Fifth Generation

375. George LEONARD⁵¹⁵ was born on 28 November 1742 in Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA. He died on 1 April 1826 at the age of 83 in Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada. He became a wealthy shipowner in Boston. He was a prominent Loyalist. His ships carried many of the British to Halifax, NS, at the evacuation of Boston in 1776. He was prominent in the Revolution, a leader among the Tories. He was colonel of a regiment, laid Nantucket under contribution, and attacked Fall River, where he was repulsed by Col. Joe Durfee. He also raided Newport, New Bedford, and Connecticut. After the war in 1783 he was granted land and money to move his family to Nova Scotia, which then included New Brunswick, where he became a provincial councillor. He renewed his fortune, which had been confiscated, and died wealthy and respected in the community.

Where his family stayed during the Revolution is not known, but presumably at New York. During the Revolution in 1780 he went to England along with other Loyalists endeavoring to receive some compensation from the British government for their services in the War. He did not suffer the pecuniary loss that some other Loyalists suffered when their property was confiscated, as his wealth was more confined to movables and his shipping.

Perhaps it was because of this trip to England or more probably a later one that he wrote a letter to his cousin George that started the claim that Henry and James were descended from Sampson Leonard and Margaret Fiennes Lennard, Baron and Baroness Dacre. The claim was not substantiated. The Dacre family records now published show no connection. See also the correspondence between Sir Henry Barrett Lennard and Elisha Clark Leonard. We quote the letter from George to his cousin George:

This letter was dated October 4, 1798. "After a visit to England and from everything I can collect from old records in England at the Herald's Office and among the late Lord Dacre's papers, who was very attentive to me, and where I found free access to the Library and other parts of his house in Town and Country where his papers were deposited for information and was very anxious that some of our family inherited some of the vacant titles. From which I find that one of our ancestors, Henry Leonard, came to America about the time that the Earl of Warwick obtained a large grant of land near Boston which was in 1626, from which time in the year 1638 a great number of respectable people came over from England to avoid the dissensions there. Amongst them were Lord Leith (Leich) who afterwards returned and two daughters of the Earl of Lincoln, Lady Susan and Lady Arabella with their husbands who continued in this country. Among these we have reason to think was Henry Leonard who left England about that time as there is a letter from his friend (a young man) Sir Brian Jansen who congratulates Henry Leonard upon his getting away before the order of the King in Council was issued February 21, 1633, to prevent any further emigration to America." It is to be regretted that George Leonard was not more explicit as to the "ancestor" who came early to America. (Also, there is documentation that Thomas and his sons Henry and James were in the west of England during this time. Henry, father of Thomas as mentioned by Hannah Dean in her recollection of Leonard ancestors, would have been of an age unlikely to venture forth to America.)

Also extant are the letters written to Lord Germain concerning the services George Leonard rendered the Loyalists for which he desired recompense. Parliament did appropriate money for compensation of Loyalists, but in amounts well below what was requested.

George LEONARD and Sarah THACHER were married on 14 October 1765. Sarah THACHER, daughter of Oxenbridge T. THACHER, was born in 1745 in Boston, Suffolk Co., MA. She died in 1826 at the age of 81 in Sussex Vale, New Brunswick, Canada.

George LEONARD and Sarah THACHER had the following children: