Leonard Genealogy - Solomon

Descendants of Solomon Leonard 1615, of Duxbury and Bridgewater, MA

Solomon Leonard 1610-1671 is said to be the son of Samuel Leonard, although information on this Samuel Leonard is sparse.  He may have been one of the Separatists who went to Leyden, Holland.  Solomon is said to be from Monmouthshire, although Gloucestershire and Kent are also possibilities.  He came to America before 1636, perhaps as early as 1630. He married Sarah Chandler, daughter of Roger Chilton and Isabelle Chilton, the latter a Mayflower descendant, meaning that all of Solomon’s descendants are Mayflower descendants.
 
Solomon Leonard’s direct male descendants who have been tested are in Haplogroup I2b.  This differentiates them from the Iron Leonards, who are in Haplogroup J2, and the bulk of English and Irish Leonards, who are in Haplogroup R1b.
 
James Leonard’s and Solomon Leonard’s descendants lived in close proximity in eastern MA.  As a result, there were quite a few intermarriages, and some Leonards can claim descendancy from both James and Solomon.
 
The basic source of information about Solomon’s descendants comes from Manning Leonard’s book, “Memorial: Genealogical, Historical, and Biographical, of Solomon Leonard, 1637 of Duxbury and Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and Some of His Descendants,” 1896.  This has been substantial added to by Allen Vaughan, a descendant, who has tracked Solomon’s grandson, Benjamin, to Mendham, Morris County, NJ and that branch further to western Pennsylvania and Ohio.
 
Solomon’s descendants spread toward the New London area of Connecticut (as did some of James’) and the Worcester area of Massachusetts, later colonizing Worthington, Massachusetts. Where confusion enters the picture is with the removal of some from eastern Connecticut to Dutchess County, New York.  Records for tracking them are sparse, and as a consequence the trail dead-ends in that area.