Eighth Generation

3531. John Henry LEONARD was born on 5 April 1824 in Bristol, RI.² In 1850 he was a Blacksmith, Providence, RI. Resided at: 5th Ward, Providence, RI (Census) in 1850 . He died on 22 August 1879 at the age of 55 in Bristol, RI.³¹⁰⁴ John was buried in Lot #618, Area 3, Lot 2, North Burial Ground, Bristol, R.I.. He had a brother, George A. Leonard, who was 19 and living with him and his wife at the 1850 Census in Providence. George was also a blacksmith. Both George and John are listed as having been born in R.I. The 1852-3 Providence Directory lists John as a blacksmith at 12 Bridge Street. George A. was listed as a blacksmith at 226 South Main. The 1867 Providence Directory lists John H. as a blacksmith with his business at 384 South Main and his home at 21 East.

Back in Bristol, there was a household (people living at the same address when the census taker came) headed by Abby Leonard, age 49, with a Henry Leonard, age 14, and Henry W. Ellis, age 23, Abby Leonard Ellis, age 23, and Abby Ellis, 8 months. Henry and Abby were married August 23, 1849 (R.I. Vital Statistics). Abby was the mother of John H., George H, Abby, and Henry. Her husband Abraham was living in Portsmouth, according to the Census, just across the bay from Bristol. Henry Ellis' father may have been August Ellis or Halsey Ellis, 1792 - May 15, 1877. Henry and Abby had a son, Halsey, who died May 21, 1916, at the age of 81.

In the 1860 Census, he is listed as a master blacksmith with real estate worth $2200 and a personal estate worth $1000. He was living with wife Ann E, 28, daughter Elizabeth, 3, and daughter Maria F., 10/12, at 505/804 Third Ward in Providence. Son Alfred Francis and daughter Maria Augusta had died by 1860.

On his son, John's, birth certificate in 1862, he is listed as a blacksmith living at 21 East Street, Ward III, in Providence.

He is listed as John Henry Leonard in the death record. Cause of death was chronic inflamation of the stomach. He was a blacksmith living at 23 East Street in Providence at time of death. John listed as kin in death: Abraham Leonard, Abby Leonard.

After John died, his family continued to live at 23 East St. The 1880 Census has them there, but the Cross' (John's daughter, Elizabeth, married Charles Cross) are listed as head of household.

He and Ann are buried in Section 3, lot 2, in North Burial Ground, Bristol, along with several of their children. The plot is in a grove of trees east of the south entrance near large Clinton and Bowen monuments. His stone reads: "John H. Leonard died August 22, 1879, aged 55 years, 4 months, 17 days." His wife's stone reads: "Ann E., wife of John H. Leonard, died January 16, 1890, aged 58 years." Nearby are two smaller stones of his sons: "John H. Leonard, 1862-1920," and "Walter B. Leonard, 1867-1955." The symbol on John H.'s tombstone indicates he was an Odd Fellow (3 rings of a chain).

John Henry Leonard's of the same name was the 5th child born to the couple, according to his birth certificate.

John Henry LEONARD and Ann Eliza PEABODY were married on 3 December 1848 in State Street Methodist Church, Bristol, RI.³¹⁰⁵ Bristol Phenix of 9 Dec 1848, page 2. Married by the Rev. Rchard Livesey, December 5, 1848 in Providence, R.I. Vital Records of R.I. 1636-1850. Births, Marriages, and Deaths by James N. Arnold. Vol. 6, Bristol, Part I., p. 32 item 4-69. Crossreferenced for Ann C. Peabody on p.42, item 4-69. 1894.
Also mentioned is marriage of Abby M. Leonard and Richard Ellis on Aug. 23, 1849. Item 4-70. There were several Abby Leonards living in Bristol in the 1850 Census. One, Abby Leonard, 25, born in R.I., dwelling 194. M841, p. 9048. Another Abby Leonard 49 living in same household as Abby Ellis, 23, in 1850, dwelling 180. M841. Mother of Abby (Leonard) Ellis? There was also a Henry Leonard, 14 as of Aug. 5, 1850 Census date, living with Abby Leonard and Abby Ellis. Related to John H. Leonard?

There was also a William Leonard, 30, blacksmith, p. 10828, living in Bristol. Ann Eliza PEABODY, daughter of Thomas Huddy PEABODIE and Sarah A. SLOCUM, was born on 3 March 1831 in Bristol, RI. She died on 16 January 1890 at the age of 58 in Providence, RI.³¹⁰⁶ She was also known as Anne Eliza Peabody.³¹⁰⁶ Ann was buried in Lot #621, Area 3, Lot 2, North Burial Ground, Bristol, R.I.. Ann died of kidney - Bright's - disease at age 58 years, 10 months, 16 days. She was listed as living at 23 East in Providence at the time of her death (that would have also been the address of her daughter Elizabeth, who married Charles Cross). Ann listed as kin at death John H. Leonard and Amy M. Leonard. An Amy Marie Leonard, b. 1849, d. Nov. 2, 1906, buried PV003, but none of my research indicates she was a relative.

Ann E. Peabody is #943 in Selim Peabody's book, Peabody Genealogy, 1909.

In 1880 Census, Ann and children John H. 18, James P. 15, and Walter B. 12, were living with Charles W. and Elizabeth M Cross and their two children at 23 East Dove, the 3rd Ward, Providence. Elizabeth was the wife of Charles W. and daughter of John H. and Ann E. Leonard. (National Archives Film T9-1211, page 269A.)

She is buried next to John H. Leonard, her husband, in the Leonard burial plot in Bristol.

John Henry LEONARD and Ann Eliza PEABODY had the following children: