Biographies
ALBERT LEONARD
When the news concerning the discovery of
gold in California reached the eastern states a multitude of aspiring Argonauts
at once sought of destiny the fortunes to which very few ever attained; or
which, when acquired, were found to emanate from other sources than those
anticipated in the first alluring visions of the mines. Among the young men to
whom the news changed all of their first alluring
visions of the mines. Among the young men to whom the news changed all of
their future activities was Albert Leonard, who was born in Massachusetts in
1826, and who at the time of the great discovery at Sutter's Camp worked in an humble capacity in New York, having lived there from
boyhood. Immediately he began to plan a trip to the Pacific coast. Joining with
a party of one hundred picked young men who chartered a large ship in New York
and outfitted with provisions sufficient for three years, he sailed around the
Horn during 1949 under the leadership of a captain especially engaged by the
expedition. The company entered San Francisco through the Golden Gate and
proceeded to Sacramento, where a division was made into squads of ten and in that way they pushed forward to the mines. Not
finding any encouragement in his attempts to mine, Albert Leonard secured
employment as mail carrier for other miners and for some months he continued in
that position, by no means an easy task at that time and in that place. Soon
afterward he decided that the taking up of land would offer a more congenial
field of labor and accordingly he bought a tract, which he commenced to develop
and improve. During 1851 he was united in marriage with Miss Cordelia Merrill, a native of Ohio and a daughter of Isaac
Merrill, an honored pioneer of California. It was during the eventful year of
1849 that the Merrill family crossed the plains to the gold mines. The trip
occupied seven months and was filled with dangers and hardships, but found a
safe termination in little more than the time ordinarily required for such an
arduous enterprise. For years Mr. Merrill made his home in Sacramento county
and at his death in 1870 many tributes of praise were bestowed upon his memory
by the pioneers who long had labored at his side in the upbuilding
of the community and commonwealth.
Eventually giving up ranching pursuits and
disposing of some of his landed estate, Mr. Leonard embarked in the real estate
and insurance business, which enterprises took up his time and attention
throughout the remainder of his useful career and until his death in 1892.
Meanwhile he also had been a local leader in the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows and a participant of the meetings of the Association of California
Pioneers at Sacramento. No movement for the advancement of the county failed of
his support. It was one of his chief joys in life to witness the steady and
permanent growth of the state to which he had come prior to its admission into
the Union, which always had received his unfailing loyal devotion and in which
he had risen from poverty to independence, from
obscurity into local prominence. There were fifteen children born of his
marriage but five of these died at an early age. The ten now living are as
follows: Mrs. Alice Scott, of Fresno; Carrie, who resides in Philadelphia;
Benjamin and Charles, both of whom are industrious and capable citizens of
Sacramento; Jessie, who is married and makes her home in the capital city;
Irene, Joseph, Albert, John A., and Harry W. Until her demise, January 6, 1912,
the widowed mother made her home at the family residence, No. 3520 Seventh
avenue, where she was surrounded by the comforts accumulated by the wise
management and frugality of earlier years and where she enjoyed the
affectionate ministrations of her children and the warm esteem of old acquaintances.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento County,
California, Pages 1010-1011.
Historic Record Company,
© 2006 Sally Kaleta.