James Leal Greenleaf

James Leal Greenleaf (July 30, 1857 – April 15, 1933) was an American landscape architect and civil engineer.

Early in his career, he was a well-known landscape architect who designed the gardens and grounds of many large estates in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York.

[4] He was a distant relative of James Greenleaf, the infamous Washington, D.C., land speculator and whose sister married Noah Webster (whose newspaper later merged with the New Daily Advertiser).

He entered the School of Mines at Columbia University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering in 1880.

After graduation, Greenleaf was hired by the United States Census to engage in a two-year survey of water power.

[6] During his time on the Commission of Fine Arts, Greenleaf consulted on landscape design in a number of national parks.

However, he did consult with the firm of McKim, Mead and White on the landscape design around Arlington Memorial Bridge in 1931 and 1932.

[4] In retirement, Greenleaf devoted himself to landscape painting, working primarily in Italy and on the Isle of Skye.

[2] She was the daughter of George A.H. and Helen (Hard) Potts, whose wealthy mining family founded Pottsville, Pennsylvania.