Seventh Generation

2010. Abraham Bryant LEONARD^71,1142,2013 was born on 23 December 1796 in Middleborough, Plymouth Co, MA.²⁰¹⁴ He died on 4 December 1853 at the age of 56 in Bristol, RI.²⁰¹⁵ He was buried at Lot #652 in North Burial Ground, Bristol, RI. Sources: Middleborough Vital Records, Vol. 1, p. 263. Also Elisha Clark Leonard's typewritten manuscript of the James Leonard descendants, #1130 (7th Generation), the Bristol Phoenix newspaper of 10 Dec 1853 ("last Sunday, after a short but distressing illness") and Census records, RIVR's, tombstone.

1850 Census: Abraham Leonard, laborer, 53, born in RI (!), listed as living in Portsmouth, RI (across the bay from Bristol, where his wife, Abby, is listed as living with her daughter's family). 1800 Census -- MA; 1820, 1830, 1840, and 1850 Censuses -- RI

He may have derived his name from his second cousin, Abraham Bryant, who died a few months before he was born. This Abraham Bryant was the son of Jesse Bryant, was born July 22, 1783 in Middleborough, and died September 30, 1796, aged 13 years, 2 months, 7 days (p. 213, Middleborough VR's, on CD203). Another uncle named one of his children Abraham a few years later: Jesse Bryant, Jr., and Jane, his wife, had an Abraham Bryant born May 31, 1801, in Middleborough (p. 316). There was an Abraham Bryant, 49, living in Middleborough in the 1850 Census. He was a forge man. There were also Abrahams in the Micah Bryant family.

He may have come to Bristol from Middleborough with his older brother, Nathaniel, after 1810. His father had skipped off to Canada. A Nathaniel Leonard married Sarah Seamans of Rehoboth at Bristol February 21, 1815.

Abraham Leonard is mentioned as a "teamer" (teamster?) in Bristol in 1820 (Charles O. F. Thompson, Sketches of Old Bristol, 1942, p. 5).

Abraham Leonard of Bristol placed an ad in the Providence Gazette, April 12, 1822: "Notice: Ran away from the subscriber on Tuesday the 9th inst. an indented boy, named William Brown, a mulatto, aged about 18 years; had on when he went away, gray Sailnott jacket and trousers, oldish hat, stockings and shoes--all persons are hereby forbid harbouring or trusting him on my account. Any person who will return said runaway to the subscriber, shall be entitled to a reward of One Cent, and no charges paid."

Abraham evidently enjoyed some travel and adventures. From the Providence Gazette, 4 Dec 1822, page 3, Shipping News: "The schooner Enterprise, Eldridge, from Bristol, RI with a cargo of lime, bound to Charleston, SC, was wrecked on the 27th of Oct. near Cape Hatteras. When she struck it was night, and amid the darkness, all was confusion and dismay. The pumps were found to be chocked; several of the passengers and crew clung to the shrouds and whatever else came in their way--but they were soon obliged to abandon their hold, the breakers constantly dashing over the vessel almost mast high. In this situation all hands went to work, in order, if possible, to save the vessel, but the perils of the scene increased every moment, for in the course of 30 minutes there were five or six feet of water in the hold, and the fearful cry--"the lime is on fire--the lime is on fire"--spread consternation. In this extremity, the interposition of Heaven was fervently supplicated by a number of pious people on board. After beating some time on the beach, land, it was thought, could be discerned, and in order to establish the fact, a horse was set into the sea. Two persons then pushed off in this jolly boat, which, however, soon sank, but the persons succeeded in reaching the shore, and gave the animating cry, "there is land, there is land." By means of a line fastened on shore, all on board the Enterprise reach the land in safety. By this time it was daylight, a few articles of clothing, etc., were then saved from the wreck, after which the crew went in search of a house. They soon ascertained that there were about 24 families on the island and that every kind assistance would be rendered them. Having chartered a schooner at Chickimicomico, the saved on the 10th ultimo, for Ocracoke. After being under way a short time, the Captain of the vessel (Edward Scarborough) was lost overboard, and every effort to rescue him was unavailing. Having no person on board capable of managing the vessel, they were compelled to put back. They subsequently took passage on a vessel for New Bern, where they arrived on the 12th ultimo. The following is a list of the passengers of the Enterprise who came to Newbern, viz. Jonathan West of Bristol, William Gardner of Philadelphia, James Ellis and William Ellis of Seekonk, David Fish, Abraham Leonard, Lemuel Bunn, William Walden, Hersey Mason, and Abraham Pearse of Bristol, and Edward P. Dener of Charleston. Charles Shaw and 3 apprentices remained on board the chartered vessel."

