Person Page 83

Uriah Leonard was born on 10 April 1686 in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.¹ He and Abigail Stone were married on 12 June 1707 in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.² He died on 2 May 1772 at age 86 in Stoughton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts.

Uriah lived in Norton for a while, was in Dorchester in 1724, then went to Stoughton, where he had a forge at Massapoag Brook, Canton (part of Stoughton that became Canton). Musical Society of Canton records say that he came to Canton in 1709, He was the expert man at the ironworks, located near where the railroad bridge crossed the Neponset River..

Uriah's children are listed in History of Westmoreland (Great Meadow), New Hampshire 1741-1970, and Genealogical Data, Westmoreland History Committee, Westmoreland, NH, 1976, except for Abigail and Enoch.

Will of Uriah, dated January 20, 1720: "I, Uriah Leonard of Stoughton, Gentleman. In the name of God, Amen, the 9th day of January, one thousand seven hundred and twenty. I, Uriah Leonard of Stoughton in the County of Suffolk and Provence of Massachusetts Bay in New England, Being weak in body but of sound mind and memory, blessed be God for it, and calling to mind the mortality of my body and that it is appointed unto all men once to die do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament namely in the first place I give and recommend my soul unto the hands of God that gave it and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the disposition of my soul nothing doubted but at the general Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and touching such worldly estates as it has pleased God to bless me with in this life I give and dispose of same in the following manner and for the following, viz. I imprimis my will that my funeral charges and all my just debts be all well and paid out of my Estate by my Executor. Item. I give unto my beloved son Uriah L 3/6/8 in like lawful money of said Province to be paid to him or his legal Representative by my Executor at the expiration of two years following my decease which together with all I have given him is in full of his (illegible -- doubbe?) share and portion of my full estate. Item. I given and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Joanna Liscomb the sum of L3/6/8 in like lawful money and also my bed to be paid to her or her heirs by my executor after my decease all of which is in full of her portion of my estate including what I gave her at marriage. Item. I give and bequeath to my beloved daughter Abigail Andrews the sum of L3/6/8 in like lawful money to be paid to her or her heirs by my Executor at the expiration of two years following my death which same including all that she had received is in full of her share and portion of my estate. Item. I give and bequeath unto the children of my beloved son Nathaniel deceased the sum of L4 of old money to be equally divided among them and their legal representatives to be paid to them by my Executor at the expiration of two years following my decease which said sum is in full of their share and portion of my Estate. Item. I hereby give and bequeath to my daughter-in-law Meredith Leonard full liberty to cut and gather firewood on any of my land without control (?) so long as she shall continue as the widow of my son Wally Leonard. Item. I give and bequeath unto the heirs of my son Wally Leonard deceased and to them and their heirs and assigns forever all the whole of my Estate both real and personal that shall remain after my debts and the aforementioned sums of money are paid to my children and grandchildren. I hereby constitute and appoint my loving and dutiful son Enoch Leonard to be the sole executor of this my last Will and Testament..." This was apparently copied from Suffolk records by George Marston Leonard.

Problem: The date of 1720 for this will makes no sense at all in terms of the birth and death dates of his children. It should be doublechecked. Uriah Leonard had person sources.³

Lt. William Leonard was born on 6 June 1688 in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts. He and Anna Barney were married on 10 August 1714 in Bristol, Rhode Island (then Massachusetts.)¹ He died on 7 June 1772 at age 84 in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.

He was a lieutenant in the militia. He is mentioned in John Barney's will (his father-in-law) in 1717.

There were several William Leonards born about the same time (about 1690) and in the same area. William of Norton, son of Joseph, married Abigail, but he was initially of Taunton until he bought property in Norton before 1715. William, son of Uriah, married Anna Barney. A third William had a wife, Sarah Bolton, lived in Bridgewater, and moved into Norton/Taunton. He owned land "easterly of the Mill River" which flows from Winnecunnet Pond in Norton thru Scaddings Pond and into the Taunton River, near where the 1728 map of Taunton has a forge and the names J. Leonard, B. Leonard, and Lt. Leonard written in a row. ECL notes the confusion among these William Leonards from examining the land records, and ample confusion remains today. For that reason, there is a more extensive description below.

