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a.
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Note: 4, Thomas3, Gabriel2, Gabriel1)
born ca 1860s.
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88 i. William Haight20 Leggett was born in Waterford Township, Oakland County, Michigan ---. William died --- in ---, at age unknown. He married Eleanor Knight --- in ---. Eleanor was born --- in ---. William & Eleanor had a daughter, Florence.
Send email to preparer: kalamcc@AOL.com
Larry and Kathy McCurdy
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From: John Dodson [mailto:jwdtjq@goeaston.net]
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2008 11:37 AM
To: Leggett, David
Subject: Re: leggett photos
Hello David, The things I have all came from Dr. Ives' estate. I am going through them and I promise to keep ypu posted.
John
----- Original Message -----
From: Leggett, David
To: John Dodson
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2008 7:47 AM
Subject: RE: leggett photos
Hello, John, yes, he is my second cousin twice removed. It`s been awhile since I heard from you. I know you were keen on getting some of the Ives paintings. Did this come from the same source? Or perhaps from Margaret Ives` stuff?
I knew William Haight Leggett lived to a great age, was a music teacher (seduced, married and divorced one of his students) but I have never seen this article. I know he had a daughter, Florence, but never knew what became of her. This article starts to talk about her, but then gets cut off! I would like very much to get the rest of it, and any other info you have. (My son is named William Haight Showalter LeggettÂ…they have a common ancestor in the original William Haight Leggett, 1789-1863.)
David
From: John Dodson [mailto:jwdtjq@goeaston.net]
Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2008 8:52 PM
To: Leggett, David
Subject: leggett photos
Hello David
I am John Dodson and I was going through some of my things today and found this old article and I have lots more. Are you related to this man?
John Dodson
My transcription of the pdf, DJL, 6 Feb 2008:
THE PONTIAC DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 1948
[Photo] William H. Leggett, playing the Stradivarius violin which he recently presented to the Oakland County Pioneer and Historical Society. He is today celebrating his eighty-ninth birthday.
Music Has Filled 89 Years for Famous Pontiac Settler
By Joe Haas
Today Pontiac`s oldest active music teacher, William Haight Leggett, is celebrating his eighty-ninth birthday. He is spending it with his pupils and his favorite Stradivarius violin.
Born just north of Pontiac, in the old Clintonville settlement on March 3, 1859, he has been identified with local music circles for over three-quarters of a century, with exception of the six years which he spent in Paris, under the tutorage of the masters.
He is the son of Mortimer A. Leggett, who was born on the present site of the Empire State Building in New York city, and who settled in Clintonville in 1853. His father learned to play the violin in order to promote community dancing parties among the pioneers. His mother was a good singer, so he was born with music in his blood.
* * *
He started playing piano early in life, but changed to the violin, and took lessons from Conrad A. Hoffman, prominent Pontiac music teacher of that period, who discovered his talent, and on whose recommendation he first went to Paris in 1885, where he spent two years.
He later made a second trip there for a much longer period. This time he was accompanied by his sister, Mrs. May Leggett Abel, who is now first teacher at the Detroit Conservatory of Music, a position she has held for many years.
They met and played with many of the world`s leading musicians of that time, and were scheduled to play before President Carnot of France on the evening he was assassinated.
* * *
Mr. Leggett lived in Detroit for 37 years, but kept up his music affiliations and teaching in Pontiac throughout that time. He has been teaching music here for over half a century.
During that time he has had thousands of pupils, and points with pride to the fact that many of them have become professionals, or have attained prominence in other ways.
No regular pupil has ever fallen into trouble in any way, which he says is proof of the ennobling influence of music upon the lives of those who devote their time and talent to its study.
For many years Mr. Leggett had a quartet here, and was a member of the old Pontiac symphony orchestra. Home, Sweet Home was the first selection he learned to play, and he considers Paganini`s Witches Dance to be the most difficult thing he has mastered.
He likes the classics that came from the minds of the great masters, as they always provide an incentive to reach for the depths, and enthrall one in their ennobling effects.
* * *
Soothing melodies like Gounod`s serenade are among his favorites. He does not class some modern music as being music at all. He points out that the work of the masters is the only music that endures through all the ages.
Mr. Leggett feels that the greatest violinist whom he ever met was Sivori, who had been a pupil of Paganini and with whom he was in quite intimate association in Paris.
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The greatest violinist he has heard in recent years is Enesco, a 74 year old crippled man whom he herd [sic] only recently at a concert in Detroit, and whose rendition of Bach`s sonata held the audience more breathless than any other Mr. Leggett had ever witnessed.
In singers, he says the greatest was Melba whom he met and heard in Paris, but that the present Lily Pons tops everything in her style of high soprano.
