Judge, Major George Leonard, was born on 18 April 1671 in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts. He and
Anna Walker Tisdale were married on 4 July 1695 in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.
1 He died on 5 September 1716 at age 45 in Norton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.
2 He was buried in Norton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.
ECL: The Hon. George Leonard, the third son of Judge Thomas, inherited from his father and from the Watson family untiring industry, ability, and sound common sense, which carried him successfully through his undertakings. He learned the bloomers art under his father at the Raynham Forge. Having married in 1694,he cast about for an opening for his enterprise. His father and Uncle James having obtained the grant in 1696 of the North Purchase for building there a bloomery, George moved there to supervise the building of the dam and ironworks. These works cost about 300 pounds besides other expenses for bridges, roads, etc. George Leonard was master workman and manager. He received some property by his wife Anna Tisdale; and we find him in the course of five or six years buying lands and rights in the North Purchase ( later Norton). On 28 Oct 1707 he bought of his uncle James his share in the ironworks at Chartley, the third lot in the division of the North Purchase, 100 acres with 3/4 of the land between the 3rd and 4th lot of the second division, already agreed upon to be laid out...
ECL goes on with more land purchases, the accounts of the Chartley Forge in some detail, his offices in government, and his death and rumored pact with the devil (!!). See manuscript, pp. 53-55.
The Forge burned down 3 December 1741.
George was the first settler of what later became the town of Norton in 1696. He was a slave holder, a major in the militia, and judge of the Court of Common Pleas. For a lot more information about him, see Fanny Leonard Koster, pp. 71-73. Also, Genealogical Memoir of the Leonard Family by William Read Deane in NEHGS, 1851, pp. 403 ff. Also in Chilton-More-Rogers Silver Book by the Mayflower Society.
His will, dtd. August 30, 1716, mentions wife Anna, 5 daughters: Phebe, Anna, Abigail, Marcy, and Mary; 3 sons: George, Nathaniel, and Ephraim (all under age), his grandfather Watson, his uncle James Leonard, his man Caleminco, his boy Dick, his sisters Elizabeth Williams and Mary Tisdale. Witnessed by John Leonard, Benjamin Ware, and Ephraim Lane. Judge, Major George Leonard, had person sources.
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