Reuben Wells Leonard

Lieutenant-Colonel Reuben Wells Leonard (21 February 1860 – 17 December 1930) was a Canadian soldier, civil engineer, railroad and mining executive, and philanthropist.

Lieutenant-Colonel Reuben Wells Leonard
Born21 February 1860
Died17 December 1930
AllegianceCanada
Service/branchCorps of Guides
RankLieutenant-Colonel
Battles/warsNorthwest Rebellion (1885)
Other worksoldier, civil engineer, railroad and mining executive, and philanthropist.

Biography

Leonard obtained a degree in civil engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario and began working for the Canadian Pacific Railway. He joined the Corps of Guides in 1904. In 1905 he obtained mining rights to a productive claim in Cobalt, Ontario. He founded Coniagas Mines Limited to mine the ore and Coniagas Reduction Company Limited to process it.[1]

In 1911, he was named chairman of the National Transcontinental Railway Concern, the forerunner of the Canadian National Railways. He oversaw construction of the railway from Moncton, New Brunswick, to Winnipeg, Manitoba. Leonard was the namesake of the train ferry S.S. Leonard, built in 1914 by Cammell Laird to provide service pending completion of the Quebec Bridge. During World War I, he served in Europe with the Corps of Guides. He was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel in September 1915.[1]

He was president of the Engineering Institute of Canada in 1919-20. He served on the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission and on the boards of several colleges and universities, including Khaki University, the University of Toronto, Wycliffe College, Toronto, and Ridley College.[1]

Philanthropy

In 1916, he established an educational trust. Under its provisions, bursaries could only be granted to white British protestant students, and only a quarter of each year's grant money could be awarded to women. These terms were challenged in court in 1986, and in 1990 were adjudged by the Court of Appeal for Ontario to be illegal.[1]

Leonard also made donations to Queen's University, the University of Toronto, scouting organizations, and many others.[1][2] After World War I he donated Chatham House, Number 10 St. James's Square, a Grade I Listed 18th-century house to the Royal Institute of International Affairs.[3]

Honours

Queen’s University conferred an honorary doctorate in October 1930. Leonard Reef, St. Joseph Channel, Algoma District was named in his honour.[4] In 1923, he donated land to Queen’s University, on which Leonard Hall and Leonard Field were named in his honour.[5] There is also a Leonard Township in the Timiskaming District, Ontario.

References
  1. Ziff, Bruce (2005). "Leonard, Reuben Wells". In Cook, Ramsay; Bélanger, Réal (eds.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. XV (1921–1930) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
  2. "Leonard, Reuben Wells". Queen's Encyclopedia. Queen's University. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  3. Carrington, Charles (2004). Chatham House: Its History and Inhabitants. Chatham House. ISBN 1-86203-154-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  4. "Papers and Records". 10. Ontario Historical Society. 1913. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. "Leonard Hall". Queen's Encyclopedia. Queen's University. Retrieved 23 March 2019.

Further reading
  • Bruce Ziff "Unforeseen legacies: Reuben Wells Leonard and the Leonard Foundation trust" (Toronto, 2000)
  • 4237 Dr. Adrian Preston & Peter Dennis (Edited) "Swords and Covenants" Rowman And Littlefield, London. Croom Helm. 1976.
  • H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "To Serve Canada: A History of the Royal Military College of Canada" 1997 Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1969.
  • H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "Canada's RMC – A History of Royal Military College" Second Edition 1982
  • H16511 Dr. Richard Preston "R.M.C. and Kingston: The effect of imperial and military influences on a Canadian community" 1968 Kingston, Ontario.
  • H1877 R. Guy C. Smith (editor) "As You Were! Ex-Cadets Remember". In 2 Volumes. Volume I: 1876–1918. Volume II: 1919–1984. RMC. Kingston, Ontario. The R.M.C. Club of Canada. 1984
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