Abiel Leonard was born in Fayette, Missouri on June 26, 1848, the son of Abiel Leonard who was a state supreme court judge in Missouri, and Jeanette Reeves.[1]
In October 1887, the House of Bishops elected Leonard as the Missionary Bishop of the Missionary District of Nevada and Utah.[6] He was then consecrated on January 25, 1888 at Christ Church in St. Louis by Bishop Thomas Hubbard Vail of Kansas.[7] Leonard was instrumental in establishing the church in the vast areas he oversaw during his episcopacy. In 1892 the missionary district was expanded and included the incorporation of Western Colorado. After another realignment in 1898 the Missionary District of Salt Lake which included Nevada was created and this was overseen by Leonard until his death in 1903.[8]
^"Consecration of Missionary Bishops". The Annual Report of the Board of Missions of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America: 28. 1888.