Jacob Leonard was born in 1647 in Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts. He and
Phebe Chandler were married before 1670 in Bridgewater, Plymouth County Massachusetts. He and
Susanna King were married before 1680 in Weymouth, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. He died on 14 December 1716 at age ~69 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusettes. He was buried at Myles Standish Burying Ground in Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay.
He and his family were apparently one of the earliest settlers in the Quinsigamond area, driven off by the Indians in 1675. He later moved to Weymouth about 1679, where his and Susanna's first two daughters were born. In the 1680's, he and his family first settled in Mendon, then in 1684-5 in the Quinsigamond Lake area of Worcester. There were, however, so troubled by the raids of the Indians that they became discouraged and removed to Bridgewater about May 1, 1693, for the town records show that at this date they were "warned out." They lived for a short time in Easton (Taunton, North Purchase), near the border with Bridgewater. He conveyed all his lands in Worcester on 9 May 1717 to his nephew Moses Leonard, who was then living in Marlborough.
Mayflower Families, Vol. XVII, James Chilton, p. 23: "Note: Leonard Fam (Manning Leonard's book) and Bridgewater by Mitchell both give Jacob Leonard an unknown first wife and a son Joseph. both are unlikely. Jacob's will does not mention a son Joseph even though the purported son was living and having physical problems. It is much more likely he is the known son of #16 John Leonard."
Manning Leonard: "On making a personal inquiry of Judge Mitchell in Boston, Mar. 2, 1853, about some errors in regard to the families mentioned in his History of Bridgewater, he kindly gave me information of my ancestors, not in his history; showed me what errors he had already detected, and with his own hand wrote the following: "Since the publication of my Book I have satisfactory information of the following additional facts as to the family of Leonard.
"Jacob Leonard (5) had two other sons besides those mentioned in my book, viz.: Joseph and Josiah, one or both of whom may have been born of the former wife, as in his will he calls Susanna his present wife. This Joseph m. Martha Orcutt, D. (daughter) of Wm. Orcutt of Scituate first, & then of Bridgewater, about 1695. She was born 1671. Joseph (17) was their son (born 1696) and not the son of Joseph (11), as stated in my book, who m. Hannah Jennings 1712. They had also Ephraim who is mentioned under Solomon (7) who went to Hopewell, N. Jersey, and a D. (daughter) who m. a Fisher of Rehoboth. Probably Martha, mentioned as having m. Ebenr. Eddy 1734, may have been their daughter also.
"Samuel (16) was son of Josiah above named, son of Jacob (5). Jacob (5) there is reason to believe, removed from place to place, and did not come into Bridgewater till 1693, when he was warned out. (This warning out was a common practice in those days, to prevent a family, when first coming to a town, from gaining a habitancy and rendering the town liable to the maintenance of the prosterity, and was done in all cases, however respectable or wealthy the new comer might be.)
"The principal authority I have for the above additions is derived from Simeon Leonard (26) who also says that Capt. Jacob, son of Capt. Solomon (19) told him that he was named for his great grand father (Jacob (5) of course); and says further that his own father Simeon (23) told him that Samuel (16) and Solomon (19) were first cousins to Joseph (17), so that Jacob (5) must have been father not only of Solomon (12) but also of Joseph and Josiah, not menioned in my history. There is however great difference in the births of their respective grandchildren; Joseph's eldest grand child appears to have been born in 1722, Solomon's in 1757, and Josiah's in 1751. If his tradition therefore is true, Joseph must have been the eldest son and probably by a first wife, and Josiah may have been also.
"For a proper understanding of this, reference must be made to History of Bridgewater, pages 235-237..." Ephraim Leonard, son of Joseph, was a witness to Jacob's will. Jacob Leonard had person sources.
1 He lived in Quinsigamond, Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1675. He died after 19 December 1717 in Bridgewater, Plymouth County Massachusetts.