Quote from ECL manuscript, p. 88:

"50. William (Uriah 2, James 1)

Born ------ 1688 at Taunton. He died about June 22, 1772 (see International Almanac). William Dean appointed administrator August 31, 1772. He married August 10, 1714 Anna Barney, daughter of John and Anna (Throop) Barney (see John's will) She was born November 22, 1695 at Bristol, RI (sic). She died January 13, 1774. He was a Lieut. in the Militia. Their children were;

141. Jacob born ------ 1716. He died March 14, 1745 (Norton Epitaph)(date given in VR's is 1743). He married October 12, 1737 Mary Wilde. She married again February 5, 1744 Seth Clark and perhas a 3rd time after 1764 to John Hall. A widow Mary Leonard was admitted to Norton Church in 1743.

142. Hannah born -----. She died in Sutton, MA october 3, 1811 (per Mrs. Marveill) She married April 12, 1750 Daniel Linkhorn (Lincoln)

143. Lydia born ------. died 3-1-82 in Sutton, MA. She married November 6, 1755 William Dean.

(See letter Mrs. H. Edward Marveill 6 Center Street East Bridgewater Mass.)"

The Barney-Hosmer Genealogy, privately printed, Springfield, MA 1912 says John Barney married Mary Throop, daughter of Deacon William Throop of Bristol, RI and gives daughter Anna marrying William Leonard.

Harriott Leonard Standish's "Leonard Dictionary" includes the following about William and Anna Barney's children: "(1) Jacob, b. 1716, d. 1743, m. Mary Wilde. (2) William m. Sarah Hoar. (3) Lydia m. 1755 William Dean (4) Hannah m. 1750 Daniel Linkon (Lincoln), a Tory. (5) Seth ? m. Ruth Hoar. (Ref. Taunton Probate Records; American Ancestry; Records of Miss M. Emma Burt, Genealogist, of Taunton.)

ECL notes that William3 sold to his son Jacob, as he calls him in this deed, the northerly part of his homestead, and this homestead William received of his father, Uriah, via Bristol Co. LR 27:20 dtd. 10 Jan 1737, witnessed by Seth Leonard and George Hall. This Seth was probably William's brother Seth, who was married to Deborah Hall.

NEHGS Register, Vol 124, July 1970, mentions a probate file for William Leonard about 1773, "either or both of my sons or sons in law Daniel Lincoln 2nd (husband of his daughter Hannah) or William Dean (husband of daughter Lydia). Note that only one son, Jacob, is listed among children here. Naming patterns of the time would call for another son to be named William or perhaps Uriah.

One unverifiable source indicates William and Anna had a son William in 1712, and several others mention a William B. Leonard b. 1709. Note also that daughters Mary and Margaret have not been documented. Also, the probate file implies there were only two sons-in-law (no other daughters or other daughters unmarried and unmentioned?). It seems strange that after having children every two years, the couple stopped having children, although they both lived to ripe old ages.

According to Harriott Leonard Standish's "Leonard Dictionary," William, son of William and Anna Barney Leonard, married Sarah Hoar, dau. of Leonard and Esther Bowman of Brimfield, MA or of Daniel and Sarah Hoar. She was born 3 Sep 1710. They had children: William who married Hannah Thayer and Dinah Burt, Sarah who married Nathaniel Field Sr. (ref. Miss M. Emma Burt). HLS includes a note that Mrs. Lucinda Leonard Field Lincoln's data sent by Mrs. Cliff Field gives the following children for Wm. and Sarah Hoar Leonard: (1) William Leonard m. (1) Hannah Thayer; 2nd Dinah Burt. (2) Seth, m. Susan Lincoln; res. W. Swanzey, NH. (3) Daniel, m. and had a daughter who m. Mr. Nobrey (Mobray?). (4) Barna or Barney, m. Phebe Bassett, dau. of Joseph, & res. Bridgewater, MA. (5) Ruth, m. Ezra Eddy. A record says that Wm. died at the home of his daughter, Ruth, had wife Dinah, and she paid Ezra Eddy for doctor and nursing bills. Note: The Field Genealogy says that the Sarah who married Nathaniel Field was the dau. of of William and Ruth (Hoar) Leonard. Miss M. Emma Burt says Franklin Pratt, Esq. gives William, the son of William and Sarah, as the one who m. Dinah Burt. Note: Braintree and Swansea records give Sarah Hoar, b. 9-3-1710, the dau. of Daniel and Sarah Hoar. Lt. William Leonard had person sources.²

James Leonard was born in 1690 in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts. He and Mary Dean were married on 27 September 1739 in Raynham, Bristol County, Massachusetts. Marriage listed in manuscript Church of Christ, Raynham, records, on file at Old Colony Historical Society in Taunton.^1,2 He and Anne Lnu were married after 1750 in Smithfield, Providence County, Rhode Island. He died on 9 May 1779 at age ~89 in Wrentham, Norfolk County, Massachusetts.

