DANIEL'S,GENEOLOGY~ MUSIC~ LIFE/PAGE'S

Daniel the 1st?

Daniel the 2nd

Daniel the 3rd

Daniel the 4th                                                                   Daniel the 5th

Following some notes my Dad had left behind about my great grandfather,  I began to attempt to find out his story from the documents I did have. He had enlisted in the 2nd Tennessee Cavalry in June 28th 1862. His unit mustered in January 22nd, 1863 and He was, (according to the story) Daniel A. Leonard the 2nd.

I, being the 5th Daniel A, was curious as my father was. I did have an edge on my dad though. I had a computer and the Internet....

While looking for more information about him through the National records, I ran into Nancy, a woman on the internet who claimed to have information pertaining to the 2nd Tennessee Cavalry. I called the number that was listed. Nancy said she had a shelf full of Claiborne county resource books. With the census records and land deed information. It was originally thought that he was from Tazewell Virginia and so that is where a lot of my concentration was. It just so happens that there are two Tazewells. One in Virginia in Tazewell county, est. 1799 (originally called Jeffersonville Township) and one in Tennessee in Claiborne county. They are only about a hundred and twenty-five miles away from each other.

That wasn't the only thing that was confusing me at the time. In some documents from the Bureau of Pensions, his widow signs her last name Lenard instead of Leonard. And all those documents spell the name Lenard also. So now how do I look for this man if I don't know how he spelled his name. Even his enlistment records spell the last name Lenara. Obviously a typo according to Nancy but still, where's the 'o'?

One Leonard family lists Daniel the 1st; born in Virginia in 1802, settled in Claiborne County and had 2 sons and 3 daughters. Daniel had a brother Named Patrick who was born in Virginia in 1844. Records show that many people living in Claiborne Co had been born in Virginia. Some of my elder family members have told me that we are of German origins so why would there be a Patrick in the Leonard family. The dilemma here is that There is much evidence that North Carolina had two or more families by the name of Leonard. One of German descent and the other of Scottish/Irish descent. North Carolina eventually split into two states on June 1st 1796. This is how Tennessee was born. Most of the records I have are from Tennessee. Specifically Claiborne County. And in the form, he filled out for his pension, (filled out by him?), he lists his place of birth as Claiborne County. and signs his name Daniel Lenard.

Okay, so the first census records found on the family were in 1850 when Daniel the 1st was still living and here it is finally spelled with an 'o'. So we might conclude that Daniel the 1st was literate but Daniel the 2nd was not and couldn't spell his own last name. Not only that but Mary, his mother couldn't either and the census records after Daniel the 1st's death in 1859 prove it; as the census of 1860 shows the name spelled Leonarde.

Court records from Augusta County VA in the time period of 1745-1800 mention a Daniel Leonard complaining that his father Adam Leonard, died without leaving a will, leaving a widow, Susannah and children viz: Orator, David, Elizabeth, Susannah (wife of John Hildebrand), Adam, Jacob, Catherine, John , Margaret, Samuel -- the last five being infants. Could Adam be the reason all the Daniel's middle initials are "A"?

I do have proof of a rumor. If Daniel the 2nd enlisted in the Tennessee Cavalry in July 28, 1862 and now, new information just obtained shows that he was born on May 30, 1846, that would put him at age 16 when he joined. Now that's perfect. The story that was told to my dad was that he lied about his age to get into the service and I'd say it sure sounds like he did!      ( see the Muster Rolls)

Although it is difficult to know exactly where our Daniel the first was born, I have found Leonards with the given name "Daniel" listed in records in the early to mid 1700's. They fought in the revolutionary war and the civil war It is possible that they arrived during the time when both Scotish immigrants were migrating by the thousands to escape persecution from their landlords as well as persecution of religion. But this is only speculation. Many of the early Leonards were also literate and had skills and education. The Leonard families, among thousands of others were here during the time the constitution was being written. Participants in the first chapters of the development of America.