Hosea Harrison Leonard had many local descendants

Today’s story will be a continuation of the family of Hosea Harrison Leonard, which was begun and featured in last week’s column. Additional genealogy is available which makes today’s story possible.

A small portion of last week’s column is being presented for easy reference. In 1892, Hosea homesteaded 160 acres of land in the Carolina Township of Covington County, which was about five miles south of Andalusia. He and Minerva settled there to rear their family of 10 children. The children attended the local Pine Level School along with those of the Browns, Garlocks, Harts, Littles and Lundys. One teacher was the well-known Mr. Bertie Padgett. The family attended the nearby Salem Baptist Church where the Leonard children enjoyed many Sunday afternoons playing with children of the Brown, Hart, Kilpatrick, Lundy and Sheehan families. They often played in the clay gully that ran along the old Salem Church Road.

Hosea was engaged in the sawmill business and also operated a cotton gin. He supplied the local area with lumber and on occasions would haul wagon loads to the lumberyard in Milligan, Fla., which was 40 miles south. Around 1920, Hosea sold the place in the Carolina and Salem communities and moved the family to Allentown in Santa Rosa County, Fla. They farmed there for several years and became well known and respected in the community. They were faithful and active members of the Calvary Baptist Church. Hosea died in 1933, and his remains were brought back to the Carolina Baptist Church for burial in the church cemetery.

The family of Hosea’s oldest daughter, Effie May (Leonard) Snowden, was presented in last week’s column. Hosea’s second daughter, Addie Lee Leonard, was born in 1887 and died in 1968. She was married circa 1907 to William Joseph Belin (1868-1953), a native of South Carolina and son of Cleland and Eleanor E. Belin. Addie and William Joseph Belin were the parents of the following children: Emeline M., b. 1909, d. 1999, m. William Malcolm Ebersole (1910-1984); Addie Ruth, b. 1910, d. 1986, m. Howard Nelson Haygood (1904-1984); Martha, b. 1912, d. 1980, m. Willard Lenaron Myers (1899-1977); Jacob Chapman Sr., b. 1914, d. 2000, m. Myrie Shuler Fillingim (1914-2007); William Palmer, b. 1915; Cleland Leonard, b. 1917, d. 2011; and Mary Margaret, b. 1920, d. 1979, m. George Y. Core (1917-2007).

Hosea’s third daughter, Willa Josephine Leonard, was married in 1908 to Elijah “Lije” Houston Lundy Sr. (1881-1945). Lije was the son of Willis Green Lundy (1831-1902) and Elizabeth A. Stokes (1840-1900). Lije and Willa were the parents of the following children: Elijah Houston Jr., b. 1909, d. 1991, m. Mary Alyce Estes; Ibbie Ruth, b. 1911, d. 1912; Hosea Willis “Dick,” b. 1912, d. 1988, m. Mary Alice Hudson; Verna Will, b. 1914, d. 2002, m. Clyde Bass (1909-1999); Herman C., b. 1916, d. 1922; Wilson H. Tate, b. 1818, d. 1962, m. Sadie Ellen Allen (1918-2011); John Henry, b. 1924, d. 2007, m. (private); and a (private) son.

Hosea’s next daughter, Maud Pearl Leonard, was married in 1913 in Laurel Hill, Fla., to Andrew Moore Robinson Sr. (1879-1953, son of Joseph Berryman Robinson (1845-1922) and Helen Evelyn Cox (1846-1922). They were the parents of the following children: Mary Evelyn, b. 1913, d. 1959, m. Harmon B. Dow (1921-1992); Andrew Miles Jr., b. 1915, d. 1990, m. Lillian Mae Weiss (1933-2003); Jacob “Jake” Leonard, b. 1917, d. 1920; Helen Minerva, b. 1920, d. 1952, m. John Arthur Hood Curry Jr. (1919-2015); Rodney Julius, b. 1922, d. 2008, m. Rose Hortense Leverett (1928-2013); Clara Maud, b. 1926, d. 1975, m. Charles Willard Fuller (1925-1999); and James Hosea “Jim,” b. 1929, d.2009, m. Margaret Amelia Culver (1928-2003).

