Rev.
Amos Potter Leonard
(1835-1895)
Rev. Amos Potter Leonard was born on July
14, 1835 in Fayette County, PA, the son of Benjamin
and Sarah (Harbaugh) Leonard. He served as a Methodist minister for 40
years, played a role in the religious aspect of the Civil War, and was eulogized
as “one of the best known ministers in the Pittsburg M.E. conference….”
Amos married Clarissa "Clara" Hunter (1837-1901). They are not thought to have had children.
Amos first began preaching in 1855 when he was was 20 years old. After obtaining five years of experience, he then became "licensed" to preach in 1860 and was admitted to trial the following year in the Pittsburgh Conference of the Methodist Church.
During the Civil War, Amos felt the need to get involved in his role as a clergyman. He may have had political connections because according to the Uniontown Daily News Standard, "When General Grant took possession of Richmond [during the war], Rev. Leonard was given charge of the Christian commission of that city." The city would have been in ruins at that time, as the Union Army substantially burned the city in April 1865, at the close of the war. Re-establishing church services for citizens would have been a critical element of restoring order to the city.
Church steeples on Richmond's skyline during the Civil
War
Amos returned to Western Pennsylvania after the war ended. According to Dr. W.G. Smeltzer's 1969 book, Methodism in Western Pennsylvania, he moved frequently, as he was never stationed at any one church more than a few years, if that.
During
the period of 1874 to 1877, when responsible for the Ligonier church, Amos also served as the very first pastor of the Trinity United Methodist Church
of Scottdale, also located in Westmoreland County. His photograph appears on an
advertising page for the church in the 1974 booklet, Scottdale: 100 Years,
published by the Scottdale Centennial Association, Inc. The page is seen in
its entirely at right, with his portrait appearing at the very top left.
According to one booklet (not yet identified), Amos left the Jacob's Creek church and came to Scottdale circa 1874, when the town's name was changed from "Fountain Mills."
Here was the seat of the empire for coal, coke and steel, for many years to come. Our religious-minded forefathers, realizing that God must have a place to dwell in the community, and that there must be a headquarters from which to spread the Gospel, set about to establish centers of worship. In the same year, Rev. A.P. Leonard at the Jacobs Creek branch of the Methodist church, organized a society of 10 members who were of a mind to form their own society. The first task was to find a place in which to hold services. Early meetings were held in homes, school houses and churches until 1881, when a wagon maker's shop on Pittsburgh Street was used. Here a revival service was held which resulted in so many additions to the membership that it was decided to undertake the erection of a church home.
A complete list of his assignments included churches in the following communities:
New Florence and Bolivar 1861-1862; Farmington 1862-1863; Elderton 1863-1865; Burrell and Apollo 1865-1866; Marchand 1866-1867; Saltsburg and Hopewell 1867-1868; Saltsburg 1868-1869; Indiana 1869-1871; Butler 1871-1872; Ligonier 1872-1875; Jacobs Creek 1875-1877; Mt. Pleasant 1877-1880; Belle Vernon 1880-1883; Verona 1883-1884; Freeport 1884-1887; Janes 1887-1888; Simpson and Hoboken 1888-1890; Simpson 1890-1891; Jeannette 1891-1893; Morrellville 1893-1895; [and] McKees Rocks 1895.
Methodist churches Amos served in Indiana (left), Jeannette (center) and
Ligonier
Amos died unexpectedly of blood poisoning on Nov.
29, 1895 in his home at McKees Rocks, Allegheny County, near Pittsburgh. He was
only age 60, but had been serving the church for 36 years. His remains were sent by rail to
Uniontown, “to the residence of the late Judge Hunter, where funeral services
[were] held…."
His burial site is not recorded.
Clara outlived her husband by six years. She passed away on Aug. 9, 1901, at the age of 64. Her final resting place is not known, but will be added here when learned. She is memorialized in the Methodism book in a roll of deceased wives of ministers of the Pittsburgh Conference.
Copyright © 2001, 2005 Mark A. Miner.
Image of Rev. Leonard courtesy of the Mt. Pleasant Free Public Library.
Image of
Richmond courtesy of the American Memory Project
of the
Library of Congress.