-------------
Mr. Leggett takes great pride in his violins, best of his collection being his Stradivarius, made by that master himself about 1734. He recently presented its counterpart to the Oakland County Pioneer and Historical society.
His knowledge of violins covers every phase of that instrument.
The tops of the best ones are made of spruce and backs of maple. The resin in the spruce and the sugar in the maple crystallize in a manner that produces the richest tones. This has been the combination followed without variation for over 300 years.
Besides his music, Mr. Leggett has for many years produced good work as an artist, liking water colors the best. He gives credit for his long life and good health to the fact that good music always brings restful relaxation, and his teaching work has kept him in close association with the younger people of each generation.
He remembers when Pontiac had no pavements and Saginaw street was a mass of mud and sand ruts, with more ox teams than horses. He still retains an interest in the old Clintonville home, where a sister died two years ago, at the age of 82, in the same room where she was born.
He vividly recalls being in the field with his father when news of Lincoln`s assassination came, and of how his parents embraced each other and wept, also of a memorial meeting held in Drayton Plains.
In company with his sister, Mrs. Abel, he attends all of the best music programs in Detroit, often being there several evenings in a single week. He has a daughter, Mrs. Florence Keeney in Seattle, Wash. He has been at his present studio, ?[cut off by the clipper] North Saginaw street for the past 21 years.
-----Original Message-----
From: David.Leggett@fns.usda.gov [mailto:David.Leggett@fns.usda.gov]
Sent: Thursday, November 26, 2009 1:00 AM
To: Leggett, David
Subject: WorldConnect: Post-em posted
Database: djleggett
Individual: I0164
Link: http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=djleggett&id=I0164
Name: Jeff Lloyd
Email: MajorWilliamsTree@msn.com
URL:
URL title:
Note:
The tail end/"clipped off by clipper" end of the article you referenced, and a typo correction; also the page number of the article added:
"The Pontiac Daily Press", Wednesday, March 3, 1948, p.17
"He has been at his present studio, at 101 North Saginaw street, for the past 25 years."
Hope this helps!
Jeff
Happy Thanksgiving!
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I sent an email to the Oakland County Pioneer and Historical Society on 20 February 2008, enclosing the text of the newspaper article:
-----Original Message-----
From: Leggett, David
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 8:04 AM
To: 'office@ocphs.org'
Subject: William H. Leggett's gift of violin to OCPHS
Hello, I was recently sent the following newspaper article, scanned from a clipping in a cousin's estate. As you can see, this article states that my cousin William Leggett (died 1954) presented your Society with a Stradivarius violin back in 1948. I was curious if you still have it, and what use you might be making of it, and if you have any further info on the Leggett family, especially William's daughter, Florence, who moved to Seattle, and was married to a man named Keeney, as the article states near the end. I am trying to find out what became of her, if she is still alive, and/or has descendants.
Thanks,
David Leggett
Hearing nothing after a week, on 27 February I telephoned the Society at 248-338-6732, and talked to Charlie Martinez. He said that they have two violins, neither of which is a Stradivarius. He has been familiar with the collections for the past 30, almost 40 years. He said some years ago, someone associated with the museum, and who played the violin, took both violins, examined them, and maybe had them appraised, and gave them the bad news. I asked him what if someone made a mistake?
He had heard of the Leggett name, and believes they definitely still have William Leggett's violin, whoever made it. He took my address and telephone number in case something comes up, and will have someone look for my email. He is familiar with the newspaper clipping I cited, but would have no further information on William's daughter, Florence.
I got a call back in March from a curator there who said that they definitely had no Strad. They have several old violins, but do not even know which one of them was given by William H. Leggett, as records were not so good in the old days.
