Leon C. Gaylord was born in 1860 in New Haven, Michigan. During Leon's youth he and his older sister Eva were raised by their maternal grandparents, John and Eliza Griswold who lived in Chesaning, Michigan. During the 1880s Leon worked as a clerk in his grandfather's hardware supply store. On December 25, 1882 Leon married Nettie B. Wood in Chesaning.
In 1898 Leon enlisted in the 1st Regiment of the Tennessee Infantry, Band Company, to fight in the Spanish American War. In 1898 Leon was deployed to Philippines where he fought in the Battle of Manila, the Battle of Muntinlupa, participated in the capture of Iloilo Island, fought near San Loman, and in various other encounters. He served in the war from 1898 to 1900. He was discharged from the military on February 20, 1901.
After returning to the United States Gaylord reenlisted in the military on October 2, 1901 at Cincinnati, Ohio. That winter he sailed to the Philippines and remained there until 1904. In 1904 Gaylord returned to the United States and was stationed at Fort Sheridan, Illinois for two years. In 1906 he traveled to Cuba and was stationed at Camp Columbia, Havana for three years. In 1909 he returned to Fort Sheridan, where he remained until 1914. From 1914 to 1915 he was stationed at Texas City, Texas. In 1915 he set sail for the Philippines but was detained enroute, and spent a year at various US military bases in Panama until he reached the Philippines on March 5, 1917. From 1918 to 1920 Gaylord remained at sea on patrol. During this time his ship docked at places such as Nagasaki, Japan and Vladivostok, Russia.
It is currently unknown what happened to Gaylord after 1920.
From the guide to the Leon C. Gaylord papers, 1898-1900, (Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives)
