August Maxwell Leland was born in Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island in 1896. He attended the Philadelphia School of Fine Arts just after World War I, completing the course in two years.  He was also a member of the Academy of Fine Arts in Albany, New York.

Leland is believed to have numbered all his paintings on the back.  Traveling as far afield as Alaska and California, he made his money as a carpenter.  Later in life he returned to Mount Desert and had a studio (1950's - 70's) from which he sold his paintings.  He died in Anchorage, Alaska in the Spring of 1983.  He was cremated, and his ashes were spread to sea just off  Chevelle Island, which is out of Seward, Alaska, the most beautiful area Leland thought he had ever seen

Sources include:
Theron Leland, the artist's son
Terry Leland, the artist's grandson
Curtis Helmle, a collector of the artist's work