[p. 744] owner of a fine farm of 150 acres in Slippery Rock Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, located about eight miles southeast of New Castle, is a prosperous farmer and progressive citizen of that community. He was born on his father's farm across the road from his present home, October 8, 1860, and is a son of Charles F. Leonhardt and grandson of Henry Leonhardt.
Henry Leonhardt, the grandfather, was born in Germany, and there learned the trade of a carpenter. Some time after the death of his wife he emigrated to the United States, locating in Pennsylvania. He died in Slippery Rock Township, Lawrence County, in 1862.
Charles F. Leonhardt was born in Germany and there attended the common schools. He followed farming in that country, and when twenty-nine years of age crossed the Atlantic to the United States. He became the owner of seventy-six acres in Slippery Rock Township, the place now owned by his son, Charles, and there passed the remainder of his life. He and his wife, Mollie, were the parents of nine children, namely: Henry; Minnie, wife of Joseph Syling; Maggie, who died at the age of five years; Charles, of Slippery Rock Township, who married a Miss Glasser; Elizabeth, who is unmarried; Sophia, wife of J. F. Young, of Wayne Township; Anna, a teacher in the public schools of New Castle; Ida, wife of Cornelius Stewart, and Laura, who is now deceased.
Henry Leonhardt received his educational training in the district schools of his native township, and during his younger days worked on the farm by the month for his father. He also learned the trade of a carpenter, which he followed exclusively for two years. At the time of his first marriage he was the owner of a farm of thirty acres in Slippery Rock Township, and upon the death of his wife, five years later, he sold that property. He then purchased a tract of seventy-five acres, which he farmed one year, then sold to good advantage, and followed his trade for two years. He next purchased of William Vance in 1895, the 150-acre farm on which he has since resided. He made many important improvements on the place and has followed general farming with good results.
Mr. Leonhardt's first marriage was with Miss Anna Young, a daughter of Jacob Young, and she died some five years after their marriage. He formed a second union with Miss Kate S. Pfifer, a daughter of Adam Pfifer who was a native of Germany and for many years a well-known resident of Evans City, Pa. Mrs. Leonhardt's mother was a native of Pennsylvania. Four children were born of this union: Ira, deceased; Dorothy; Isabelle, and Theodore. Politically Mr. Leonhardt has always been a Republican, and takes a deep interest in the success of that party. He is a member of the German Lutheran Church, in which he has served as elder, deacon and superintendent of Sunday-school.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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