Leonard Wells Volk (1828-1895) was a marble cutter and sculptor who helped establish the Chicago Academy of Design. He was related by marriage to Illinois politician Stephen A. Douglas. Through Douglas, he met Abraham Lincoln and later went on to carve a bust of the famous president. In addition to his Lincoln work, Volk is known for the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument in Rochester, New York and the Stephen A. Douglas tomb in Chicago. He designed his own monument in Rosehill Cemetery, 5800 Ravenswood Avenue in Chicago, Illinois.
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Stories in Stone: Leonard Volk
M.A. Kleen 