Leonard C. Uhl

LEONARD C. UHL, SR. There was not much law business or anything else at Smith Center when Leonard C. Uhl, Sr., opened his law office and modestly became a candidate for practice forty-five years ago. He is the only surviving member of the pioneer bar of Smith County and from memory and personal experience recalls more of the real history of that part of Kansas than any other man.

Mr. Uhl is a native of Germany, has lived in this country since infancy, and two of his older brothers fought as soldiers on the side of the Union in our Civil war. He was born at Rutheim, Darmstadt, November 25, 1845. His parents were Peter and Eliza Uhl, the father born in 1808, at Obersmith, Germany, and died in Piatt County, Illinois, in 1889, and the mother was born in Rutheim in 1806 and died in Piatt County in 1878. The Uhl family came to the United States in 1847, first locating on a farm in Ohio, and in 1856 moved to Piatt County, Illinois, where Peter Uhl was a practical and industrious farmer until his death. His children were: George P., who served in the Union army, later became an attorney, and died at Stillwater, Oklahoma, at the age of seventy-two; Jennie, who died in Farmer City, Illinois, August 6, 1896, was the wife of George Erler, a shoemaker; John, who wore the Federal uniform in the ranks of the Union army, is now seventy-four years of age and lives in the Soldiers and Sailors Home at Quincy, Illinois; the next in age is Leonard C. Uhl; Henry went west, was a miner at Boulder, Colorado, and died at Longmont in that state at the age of sixty-four; Louis is a farmer, now fifty-eight years of age, and lives at Cerro Gordo, Illinois; Charles S. was formerly in the abstract business but is now handling real estate at Eugene, Oregon, at the age of fifty-two.

Leonard C. Uhl, Sr., was educated in the public schools of Piatt County, Illinois, attended the State Normal School at Bloomington and altogether acquired a liberal education. He taught school three winter terms, worked on farms, and later moved from Illinois to Falls City, Nebraska, where he was principal of schools-from 1869 to 1872. While teaching he took up the study of law, having as his preceptor his brother George, and was admitted to the Federal Court at Omaha, May 9, 1872.

Mr. Uhl at once located at Smith Center, Kansas, and is still looking after a large volume of practice. He is a democrat and served as county attorney two terms. He is one of the directors of the First National Bank and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Presbyterian Church and has been especially prominent in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He became an Odd Fellow in 1868, is a past grand and is one of the oldest and most faithful members of the order in Smith Center. In Masonry his affiliations are with Western Star Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Lebanon Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, Doric Council, Royal and Select Masters, Beloit Commandery, Knights Templar.

November 25, 1875, at Moweaqua, Illinois, Mr. Uhl married Miss Nancy A. Widick, daughter of Abner and Eliza Widick, both now deceased. Mrs. Uhl died at Smith Center December 24, 1909, the mother of four children: Eliza A., who died in infancy; Abner W., who died at the age of eighteen months; Leonard C., Jr., who is a graduate of the law department of the University of Kansas and is associated with his father in practice; and Fred H., a graduate of Spaulding's Business College, Kansas City, and is in the abstract and loan business at Smith Center.