Fifth Generation

346. Josiah LEONARD Jr.⁴⁷⁵ was born on 23 November 1747 in Raynham, Bristol Co., MA.¹⁶⁶ He died on 13 November 1777 at the age of 29 at Church of Christ, in Raynham, Bristol Co., MA.^476,477 Church of Christ records say death date of 1776; other record says 1777. Or did he marry May 1, 1772, in Taunton? Did he die 30 August 1788? (Raynham VR's, p. 157) Josiahs mixed up? Did he die 13 Nov 1777 in Auburn, NY (very unlikely - Auburn not established until later; that part of upstate NY was Indian territory until after Revolutionary War). Birth date of son (per ECL-GML from E. E. Yates letter)? Strange that they had only one child, or are we missing some children here? According to ECL or GML, he apparently had only 1 child. (Reference to a letter sent from Mrs. Emily Ellen Leonard Yates to Miss Francis Elizabeth Leonard, daughter of ECL, dtd. 24 Nov 1900 -- that would have been after ECL died in 1894). No record of marriage. Son would have been five when Josiah died -- who was appointed guardian? Why was son born in Middleboro when Josiah was living in Raynham? Many inconsistencies and unresolved issues here.

A Josiah Leonard was apparently found dead in Middleborough before April 1785, when the Court of General Sessions allocated 2 pounds 9 shillings 10 pence to Coroner Nathaniel Foster for inquests on the "bodies of David and Josiah Leonard found dead in Middleborough." The Court met every year, so the death must have occurred in 1784 or 1785. There's no record in the data base of a Josiah Leonard dying during this period.

Two Josiah Leonards are listed in the 1800 Census of Middleborough, one with a family of three (father), one with a family of 7 (son). The first was Josiah Leonard of the Solomon Leonard line, born in Bridgewater, married to Lurany Keith of Middleborough. The second was Josiah Leonard married to Content Anthony.

In the 1810 Census for New York, there are two Josiah Leonards listed in Johnstown, Montgomery Co., one with a family of 5, one (Jr.) with a family of 7. Abner Leonard with a family of 6 and Daniel Leonard, with a family of 7, also live in Johnstown. A Samuel Leonard and a Jonas Leonard live in nearby Amsterdam, Montgomery Co.

In the 1820 Census for Cayuga Co., NY, Josiah Leonard is listed in Aurelius with a household of 18. By the 1850 Census, there were 45 Leonards living in Cayuga Co., probably some of whom were descendants of Josiah. One branch of the Solomon Leonard line also settled in Cayuga County, mostly around Sennett or Skaneateles in neighboring Onondaga County.

Some ancestry.com sites have this Josiah marrying Elizabeth Hilliard and dying in Cayuga Co., NY, in 1777. That's unlikely, given that the area was controlled by the Indians and the British in 1777 and the settlers were driven out. Also, the Elizabeth Hilliard who married Josiah Leonard was from Springfield, and there was a Josiah Leonard who lived in Springfield and whose intentions to marry Elizabeth Hilliard were published (Springfield VRs to 1850, CD).

Lois Badger in "The Leonard Dictionary" says this Josiah died unmarried.

MA Town Records book for Raynham has this Josiah, son of Josiah Leonard and Hannah Campbell, 23 Nov 1747 and died 13 Nov 1777.

Josiah LEONARD Jr. had the following children: