Person Page 338

Thomas Waite was born about 1615 in Wales. He and Eleanor Paine were married in 1639 in Portsmouth, Newport County, Rhode Island. He died before 14 December 1669 in Dartmouth, Massachusetts.

He acquired land in Portsmouth by 1639. He became a large land owner, with lands in Dartmouth, MA, Portsmouth, Conanicut and Hog Islands, Narragansett, and Westerly. He was a younger brother of Gamaliel and Richard Waite.

Was his father William Waite, 1566, Warwick, England?

Eleanor Paine was born in 1618 in Calbourne, Hampshire, England. Thomas Waite and she were married in 1639 in Portsmouth, Newport County, Rhode Island. She died on 21 January 1675 at age ~57 in Portsmouth, Newport County, Rhode Island.

Samuel Waite was born in Wethersfield, Essex, England.

Mary Ward was born in 1582 in West Haverhill, Suffolk, England. She died in 1660 at age ~78 in Osgathorpe, Leicestershire, England.

Daniel Davis and Katherine Leonard were married on 30 August 1801.

Jonathan Leonard was born on 2 November 1763 in Stoughton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. He and Elizabeth Blackman were married on 4 March 1782 in Easton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.¹ He died on 25 October 1839 at age 75 in Biloxi, Mississippi.

He was the son of Eliphalet Leonard and learned the iron foundry business from him. From ECL: Jonathan wrote in a letter February 23, 1826 (see NEHGS Register Vol. XI, pp.289-90), "as to the making of steel, the first attempt made in this country, so far as my knowledge goes, was made by my father Eliphalet about the year 1775/6. He led to the attempt by the extreme scarcity of steel and the difficulty of procuring it for the manufacture of arms, then in great demand for the defense of the country. He constructed several furnaces and so far succeeded as to supply himself and some of his neighbors. In 1787 I obtained further insight into the business and erected at Easton a furnace capable of making 3 tons at a batch. This continued until 1808, in consequence of commercial restrictions, I erected another in the same place capable of making 10 tons at a batch. In 1813 I erected another furnace in Canton where I now live (1826) and where I made about 100 tons of steel per year."

As to the manner in which he obtained insight into the business, it is told that Jonathan, hearing that steel was being manufactured by an improved process in Pennsylvania, went there where it was made. When he came to the place he assumed the ways of a simpleton, gradually arousing the sympathies and humorous interest of the workmen. He received menial employment about the furnace, meanwhile keeping his eyes open and profiting by the knowledge he gained. This Jonathan, who became known as "Quaker Leonard," was eccentric and bright enough to have done all this. He paid a poll tax in Easton from 1785 to 1792; after that his name disappears, but he was taxed as a nonresident as he continued the business.

From the history of Canton on their web site: "Around 1760 the dam near what is today the center of town had a blacksmith shop and forge set up by Mr. Leonard Kinsley and by 1787 Mr. Adam Kinsley and Jonathan Leonard were producing farm implements, saw blades, and tools for general use. As the business prospered and grew, a slitting mill, designed for cutting and rolling iron was built in 1793. By 1797 they had produced one thousand tons of rolled iron and were producing steel for the first time. Leonard and Kinsley secured government contracts to produce guns during the War of 1812, and the company continued to grow and prosper. Around 1821 Mr. Leonard established his own forge on the easterly side of the privilege. It is not clear why the partnership broke up, but it seems that Mr. Leonard had been convinced that his land in Easton, MA, was the site of large deposits of lead and lost most of his money looking for it. His forge remained in operation at this location until 1833 or 1835 when he moved from the area and died in New Orleans sometime later."

He, his wife, and his son Charles went to New Orleans at the invitation of their eldest daughter, Elizabeth, who was married to Daniel Dana, the mayor of that city. He moved 40 miles from the city to avoid a cholera epidemic, but then died from it. (Source: Katherine Guild, wife of Josiah Snell Copeland)

There may be confusion about whether Jonathan was the son of Eliphalet, son of James (William Reed Deane, NEHGS Register 1851, p. 414) or son of Eliphalet, Jr. (above). It is also said that Jonathan died at an advanced age in New Orleans and that he had a son who lived in Meriden, CT.