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William and his sister May returned together on the steamer Spaarndam from a trip to Europe in 1894, according to Ellis Island records; this establishes his birth date as 1859:
Associated Passenger Date of Arrival Port of Departure Line #
Page # 0050
Leggett, William H. April 23, 1894 Rotterdam and Boulogne - previous next
Original page
Manifest for Spaarndam Sailing from Rotterdam and Boulogne
Name Gender Age Married Ethnicity Place of Residence 0031. Jellema, Willemke F 18y Holland 0040. Haga, Pietje F 15y Holland 0047. Nijdan, Size M 11y Holland 0057. Koning, Amerzns F 9y Holland 0060. Janny, Susanna F 64y Austria 0069. Barton, Samuel M 34y France 0070. Leggett, William H. M 35y US of Am 0071. Leggett, May E. F 25y US of Am 0072. DeCenninek, Rev. Chs. M 58y Belgium 0032. Jellema, Anna F 14y Holland 0034. Felder, Sophie F 21y Holland 0037. Haga, Sjoerd M 50y Holland 0041. Leuchsinsing, Eugen M 53y US of Am 0046. Nijdan, Aalze M 12y Holland 0049. Nijdan, Weibe M 7y Holland 0050. Nijdan, Gtze F 4y Holland 0053. Koning, Gryntje F 46y Holland 0058. Weeda, Gerrit M 33y Holland 0059. Janny, Alois M 26y Austria 0036. VandereMeer, Clalze F 49y Holland 0038. Haga, Bierska F 51y M Holland 0039. Haga, Tryntje F 21y Holland 0043. Markus, Henri H. M 18y Holland 0045. Nijdan, Wikje F 36y M Holland 0051. Nijdan, Meike F 2y Holland 0055. Koning, Sieds F 18y Holland 0061. Bozzert, Jozef M 22y Holland 0065. Mulder, Wize M 21y Holland 0068. Vander Slunis, Hinke F 32y Holland 0033. Knol, Clafje F 22y Holland 0035. Kirchansen, Elizabeth F 50y M Germany 0042. Leuchsinsing, Franjiska F 42y US of Am 0044. Nijdan, Willem M 39y Holland 0048. Nijdan, Reize F 9y Holland 0052. Gran, Therese F 60y M US of Am 0054. Koning, Grietze F 20y Holland 0056. Koning, Sietche F 11y Holland 0062. Hujgen, Johannes Corn M 15y Holland 0063. Hanninga, Jan M 63y Holland 0064. Mulder, Feze M 51y Holland 0066. Mulder, Yschje F 19y Holland 0067. Mulder, Reize M 16y Holland Associated Passenger Date of Arrival Port of Departure Line # Page # 0031
Leggett, William H. April 23, 1894 Rotterdam and Boulogne - previous next
Original page
Built by Harlan & Wolff Limited, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1881. 4,368 gross tons; 430 (bp) feet long; 42 feet wide. Compound engine, single screw. Service speed 15 knots. 975 passengers (75 first class, 900 third class).
Built for White Star and Dominion Lines, in 1881 and named Asiatic. Varied service. Sold to Holland - America Line, Dutch flag, in 1890 and renamed Spaarndam. Rotterdam-New York service. Scrapped in England in 1901.
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Wm. H. Leggett found in:
Census Microfilm Records: Michigan, 1900
Lived in: 2 Ward Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
Series: T623 Microfilm: 747 Book: 2 Page: 204
He is 41, a roomer in the household of James A. Colbill?, 44 Elizabeth St. West, Detroit. He is a violinist.
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William H. Leggett found in:
Census Microfilm Records: Michigan, 1910
Age: 51
Gender: M
Race: W
Birthplace: MI
State: Michigan
County: OAKLAND
Locale: WATERFORD TWP
Series: T624
Roll: 668
Part: 2
Page: 255B
William is 51. He and Eleanor, 22, born in Canada English of Canadian English parents, have just gotten married. They are both listed as "Music Teacher, Violin" One wonders if William married one of his students.
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1920 United States Federal Census
Leggett, W A
Age: 82 Year: 1920 Birthplace: New York Roll: T625_790 Race: White Page: 1B State: Michigan ED: 206 County: Oakland Image: 952 Township: Waterford In the 1920 Census, William, 61, is found living with his father, M. A. (Mortimer Allen) Leggett, 82, who had been a widower since 1874. (This record was not initially found, as the indexer thinks it is W. A.) William is listed as Dd - divorced (from Eleanor Knight). Also in the household is his sister, Catherine M., 57, still single, Elrose Randall, 6, and Frank Riker, 57, a "hired man." Mortimer is listed as "Farmer, general farm" and William is still a "Teacher, violin." Riker is "Laborer, Farm."
Meanwhile, Eleanor, aging only two years in the past ten (now 26), had moved to Milwaukee with 7-year-old Florence, to live in the household of her sister Florence, 28, married to Kurtis Froedtort, 32, Wisconsin native, of a father from Hessian Darmstadt, mother from Wisconsin, who seems to have been engaged in "Own business meat handler?" (legibility poor). The family is small, with just son Donald, 5, and two servants listed. Eleanor is listed as having become a U. S. citizen in 1899.
Leggett, Eleanore
Age: 26 Year: 1920 Birthplace: Canada Roll: T625_2003 Race: White Page: 19A State: Wisconsin ED: 215 County: Milwaukee Image: 134 Township: Milwaukee After much massaging of the search engine, this is what the indexer makes of the surname:
1920 United States Federal Census
Froedtert, Curtis
Age: 32 Year: 1920 Birthplace: Wisconsin Roll: T625_2003 Race: White Page: 19A State: Wisconsin ED: 215 County: Milwaukee Image: 134 Township: Milwaukee :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Unable to find William in the 1930 Census, 4 Feb 2003, although his father, 92, is found living as a boarder, with his daughter, Catherine listed as maid. William's other sister, May, is also found with her husband, Frederic Abel. I think it is probable that William was dead by 1930.
