Truman Leonard
Born 17 Dec. 1820
Ontario County, New York

Baptized 25 March 1843
Near Kirtland, Ohio

Pedigree Chart

Moved to Nauvoo 11 July 1844



That little capsule above is about all I know of his early years, but there is room for some interesting conjecture in those dates.  First is the baptism near Kirtland, Ohio.  An early gathering place for the LDS church, by 1843 the members were pretty well moved out.  In fact, the last official group left in October 1838.  How much Truman knew of the Mormons, I don't know, but I'm sure they left a mark on the land.

His arrival in Nauvoo is also interesting - just 14 days after the murder of Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of the faith.  He must have been present at the meeting in August when the "mantel" of the prophet fell upon Brigham Young.  His decision to follow the prophet is obvious.

Nauvoo Temple 1840's

For the next two years Truman worked on the Nauvoo Temple.  The steeple had a height of around 160 feet, and he was one of reportedly only two skilled workmen who could work at that height.  As the temple neared completion, while working at height, Truman somehow fell to the ground.  Bystanders were sure that he was either dead, or soon to be so  But under direction, he was given a blessing and taken home.  I can imagine the surprise when he showed up for work the next morning, ready and willing to continue his labor!  As a reward for his faith and diligence, Truman and his first wife, Ortentia, were the first couple sealed for eternity in the Nauvoo Temple.

On the westward pioneer trek, Truman Leonard led a company of 27 covered wagons to the Salt Lake Valley, where he and Ortentia built a home and tried to start a family.  Six of their children died from the hardships suffered during pioneering. 

After 2 years in the valley, in August 1852, Truman was called on a mission - the Hindu (India) Mission.  He and his companions left Salt Lake in October and traveled to San Francisco where they were able to book passage on a ship to India.  They left on 28 January 1853.  The trip took 88 days and covered 11,000 miles.  It took 6 months just to reach the mission field.  (And I feel abused thinking about 20 or so hours on a plane to get to Hong Kong!  Poor me?)

The Ganges River, Calcutta, India 1850's?

His mission to India lasted almost 2 1/4 years, all done without "purse or scrip" - meaning that he ate, slept, and lived wherever he could for that entire time.  Little success was found in proselyting .  Disease was rampant, especially malaria and cholera.  At one point while traveling alone, Truman Leonard came down with the cholera.  Scarcely able to move, he said a fervent prayer and administered to himself, then gave over his fate to the Lord.  On the verge of death again, a friend (an Englishman) for some reason traveled 300 miles and found him just in time to nurse him back to health and save his life.

With the mission finally ended in 1856, he and a few others made their way to England, where they caught the packet ship "Enoch Train" for America.  The "Enoch Train" was at the time the largest of the packet ships afloat and was used extensively by the LDS converts as they crossed the ocean.

A clipper ship of the 1850's

Packet ships were new to the sailing world.  Technology had finally advanced enough that regularly scheduled runs could be made across the Atlantic, and they would hit their time schedule amazingly well.  The more wealthy passengers on these ships would take a round-trip voyage, wanting the sunny, or warmer side, of the ship both ways.  Thus they would have the Port side Outbound and the Starboard side Homeward bound voyage, giving rise to the acronym "POSH" for the luxurious accommodations.

Truman Leonard

Truman reached Iowa just in time to join up with the 2nd handcart company, and served as a co-captain of that group.  Their travel was so fast that they caught up with the 1st company (with Grandpa Job Welling), and both groups entered the Salt Lake Valley together.  He had been gone from home just 1 month shy of 4 years.

Not one to let grass grow under his feet, he not too long thereafter married two wives, and settled down in earnest (or so he thought) to raise a family.

Mary Ann (Polly) Meadows

Mary Ann Meadows was a plural wife, and the one I come through.  He met her on the handcart trek in 1856.


 But his life of service was not over.    In the following years he served missions to "The US Mission" from 1871 to 1872, to the "Eastern States Mission" from 1874 to 1875, and to Canada (this time with the dual purpose of escaping the persecution coming down on him for his participation in polygamy).


Truman Leonard returned home in 1894.  His later journals refer to several trips to the eastern United States, and to family outings on the "Dummy Railroad" to Farmington.  I'll talk more about that when we deal with Thomas Biesinger (another grandfather).  He also details his 50th wedding anniversary with Ortentia, his first wife.

Truman Leonard died on 20 November 1897 at the age of 77.  The Deseret News did a story on him at that time.  It closes like this:

"Truman Leonard, one of the historical characters of Davis County . . . one of the hardiest of men . . spent all of his life in pioneering the way for those who followed.  He had a big heart; he was generous to a fault.  Those who knew him best loved him most; and in that time when he shall stand before the Great Judge to receive his reward, the multitudes will rise and say, "He was a friend."

Thank you, Grandpa, for such a wonderful legacy!

There are more great stories about Truman Leonard in the book "Heart Throbs of the West" by Kate Carter and published by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, and in his journals found in the BYU Special Collections Library.