His father sold him 25 acres, one quarter of the family homestead October 25, 1739, when Uriah was 77 years old.

He sold his property in Middleborough and moved to Wrentham in 1751. ECL assumes that after Mary died, he went to live near or with his daughter Elizabeth Ware.

He would have been 39 when he married. Is this logical? Is this the right James Leonard? Other likely James Leonards died before 1771. He may not have died in Wrentham, although no burial record in RI or CT has been found.

Court Records: Appt. of James Leonard the 2nd of Taunton, husbandman, to be guardian of his daughters Mary Leonard, Abigail Leonard, and Elizabeth Leonard (all under 14), grandaughters of Mary Dean, dcd, dtd. 16 March 1749 (12:199). Mary Dean, his wife, died before 1750. Mary Dean's mother was also a Mary Dean and died about 1750.

See also will of Thomas Dean, will, Bristol Probate, vol. 11, page 333, in which he gave to Mary, wife of James Leonard, 28 acres in Middleborough near the dwelling house of Jacob Staples.

This James matches nicely with the information Dick Benson sent me about the James Leonard of Smithfield.  His wife, Mary Dean, died (shortly?) before 1750.  He could easily have taken on a second wife named Anne after 1750.   It could be that he didn't buy land in Wrentham or stayed there only a very short time before moving on to Smithfield (but long enough for his daughter to have caught the eye of Benjamin Ware).  His uncle James' son, Seth, was the Seth who spent time in Smithfield and was considered by relatives to have mental problems. The name "Gulliver" could tie in, either through his uncle James'wife's name (Lydia Gulliver) or through his wife, Anne, who could either havebeen a Gulliver or descended from a Gulliver.  A son, Gulliver, born 15 Nov 1755, probably in RI, would fit in with the new wife and wouldn't be listed in Taunton VR's.  He would have lived long enough to show up in the military census of 1777 and to have sold land to his son, Gulliver, in 1778, just before dying in 1779.  From the 1774 census data he had one son and one daughter (both by Anne?).

Gulliver Leonard appears in the Thompson, CT,records, per Dick Benson's pointing the way.  Other descendants of Uriah settled in northeastern CT (e.g., James1, Uriah2, William3, Jacob4 in Stafford), as well as some just over the MA border in Sutton.  But it would appear that Gulliver and his family were the only Leonards in Thompson.  An Isaiah Leonard, b. 1784 in Thompson, d. 1848 there, m. Cynthia, was the son of Gulliver and Priscilla.  Isaiah and Cynthia appears to have had at least 3 children, another Isaiah b. abt. 1827 and two daughters, Sally b. 1820 and Lydia b. 1822.  In the 1830 census, Isaiah had a household of 5, 3 under 20.  It appears that the Isaiah b. abt. 1820 had a son, Isaiah, who fought in the Civil War and was killed 5 Jun 1864 in the Piedmont of VA. The Connecticut records are good and allow the tracing of this branch to the 1900's. James Leonard had person sources.³

Seth Leonard was born about 1694 in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts. He and Deborah Hall were married on 18 April 1728 in Easton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.^1,2 He died before 5 February 1751 in Lyme, New London County, Connecticut.³

Seth was a large land owner in Easton, but sold out by 1741 and moved to Lyme, CT. In Taunton VR's, he is listed as "of Taunton" while Deborah is listed "of Easton" in marriage record. Was he a carpenter?

A Seth Leonard was baptized in Old Lyme 13 Jan 1744. Was it this Seth?

Seth Leonard and Deborah Hall sold land in Easton (Taunton North Purchase) to John Wetherell of Norton in 1735 (26:396) and 1739. In 1741 Seth and Deborah sold land to Seth Basset of Bridgewater that had come to them through their late mother, Lydia Dean Hall and grandmother, Katherine Dean (LR 30:249). Deborah and Seth sold their interest for 400 pounds, "reserving the right only of our honored father, George Hall, the improvement during his life. (George Hall resided in that section of Taunton, North Purchase, which became Norton in 1711 and Easton in 1725, which may explain why it's difficult to track some of the records during this period.) There's another land grant signed by George Hall, Thomas Hall, Lydia Hall White, Seth Leonard, and Deborah Hall Leonard dtd. 31 July 1734 that apparently wasn't entered into Taunton records until 30 October 1765 (LR 50:298). Another land grant for some acreage in Cedar Swamp that Seth bought from Nicholas White, entered in Taunton's books in 1785 (LR 64:150), was originally signed by Seth and Deborah 2 September 1738.