Jonathan and Elizabeth's children are listed in Stoughton VR's, p. 195. Jonathan Leonard had person sources.²

Jonathan Leonard and Elizabeth Blackman were married on 4 March 1782 in Easton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.¹

Rodolphus Leonard was born on 1 August 1782 in Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. He and Ruth Tucker were married on 6 November 1812 in Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. He died on 12 October 1826 at age 44 in Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts.

He at first followed the sea, but then settled at the lead mines in Illinois and later returned home to Canton. From his Galena, Illinois, experience, he recognized some lead ore on his father's property, which led his father to spent his fortune searching for mineable deposits without success. Rodolphus Leonard had person sources.¹

Rodolphus Leonard and Ruth Tucker were married on 6 November 1812 in Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. She died on 8 November 1838 in Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts.

He and Catherine settled in New Orleans in 1812. He was later mayor of New Orleans.

Catherine Dean Leonard was born on 8 November 1784 in Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Lewis J. Judd and she were married on 6 June 1802.

Catherine Dean Leonard had person sources.¹

Lewis J. Judd was born in Lunenburg, Vermont. He and Catherine Dean Leonard were married on 6 June 1802.

Charles Sargeant Leonard was born on 10 January 1786 in Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. He died in 1848 at age ~62 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

In 1823 he opened a forge in Canton, MA. The forge burned down on November 29, 1825. The site was purchased by Mr. George Downes in 1828 at a sheriff's sale.

He died unmarried in New Orleans and is buried there. Charles Sargeant Leonard had person sources.¹

Sally Leonard was born on 13 February 1789 in Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts.

She married James Francis Brooks. Sally Leonard had person sources.¹

James Leonard was born on 24 August 1792 in Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. He and Mary Fisher were married on 13 January 1820 in Augusta, Kennebec County, Maine. He died in Saulsbury, Connecticut.

It is said he died unmarried in Saulsbury, CT, but there's a record of a marriage of a James Leonard of Canton with a Mary Fisher of Augusta. James Leonard had person sources.¹

Elizabeth Leonard was born on 3 August 1794 in Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. She died in 1851 at age ~57.

She died unmarried. Elizabeth Leonard had person sources.¹

Jonathan Leonard was born on 30 November 1798 in Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. He and Eliza Eveline Hodges were married on 29 January 1822 in Stoughton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. He died on 7 April 1854 at age 55 in New Haven, Connecticut. He was buried at East Cemetery in Meriden, New Haven County, Connecticut.

He studied medicine, which he abandoned because of ill health. He then turned to manufacturing of woolens in Stoughton, MA. In 1826, he moved to Meriden, CT after a short stay in Middletown. Near the main entrance to Hubbard Park in Meridan on the north side of the road stood an old stone building known as the Julius Parker Foundry. It was built in 1831/2 by Jonathan. He carried on the business of castings and was successful. He followed the Gold Rush to California in 1849, returning to Meriden in 1852. In 1854, he moved to New Haven. He was a "free thinker," a friend of William Lloyd Garrison, an abolitionist. Jonathan Leonard had person sources.¹

Eliza Eveline Hodges was born on 15 August 1803. Jonathan Leonard and she were married on 29 January 1822 in Stoughton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. She died on 28 February 1885 at age 81 in Meriden, Connecticut.

Eugene Leonard was born on 21 October 1822 in Massachusetts. He and Lavinia E. Curtis were married on 25 March 1844 in Wallingford, New Haven County, Connecticut. He and Nellie Meyser were married about 1872 in Indiana. He died in 1903 at age ~81. He was buried at East Cemetery in Meriden, New Haven County, Connecticut.

In the 1880 Census, he was working in a foundry in Norfolk, Litchfield Co., CT. In the 1900 Census, he was a widower living with his daughter and son-in-law and their family. Eugene Leonard had person sources.¹

Lavinia E. Curtis was born in Wallingford, Connecticut. Eugene Leonard and she were married on 25 March 1844 in Wallingford, New Haven County, Connecticut.