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But apparently not:
-----Original Message-----
From: Larry & Kathy McCurdy [mailto:kalamc@ameritech.net]
Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2003 11:30 PM
To: David.Leggett@fns.usda.gov
Subject: RE: Location, Location, Location
Interesting census info that you sent. The only info that we have under
Florence is that she lived in Wahington DC. We believe the info came
from some notes on her father's death, which occurred 12 Dec 1954. We
have no info on whether she ever married. The paper we are talking
about, we saw in Cory's records.
Yes, we did hear of Rudy's death, we believe it was 15 June. We will let
you know if we find out differently. Just making sure, you did get the
Leggett Bible records that we sent last summer. They were in Rudy's
possession still can't believe they switched Wiliam"s and Percivil's
names.
Let us know if you find Florence.
Kathy & Larry
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-----Original Message-----
From: Larry & Kathy McCurdy [mailto:kalamc@ameritech.net]
Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2003 9:18 PM
To: David.Leggett@fns.usda.gov
Subject: William H Leggett
David,
...
Below are somethings we noted under William H. Leggett, son of Mortimer. Indeed he was 95 years at his death, we were afraid we may have been mistaken.
Notice in paper: William H. Leggett, Walton Blud., Pontiac, Michigan celebrated his nineth birthday 3/06/1949 at his boyhood home, was born 3/03/1859; present to congradulate him was his sister May Leggett Abel, & George Hodges of Pine Lake who was born 3/03/1864.
He was noted as 95 years of age. He died at the Leggett homestead on West Walton Blvd.
...
Take care
Kathy & Larry
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REMINISCENCES OF WILL LEGGETT ABOUT HIS LEGGETT GRANDPARENTS
When Uncle Percy left for the front the last time, he told Grand if he was killed not to call it death. It was made a motto and hung under his portrait.
I was born, being the first great grandchild, Great Grand Leggett came from New York to see the Boy. When finding that it had been named after him, he said all that they named him that for was for what he would get. So the dear old man back to New York. After the remark that he made, Father and Mother changed my name to Percival S. Great Grand heard of it, and took the first train out of New York for Michigan to apologize and have the W. H. L. put back.
Father said old Great Grand hated tobacco as he would poison. So one day when seeing the old gentleman coming out in the field where they were at work, with them a small squirt of a boy they called Bill--they told him that if he would go and offer Grand a chew of plug tobacco (Bill bit off a chunk as soon as the real flavor had no tang), the old man would give him a quarter for his generosity. So Bill walked up to the grand old man and putting up the plug said--Have a chow, Mr. Leggett. Grand immediately began a lecture that lasted until stopping to catch his breath, giving Bill a chance to say, "Well, Mr. Leggett, if you want a chaw, why in H__ don't you take a chaw and not do so D___ much talking about it?" It was all too funny for Grand to not see the funny side, so he gave Bill a dollar for his generosity.
One thing Grand Leggett prided himself on was his garden, which was always fine. Uncle Perce knowing his hobby, being late and bed time, told Grand good night. But instead of going to bed he went out in the barn yard, took the bell off the old cow, and came up in the garden and began to make it clatter as if a cow was eating his treasured early corn. He did not keep it up long before Grand appeared at the door knowing what is was--that damned old cow--chased it all over the garden in the dark finally "she" broke down the fence and beat it for the barn yard, where Uncle Perce put again the bell around the innocent old cow's neck, who was peacefully chewing her quid.
Years ago they threshed the grain with horse power--12 horses hitched to sweeps that went to the power-and then a long bar of iron that turning close to the ground made the threshing machine go. There was visiting at Grand's a young lady from New York that dressed up in all her finery and came to the barn where the men were working. She was trying to impress some of the boys with being from New York, but was warned to keep away from the tumbling rod. But she was making eyes at one of the boys as her finery caught in the tumbling rod--and quicker than you could say Polly wants a cracker, she was beating it for the house with less on than Eve when she and Adam were driven out of the Garden of Eden.
Grandfather (when all would be sitting around the table reading) had a habit if he came to something that pleased him, he would begin to read aloud. Uncle Perce, no doubt deep in some philosophical work, the minute Grand would stop reading, Uncle Perce would begin to read aloud from his deep work about as loud as Grand did. Then all again would be quiet until history would repeat itself.
Note: * 85-g8Le7 William8 Leggett, (Mortimer7 A, Augustus6, William5, Thomas
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