Biography of Everett A. Leonard, Jr. - Mercer Co. WV

The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.
Chicago and New York, Volume ll.
Pg. 114-115        

Everett A Leonard Jr., went into business soon after finishing his
education, was a merchant for several years in old Virginia, and for the
past twenty years he has been a resident of Bluefield and a prominent
factor in the growth and development, keeping apace with the city itself,
of the Bluefield Hardware Company, of which he is president and manager.
    Mr. Leonard was born in Russell County, Virginia, August 15, 1876, son
of Edward A. and Eliza (Reynolds) Leonard, both natives of Virginia, his
father of Washington County and his mother of Russell County. Edward A.
Leonard was a Baptist minister and was also a Confederate soldier, all
through the war with a Virginia Regiment. The last year he was captured and
was confined in a federal prison at Rock Island.
    Everett A. Leonard Jr., acquired a common school education, finished
his high school course in Russell County in 1893, and about that time his
parents removed to Greene County, Tennessee. While there he attended
Mosheim College, and took a six months commercial course at Lexington,
Kentucky. After completing his education Mr. Leonard determined to seek his
opportunities in the far west, but after about a year as bookkeeper for the
Western Mercantile Company at Weston, Oregon, he changed his mind about the
west and returned to Old Virginia, For three years he was employed in the
hardware business at Lebanon by Mr. A. Hendricks, and then bought this
business and conducted it as proprietor until 1900. On selling out his
business at Lebanon Mr. Leonard removed to Bluefield, which was then just
coming into prominence as a commercial center of the great industrial
district of Southern West Virginia He connected himself with Bluefield
Hardware Company as one of its traveling sale!
smen, and for nearly ten years was on the road. By his personal and
faithful efforts he contributed in no small measure to the great volume of
that company's business, and the confidence reposed in the corporation by a
host of retailers. After about ten years Mr. Leonard was made vice
president of the company, and for the past six years has been president and
general manager. The Bluefield hardware company is one largest
organizations of the kind in the state, has a capital and surplus of
$700,000.00. and does an annual business aggregating $2,000,000.
    In 1898 at Castlewood, Russell County, Virginia, Mr. Leonard married
Miss Eleanor Fields, daughter of William and Elizabeth Fields. Her father
was a confederate soldier and at the battle of Petersburg was shot through
the thigh, a severe wound from which he suffered all the rest of his life.
He was by occupation a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard have one daughter,
Lucille Alton. Mr. Leonard is a Baptist, while Mrs. Leonard and her
daughter are members of the Presbyterian Church.
    Mr. Leonard, while he has kept his mind closely on business, is a man
of genial qualities and of wholesome companionship and is identified with
several social organizations. He is a member of the Fallsmills Fishing
Club, Chamber of Commerce, plays golf at the Bluefield Country Club, and is
fond of all outdoor sports. He is a Knight Templar and Royal Arch Mason, a
Shriner and a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason. In Politics he is a
democrat.


Submitted by John "Bill" Wheeler <wheeler@gru.net>

****************************************************************

USGENWEB NOTICE:  These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in
any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or
persons.  Persons or organizations desiring to use this material,
must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal
representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb
archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied
for personal use only.

****************************************************************