Leonard “Leon” Allen Colp was born on a farm in Eight Mile Prairie near Carterville, on January 18, 1881, the son of John H. Colp and Isadora North. His father was a farmer and later a prominent miller.
Educated in the country schools and Carterville grade schools, he passed into the Northern Indiana Normal University at Valparaiso, Indiana, where he prepared himself for the University of Illinois which he entered later and was graduated from in 1904 with the degree of LL.B (Bachelor of Laws Degree).
Upon finishing his legal education at this university he moved to Marion and began practicing law with Attorney Hosea V. Ferrell, who was just out of a law school, and for five years they practiced their profession under the firm of Colp & Ferrell.
In June 1904, when the Leader Printing Company was incorporated Leonard Colp was one of the capital investors.
On December 10,1906 James A. Rose, Secretary of State of Illinois certified the organization of “Thorne Place Club” as a legally organized corporation of the State of Illinois. Leon A. Colp was President of Thorne Place Club and Hosea V. Ferrell, Secretary at the time. The building located at 601 East Thorne Street was then constructed in 1907 and used as a social club and residence by the five men owning the club.
On November 2, 1909, he married Ethel Burkhart in Marion, daughter of J.M. Burkhart, one of the county’s pioneer merchants. The couple moved to Benton, Illinois where he lived and practiced law for a brief time.
They were still living in Benton in a rental home when the 1910 federal census was taken. Leon was a 29 year old lawyer practicing general law and Ethel was aged 24.
Their first and only child, Katherine Colp, was born on July 30, 1910. Shortly after that the family came back to Marion to live and occupied a home at 904 N. Market near the rest of the Burkhart family members.
Leon served as exalted ruler of the Marion Elks BPOE #800 in 1912-13. He was also a member of the Elks baseball team.
In 1915, Attorney Colp was appointed master-in-chancery for Williamson County. According to the book Williamson County in the World War, “He has made a most excellent officer, being exceptionally fitted to the position by virtue of his legal training and most fortunately, too, for this county, whose master’s work is heavier than in any other county in this end of the state.”
When the “4-Minute Men in Williamson County” was formed in June, 1917, Leon Colp was among them. These men made 4 minute public speeches mostly in theaters and at public events during the war on topics picked by the government, mostly to dissuade any rumors or fears on the part of the public related to the war effort.
During the Illinois state centennial year, 1918, Attorney Colp was appointed by the governor as member of the state centennial commission and served throughout the period with much credit.
In the same year, 1918, Leon registered for the WWI draft and was described as medium height and build with black eyes and black hair, no impairments.
In the war period, he was head of the Y. M. C. A. drive and through his direction this county made a mark unequalled in proportion to the quota allotted it by any other county in this part of the state. He was equally prominent in other war work activities.
Naturally enough, he very willingly pledged his support to give every assistance possible to the organization of the Williamson County War History Society early in 1919 and while against his wishes, he was persuaded to accept the chairmanship of the society and serve as its President. Attorney Colp was one of the first to suggest a county war history resulting in the book “Williamson County in the World War”.
In the 1920 census, Leon was aged 38, Ethel 34 and daughter Katherine 9. They own their home on N. Market free of mortgage and Leon’s listed occupation was attorney at law.
A Marion City Directory indicates that in 1922, Leon went into partnership briefly with another attorney by the name of George B. White. They had law offices in rooms 32 and 33 of the Marion State and Savings Bank on the square. George White and his wife Laura lived at 600 S. Market Street.
On April 7, 1923, when the Marion Rotary Club was charted, Leon Colp was a charter member and served on the first board of directors.
By 1927, the Colp White partnership was no longer listed and Leon appears to be on his own in the law practice again with an office in Room 35 at the Marion State and Savings Bank (later, the Hotel State).
When the 1930 census was taken, the couple is now in their 40’s, Katherine is 19 and still living at home. Leon values their home on N. Market at $15,000.
In 1939, their daughter Katherine married Francis Holbrook on June 24th and left the home. Unfortunately, in the same year, Ethel’s sister Ruby Burkhart Johnson became widowed when her husband Paul B. Johnson died and Ruby came to live with the Colp’s.
This set of events is recorded in the 1940 census which found Leon now aged 58, Ethel 54 and sister in law Ruby Johnson, aged 46, living in the home. Ruby was a saleslady for a gift shop in Marion and Leon was still in law. The home at 904 N. Market is now valued at $10,000. Ethel’s brother Jean Burkhart, who owns Burkhart Shoe Store at 600 Public Square was living next door at 906 N. Market. Harry L. Crisp and his family were living at 908 N. Market St.
On November 15, 1967, their daughter, Katherine Holbrook passed away at age 57. Only three months later, Leon Colp died on February 20, 1968, followed by his wife Ethel on April 5, 1972. Leon and Ethel were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery.
Leon Colp was a member of the Marion Elks, of which he was exalted ruler in 1912-1913, Knights of Pythias, Shriners, Rotary Club and Masons. His wife Ethel was an organist for the First Christian Church.
The Williamson County in the World War book written in 1919 described Leon Colp as follow, “Williamson County and Southern Illinois have today many examples of well educated young men who have passed from college into the world and succeeded from the first in their chosen profession of law. Prominent among them in the county is Attorney Leon A. Colp.”
(Photo and some data from Williamson County in the World War; Federal Census Records; Marion City Cemetery Records; Marion City Directories; compiled by Sam Lattuca on July 18,2013)