Joseph P. Leonard Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1116-1117 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	JOSEPH P. LEONARD, one of the honored residents of Lake township, 
Codington county, is a native of Niagara county, New York, where he was 
born on the 10th of January, 1858, being a son of Joseph L. and Sophia 
A. (Chidester) Leonard. the former of whom was born in the state of New 
York and the latter in Canada, she being of French descent. The father 
of the subject was engaged in farming in New York until 1860, when he 
came west to Minnesota, where he passed the remainder of his life, dying 
in St. Charles, that state, on the 31st of March, 1895, at the age of 
seventy-four years, while his widow still maintains her home in that 
place. Of their seven children five are living, the other two having 
died in infancy. 

	The subject of this sketch passed his boyhood days in Minnesota, 
having been a child of about two years at the time of his parents' 
removal to the west; and his educational advantages were those afforded 
in the excellent public schools of the town of St. Charles. In the 
meanwhile he assisted in the work of the home farm, leaving school at 
the age of twenty years, and he continued to be thus identified with 
agricultural pursuits in Minnesota until 1878, when, as a young man of 
twenty years, he came to the territory of Dakota, taking up government 
land in Codington county, where he now lives, and thus becoming one of 
the pioneers of this section of South Dakota. He entered claim to a 
homestead of one hundred and sixty acres and also took up a tree claim 
of equal area, adjoining, while he is today the owner of a finely 
improved and well-cultivated ranch of four hundred acres. He raises the 
various cereals best adapted to the soil and climate, his entire tract 
of land being available for cultivation, and also gives no little 
attention to the raising of cattle and swine of excellent grade. In 
politics he accords support to the Democratic party, taking a public-
spirited interest in local affairs, but never seeking official 
preferment. Fraternally he is identified with the lodges of the Modern 
Woodmen of America and the Ancient Order of Pyramids in Watertown. 

	On the 4th of December, 1881, Mr. Leonard was united in marriage 
to Miss Sarah A. Williams, who was born and reared in Wisconsin, being a 
daughter of John and Lavina (Sheldon) Williams, who were born in New 
York, whence they removed to Wisconsin in an early day. Mr. and Mrs. 
Leonard became the parents of five children, four of whom are living, 
while they still remain at the parental home. namely: Lillian B., 
Herbert E., Gladys P. and Aubrey C. Charles P., the third in order of 
birth, died on the 25th of February, 1895, at the age of seven years.