Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Leonard, Henry J. 1936
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Marilyn Ransom mransom311@gmail.com August 10, 2014, 2:51 pm

The Ionia Sentinel-Standard, Monday, November 16, 1936


Henry J. Leonard, 86, of Belding died Sunday, November 15.  He had been in ill 
health for the past two years and had undergone a mastoid operation in June.

Mr. Leonard was a well-known citizen of Belding having lived there for 56 years 
and having been very active in the business life of the city.  He started the 
first store in Belding in 1880 in partnership with George Hall.  He also acted 
as station agent for the old Detroit, Lansing and Northern railroad.  He served 
the city as president of the bank, member of the board of education, and was 
mayor in 1901.  Mr. Leonard was treasurer of the Belding building and loan 
company and was president of the Belding Gas company which office he retained 
after he resigned from active business two years ago.

He was born in Lyons, October 14, 1850 and spent his boyhood there.  When he 
was eighteen he began to work as a clerk in a store where he worked until he 
had saved enough to start in business for himself.  In 1871 he and George Hall 
started a store in Kiddville.  In October of 1873 he married Miss Helen A. 
Jones.  They had three children.

He was a member of several Masonic lodges, the Order of the Eastern Star and 
Knights Templar, and master of the Blue Lodge for many terms.  He was also a 
deacon of the Congregational church of which he was a member.

After he retired from business he took up gardening as a hobby and became 
famous for his dahlias.  He was a baseball enthusiast and in appreciation of 
the work he had done for the baseball association in Belding, the field was 
named the Leonard field.

He is survived by a son, Louis; and two daughters, Mrs. Lena Lee Fuller and 
Miss Jessie Leonard, all of Belding.  His wife died about ten years ago.

Funeral services will be held from the Fitzjohn funeral home Wednesday at 2:30 
o’clock.  Burial will be in the River Ridge cemetery and Masonic rites will be 
held at the grave.



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