Fourth Generation

91. John LEONARD Sr.¹⁵² was born in 1695 in Raynham, Bristol Co., MA. He died about 1754 at the age of 59 in Middleborough, Plymouth Co, MA.¹⁵³ His brother Josiah was appointed guardian August 10, 1754 -- "non compus mentis?" He probably never married, according to ECL and G.M. Leonard's charts. He was declared "deprived of his natural reason" at the time his father made up his will in 1732. For that reason, he probably was excluded from receiving or inheriting his father's property.

There was a John Leonard, Sr., member #446, of the First Church of Middleboro, who married Abigail _____, before 1735 and who died about 1775. He joined in 1742, so must have been born before 1721. There is room to question whether the records of that John and another John, perhaps his son from an unrecorded marriage, have been confused. Doublecheck this John and the birth date of 1715. According to ECL's notes, John was the eldest son of the previous John and was born before Thomas. If he's John, Sr., there ought to be a John, Jr. in Middleborough at the same time, and that would have been John Leonard, son of William Leonard and Sarah Bolton.

Who was the father of Margery Leonard, member #443 of the First Church of Middleboro (December 5, 1742)? Margery was born abt. 1715 and married Ebenezer Briggs of Taunton on 6 Feb 1746, according to the First Church of Middleboro records. She died 24 Aug 1808 in New Salem, Franklin Co., MA. She is not identified in this Leonard genealogy. Since John Leonard joined the church at about the same time, he is suspect of being her father.

John LEONARD Sr. and Abigail were married on 28 December 1735. Abigail died in Middleborough, Plymouth Co, MA.