Identity area
Type of entity
Person
Authorized form of name
Allison, Leonard A.
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1855-1903
History
Leonard A. Allison, K.C., was born in Newport, Nova Scotia on 3 March 1855, the son of John and Rachel (Shaw) Allison. One of his uncles, David Allison, was the president of Mount Allison University and another, W. Henry Allison represented Hants County at federal and provincial levels of government. He graduated in 1875 from Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick as valedictorian. He then taught classics at Sackville Academy for six years. This interest in classics continued throughout his life. In 1880 he entered the legal profession, studying under H. A. Powell of Sackville, Silas Award of Saint John, and Albert S. White of Sussex, all former classmates at Mount Allison. In 1884, he was called to the bar as a barrister. He formed a partnership with Silas White in Sussex. The firm became White, Allison and King in 1889. Mr. Allison married Ada Susan Murray (1858-1930), daughter of John Murray of Penobsquis, in 1885. The couple had two daughters, Jean Elder Allison (1893-1982) and Mary Rathbun Allison (1894-1983). A member of the Methodist Church, he served as choirmaster for the Sussex Church. In this capacity, he compiled and arranged a selection of hymns and chants. He then copied the selections into individual books for the entire choir. Mr. Allison was also a member of the Sussex School Board, taking a deep interest in his duties to the extent of spending many hours each week in classrooms. His greatest interests were history, genealogy and photography. He compiled meticulous notes but refused to publish until he was certain of his facts. He did publish a biography of the Rev. Oliver Arnold, the first rector of Sussex and an ancestor of Mrs. Allison. Another publication pertained to the history of the Indian school at Sussex. He also presented several papers to members of the New Brunswick Historical Society. During the last 10 years of his life, Mr. Allison collected information on Sir William Fenwick Williams, a native of Nova Scotia, a hero of the Crimean War and Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia as well as a relative of the Arnold family. He was unable to complete this study. In 1902, Leonard Allison travelled to Torquay, England for health reasons. He died there 8 January 1903, leaving his wife and two daughters.