Bill Leonard

In my article on the Leonard Theater I related what I knew of Bill Leonard, who was my friend as a young boy growing up in Cedar Vale, Kansas. In this article I will discuss what I have learned from research, which includes extensive searching of census records and a copy of Bill’s obituary, which Don Cox generously provided.

William W. (Bill) Leonard was born on July 20, 1881, in Waterloo, Iowa, the son of John E. Leonard and Margaret (Maggie) Leonard. His father was a railroad brakeman. When John died shortly after 1885, Maggie took Bill and his older brother, Charley, to Lebanon, in north central Kansas, where she married an older man, Seneca S. Lake and the boys grew to manhood. In the 1900 US Census 18-year-old Bill is listed as an apprentice painter and 20-year-old Charley is clerking in the post office.

According to his obituary, Bill was very active as a trombone and tuba player in the local band, which was led by Charley. Sometime later, Bill established a drug store in Lebanon. Apparently, a degree in pharmacy was not a requirement for operating a drug store at the turn of the century in Kansas.

In Lebanon, Bill met and married Maud T. (or T. Maud) Pennington (1879-1958) who had a daughter, Mona B. White. The couple took Mona as their daughter and they moved to Cedar Vale in November of 1907, where they purchased a half interest in Pattison Drug store. This store, which was originally known as Pattison and Leonard, became Leonard’s Drug Store when Bill purchased the interest of his partner. Bill and Maud operated this drug store in Cedar Vale for thirty-one years.

Bill continued his interest in music, organizing and directing The Girls Band (see photo), The Men’s Band, Alexander’s Ragtime Band, and the Hobo Band, which gained considerable regional fame in southeastern Kansas. He also took over the Old Opera House in Cedar Vale where he presented local talent shows along with road and stage shows that passed through the area. He brought carnivals and tent shows, called Chautauquas after their place of origin in Chautauqua, New York to Cedar Vale. I don’t know what, if any relationship exists between Chautauqua County, Kansas and Chautauqua, New York.

The Old Opera House continued until the advent of motion pictures. When the movies became a national phenomenon in the 1930s Bill and Maud opened the Mystic Theatre, the first movie theater in Cedar Vale, on the site where Herb’s Cafe later stood. I well remember that in back of Herb’s joint there were the remains of this earlier building, which may have been razed or perhaps burned down.

Bill published a small newspaper, called “Mystic Murmurs” for seven years while he was the proprietor of the Mystic Theatre. If you have the impression of a man who was constantly on the move, consider that Bill was also the local sign painter during all those years. His signs were in evidence all over Cedar Vale, each with the characteristic signature “Bill done it,” on the lower corner. I can remember that many of Bill’s signs were posted all over the town at the time of his death on November 28, 1952.

Bill and Maud took over another movie theater (the Princess Theatre) on a main street site next to the bank and renamed it the Mystic Theatre. Later it became the Leonard Theater and sported a large sign painted by Bill over the entrance. This is the site of all my early adventures with Bill and the movies that I have previously described.

While Bill Leonard was not the professional musician or circus musician I imagined him to be from the many tales of show business he told me when I visited him in his office or projection booth, he was a natural showman of great local fame in Chautauqua County, Kansas. Bill and Maud were responsible for much of the cultural life of Cedar Vale during the first half of the twentieth century. In Bill’s obituary the writer says, “A book could be written about Bill for his life was an open book. His ever outstanding sunny smile, good manners, and love for all, especially his love for children and animals, will always be remembered, not by one but by all.” This short piece along with my piece on the Leonard Theater will have to stand as my humble attempt to write that book.