David Brainerd Hall, "The Halls of New England, Historical and Genealogical," 1883, is quoted as follows: "The children of George and Lydia Hall were: ...2. Deborah, b. Feb. 15, 1708; m. Seth Leonard, son of James*, the iron worker, and brother of Elizabeth, wife of Capt. Joseph Hall; he was a large landholder; they sold their estate in Easton in 1741, and removed to Lyme, Conn., where Seth lived but a few years." This supports the notion that this Seth did not die in Nova Scotia, as some allege. On p. 571, Hall is explicit that the Elizabeth Leonard who married Capt. Joseph Hall was the daughter of James Leonard 2nd, the iron manufacturer. But then there is a conflict between which Seth married Deborah Hall: Seth3, James2, James1 married Dorcas White, which seems to be supported by James2's will, and he explicitly mentions their daughter Elizabeth Hall. The Seth that married Deborah Hall is the son of Uriah2, James1, so the statement that he was son of James2 is wrong.

There is also much confusion about the couple's children. Here's how they appear in ECL's manuscript, p. 89, with my corrections in parentheses:

"53, Seth (Uriah 2, James 1) born ---------, He died July 5, 1759 at Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he had been in the War. (Note: this is in error. He apparently died early in 1750 in Lyme, CT, according to records there administering his estate.) He married April 18, 1728, at Easton, MA Deborah Hall, daughter of George and Lydia (Dean) Hall. She was born February 15, 1708. He was a large land owner in Easton but sold out in 1741 and moved to Lyme, Conn. His brothers-in-law George and Thomas Hall went with him. (Isaac Hall also went. The Halls went there to establish an ironworks. It is unknown whether Seth was part of this undertaking, either as a carpenter or an ironworker). The following list of children are not all verified (by ECL).

144 Jedidiah born---- 1730. He died ? He married Sarah Baldwin of Hanover, NJ. (Note: I haven't checked NJ records. But he and Sarah appear to have settled in CT.)

145. William born------? Died ----? (Note: no further record of birth, marriage, or death.)

146. Deborah born ----? died ----? (Note: no further record of birth, marriage, or death.)

147 Jonathan born 1735. He married November 1, 1764 Sarah Maria Dodge. He died at Wilmot, Nova Scotia May 4, 1812. (Note: more info on Jonathan is listed under his place in the genealogy. He went on the expedition to Nova Scotia in 1759 and emigrated there in 1760. This has his date of death wrong by 10 years. He was 61 when he died in 1802.)

148. Samuel born ----? died ----? (Note: no further record of birth, marriage, death.)

149. Ruth born ----? died ----? (Note: born 1740? no further record of birth, marriage, death.)

150. Asa born or baptized March 24, 1742? Deerfield, MA. VR says "son of Seth and Deborah." (Note: Asa apparently settled in Vernon, CT. Seth's son Jedidiah had a son named Asa.)

151. Daniel born ---? died ----? (Note: no further info, except possible birth in 1744.)

152, Sarah born ----? died ----? (Note: may have married Rufus Barney and possible confusion as to who moved to Bennington, VT.)

153. Silas born 1747 "near Lyme, Conn." He died ---- 1798 at Parma, NY. He married September 1, 1744 Persis Henshaw (Hincher). (Note: He's documented in another Leonard genealogy.)

154. Seth born ----- ? (Note: This Seth could have been born about 1729 in Taunton or Easton, first-born son named after his father, and be the Seth who is attributed to the last-born son of William Leonard and Sarah Bolton of Bridgewater, for whom there is no documentation in Bridgewater records. He also could be the Seth who lived in Granville, MA, for whom there is no obvious parentage.)

155. Rufus Barney born March 2, 1754. He married September 18, 1774 Sarah Holmes. "Went with Taunton people to Bennington, VT." (Note: He is probably confused with Rufus Barney, who married Sarah Holmes and did move to Pownal, VT. Rufus Barney Leonard was not a Leonard and has been eliminated from the data base. He would have been born 4 years after Seth died.)

156. Charity born -----? Married at Lyme VR January 30, 1755 Ebenezer Staples of Lyme, Conn." (Marriage verified but was born in 1735.)"

