B. He continued in the wool carding business with his father until 1860, when he went into the lumber
business with his father-in-law. He was clerk of the town of Brownville in 1862 and 1863, and was deputy marshal
of the town in 1863 under Provost Marshal Fred Emerson, and assisted in making the drafts. In the fall of 1863
he was appointed by James K. Bates (state prison inspector) as keeper in the Auburn prison. He was promoted to
the commissary department in the prison the same year, and was in the prison service altogether seven years. He
returned to Dexter with his family in 1870, and engaged again in the lumber, sash, door and blind business with
Mr. Huntington. He purchased his interest in 1874, and was burned out the same year. He built at once and continued
in the business alone till 1882, when his son-in-law, James A. Gilmore, and his two sons came into the business
with him, establishing the firm of Leonard, Gilmore & Co. In 1886 they purchased the old Dexter woolen mill
property. They sold the plant to Charles Campbell of New York city, who built the present large sulphite pulp and
paper plant. Leonard, Gilmore & Co. commenced building on their lots, which was the first commencement of Dexter's
boom. They continued as the Leonard & Gilmore Co. up to the spring of 1805, when his son George died and the
firm became incorporated with Edgar Leonard president; Lucy A. Leonard (widow of George Leonard), vice-president;
James A. Gilmore treasurer, and William B. Leonard secretary, under the corporate name of the Leonard & Gilmore
Co., which is the name of the corporation at this time. Mr. Leonard was appointed once and elected twice to the
office of justice of the peace. He cast his first presidential vote in 1856 for John C. Fremont. Mr. Leonard came
to Dexter a poor boy and is to-day one of the largest owners of real estate. The firm carries on the business of
contracting and building, carries a large stock of hardware, manufactures sash, blinds and doors, deals in lumber
and is a large manufacturer of wood pulp. Mr. Leonard and family are members of the First Presbyterian church of
Dexter, and he is now supervisor of the town.
Source:
Our County and it's people
a descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York
Edited by: Edgar C. Emerson
The Boston History Co., Publishers, Syracuse, N. Y. 1898
|
|