Hosea’s oldest son, Hosea Harrison Leonard Jr., was married in 1926 to Nellie Boggess. They were the parents of one son, Homer Key, b. 1929, d. 2006, m. 1953 ? in Attapulgus, Ga.

Hosea’s daughter, Tinnie Corine Leonard, was married to Daniel Edward McCaskill, son of Findlay McCaskill (1842-1912) and Leah Josephea McClure (1850-1913). They were the parents of a daughter, Mary Sue, b. 1926, d. 1983, m. (1) 1943 Fletcher Orison Holloway (1923-1990) (2) ? (3) Arlie A. Hart (1924-1994).

Hosea’s son, Homer Absalom Leonard, was married in 1922 in Milton, Fla. to Clara Bell Holloway (1905-1985), daughter of John William Holloway (1867-1928) and Mary Clara Halstead (1863-1945). They were the parents of the following children: John Hosea, b. 1924, d. 2009, m. (private); James “Jim” Edward, b. 1926, d. 2002; Homer “Jack” Arthur, b. 1928, d. 1992, m. Joanne Allen (1928-2005); Son (Private), m. Dorothy Ivy Johnson (1934-2014); and daughter (Private), m. (1) James Harold Stewart (1923-2003) (2) ?.

Hosea’s son, John Hobson Leonard, was married to Margaret Faith Soar (1925-1990), daughter of Francis M. Soar (1870-1952) and Lavinia Meeks (1884-1958). They were the parents of three children: one son and two daughters whose names were not listed on Ancestry.com.

Hosea’s twin daughters, Bernice and Bonice Leonard, were born in 1902. Bernice was married to Joe Creary. They resided mostly in Pensacola, Fla., where they reared two children: Betty, m. ? Penn; and Phillip, m. ?.

Bonice was married in 1924 to Dewey Columbus Moore Sr. (1899-1981), son of Harvey “Harve” Columbus Moore (1854-1953) and Martha Ellie Adams (1882-1926). They lived in Andalusia where Dewey began a dairy farm on Seegers Street circa 1929. After a couple of years, he purchased a farm from Lee C. Stokes in the Cedar Grove community on Brooklyn Road. The farm where he operated the dairy for a number of years was located a mile or so down Cedar Hill Road and near the Conecuh River.

Bonice and Dewey were the parents of the following children: Dewey Columbus Jr. “Skeeter,” b. 1925, d. 2009, m. Ada Jean Moore (1929-2010); William Harvey Jr. “Bill,” b. 1931, d. 2014, m. Hilda Jeanette Faust (b. 1934); and Thomas Leonard, b. 1933, m. Carolyn Williams (b. 1939).

The grandchildren of Bonice Leonard and Dewey Columbus Moore Sr. include the following: William “Bill” Harvey and Hilda Jeanette Moore were the parents of three children: Janet Lynn, b. 1955, m. John Kidd; William Harvey Jr., b. 1956, single; and Jeffery Michael Sr., b. 1961, m. Beverley Anne Quinn. Thomas Leonard and Carolyn Moore were the parents of Thomas Leonard Jr., b. 1958, m. Debbie ?; Iris Bonice, b. 1960, m. John Bracken; and Margaret Elaine, b. 1966, m. Greg Ragans.

Sources for today’s writing include Ancestry.com, a family story written by a descendant, Thomas Leonard Moore Sr. of Lee, Fla., which was published in 2003 in The Heritage of Covington County, Alabama, interviews with Thomas L. Moore and Jeffery Michael Moore Sr.

Anyone who might find an error in the above family history or who has additional genealogy is requested to contact this writer, Curtis Thomasson, at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-804-1442; or Email: cthomasson@centurytel.net.

 

HISTORICAL

MEETING

The Covington Rifles Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans will be meeting at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, May 3, in the Dixon Memorial Room of the Andalusia Public Library.