Biography of Robert W. Leigh - Conway Co, AR *********************************************************** Submitted by: Cathy Barnes Date: 21 Jun 1998 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************** SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas. Goodspeed Publishers, 1891. page 81 Robert W. Leigh. Among the men of a progressive spirit who were attracted to Morrilton in it, early days, was Robert W. Leigh, the subject of this sketch, who came here in 1881 and at once engaged in mercantile pursuits. Since that time he has (with the exception of a short interval) been actively associated with the growth and onward progress of Morrilton. Mr. Leigh was born in Paducah, Ky., in 1853, and was the first in a family of six children born to the Rev. William H. and Mary (Brooks) Leigh, who were natives of Tennessee and Kentucky, respectively. Father was born while his parents were traveling from Virginia to Kentucky. His boyhood and youth were spent in Kentucky, where, at an early age, he chose the ministry as a profession, and for over forty years was a member of the Memphis Conference of the M. E. Church, South. Twenty-five years of this time he was a Presiding Elder. He died in 1888, at Paducah, where his excellent wife still resides. Our subject was mostly reared in Tennessee, where he was taken by his parents in his youth. After attending the common schools till 1873, he entered the Southern University at Greensboro, Ala., where he remained two years and was then obliged to leave on account of ill health. He then taught school for a few months, and in 1876 bought out the Humboldt (Tenn.) Journal, and began a career of newspaper life, which he has continued, with but slight interruption, since. Mr. Leigh conducted the Journal for three years, and then came to Batesville, Ark., where he founded the North Arkansas Pilot, the first number of which was issued in March, 1879. He conducted the Pilot till January, 1881, when he came to Morrilton, and for a short time was engaged in commercial business. Wishing to re-engage in his old occupation of journalism, he purchased the States, and at once changed its name to the Headlight. Mr. Leigh conducted the Headlight until February, 1888, when he sold the paper and part of the material to Thomas J. Hicks, and then removed to Paducah, Ky., where he took charge, as business manager, of the Morning Daily Standard. Mr. Leigh remained in Paducah but a few months, when he engaged with the St. Louis Type Foundry as traveling salesman, and while engaged in this occupation he made Morrilton his home. On August 15, 1889, he was elected manager of the Pilot Printing Company, and on September 6th the first copy of the Pilot was issued. Mr. Leigh's newspaper experience and tact has enabled him to place the Pilot in the ranks of the best papers published in Arkansas, as it is the largest published in the State. It is Democratic in political sentiment, progressive and independent in principle, and under Mr. Leigh's management voices those measures instituted for the public good. This company also publishes the Pope County Mail, at Atkins, Pope County. Mr. Leigh also owns a half interest in the Register, published at Pratt, Kansas. In 1885 he was Journal Clerk of the House of Representatives, and in 1887 was reading clerk of the same body. He was the third Mayor of Morrilton (1884), and has been for a long time a member of the Arkansas Press Association, and for four years (from 1882 to 1886), was their historian; he was then elected Secretary, and seated in that office till he resigned in 1888. In 1877 our subject was united in marriage to Miss Nina Wrather, a native of Humboldt, Tenn. To this union have been born three children, Wrather (who died at the age of seven years), Charles M., and Kathleen. Mr. and Mrs. Leigh are members of the M. E. Church, South, and socially Mr., Leigh is a member of the K. of H., Morning Star Lodge, and the K. of P., Hermion Lodge, No. 28, of which he is Past Chancellor. He was Representative to the Grand Lodge in 1889, and re-elected again in 1890. Mr. Leigh is a cordial, whole-souled gentleman, never failing to make friends wherever he may go, and always found to be speaking good words for Morrilton.