Rev. George F. Leonard was the son of
Jacob Drake and Nancy Brown Leonard, was born in the state of Maryland
in 1832. His boyhood days were spent in Marietta O. He received
his education in Marietta Academy, Granville College (now Denison
University), and in Newton (Mass. ) Theological Institution. He graduated A.B. from Granville College in 1852. ; received the degree of A.M in 1855 and the degree of D.D. from the same institution in 1888. He was ordained the pastor of the baptist church in Mt. Vernon O. in 1854 and subsequently served as pastor of the baptist church in Lockland O, Ironton O, Elyria O., Wauseon O., and 1871 to 1882 in Peru Ind. In 1882 he was elected secretary and superintendent of missions for the Ohio Baptist Convention, and having accepted, removed to Norwalk where he resided until August 1895, when he removed to Granville O. During the rebellion he was in the service of the Christian commission on the field and in the hospitals. Mrs. Leonard is the youngest daughter of Samuel Sherman, deceased, one of the pioneer citizens of Norwalk. |