Leonard W. Volk (1828 -1895) was born in Wellstown, NY (now Wells, NY).  He spent his early childhood years in Berkshire County attending school in West Stockbridge while both his father and brother worked in the Fuarey Quarry off Rt 41 during the 1830's.  This information was obtained from a personal letter from Volk's great-great grandnephew the late Dr. Charles R. Volk of Pittsfield, MA. 

Volk's father later had a marble cutting shop in Pittsfield that specialized in tombstones.  Leonard developed his interest in marble while working with his father in that shop.

Leonard studied drawing and funerary sculpture in St. Louis in 1848 and traveled to Rome (with the financial assistance of his wife's first cousin Stephen Douglas) to study Renaissance sculpture and art from 1855 to 1857.  During his stay in Italy, Volk’s wife and son lived with his uncle in Pittsfield.

Upon his return from Rome, Volk moved to Chicago and opened his first professional studio.  It was in Chicago that his career and notoriety grew.  He became a member of the art community there and was a founding member of the Chicago Academy of Design serving as its president for eight years.

As an artist Volk is best known for his sculptural portraits of Abraham Lincoln.