He was appointed guardian of Thomas Gladding, who was non compos, May 2, 1831. He was appointed by the Bristol Town Council 1 of 3 commissioners to receive claims against the estate of Samuel C. Richmond.

The Bristol Phoenix carried an article on December 7, 1833, about his dissolving a partnership (newspaper not available to check); May 17, 1834, placed on Bristol Committee to Remove Nuisances; August 16, 1834, listed as proprietor of a boarding house, advertising a livery stable, advertising his hotel (Bristol Phenix of 2 Dec 1848) November 25, 1848, new ownership of hotel ("Mechanics Hotel, Hope Street, Bristol, R.I., recently occupied by Mr. Abraham Leonard").

Buried in plots #652 and #653 in the Old North Burial Ground in Bristol are Abraham and Abby, sons Abraham and Henry, and Fitz Peabody and Phebe Leonard. The major stones are for Fitz and Ellen Henrietta Peabody and a Gifford family (later info: His first daughter married a Gifford, which may explain why Gifford stones are intermixed there). Abraham's stone is broken; the cemetery foreman said it was probably moved from the town green of Bristol when the North Burial Ground was opened, but Abraham remains buried under the town green. Research indicates the North Burial Ground was opened in 1818, early enough for Abraham to have been buried there. Walter B., John H., Maria A., Alfred Francis, Ann, and John H. are also buried in the North Burial Ground. Nearby are Albert C. Bennett in #692 and Walter Bradford in #786. Abraham is listed as a teamer by occupation at the time of his death.

Nathaniel Leonard of Bristol married Sarah Seamans of Rehoboth at Bristol February 21, 1815. Abraham's brother Nathaniel? This Nathaniel Leonard moved to Attleboro. One of Abraham's children was born in Attleboro.

Abraham Bryant LEONARD and Abigail Diman "Abby" MUNRO were married about 1819 in Bristol, RI. Abigail Diman "Abby" MUNRO, daughter of Henry MUNRO and Phebe MUNRO, was born on 15 October 1799 in Bristol, RI.²⁰¹⁶ She died on 22 March 1886 at the age of 86 in Providence, RI.²⁰¹⁷ She was buried at Lot #652 in Old North Burial Ground, Bristol, RI. Abby Leonard was confirmed June 4, 1830 (along with Allen Leonard), but I'm not sure which Abby Leonard: this one, her daughter (who was 5) or another Abby. She probably was named after her father's sister, Abigail, who married Jeremiah Diman.

Abigail was her formal name, but she seems to be listed as Abby or Abbie in most records. Abby D. Leonard came back to Bristol from Providence to celebrate the Bristol Centennial in 1876. Her tombstone lists her as Abbie. As of 2005, the tombstone was of limestone and deteriorating badly. Abraham's, broken, was lying beside it. Both were in the Fitz Peabody plot.

In the 1870 Census, Abby is living in the 3rd Ward in Providence with the Fitz Peabody family.

In the 1880 Census, Abby is listed as living with her daughter, Abby M. Ellis, 49, and her daughter's husband, Henry W. Ellis, 50, and their two children, Abby W. Ellis, 28, and son, Halsey Ellis, age 26, in Providence, R.I. (National Archives Film T9-1212, page 407B).

