Joseph R. Leisenring, d. 1912

BIRD, LEISENRING, NORTHROP, SHAW, WHITING

Posted By: Pat Ryan White (email)
Date: 1/28/2007 at 11:48:32

Mt. Pleasant News, Tuesday, May 7, 1912

JOE LEISENRING DIES SUDDENLY

WELL KNOWN MAN PASSES AWAY IN NEW YORK CITY.

Lived in Mt. Pleasant for Many Years and Was Well Known Here -- Particulars of His Death Not Received.

Mt. Pleasant people were surprised and shocked this morning to hear of the sudden death in New York City last evening of Mr. Joe Leisenring, a former resident of Mt. Pleasant and very well known here. The news came this morning in a telegram to his old friend, Mr. H. T. Bird. The latter was reading a cheery letter from Mr. Leisenring, just received this morning, when the dispatch telling of his death was handed to him. The letter was written by Mr. Leisenring May 5th, and told of various social functions which he had attended and of his life in New York. No mention whatever was made of any illness and it is thought that death came very suddenly. The telegram was sent by Murray Shaw, an intimate friend, who is also known here.

GALLERY WELL KNOWN.
Mr. Leisenring was about 67 years of age. He came with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Leisenring to Mt. Pleasant in 1855, and the family lived here for many years conducting a photograph gallery which was well known all over this part of the state. When the civil war broke out, five of the sons went to the front, but Joe remained at home to help conduct the photographic business. The gallery was then located in a building where the national bank now stands, on the third story. Later it was moved to the third story of what is now the Farmers & Merchants Savings Bank building, and it was here that it was known to many Mt. Pleasant people of later day. It was famous as college headquarters for college students of those days.

MADE MANY FRIENDS.
Mr. Leisenring attended public school here, and also Iowa Wesleyan University in the old original building. He was a man who won friends easily, and no matter how many new ones he made, he never forgot or lost trace of his old ones. Probably no man who ever attended Iowa Wesleyan, knew intimately more of the students over a long series of years who attended that institution than did Mr. Leisenring. He loved society, and to be in the company of his friends, and his polished manners and gentlemanly traits of character gave him entrée into homes and society wherever he chanced to be. Mr. Leisenring was best man at the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. H. T. Bird of this city forty-four years ago, and recalled this happy event in his letter received by Mr. Bird this morning.

ONLY ONE BROTHER LEFT.
Mr. Leisenring never married, and of his father’s family only one brother is left, -- Case [sic: Kase] Leisenring of Chicago. The deceased was at the time of his death with the firm of Northrup & Co., of New York, who do an oxygen business. He had engaged in numerous business ventures during his life time, in recent years having had charge of a coffee plantation in Mexico. He had also traveled extensively. Mr. Leisenring’s death will be mourned by scores of friends in all parts of the country.

It is not known whether the body will be brought here for burial or not, or what the funeral arrangements are.

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Mt. Pleasant News, Tuesday, May 7, 1912

PARTICULARS OF DEATH RECEIVED

JOE LEISENRING PASSED AWAY AT HOME OF HIS COUSIN.

Death Came Very Suddenly, Just After He Had Finished Writing a Letter -
Was Due to Lung Trouble - Funeral Here Friday.

A friend from New York has written the particulars concerning the sudden death of Mr. Joe Leisenring there Monday evening. At a quarter to six Monday evening Mr. Leisenring sat down to write a birthday letter and to do up a little package for his niece, Miss Franc Leisenring, of Chicago. He wrote a long letter, then did up the package, chatting with a man-servant in the home of his cousin, Dr. Northrop, who happened to be in the latter’s office when the letter was written.

All at once Mr. Leisenring sat down and leaned his head against the table, with a gasp. The servant called Dr. Northrop, but in five minutes he was gone, becoming unconscious at once. For two days Mr. Leisenring had looked pale, and after close questioning had complained of a pain in his chest, but said it was nothing. Dr. Northrop, remembering his sudden attack of pneumonia two years ago, asked him to take an oxygen treatment, which he did, and he had told his cousin he was to have a second treatment just as soon as he finished his birthday letter, but in ten minutes from that time he was gone. It is believed his lungs filled up suddenly, causing his death. Just a little while before they were having tea in the home.

Mr. Leisenring lived with his cousin, Dr. Northrop, who has a beautiful home on Sixth avenue, and conducts a laboratory for oxygen treatments in connection with it.

The body of Mr. Leisenring will arrive here Friday morning, and will be taken to the home of Mr. James Whiting, where the funeral will be held Friday afternoon at four o’clock. Interment will be at Forest Home cemetery.

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J. R. Leisenring ~ CdV
 

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