I am researching William A. Leonard, a florist with greenhouses in Lansdowne, PA. Do you have any information on him?
Answer
I’ve looked in the archives, and haven’t found that William A. Leonard was involved with PHS.
Since the question mentioned he specialized in roses, I checked our American Rose Society holdings (but did not look for digitized versions of all of them!).
W. A. Leonard of Lansdowne, PA was listed as a member in the American Rose Society’s Annual Proceedings and Bulletin 1909-1912. He was not listed as a member in 1913 or 1914, but he exhibited and won prize(s) in the Great Exhibition of the American Rose Society at the International Flower Show March 21-28, 1914 in New York. I didn’t see his name in the list of prizes, but noticed “Leonard’s new light pink sport Lansdowne, from Budlong’s double white Killarney, is a very pretty color and may find a place.” p. 22, 1914 American Rose Society Annual Bulletin
Lansdowne rose is not on the list of New Roses Registered in 1914 (pp. 85-86 in the above digitized book), but it does appear on later lists (1922 and 1924 Rose Annuals, for example).
Other digitized references show W. A. Leonard was a supporter of the March 20-23, 1917 National Rose Festival in Philadelphia – see p. 153 of American Rose Annual 1917.
He was also an exhibitor and prize-winner for his rose Silver Columbia at the
January 30, 1924 Rose Exhibition held in Philadelphia – see p. 14 of American Rose Society's Medals.
His prize-winning hybrid tea rose Silver Columbia was registered in 1923 (see pp. 195 and 197, 1924 Rose Annual which I don’t think is digitized), and was sold by Conard-Pyle and Dingee & Conard. There’s a color picture of it in the 1928 Dingee Roses catalogue in our collection.
William A. Leonard, Union Ave, Lansdowne, Pa had not renewed his 1925 ARS membership according to the May, 25 1926 Members’ Handbook. I haven’t found any later mention of him.
The above roses are no longer available.
Hope this helps,
Elinor Goff