Third Generation


4. John Henry LEONARD was born on 5 April 1824 in Bristol, RI.8 In 1850 he was a Blacksmith, Providence, RI. Resided at: 5th Ward, Providence, RI (Census) in 1850 . He died on 22 August 1879 at the age of 55 in Bristol, RI.9 John was buried in Lot #618, Area 3, Lot 2, North Burial Ground, Bristol, R.I.. He had a brother, George A. Leonard, who was 19 and living with him and his wife at the 1850 Census in Providence. George was also a blacksmith. Both George and John are listed as having been born in R.I. The 1852-3 Providence Directory lists John as a blacksmith at 12 Bridge Street. George A. was listed as a blacksmith at 226 South Main. The 1867 Providence Directory lists John H. as a blacksmith with his business at 384 South Main and his home at 21 East.

Back in Bristol, there was a household (people living at the same address when the census taker came) headed by Abby Leonard, age 49, with a Henry Leonard, age 14, and Henry W. Ellis, age 23, Abby Leonard Ellis, age 23, and Abby Ellis, 8 months. Henry and Abby were married August 23, 1849 (R.I. Vital Statistics). Abby was the mother of John H., George H, Abby, and Henry. Her husband Abraham was living in Portsmouth, according to the Census, just across the bay from Bristol. Henry Ellis' father may have been August Ellis or Halsey Ellis, 1792 - May 15, 1877. Henry and Abby had a son, Halsey, who died May 21, 1916, at the age of 81.

In the 1860 Census, he is listed as a master blacksmith with real estate worth $2200 and a personal estate worth $1000. He was living with wife Ann E, 28, daughter Elizabeth, 3, and daughter Maria F., 10/12, at 505/804 Third Ward in Providence. Son Alfred Francis and daughter Maria Augusta had died by 1860.

On his son, John's, birth certificate in 1862, he is listed as a blacksmith living at 21 East Street, Ward III, in Providence.

He is listed as John Henry Leonard in the death record. Cause of death was chronic inflamation of the stomach. He was a blacksmith living at 23 East Street in Providence at time of death. John listed as kin in death: Abraham Leonard, Abby Leonard.

After John died, his family continued to live at 23 East St. The 1880 Census has them there, but the Cross' (John's daughter, Elizabeth, married Charles Cross) are listed as head of household.

He and Ann are buried in Section 3, lot 2, in North Burial Ground, Bristol, along with several of their children. The plot is in a grove of trees east of the south entrance near large Clinton and Bowen monuments. His stone reads: "John H. Leonard died August 22, 1879, aged 55 years, 4 months, 17 days." His wife's stone reads: "Ann E., wife of John H. Leonard, died January 16, 1890, aged 58 years." Nearby are two smaller stones of his sons: "John H. Leonard, 1862-1920," and "Walter B. Leonard, 1867-1955." The symbol on John H.'s tombstone indicates he was an Odd Fellow (3 rings of a chain).

John Henry Leonard's of the same name was the 5th child born to the couple, according to his birth certificate. Ann Eliza PEABODY and John Henry LEONARD were married on 3 December 1848 in State Street Methodist Church, Bristol, RI.10 Bristol Phenix of 9 Dec 1848, page 2. Married by the Rev. Rchard Livesey, December 5, 1848 in Providence, R.I. Vital Records of R.I. 1636-1850. Births, Marriages, and Deaths by James N. Arnold. Vol. 6, Bristol, Part I., p. 32 item 4-69. Crossreferenced for Ann C. Peabody on p.42, item 4-69. 1894.
Also mentioned is marriage of Abby M. Leonard and Richard Ellis on Aug. 23, 1849. Item 4-70. There were several Abby Leonards living in Bristol in the 1850 Census. One, Abby Leonard, 25, born in R.I., dwelling 194. M841, p. 9048. Another Abby Leonard 49 living in same household as Abby Ellis, 23, in 1850, dwelling 180. M841. Mother of Abby (Leonard) Ellis? There was also a Henry Leonard, 14 as of Aug. 5, 1850 Census date, living with Abby Leonard and Abby Ellis. Related to John H. Leonard?

There was also a William Leonard, 30, blacksmith, p. 10828, living in Bristol.

5. Ann Eliza PEABODY was born on 3 March 1831 in Bristol, RI. She died on 16 January 1890 at the age of 58 in Providence, RI.11 She was also known as Anne Eliza Peabody.11 Ann was buried in Lot #621, Area 3, Lot 2, North Burial Ground, Bristol, R.I.. Ann died of kidney - Bright's - disease at age 58 years, 10 months, 16 days. She was listed as living at 23 East in Providence at the time of her death (that would have also been the address of her daughter Elizabeth, who married Charles Cross). Ann listed as kin at death John H. Leonard and Amy M. Leonard. An Amy Marie Leonard, b. 1849, d. Nov. 2, 1906, buried PV003, but none of my research indicates she was a relative.

Ann E. Peabody is #943 in Selim Peabody's book, Peabody Genealogy, 1909.

