| Notes |
- 1880 Census - Kinnickinnic, St Croix Co, Wisconsin
Leonard Stiles with his wife Helen (Chapin) and their first 3 children
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=marshallcounty&id=I5097
LEONARD C. STILES
From a Biography, 1898
Leonard C. Stiles, an old soldier of the Civil War, and one of Marshall County's prominent farmers, lives on Section 16, White Township. He was born in Cape Elizabeth, Maine September 30, 1843. His father, George Stiles [George Hoar], was a native of Nova Scotia. He was a marine engineer and followed that occupation for many years on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and touched at nearly all the European harbors. He died in St. Croix County, Wisconsin in December 1860, having located on a farm in that county to spend the declining years of his life. He married Thankful Cash in Cape Elizabeth in 1839. She was born there in 1822.
Our subject, Leonard C. Stiles, lived in Maine until he was ten years of age and then moved with his parents to Wisconsin and lived on a farm until the breaking out of the Civil War in 1861. September 30th of that year, he enlisted in Company A, Twelfth Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers, at River Falls. The company was at once sent to Camp Randall in Madison, where they remained until the following spring. They were sent to Kansas for a short time, and were in the skirmishes at Lamar, Mississippi November 8, 1862; Cold Water, April 9, 1863: at the siege of Vicksburg until its surrender, July 4, 1863; and the siege of Atlanta until its surrender, September 2, 1864. He was also at the siege of Jackson, Mississippi, until it was evacuated, and his company was a part of the force that captured Fort Beauregard September 4, 1863. He was at Natchez and participated in two skirmishes at that place and was with Sheridan on his famous Meridian raid, together with many skirmishes connected with the same. He was discharged from the service at Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the fall of 1864, and at once returned to his old home in Maine. After a visit of three months he returned to Wisconsin, but his health was so broken down in consequence of his army life that he was unable to do physical labor for four years. His weight was reduced from 150 to 90 pounds, but he afterward recovered from his sickness and gained materially in weight and strength, and in 1868 he began operating his father's farm and was thus engaged for two years. He then bought 40 acres of timber land, which he lived upon until 1874. He then traded the land for village property in River Falls, and hired to Ben Timberlake to work on his farm for one year. During this time he traded his village property for a farm in St. Croix County and made that his home until the spring of 1880. He then sold out and went to what is now Cass County, North Dakota, and filed a soldier's claim to 160 acres. This claim was 20 miles from the nearest village, but his family joined him in the spring of 1881, and a few other settlers located in that vicinity. Mr. Stiles circulated a petition and secured the establishment of a postoffice. which was named Leonard in his honor, and which is still in existence.
In June, 1883, he moved to what is now Marshall County, South Dakota, and at once filed a claim to the southwest quarter of Section 16, White Township. This he has improved and increased from time to time until now he has a fine farm of 320 acres of fine well-improved land.
Mr. Stiles married Helen A. Chapin in River Falls, September 13, 1868. She was born in St. Lawrence County, New York , a daughter of George W. and Sarah M. Chapin, both natives of the Empire State. The father died in Pierce County, Wisconsin and the mother in Marshall County, South Dakota.
Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Stiles, four of whom are now dead, three having died in infancy, and one died at the age of three months. The four remaining bear the following names, Walter E., Alvan C., Georgiana, and Roy C. The first three named were born in Wisconsin, and the last named was born in Marshall County. Politically, Mr. Stiles is a Democrat and was elected to the office of County Commissioner on the Populist ticket in 1896. He has also been county and township Justice of Peace. He is a member of the G.A.R. Post at Britton. In political movement s and affairs relating to the government and township in which he lives, he takes a prominent and active part and has been very successful in his undertakings.
Being one of the very earliest settlers, he has seen the country in all of its stages of development and his name has been closely connected with its growth and prosperity. Taken from the Comoendium of Biography 1898 Issue. By Geo. A. Ogle and Co.
Leonard C. Stiles died Thursday, April 4th, after having been in failing health for several months. The funeral was held Saturday afternoon from the Methodist Church. Rev. C. W. Rodgers officiating, and the remains were laid to rest in Britton cemetery. A brother, George Stiles, of Valley City, North Dakota and the surviving members of the family were present at the funeral. (There was no date on this, but it must have been in the early 1900's.)
The widow and three children remain, Walter E., Mrs. Georgiana Gotkin, of Broadview, Montana and Roy 0. of Britton.
Mr. Stiles has served as county commissioner and justice of the peace for 23 years. Reprinted from an obituary. (From book "Marshall County South Dakota History" published 1979)
Email to: MrsEdson(at)gmail.com
Date: Thu, May 15, 2008
SubjectWorldConnect: Revised Post-em posted
From: Kay S.
Email Address: KLSSKAY(at)yahoo.com
Note:
Leonard C. Stiles died 4 APR 1918 in Britton, Marshall County, ND and is buried in Lot 130 grave 12 in the cemetery in Britton. A history of Leonard's colorful past is outlined in the obituary written by his wife. "After moving to Britton, his old war injury turned to gangrene, and he had to have his leg amputated. He was instrumental in establishing the town of Leonard, North Dakota, and served as its first postmaster and also Justice of Peace." Russell Bowen talked to Edna Mable Stiles Davis about her grandfather, Leonard Crocket Stiles. She knew him personally and she said his middle name was "Crocket" -- not Casper. Leonard married Helen A. Chapin on 13 SEP 1868. She was born 26 OCT 1851 in Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence, NY and died 6 JUL 1918 in Broadview, Yellowstone County, MT and is buried in the cemetery in Britton, SD
Information on Leonard Crocket Stiles, and his descendants, was kindly contributed by Kay: KLSSKAY(at)yahoo.com
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The H600 Project Genealogy DB
1843 - 1918 (74 years)