William K. Leonard, president of the Piqua Hosiery Company, is one of the leading business citizens of Piqua. He was born at Covington, Ohio, September 16, 1865, a son of Lewis and Charity E. (Kendall) Leonard, the father being entitled to the title of captain by reason of his service in that rank during the Civil war. Captain Leonard was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and in early life was a saddler by trade. Leaving Pennsylvania he came to Covington, Ohio, and worked at his trade until the outbreak of the Civil war interrupted his career and demanded four years of his life. Upon his return he engaged in the general store business, is well as the grain business, and in 1869 came to Piqua and entered into partnership with William Orr and William N. Kendall in the manufacture of linseed oil in 1870. Subsequently, he also engaged in the manufacture of strawboard and was one of the founders of the Union Underwear Company, a concern that later was moved to Greenville. He passed away at Piqua , greatly esteemed and honored, in 1900. Mr. Leonard married Charity E., daughter of William and Barbara (Billingsley) Kendall, the Billingsleys being pioneers of Miami county. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard were the parents of seven children: John H.; Mrs. Amelia L. Daniels, whose son Thomas L. was a captain of artillery during the recent war; Mrs. Grace L. Bredin, whose son Lewis L. was a captain in the aviation branch of the service during the late war and won much fame as an ace pilot in France; Forrest K., who was drowned in 1884; Lee I., who died in 1889; Lewis L., who died in 1900, and William K. William K. Leonard was educated in the public schools of Piqua and at the University of Pennsylvania, and after leaving the latter engaged in the linseed oil business with his father. He became secretary treasurer of the Piqua Hosiery Company, of which concern he is now president. This has become one of the leading enterprises of its kind in the State and adds much to Piqua's commercial importance and prestige. The position which Mr. Leonard occupies in the esteem and confidence of his associates is evidenced by the fact that he is president of the Ohio Manufacturers Association. He belongs to the Piqua Club, the Golf Club, the Dayton Club and the Athletic Club of Columbus, and is a Scottish Rite and Knight Templar Mason and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine. He was prominent in all war activities and acted as chief of the American Protective League, Miami county division. Mr. Leonard is likewise vestry man of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Piqua. He was married in 1888 to Nannie C., daughter of William W. Wood, and to this union there were born two sons: Kenneth, who attended the University of Virginia and was with the Piqua Hosiery Company until he entered the aviation service during the great war and was commissioned a second lieutenant, and William W., a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, who enlisted in the University of Pennsylvania Medical unit and drove an ambulance in France until the signing of the Armistice. For distinguished service he was decorated with the Croix de Guerre. The mother of these sons died in 1903 and in 1910 Mr. Leonard married Mrs. Edith (Albers) Merchant, who is a daughter of Henry and Susan R. Albers, of Los Angeles, Calif.