GEORGE LEONI, farmer, P. O. San Jose; was born in Canton Tessin, Switzerland, Lacarno, Feb. 18, 1801; at the age of 14, he entered the army (instead of an older brother who was drafted) from Switzerland, in the interest of Napoleon the First, who at the battle of Waterloo, surrendered his entire army to Wellington; he was made a prisoner of war, and assigned to the prison of Perth, Scotland, where he was kept a year and a half; he then went to London, and learned to manufacture optical and mathematical instruments, afterward traveled, working at his trade and selling his wares through all the principal cities of Europe; in 1830, he returned to his home in Switzerland, but remained only six months; he returned to Liverpool and took passage to New York City, where he arrived in September, 1831; there he engaged in manufacturing optical and mathematical instruments, and fancy cabinet ware (at one time on a very large scale), on John street, occupying three large four-story buildings; he remained in New York, experiencing the not uncommon great success, and the reverse, of enterprising and adventurous business men until September, 1848, when he went to Chicago, where he remained about a year; he then quit that business altogether, and went to Tremont, Tazewll Co., Ill, where they kept a small fancy goods store; early in 1851, they moved to the place where they now reside (Sec. 35), in Allen's Grove Township, then called Delavan's Grove, and built the first frame house in the grove, in March, 1851. He married Louisi Monti, in New York City, Sept. 9, 1837, she was born in Switzerland Feb. 18, 1818, and came with her parents to New York, in February, 1831; they have had nine children: Josephine, born Sept. 7, 1838, died in January, 1839; George N., born Jan. 25, 1840, died July 8, 1875; Leonena, born Oct. 17, 1842, died at the age of 2 years; Louisa, born Sept. 7, 1844, died at the age of 1 week; Leonena, born Feb. 8, 1846; Louisa M., born March 11, 1848; Veronica E., born March 2, 1851; Josephine A., born May 15, 1853; and Rose C., born Aug. 26, 1856; Leonena married W. Caldwell April 16, 1871; he died Dec. 24, 1874; Louisa M. married A. R. Chestnut Jan. 27, 1874; Josephine A. married John Crabb Nov. 25, 1874. Mr. Leoni owns a handsome home and 320 acres of fine land, in religion he is Roman Catholic; in politics a Democrat.



Maintained by Mason County Coordinator Donna Mayer