FLYMPH FORUM

Over on the Classic Fly Rod (Bamboo) Forum, someone posted a question about a rod they have and the possibility it belonged to Jim Leisenring's family (perhaps father and/or grandfather). I thought someone on the Flymph Forum may be able to provide an answer. Here is the question:

I have a Bangor Leonard rod marked "E.B. Leisenring Mauch Chunk Pa. 1878" From the reaserch I have done there was a very well to do railroad and coal family in Pa in the 1800s named Leisenring. The senior was E.B Leisenring and he passed away in the 1880s his son E.B. Leisenring Jr. lived into the 20th century. This Leonard Bangor could have belonged to either or both of them. I was curious if the author Jim Leisenring who is also from PA. was a member of this, obviously fishing oriented, family?
The rod can be viewed on the Antique Rod and Reel Library under Leonard Rods I think it's the second Bangor Leonard listed. The last pic shows the engraving. Thanks

Look here for the actual post:

http://classicflyrodforum.com/forum/vie ... 9&t=123593

Can anyone provide any details to answer this question?

Thanks- Ken

Hi Ken,
I, too, was curious last year when I discovered the posting with photographs about a Leonard rod owned by E. B. Leisenring. Unfortunately I couldn't find any link between the two fishermen other than their name.

The Leisenrings came over during the Colonial era, so there were numerous branches to the family. I did some genealogical research into the branch of the family that James E. Leisenring was born into, and believe that he was only a very distant relative of the E. B. Leisenring line. E.B. Leisenring was a very prominent and wealthy man, far outside the social circles that Jim Leisenring's family would have socialized in. There is a book about the wealthy Leisenring coal magnates:
In the Kingdom of Coal: An American Family and the Rock That Changed the World
By Dan Rottenberg

And here is a link to a Google Books extract from the first pages of that book.
https://books.google.com/books?id=BZhFA ... ia&f=false

Jim Leisenring did work in the intertwined coal, rail, and steel industries, first as a blacksmith, then as a machinist, but that was through his uncle James Marsteller on his mother's side.

Thanks, Ken, for bringing this up on the Flymph Forum!
Lance

Cool stuff!

Yes, coal stuff.