One of the lines of business carried on in the early days was that of carriage building. Most of the men who worked at this trade were also wheelwrights and painters. Leslie's father was the earliest carriage builder to operate in Crapaud when he leased land there for a carriage factory in 1870. Leslie, the oldest son, learned the trade with his father and established his own carriage building business in Murray Corner. He was a boat builder as well and held a Master's certificate to navigate boats up to twenty tons. For many years he was a local Justice of the Peace. Leslie's maternal grandfather, Michael Clark (ca 1780-1862) who settled in Tryon, PEI, m. Sarah Gamble (1781-1865) in 1798, d/o James Gamble, a native of Ireland. Their son, Michael Clark, Jr. (1805-1880) m. Mary Ann Muttart (1802-1870) in 1827, d/o George & Elizabeth (Morley) Muttart, and had Isabella Sophia Clark (1846-1931).