William Lewis Leonard (Dr.) (1893)

LEONARD, YOUNG, LAIDLEY

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 2/22/2008 at 12:29:19

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Friday, December 29, 1893
Winterset, Iowa
Page 6

Obituary Notice

An Outline of the Life of Dr. William L. Leonard

William L. Leonard was born in Knox county, Ohio, October 6th, 1823. He was educated at an academy, and at Norwalk College, Ohio. In 1852 he graduated from the Ohio Medical College, and later from Jefferson Medical College. He practiced his profession at Chesterville and Cheviot, Ohio, and in 1859 removed to Madison county where he resided until he died.

He was a man of patriotic impulses, and during the war of the rebellion he served his country in his professional capacity. In 1862 he was appointed assistant surgeon of the 39th Iowa Infantry, the regiment which included so many Madison county soldiers in its rolls, and which is still strongly represented among the surviving veterans of this vicinity. He afterwards served for a time as surgeon on the staff of Gen. G. M. Dodge, and in 1863 was commissioned as surgeon of the 7th Illinois Infantry, which position he held until the close of the war.

After the rebellion was put down, he returned to Madison county and has since been engaged in the practice of his profession, except for two years that he served as county treasurer, to which office he was elected in 1867, and filled during the years 1868-69. He took an active interest in his profession, and was a member of the State Medical Society and the Madison County Medical Association, which later organization he served as secretary and president.

He married Elizabeth Young, of Knox county, O., on December 5th, 1843. She died in 1887. In 1889, he married Maggie Laidley, of Pennsylvania, who is now bereaved by his death.

Dr. Leonard was a man of strong and decided convictions, which were uniformly on the side of morality, justice and good citizenship. He was an earnest Christian, and was a member of the Presbyterian church of this place. So long as his health permitted, he was active in church work, and took a deep interest in the cause of religion and morality. He belonged to the Masonic order, being among the oldest members of Evening Star Lodge, No. 43, of this place, and in compliance with his dying wish, the lodge took charge of his burial and performed its funeral service at the grave.

For several years Dr. Leonard had been subject to severe attacks of illness, and there was great hope that he would soon rally from the last and fatal one, but his vitality seemed exhausted, and his death came on Tuesday, December . The funeral was held on the following Thursday. After a short service at the home, the remains were conveyed to the Presbyterian church, where the funeral sermon was preached by the pastor, Rev H. C. Herring. Dr. Leonard's brethren of the Masonic lodge and his comrades of the G. A. R. were present as bodies, and a large concourse filled the entire church. At the close of the service the lodge took charge of the remains and laid them to rest at the cemetery, with the Masonic ceremonies.

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