Abby Dimond Munro was listed as age 86, 5 months, 7 days, at death March 22, 1886 (AC/VR RI). She listed her parents as Henry and Phebe Munro. She was residing at 226 Friendship Street when she died. Cause of death is listed as old age. She listed Abraham Leonard ("of Abraham") and Lucy E. Leoffler as kin at death. Severine George Leoffler m. Lucy Ellen Bromeley April 5, 1879. The Leofflers had two small children who died soon after Abby died. In the 1901 Providence city directory, Severine G. Leoffler is listed as a machinist living at 37 Eighth.

Abby is buried next to Henry M. Leonard and George Leonard. The graves are next to the Peabody (Fitz Herbert Peabody) plot. Her stone reads "Abbie D. Leonard died March 22, 1886, in the 87th year of her life." Nearby to the NE is the stone of Abigail Diman, after whom she was probably named. Almost in the middle of the burial plot is a Gifford monument. Her daughter married a Gifford.

Her birth is not listed in the source document for Henry Munro and Phoebe Munro (The Monroe Book by Jean S. Guilford, Franklin: The Genealogical Publishing Service, 1993), but the death notice in the Bristol Phoenix, Saturday, April 3, 1886, p. 2, lists her as the daughter of the late Capt. Henry Munro of Bristol. Death in RI Vital Records, Bk 86, page 719, ct 28. also lists Henry Munro and Phebe Munroe as her parents.

Abraham Bryant LEONARD and Abigail Diman "Abby" MUNRO had the following children:

+3529	i.	Phebe Munro LEONARD.
+3530	ii.	Mary Ann LEONARD.
+3531	iii.	John Henry LEONARD.
3532	iv.	Abraham LEONARD²⁰¹⁸ was born in 1826 in Bristol, Bristol Co., RI. He died on 8 May 1827 at the age of 1 in Bristol, Bristol Co., RI. There is uncertainty as to whether Abraham was a twin born with his brother George in Attleboro and whether he also died on 8 May 1827. Note that the next child born was named George Abraham.
3533	v.	George LEONARD²⁰¹⁹ was born in 1826 in Attleboro, Bristol Co., MA. He died on 8 May 1827 at the age of 1 in Bristol, RI. He was buried in Old North Burial Ground, Bristol, RI. His tombstone is slate, next to Abbie D. Leonard and Henry M. Leonard. Stone reads: "George Leonard, son of Abraham, Abigail his wife, died May 8, 1827."
+3534	vi.	George Abraham LEONARD.
+3535	vii.	Abby M. LEONARD.
3536	viii.	Henry M. LEONARD was born in 1836 in Bristol, RI. He died on 2 February 1863 at the age of 27 in Bristol, RI. 1850 Census: Henry, then 14, living with his mother, Abby, and Henry and Abby Ellis in Bristol. According to RI State Archives, Henry was the only documented child of Abraham and Abigail, aside from John Henry, appearing in the records. He was 26 years old and living in Providence when he died.
3537	ix.	Abraham LEONARD was born on 6 March 1842 in Bristol, RI. He died on 28 April 1853 at the age of 11 in Bristol, RI.²⁰²⁰ Abraham was baptized March 6, 1842, at the 1st Baptist Church of Bristol (per church records, RI Vital Statistics -- Arnold Collection). This probably was Abraham's son, who was born on that day (or earlier). The latter lists his death as December 4, 1853, but this could have been the father, Abraham, as both father and son died in 1853.
3538	x.	Harriet L. LEONARD was born in 1829 in Bristol, Bristol Co., RI. She died on 1 September 1905 at the age of 76 in RI. At her death, she listed George A. Leonard and Ann M. Leonard as kin 1 and 2. She was listed as a widow. In the 1901 Providence city directory, she is listed as the widow of George A. Leonard and boarding at 39 Hammond.