Harriet Leonard Standish in "A Leonard Dictionary" quotes Mr. Thatcher, "known to be a careful and accurate genealogist," as giving Seth and Deborah's children as "1. Jedidiah, b. abt. 1730, 2. Seth bpt in Old Lyme, CT, 1745-6, Silas, b. 1746, and 4. Asa." Thatcher's papers were owned by Wm. Boynton of Middleboro, MA (where are they now?). "Americana" gives children as follows: Wm, Deborah, Samuel, Ruth, Barney, Daniel, Sarah, Seth, Silas, Jonathan. Miss Eva Moffett of Aulston, MA, professional genealogist, sent to Mrs. McKee of Michigan the following list of children: Wm, Samuel, Seth, Barney, Sarah, Silas, Ruth, Daniel. Miss Moffett sent the same list, minus Silas and Seth to Mrs. Standish.

The court papers identify wife Deborah as executor of his estate, which was probated in early March 1750/51. He must have died shortly before this date. At the time, the only children still in the household were Jonathan and Silas, who was 4 and ordered by the court to choose a guardian, Isaac Hall.

Seth and Deborah apparently spent some time in the Deerfield and Northfield, MA, areas in the 1730's, given that at least two children, Penelope and Asa, were either born or baptized there.

There is evidence that ECL's note about Seth dying in Nova Scotia is wrong. Muster Roll #87371, Mass. Archives, vol. 97, p. 287, dated Halifax, Nova Scotia, notes concerning Seth Leonard: "Of a company in His Majesty's service under the command of Capt. Josiah Thacher," Seth is listed as a private, residence Bridgewater, entered service April 6, served until July 5, 1759, when he was "reported dead." This Seth appears to be some other Seth, not the brother of Jonathan, who served with a CT, not MA company. It would be unlikely that a man of 65 would enlist as a private to go to fight in a foreign war. Also, the Hall Genealogy referenced above notes on p. 573: "(Seth and Deborah) removed to Lyme, Conn., with their brothers, where Seth died, as Deborah was a widow in 1751." By 1759 Seth had been dead for 9 years.

Manning Leonard in The Leonard Memorial traces the descendants of Solomon Lennard of Bridgewater. On page 82, he lists "229. Seth5, b. March 1, 1727, d. in Nova Scotia, a soldier, 1755." This Seth was a son of Joseph4 Leonard and Mary Packard. Joseph, a descendant of Solomon Lennard, was a prosperous farmer in the south precinct of Bridgewater. This Seth is the one who died in Nova Scotia on 5 July 1759.

The Haskins-Leonard Genealogy lists a Seth (not this Seth) as a son of Joseph Leonard, Jr. 1696-1786 of the Solomon Leonard line and his wife Mary Packard. They had ten children. "Four of Joseph Leonard, Jr.'s sons were soldiers: Dan, Simeon, David, and Seth were all in the expedition to Nova Scotia under General Winslow against the French, and Seth died there." p. 9. This Seth Leonard (Seth 5, Joseph 4, Joseph 3, Jacob 2, Solomon 1) is listed in Manning Leonard's genealogy of the Solomon Leonard family and was born in 1727.

Communication with descendants of brothers Jonathan and Silas indicate that these two children were the youngest of Seth's brood. After Seth's death apparently before 1750, the two youngest living sons, Jonathan and Silas, were placed under the guardianship of Deborah's brother, Isaac Hall. There is a record in the New London Probate court index: Silas Leonard, guardianship, J6, 140 "of late ? ///// (where ? is a short illegible word and //// + crossed out, but had been Silas. Index J5 spans September 2, 1742 - April 9, 1754. There is no guardianship for a Seth or for other children, and that would have been required if Seth were 14 or under, which he would have been if he was born in 1749.

The New London Probate Court card index also includes: Seth Leonard, insolvent. Deborah Leonard, Admx: Mar. 12, 1750/51, Decrees: J5, 103, Apt. Comrs: J5, 103, Inventory 7, 207, Additional inventory: 7, 245, Order ? Adm. Acct: J5, 109. Deborah signed March 12, 1750/51. Ward Leonard did not find a death record for Seth to go with this subsequent administration of his estate. Seth Leonard had person sources.⁴

Jonathan Leonard was born in 1698 in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts. He died after 1729.

ECL: "Nothing is known about him, except that he signed a deed in 1729 showing he was in Taunton." It's strange that he doesn't otherwise appear in the records. Wife? Children? Confused with another Jonathan Leonard? Did he have a son, Lee, who received the Whittenden Iron Works at Jonathan's death in 1779? Or is that another Jonathan? Jonathan Leonard had person sources.¹

Margaret Leonard was born about 1692 in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts. Josiah White and she were married on 20 November 1712 in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.