| Home Surname List Name Index Sources Email Us | Fifth Generation373. Rev. Abiel LEONARD182,506 was born on 5 November 1740 in Plymouth, MA. He died on 14 August 1777 at the age of 36 in Danbury, Fairfield Co., CT.507 He graduated from Harvard, 1759, Yale 1766, and DD from Princeton 1767. Pastor, First Congregational Church, Woodstock, CT. Chaplain to the Continental Army under General Washington at Boston in 1776. Note in record "cut his throat." died June 1778 -- must be wrong -- he died August 14, 1777 at Danbury, CT. His brother George was a Loyalist and removed with his son, George, to New Brunswick in 1783. (Sabine's Loyalists) According to ECL's notes, he was a chaplain to the Continental Forces (appointed chaplain of Knox's Continental Artillery in 1776) under General Washington at Boston in 1776. He preached the sermon on evacuation day in the present edifice of Christ Church in Cambridge in the presence of Washington. The text of his sermon was Exodus xiv-25. "And he took off their chariot wheels and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, 'let us flee from the face of Israel, for Jehovah fighteth for them against the Egyptians.'" He was with the troops through the New York campaign. He was called home because of the illness of his child in 1777. He overstayed his furlough a few days and upon his return was met at Danbury that he had been superceded and censured. This affected him so much that he shot himself (or cut his throat?) at 4 p.m. in the afternoon (according to his Bible). He was evidently a distinguished preacher and clergyman. Letters from George Washington to Abiel Leonard and one to the Church at Woodstock asking them to extend Abiel's leave from the church are in the possession of his descendants (at one time,Mr. Horace Everett and Mrs. Leonard Everett of Council Bluffs, IA). Copy of the letter from Washington to the church: "To the Church and Congregation at Woodstock, Connecticut: Mr. Leonard is a man whose exemplary life and conversation make him highly esteemed by every person who has the pleasure of his acquaintance. It therefore can be no surprise to us that they are not willing to part with him. His influence in the Army is great. He is employed in the glorious work of attending to the morals of a brave people who are fighting for their liberties -- the liberties of the people of Woodstock -- the liberties of all America. We therefore hope that knowing how nobly he is employed, the Congregation at Woodstock will cheerfully give up to the Public a gentleman so useful and when by the blessing of this kind Providence this glorious and unnarrated struggle for our liberties is at an end we have not the least doubt that Mr. Leonard with redoubled joy be received in the arms of a Congregation so endeared to him as the good people of Woodstock. This is what is hoped for; this is what is expected by the Congregation of Woodstock's well-wishers and very humble servant. His Bible was handed down to his wife, Mary, who was living in Lewiston, NY, with a daughter and her husband, Jonathan Bell. Eventually, it found its way to the Leonards in Missouri and is now part of the Abiel Leonard papers at the State Historical Society of Missouri at Columbia, MO. This copy was made by Gregory Bell Smith, Jonathan's great-great-grandson. There is a book about Abiel Leonard titled "Abiel Leonard, Yankee Slavholder, Eminent Jurist, and Passionate Unionist" by Dennis K. Boman. Rev. Abiel LEONARD and Dorothy HUNTINGTON were married on 26 April 1764 in Norwich, CT.507 Dorothy HUNTINGTON, daughter of Hezekiah HUNTINGTON, was born on 6 July 1745 in Norwich, CT. She died on 6 July 1765 at the age of 20 in Woodstock, CT. They were married by the Rev. Benjamin Lord. Rev. Abiel LEONARD and Dorothy HUNTINGTON had the following children:
Rev. Abiel LEONARD and Mary GREENE were married on 8 May 1766 in Bristol, RI. Mary GREENE, daughter of Thomas GREENE and Elizabeth CHURCH, was born in February 1741 in Newport, Newport Co., RI. She died on 13 January 1818 at the age of 76 in Lewiston, NY. According to Abiel's Bible. Mary was the sister of Gov. Greene of RI and daughter of Col. Thomas Greene of Bristol, RI. Abiel and Mary were married at Bristol by the Rev. John Burt 8 May 1766, per Abiel's Bible. Rev. Abiel LEONARD and Mary GREENE had the following children:
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