Leonard Walden

Dr. Leonard Walden is a son of Bishop J. M. and
Martha (Young) Walden, both of whom were born and reared in
Ohio
. Of their family of five children our subject
was the eldest. He was born
April 20, 1860
, at
Lynchburg
,
Ohio
, and received his literary education at
Cincinnati
and
Delaware
,
Ohio
. In 1884 he graduated from the
Ohio
Medical
College
. After practicing a short time in
Covington
,
Ky.
, he came to
Chattanooga
, and in less than a year was elected city
physician. He was connected with the board of health, is a member of the Sons of
Temperance and other secret orders. He is a very successful practitioner. His
father, Bishop J. M. Walden, was born in
Lebanon
,
Ohio
, on a farm. He received his literary education
at Farmer's College,
College Hill
,
Ohio
, and graduated at the age of twenty-one. He was
a correspondent of the Commercial Gazette,
Cincinnati
,
Ohio
, and during the year 1853 started a paper in
Illinois
, but this proved a failure. In 1855 he left
Illinois
and moved to
Kansas
, where he started a paper, but this also proved
a failure. He was elected to the office of commissioner of education of that
State in 1856, and in 1858 he returned to
Ohio
and entered the Cincinnati Conference. His first
circuit was near
Cincinnati
. He afterward went to
Lynchburg
,
Ohio
, where he was stationed three years and was then
sent to
Cincinnati
. He was connected with the Freedman’s Bureau
until 1868, when he was elected junior member of the Methodist Book Concern. In
1880 he was elected senior member of the same, and in 1884 was elected bishop.
Goodspeed's
"History of East Tennessee" 1887