"Leonard Caryl after his removal from Vermont to Worcester built a new store and commenced mercantile business near the residence of his father-in-law in 1825. In 1826 he purchased a store, two dwelling-houses, and other buildings in the centre of the town, where he did an extensive business, not confined to Worcester only, but included the adjoining towns. In 1841 he built the large brick building at East Worcester for a store and dwelling, at present occupied by his son-in-law, William H. Ely, the most expensive and elegant building in Worcester ... Mr. Caryl had four daughters and one son. The eldest died when about four years of age. The second, Mary Jane, married Lasell J. Hayden, of Middlefield, who was a partner of Mr. Caryl at East Worcester for a number of years, under the firm-name of Caryl & Hayden, when a dissolution took place, and Hayden removed to the city of New York and became a partner in the firm of Hurlburt, Vanvalkenburgh & Co., in the dry-goods jobbing business, until the war broke out, when the firm was dissolved. His wife died Oct. 12, 1862, leaving two sons, Lasell J. Hayden and Louis C. Hayden. Their father died at Elizabeth, N. J., and Mr. Caryl, the grandfather of the two boys became their guardian. His third daughter married Dr. Benjamin C. Ely, son of Dr. Sumner Ely, of Middlefield aforesaid, and moved to Girard, Erie Co., Pa.; is a druggist; has four daughters and four sons ..." [D. Hamilton Hurd, The History of Otsego County, New York 1740-1878 (Philadelphia: Everts & Fariss, 1878), p. 362]

In 1841 "he was elected to the Legislature by a majority in the county of more than 1400, and in the town by 139 when the parties were nearly balanced. The year following he was elected Supervisor. In 1837 he erected the hotel opposite his store, As early as 1835 he advocated the feasibility of a Railroad from Albany to Binghamton, after the coal lands in Pennsylvania had been discovered, as the best if not the only outlet to Eastern markets. At a meeting of three counties at Schoharie Court House, Mr. Caryl made the principal address, as well as at Oneonta and at different points along the route, year after year, and Albany during the session of the Legislature, watching and looking after his favourite project, and it is not saying too much to claim for him the pioneership of this enterprise ..." [Source: The Caryl Family in England and America (New York: Private Printing, 1937), p. 37]