Sixth Generation

285. Amos LEONARD⁷⁶ was born on 16 December 1766 in Preston, New London Co., CT. He died on 28 September 1851 at the age of 84 in Worthington, Hampshire Co., MA. His mother died when he was but a few days old, and he went to live with an uncle in Worthington, MA. He learned the carpenter's trade. He moved to Hinesburgh, VT, where he owned a farm.
Amos Leonard came to Hinesburgh from Worthington, Massachusetts, at which place he was born in 1767. His mother dying when he was very young and the family being partially broken up, Amos was sent to live with an uncle. He learned the trade of a carpenter, and soon after he was of age came to Hinesburgh and worked for a time at his trade with Thomas Marsh. But having a preference for farming, he soon bought a piece of land and ever after was a farmer. In February, 1799, he was married by General Leavenworth, a justice of the peace, though a man younger than himself, to Lucy Meech, only daughter of Elisha Meech, with whom he first became acquainted while building a barn for her father. He was a man of quiet, industrious and thrifty habits, and much respected by his townsmen. He accumulated a handsome property, and died in 1850, aged 83. His widow survives, aged 86, and is yet hale and strong for her age. She frequently walks to the neighbors, enjoys company, and tells many a tale of hardships of the early settlers. While her father worked at Bennington, a few miles north of the village, during the summer that the American army retreated before Burgoyne, the inhabitants were sometimes annoyed by the Indians. At one time, she says, while her father was at Castleton, all the men in the neighborhood, save the boys and the old men, were away, a drunken Indian frightened some of the families by entering houses and threatening to "let the moon shine through them," unless they gave him some meat. Her mother, hearing of this entering a neighbor's house, caught her infant, only four weeks old, and ran with it in her arms, herself, Lucy, and her brother, Ezra following on foot for a mile and a half. But the Indian was after all, no very dangerous character, for though he flourished a gun, on examination it was found to be an old musket without any lock. Some of the citizens soon stopped his career, gave him a thorough whipping, and sent him away. Mr and Mrs Leonard had two children---Harriet, who married General Heman R Smith, recently deceased, and Marvin, both of whom have always resided in town.
SOURCE: "Vermont Historical Magazine, Hinesburgh Section," Pages 806-807, is this review on Amos Leonard:

Amos LEONARD and Lucy MEECH were married in February 1799. Lucy MEECH was born in November 1774.

Amos LEONARD and Lucy MEECH had the following children: