First Generation

1. Seth LEONARD was born in 1729. He died before August 1774 at the age of 45. Wardwell Coles Leonard, Jr., a descendant, has checked Seth Leonard at length -- no record of his being born in Bridgewater, need verification as to who he was. According to WCL, Seth died in Lyme, CT and his death record is filed in the New London County probate office, New London. Death in Lyme would be consistent with his being a son of Seth Leonard b. abt. 1694 and Deborah or Lt. William Leonard and Anna Barney and grandson of Uriah Leonard.

According to Harriotte Leonard Standish (a descendant), Seth of Taunton was the son of Lt. William and Anna (Barney) Leonard (Badger, "The Leonard Dictionary." He died June 1, 1771 (Ref: George Godfrey's private record, Book 1, page 143). He married Ruth Hoar January 29, 1750 (Taunton and Raynham VR) She died Feb. 19, 1818, age 87 years (Taunton VR). (Note: if she was 87 when she died, then she would have been born abt. 1731.) Buried North Taunton Burial Ground, Bay & Field Streets (Book 1, page 262, private record of Abner and John Thayer), Ruth Hoar, daughter of William and Sarah (Macomber) Hoar.

There is circumstantial evidence linking Seth to William3 (Uriah2, James1). Several of Seth's children moved to Westmoreland, NH, and later to Sutton, MA, as did the two daughters of William and their husbands. Anna Barney's will makes reference to two sons, but only one is known (Jacob). Barney as a first name runs in Seth's family. But one could also make a case that Seth was the first-born son of Seth Leonard and Deborah Hall, son of Uriah and brother of William.

According to Malcolm Douglas Leonard, Jr., another descendant, Seth was the son of Joseph Leonard and Mary Packard and died in the French and Indian Wars in Canada in 1755. Source: Manning Leonard genealogy of the Solomon Leonard line. Dates partially fit, except for children. Mac Leonard gives Seth's birth date as 1 March 1727 and death date as 30 August 1755 -- Source: FamilySearch.org, IGI #7606307. Problem: Seth had 3 children born after 1755, and none of descendants y-dna test in Solomon Leonard's haplogroup I2b.

Keep in mind there were other Seth Leonards around Bridgewater in this period. A Seth Leonard was born October 6, 1715, son of Joseph (John2, Solomon1) and Hannah Jennings (no record of marriage in Manning Leonard's book). A Seth Leonard, son of Joseph Leonard (Joseph4, Joseph3, Jacob2, Solomon1) and Mary Packard, was b. March 1, 1727, and d. in Nova Scotia, a soldier, 1755 (age 28, no record of marriage in Manning Leonard's book). A Seth Leonard was bap. August 26, 1733 in West Bridgewater, son of John Leonard (Josiah3, John2, Solomon1) and Marjorum Washburn, m. Silence Packard 1769. A Seth Leonard, son of Josiah Lennard and Jemima Washburn, was b. September 25, 1750, in Bridgewater. Seth Leonard 2nd died August 23, 1775, in Bridgewater. Seth who married Silence died in Bridgewater August 30, 1775, in his 26th year (b. 1749?). Other Seths are in this Solomon Leonard data base, but the name Seth also appears frequently in the James Leonard line as well.

Presentment of Seth Leonard "as per the Presentment at Large." Leonard appeared and posted bond, with Joseph Packard III and James Faunce sureties for his appearance at the next term, "and also that be be of the Good Behaviour towards all his Majesty's Good Subjects, more Especially towards John Johnson and that he keep the peace..." 1748-51 Bristol Co. Court Records. This was probably the Seth who died in Canada in 1755, given his sureties.

David Leonard (Bridgewater Husbandman) attached Seth Leonard (Bridgewater Saddletree Maker). Trespass on the Case, that on 24 April 1759 "a Certain discourse was had and made by and between the said David and the said Seth about swapping of horses and upon that discourse had and moved between them..." Vol. 7, The Court of Common Pleas, 1744-1760, no. 17. It's unclear as to which Seth this was, but it certainly wasn't the Seth who died in 1755.

The Chesebrough Family Genealogy lists #238 Seth Leonard, m. Ruth Horn 22 Jan 1750. Children: #919 William, b. 27 May 1751; d. 1833; m. (1) Hannah Thayer, m. (2) Dinah Burt; #920, Samuel, b. 1754; d. 28 Feb 1776, m. Martha Field; # 921 Seth, m. ------- Lincoln; #922 Barney, m. Phebe Bassett, 1780; #923 Sarah, m. 24 Dec 1790 Nathaniel Field, Jr.; #924 Ruth, b. 1764, d. 6 Sep 1826, m. Ezra Eddy; #925 Daniel.

Seth LEONARD and Ruth HOAR were married on 22 January 1750 in Taunton, Bristol Co., MA.¹ Ruth HOAR, daughter of William HOAR and Susan or Sarah MACOMBER, was born in 1728 in Taunton, Bristol Co., MA. She died on 19 February 1815 at the age of 87 in Taunton, Bristol Co., MA.² She was buried in Scuddings Pond or North Taunton Common Cemetery, Taunton, MA. FamilySearch.org doesn't have any substantive info on Ruth. Mac Leonard has her born abt. 1719 in Taunton. Roz Edson, the Horr/Hoar family genealogist, has her born about 1718 and Seth about 1720. (RozEdson@gmail.com)

She is buried next to Capt. Zebulon Field (1739-1805) near her daughter, Sarah, and a number of the Fields in North Taunton Common Cemetery. One of the family's Sarah's married Nathaniel Field (and another, Nathaniel Field, Jr.). Samuel Leonard is also buried there.

Seth LEONARD and Ruth HOAR had the following children: