Third Generation

28. Stephen LEONARD^88,89 was born on 14 December 1680 in Taunton, Bristol Co., MA.⁹⁰ He died in 1732 at the age of 52 in Hanover, Morris Co., NJ. He was a Justice of the Peace and Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. He became a JP in Hunterdon Co., NJ, 20 September 1725.

ECL notes that he was "initiated into the bloomer's art." There is a note that there may have been other children. See O. B. Leonard. William A. Leonard statement in the Historical Gazetteer, Tioga Co., NY. Also letter, George Kinney Leonard, Hiwasee Dam, NC, dtd 11 Oct. 1943.

In 1722 he moved to New Jersey with his family, except for son Zephaniah, whom he left with his grandfather, James Leonard. First Church of Morristown, Combined Registers, mentions that Stephen moved to New Jersey in 1723, was at mines in Hanover. When his brother James bought the Whittenton Forge, Stephen took the west hearth at Raynham. His son, Zephaniah, took over the west hearth when Stephen moved to New Jersey. ECL mentions that he gave power of attorney to his wife, Mary, to sell his property in 1722 and another in 1723 to his friends John Mason and Jacob Barney, stating that he was then of Hanover, NJ. He left a will in NJ that speaks of the tools in the forge and iron ore. See Genealogy and History, 9.15.45 (10445) -- states Stephen d. Whippany 1732 and a bond dtd 1.6.1732/3, Comfort Leonard, widow, and Admin. Stephen. An inventory was made of his estate. Alternate date of death is "bef. 4 Mar 1741 in Whippany, Morris Co., NJ. (ECL gives date of death as 1743, as does William A. Leonard).

Was it this Stephen or Stephen, son of James, who was a Justice of the Peace and father of Zephaniah? William Reed Deane in "Genealogical Memoir of the Leonard Family" (NEHGS Register, 1851, p. 414) states that it is this Stephen who was the father of Zephaniah et. al.

A Taunton newspaper clipping dated 1901 listing the Leonard genealogy says: "The children of Stephen3 Leonard, James2, James1 are Huldah4, Mary4, Paul4, Joshua4, Rev. Silas4, and Zephaniah4." There is no Josiah. Josiah b. 1738 appears to have been the son of Paul4 Leonard.

The Journal of Stephen Rose Leonard (1848) states that Paul Leonard, his great-grandfather, had two brothers, Silas and Elijah, and raised seven children: James, David, Phebe, Lydia, Huldah, and Diadema.

George Marston Leonard's charts (J-29) lists Zephaniah, Mary, Paul, Silas, Joshua, and Huldah as children of Stephen and Mary. Chart J-21 lists Zephaniah, Mary, J-22-24 lists Joshua, J-25-27 covers the descendants of Zephaniah, and J-29 covers Paul, Silas, and Hulda. Diadema isn't mentioned. Diadema isn't mentioned in Bill Barton's listing of Stephen's children. Jonah appears to have been a later discovery.

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Thomas Leonard's Bible in Rev. War pension file lists Stephen Leonard and Mary as his grandparents, his mother's parents.

Stephen LEONARD and Mary were married about 1702 in Massachusetts?. Mary was born about 1684 in Taunton, Bristol Co., MA. This information is doubtful. Some sources have marriage in 1724, obviously wrong. Who is this Mary Leonard? She should be a child of someone in this data base. One ancestry.com source has her the daughter of Joseph Leonard and Mary Black, but dying in 1688.

Stephen LEONARD and Mary had the following children:

Stephen LEONARD and Comfort were married about 1725 in NJ. Comfort⁹¹ was born (date unknown).

Mary was born (date unknown).

Stephen LEONARD and Mary had the following children: