Leonard Eckstein Opdycke (1858 - 1914)

Born 26 Sep 1858 in Ohio

Ancestors

Husband of Edith (Bell) Opdycke — married 12 Oct 1893 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States

Descendants

Died 3 Sep 1914 at age 55 in Bar Harbor, Maine

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Biography

Leonard Ekstein Opdycke was born September 26, 1858 in Ohio, the only son of Samuel Emerson Opdycke and Lucy Well Stevens. The family relocated to New York City.

On October 12, 1893, he married Edith Bell (1857-1946); they had two children. Leonard studied at Harvard University, where he received degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts and Doctor of Laws. A classmate of Franklin Roosevelt, he graduated in1883. While he enjoyed an extensive law practice, Mr. Opdycke found time to take an active interest in charitable enterprises and civic and educational movements. He was a vice-president of the New York Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor and a trustee of the United Charities Organization of New York. He was a Chevalier of the Italian Order of St. Morris and St. Lazarus and a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the Archaeological Institute of America and the New York Historical Society. Leonard was a co-author of OpDyck, OpDycke, OpDyke, Updike American Descendants of the Wesel and Holland Families.

There are differing accounts of Leonard’s death from a gun shot wound on September 3, 1914 at the family’s summer home in Bar Harbor, Maine. He was buried at Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, Kings County, New York.

Children of Leonard and Edith Opdycke:

• Leonard E. Opdycke, Jr. 1895-1977; m. 1924 Frances Prescott (1895-1969)
• Mary Ellis Opdycke 1896-1981; m. 1924 John DeWitt Peltz (1895–1957)

Sources

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58817205/leonard-eckstein-opdycke: accessed 30 January 2024), memorial page for Leonard Eckstein Opdycke Sr. (26 Sep 1858–3 Sep 1914), Find a Grave Memorial ID 58817205, citing Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, Kings County, New York, USA; Maintained by Athanatos (contributor 46907585).

• Opdyke, Charles Wilson & Opdyke, Leonard Eckstein. The Op Dyck Genealogy, containing the Opdyck--Opdycke--Updyke--Updike American descendants of the Wesel and Holland families (Weed, Parsons Co., Albany, New York, 1889)

• New York Times, September 4, 1914, Page 16
• New York Tribune, September 4, 1914, page 7