In 1880 Census, Ann and children John H. 18, James P. 15, and Walter B. 12, were living with Charles W. and Elizabeth M Cross and their two children at 23 East Dove, the 3rd Ward, Providence. Elizabeth was the wife of Charles W. and daughter of John H. and Ann E. Leonard. (National Archives Film T9-1211, page 269A.)

She is buried next to John H. Leonard, her husband, in the Leonard burial plot in Bristol.

Children were:

i.

Alfred Francis LEONARD was born in 1850 in Bristol, RI. He died on 10 August 1859 at the age of 9 in Bristol, RI. He was buried in #620, Area 3, Lot 2, North Burial Ground, Bristol, R.I.. Alfred may have been named for a brother of Ann E. Peabody who died shortly before. I've not come across any Alfred's in the Leonard family. That Alfred Peabody, #444 in Peabody Genealogy, was born June 23, 1812, son of Ephraim, #174. Alfred died at age 9. Thomas also had a son, Alfred, who lived from 1825 to 1906.

ii.

Unknown LEONARD was born on 12 August 1852. She died on 12 August 1852 at the age of 0.

iii.

Maria Augusta LEONARD was born on 21 May 1853 in Bristol, RI. She died on 26 April 1854 at the age of 0 in Bristol, RI. She was buried in #619, Area 3, Lot 2, North Burial Ground, Bristol, R.I.. Death noted in St. Michael's church records. 11 mos. 5 days old.

iv.

Elizabeth M. LEONARD was born on 18 April 1857 in Bristol, RI. She died on 2 March 1925 at the age of 67 in Providence, RI. In the 1900 Census, Elizabeth (Lizzie) was head of the family. Son Charles Fred was living with the family, as were Stephen and Mabel Hinckley and James P. Leonard. Son was an engineer. Occupations of others are illegible. They were living at 258 William Street in Providence, along with a boarder, Willis Groves. They were living near the Waldrons (Lizzie's sister Maria), who were at 238 William Street. Elizabeth, then widowed, married Willis Groves in 1902.

v.

Maria F. LEONARD12 was born on 18 August 1859 in Bristol, RI. She died after 1930 at the age of 71 in Rhode Island. In the 1920 Census, she was 61, a housekeeper for a private family (William H. Stone?), living at 15 Lincoln Avenue, Cranston, RI. Marion M. Waldron, 13, was boarding with her. Marion was born in RI. In the 1930 Census, she was listed as a mother-in-law living with Edward and Bessie Simmons at 11 Union Avenue, Providence. Bessie was her daughter.

2

vi.

John Henry LEONARD.

vii.

James Peabody LEONARD was born on 8 November 1864 in Providence, RI. He died on 22 October 1936 at the age of 71 in Providence, RI. VR's - 34:335 He was buried in Mount St. Mary's Cemetery, 661 Prospect St., Pawtucket, RI Section 2, Lot 98. According to the 1930 Census, he was a butcher living at 50 Walnut Street, East Providence, RI, with his wife, two grown sons, and daughter.

Their grave stone is large and pink in Mt. St. Mary's Cemetery, Pawtucket.

Information on James Peabody Leonard's descendants is from Madilyn Leonard Benrubi, a descendant.

viii.

Walter Bradford LEONARD13 was born on 13 December 1867 in Bristol, RI.12 He died on 20 February 1955 at the age of 87 in Providence, RI. VR's - 515 He was buried at Section 3, Lot 2, also known as lot #617 in North Burial Ground, Bristol, R.I.. He was apparently named after Walter Bradford who married Sarah Macomber in June 1845 and died suddenly in late June 1858. He was apparently a close friend of John H. Leonard.

In the 1880 Census, Walter Bradford Leonard was living with his brother-in-law, Charles W. Cross, in Providence, RI. He isn't listed in the 1900 Census, but does appear in the 1910 Census as a fireman, living at 206 Power Street, Providence, with his wife and daughter next to Maria F. (Leonard) Waldron and her daugher Bessie and grand-daughter Marion M. Waldron, and John H. Leonard, brother of Walter and Maria. Walter was also listed in the 1910 Census at the fire station on South Main Street, Providence.

In the 1920 Census, Walter and Frances were living at 208 Power Street, Providence, with his daughter, Madeline, now married to Edward Sweeney and grandchild Leonard Sweeney. Walter was a captain in the fire department. Previously, Walter had been listed as living at 203 Power Street.

In the 1930 Census, he is listed as living at 61 Colonial Road in Providence, RI, a foreman in a coal yard. He and his wife were living with their daughter, her husband, and her daughter. His wife Fannie was also 61 and was born in VT, as were her parents.

My grandfather, Walter B. Leonard, styled himself Walter B. Leonard II or 2nd. When I asked him about it, he said there was another Walter B. Leonard in Providence, a deputy fire chief, and he used the "2nd" so that mail would not get mixed up. He never mentioned that the other Walter was his uncle.

Walter is buried in the plot with his father and mother, next to his brother, John H. Leonard. His wife does not appear to be buried there.