Third Generation

56. Joseph LEONARD¹²⁰ was born on 22 January 1693 in Taunton, Bristol Co., MA.³⁴ He died on 4 March 1775 at the age of 82 in Middleborough, Plymouth Co, MA. He was masterworkman at the Norton Forge, which his father started. He was at Raynham Forge in 1724. He is mentioned in New Bedford land records September 1, 1780 - Joseph Leonard of Taunton deceased had daughter Hannah who married James Briggs.

ECL notes that he was never able to find out who Joseph's wife was. She died only a few months before Joseph passed away. ECL wanted very much to know who she was, for her boys "righted up" and became very respectable men and he supposes were indebted to her for their early training.

ECL notes in Plymouth Co. land records May 6, 1796, Joseph Leonard's children Betsey Briggs and Lucy Leonard of Middleboro sell his homestead in Middleboro to Jonathan Leonard of Middleboro. These are children of another Joseph Leonard. There are a number of Joseph Leonards in Middleboro and surrounding towns, and their records have frequently been mixed up.

His death doesn't appear to be in Middleborough VR's. He's listed as "Old" Joseph," dying 4 Mar 1774 in the Taunton VR's.

Hannah Jennings was not his wife. Joseph Leonard3 of the Solomon Leonard line was married to Hannah Jennings.

Mary Packard was not his wife. She married a Joseph Leonard b. 1696 in Bridgewater who was a descendant of Solomon Leonard.
Badger, The Leonard Dictionary, notes a clipping from the American Newspaper in Providence that "Benjamin, son of Joseph and Hodges or Harvey..."
He is listed as having 4 more children in Colonial Families of the United States, p. 332: Mary, Levi, Sylvester, Peleg. This is apparently an error, but they do show on Fanny Leonard Koster's Chart 4.

Fanny Leonard Koster's Chart 4 shows Harvey or Hodges as Joseph's wife. Standing's line of descent shows Eunice Cushman.

Joseph LEONARD and Eunice CUSHMAN were married in 1715 in Middleborough, Plymouth Co, MA. Eunice CUSHMAN, daughter of Thomas CUSHMAN and Mary WHITE, was born about 1695. She died on 12 February 1775 at the age of 80 in Taunton, Bristol Co., MA. Taunton VR's don't list her name. The name of Joseph's wife has been a mystery to all. First mention of a name is from Standing, who was researching his Leonard line. Source unknown.

Joseph LEONARD and Eunice CUSHMAN had the following children: