Sir John Leslie, 2nd Baronet facts for kids

Sir John Leslie, 2nd Baronet (born August 7, 1857 – died January 25, 1944), was an Anglo-Irish soldier and a baronet. A baronet is a special title, like a knight, that can be passed down in a family. He was also known as Sir John Leslie of Glaslough.

Early Life and Family

John Leslie was born on August 7, 1857. He was the only son of Sir John Leslie, 1st Baronet, and Lady Constance Wilhelmina Frances Dawson-Damer. His father was a Member of Parliament for Monaghan from 1871 to 1880. In 1876, his father was given the title of baronet. When his father passed away in 1916, John Leslie became the 2nd Baronet Leslie.

His family had a long history. His great-great-great-grandfather, Bishop John Leslie, moved from Scotland to Ireland in 1633. The Leslie family owned a lot of land in Ireland. In the late 1800s, they owned about 70,000 acres across several counties.

Military and Public Service

Sir John Leslie joined the Grenadier Guards, a famous British Army regiment. He served as a lieutenant in the Battle of Tel el Kebir in 1882, where he showed great bravery. He also fought in South Africa during the Second Boer War in 1900. Later, he became a lieutenant-colonel in the 5th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers.

Besides his military career, he held important public roles. He was the High Sheriff of Monaghan in 1905. He also served as a Justice of the Peace, which meant he helped keep law and order. He was a Deputy Lieutenant for County Monaghan. The Leslie family was against the Home Rule movement, which wanted Ireland to have more control over its own government. Sir John Leslie led the Monaghan Militia in the 1890s. He even allowed the Ulster Volunteers, a local defense group, to train on his family's estate in 1914.

Personal Life and Family Connections

Castle Leslie, the Leslie family home in Ireland.

On October 2, 1884, Sir John Leslie married Leonie Blanche Jerome in New York City. Their marriage was a bit of a surprise to both families. Leonie was the daughter of a very rich American businessman named Leonard Jerome.

Leonie's sister was Jennie Jerome, who was married to Lord Randolph Churchill. This made Sir John Leslie the uncle by marriage to a very famous person: Winston Churchill, who later became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II.

Sir John and Leonie had four children:

• Sir John Randolph Leslie, 3rd Baronet (1885–1971)
• Captain Norman Jerome Beauchamp Leslie (1886–1914), who sadly died fighting in World War I in France.
• Seymour William Leslie (1889–1979)
• Lionel Alistair David Leslie (1900–1987)

The family lived at Castle Leslie in County Monaghan, Ireland. This historic castle was their home for many years. Sir John Leslie passed away at Castle Leslie on January 25, 1944.

Descendants

Through his eldest son, Sir John Leslie had several grandchildren. These included Anita Theodosia Moira Rodzianko King (1914–1985), who became a writer. Another grandson was Sir John Leslie, 4th Baronet (1916–2016), often called Sir Jack Leslie. His grandson Desmond Arthur Leslie (1921–2001) was a pilot and filmmaker.