Fifth Generation

358. Dr., Col. George LEONARD⁴⁹⁴ was born on 4 July 1729 in Norton, Bristol Co., MA.⁵⁵ He died on 26 July 1819 at the age of 90 in Norton, Bristol Co., MA.⁴⁹⁵ George held many offices: Register of Probate, a Royal Councillor, Judge of Probate, Chief Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Representative to the first, third, and fourth US Congress, Speaker of the MA House of Representatives, Colonel of militia, Presidential elector in 1804. He owned an estate of 1500 acres. He was a graduate of Harvard 1748. He lived to be 90. "He was a man of strict integrity, mild disposition, and a sociable companion." (NEHGS 1851 p. 408). He was commander of the Third Regiment of the County of Bristol in 1774.

From the Diary of John Adams: "June 8, 1762. Went to Taunton Court, the land of the Leonard; three Judges of the Common Pleas. Of that name each of them has a son who was or at college. The Hon. George, the lst Justice, seems to be arbitrary. He committed two old gentlemen who were nearly 80 years old to the custody of an officer for only speaking loud. A check, a reproof, an admonition would have been enough. He was unwilling that the Sessions should adjourn for an hour to take the verdict of the jury upon a presentment for riot but would have the jury kept together all night till the Court should sit again the next morning. No other Court in the Province superior or inferior would have thought of keeping the jury up. He broke in abruptly on Bob Paine. He did not think it right to run out against the King's witnesses. For his part he did not like to hear it 3 or 4 times over. Thus the haughty tyrant rules the country." The three Judges referred to above were George, brother Ephraim, and cousin Zephaniah.

It appears that George Leonard, probably this one, did a fair number of transactions involving bar iron in place of money in the late 1700's-early 1800's (papers at OCHS).

See also History of Attleboro by John Doggett, 1894, for more about George Leonard.

Dr., Col. George LEONARD and Experience WHITE were married on 27 November 1759. Experience WHITE, daughter of Samuel WHITE, was born on 8 October 1738 in Norton, Bristol Co., MA.⁵⁵ She died on 30 May 1827 at the age of 88 in Norton, Bristol Co., MA.⁴⁹⁶

Dr., Col. George LEONARD and Experience WHITE had the following children: