John Worthington Leinard

DARNELL, HOOTS, LEINARD, RUBY, SMITH, STUBBS, THORNBURG

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 8/8/2004 at 18:43:48

“History of Madison County Iowa and Its People”
Herman A. Mueller, Supervising Editor
Chicago, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1915

John Worthington Leinard was for many years actively connected with the agricultural development of Lincoln township, Madison county, and is now living retired on his farm on section 2. His birth occurred in Harrison county, Ohio, on the 10th of October, 1846. His father, Jacob Leinard, who was born January 15, 1810, in the same county, was married on the 18th of May 1838 to Miss Hester Ruby, a native of Cumberland, Maryland, who was born December 12 1813. In 1852 they came to this county, crossing the Mississippi river by steam ferry at Burlington on the birthday of our subject. Most of the journey was made by horse and wagon. The first winter the family lived in a double log house in Winterset, but the following spring they located on a farm in Lincoln township, the father becoming the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land. Only twelve acres thereof was broken when the land came into his possession and the only building was a small log house. The first few years were years of struggle and hardship, but when the land was once under cultivation the excellent crops produced yielded a good income and at the time of his death Mr. Leinard was a well-to-do man. He passed away May 12, 1893, in this county, having survived his wife since the 14th of April, 1888 Both were members of the Methodist Episcopal church and took a lively interest in the growth and influence of the church. Mr. Leinard was a Republican and for twenty-five years promoted the cause of education as secretary of the school board. For a considerable time he was also secretary of the Grange.

To him and his wife were born six children: Elizabeth, deceased, whose birth occurred on the 5th of July, 1839, and who became the wife of George T. Darnell, of Madison county; Anna C., born November 20, 1840, the deceased wife of Lewis Thornburg, who resides in Winterset; Martha Matilda, who was born April 25, 1843, and died August 10, 1844; John W.; Samantha, who was born March 3, 1849, and died in infancy; and Melville C., who was born on the 28th of February, 1852, and resides in Winterset.

The boyhood of John W. Leinard was passed upon his father's farm and his time was largely occupied by attendance at the public schools and work upon his fathers farm. In early manhood he taught school for a short time but after his marriage, which occurred when he was twenty-five years of age he located upon a farm in Adair county, and operated the same for a number of years Later he returned to his old home in Lincoln township, this county, and now holds title to one hundred and twenty acres of well improved land which was a part of the land owned by his father. His methods were up-to-date and because of his industry and energy his crops were good and his stock well cared for. Through carefully watching tie market he was enabled to sell at an advantage and his resources steadily increased until he accumulated enough to retire from active life.

Mr. Leinard married Miss Elizabeth Ann Smith, a native of Coshocton county, Ohio a record of her parents, James and Sarah Ann (Stubbs) Smith, is found elsewhere into work. To and Mr. and Mrs. Leinard were born four children: Bertram, who died when thirty-one years of age; Alpha, the wife of J. E. Jones, of Sterling, Colorado; Arthur H., who married Myrna Hoots, and is renting his father’s farm; and Mildred, who is attending Drake University at Des Moines.

Mr. Leinard and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and not only contribute of their means to its support, but take an active part in its work. His political affiliation is with the republican party and he has served as a township clerk and township trustee, discharging the duties of those offices with ability and circumspection. Although he was but a child of six years when he accompanied his parents on their removal from Ohio to this country, he has quite a vivid recollection of the journey and remembers especially well crossing the Mississippi river. He was naturally anxious to go to the railing and look over the water and his mother had to hold him for fear that he might fall into the river. As it is more than six decades ago that the family located here, pioneer conditions then largely prevailed and he knows by experience the life of the frontier. He has won a fair measure of material success, but values even more highly the esteem and respect which is generally accorded him and which is well deserved, as he has been at all times honest, upright and just, and many there are who have received unusual kindness at his hands.