Biographical Sketch of Solomon L. Leonard, Gentry County, Missouri >From "History of Gentry and Worth Counties", Biographical Sketches of the Bench and Bar, St. Joseph, Mo.: National Historical Company, 1882. ********************************************************************** Solomon L. Leonard was one of the early immigrants to the Platte coun- try. He had been engaged in teaching school at the time of his coming. He was in moderate circumstances, indeed, might be termed poor, but he had pluck and perseverance enough for two men, but succeeded rather slowly at the practice of law. He lived on a small farm two miles from Platte City, about twenty acres of which he cleared and cultivated. From these two sources he made barely a comfortable subsistence. In 1843, the state was entitled to 500,000 acres of public land, Solomon L. Leonard was appointed a commissioner to select land for the state. The compensation he received for the same, enabled him to purchase the land on which he resided and on which his wife now resides, east of St. Joseph. In 1844 or 1845, he was appointed judge of this circuit to fill a vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Henderson Young, who had been judge for about one year after General Atchison's resignation. He continued in office until 1852, when he declined being a candidate for re-election. In most respects he was a model judge; commencing court every morning early, at the very moment to which it was adjourn- ed. Every day he got through the docket of that day, if it could be done by dark. Lawyers had to work hard, and those who were not fond of hard work found fault. He was always courteous and respectful to all members of the bar. The hard work imposed on the bar was not the re- sult of any arbitrary feeling on his part, but a determination and an honest purpose to subserve the interest of the public properly. It would be better for the bar and public if more judges would follow the same course. After he reitred from the bench he formed a partnership in the practice of law with General Bela M. Hughes. It was a very able firm, and while it continued it had as much practice as it could attend to. Judge Leonard's wealth gradually increased, and the proper- ty he left made all of his family rich. The increase of his property, and the business consequent upon it, induced him to abandon the prac- tice almost entirely. During the first year of the war, in 1861, he went south, whether to carry his negroes south or to engage in the southern cause, it is not known. He was drowned at Fort Gibson, Indian Territory, in Grand River, in that year. Judge Leonard had as much will power as almost any man, and a large volume of brain power. He was a man of strong prejudices, his enemies could hardly do right, and his friends could scarcely do wrong. He was aware of these prejudices and brought his strong will-power to control them on the bench, which he did successfully. He was devoted to his family, and educated his daughters with great care, regardless of expense. Rather impatient by nature, he was yet fond of legal and logical discussion, and listened with patience to lawyers of any ability. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Joe Miller Penny Harrell ====================================================================