Robert Lee McLeod, a prominent lumberman and philanthropist, served on the ECTC board of trustees from 1921 to 1922, but is not mentioned in the minutes of the board during his tenure as a trustee.
Born and raised in the Sandhills, McLeod received a rudimentary education in local public schools, reportedly completing the seventh grade. He took a job in the lumber business in 1890, at age 18, and continued in that work for the remainder of his professional life, eventually becoming the senior member of the McLeod and Sinclair Lumber Firm of Laurinburg and of the R. L. McLeod and Son Lumber Company of Ravenel, S. C. McLeod also had substantial farming interests as well as ties to other business initiatives.
Despite his relatively humble background in public schools, he became one of the most generous supporters of higher education in his part of the state. No doubt his selection as an ECTC trustee was in no small part the result of the state’s willingness to reward such private support for public education with opportunities to serve and guide the development of institutions such as East Carolina. Unfortunately, however, McLeod’s service as a trustee was brief.
Sources
- “Debt Is Cleared by College.” News and Observer. June 4, 1939. P. 3.
- “Observe Anniversary: Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lee M’Leod.” Charlotte Observer. May 19, 1940. P. 34.
- “Robert L. M’Leod Dies at Maxton: Prominent Lumberman Dies After Long Illness; Funeral Slated Today.” News and Observer. May 22, 1942. P. 17.
- “Robert M’Leod Taken by Death.” Charlotte Observer. May 22, 1942. P. 7.
Citation Information
Author: John A. Tucker, PhD
Date of Publication: 12/14/2022