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Second Generation
2. Deacon, Major
Thomas LEONARD2,4,5,6 was born on 3 Aug 1641 in Kinver, Staffordshire, England.
He was baptized on 8 Aug 1641 in Kinver, Staffordshire, England.
He died on 24 Nov 1713 in Raynham, Bristol Co., MA.2 He was buried in Neck of Land Burying Ground, Taunton,
MA. Thomas was baptised August 8, 1641, in Kinver, Staffordshire,
son ofJames and Jane Leonard. Kinver is located on the Stour River, 7 miles
SWof Dudley. Immediately across the river is located Whittinton. Is thiswhy
James Leonard in 1666 named his "forge or blomerie with one hearth"on
the Mill River in Taunton, MA, "Whittinton Iron Works?" See"Pre-American
Ancestry of our Leonard Ironworkers(http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~bart/Leonard2.htm).
One of the shareholders in John Winthrop's "Company of Undertakers of theIron
Works in New England" was Thomas Foley (1617 - 1677). He and hisbrothers
were probably the formost ironmasters in the Black Country (ironore country in
Staffordshire) at that time, owning iron and mine works asfar afield as Monmouthshire.
Their father, Richard Foley, started thefamily fortune with an iron works near
Stourbridge, 3 miles east ofKinver. Could he have been involved in recruiting
the Leonards whenWinthrop was having a difficult time conscripting experienced
ironworkers?
Thomas is buried in same lot with son Joseph and grandson Joseph. D.Hamilton
Hurd in "History of Bristol County, MA," gives his date of deathas
December 21, 1713.
He was foreman and manager of the Taunton ironworks from 1683 to 1713,according
to Fanny Leonard Koster.
About Thomas Leonard, from Elisha Clark Leonard/George Marston Leonardmanuscript:
"It is evident from the habits displayed in the various offices he heldand
the conditions under which he had to perform the duties connectedwith the same
that he was a man of rare judgment, of great ability, andof untiring industry.
He was careful and conscientious in all hisactions whenever he was called upon
to perform some duty. He was quick,versatile, and popular, and he seems to have
become the leading man inthe community and acquired the confidence of the leading
men in theMassachusetts Colony. The amount of work that he accomplished wasremarkable
and the skill and correctness displayed in the various papersthat he drew up
and are still extant would lead one to believe that hehad received a careful
legal training. Yet we know that it was theresult of his own special efforts
at self education, since he was unableto write his name when he first arrived.
His family was moving aboutfrom England to various parts of America. His mother,
burdened with thecares of a growing family under pioneer conditions, died when
Thomas was21. We must believe that it was his mother, through her oversight
andencouragement, laid the foundation of the character displayed by hereldest
son.
"Under the instruction of his father, he leared the iron manufacturetrade
and became an expert "bloomer" and refiner. It is almost certainthat
as early as 1666 he had become skilled sufficiently that his fatherleft the oversight
and management of the manufacture of iron at theTaunton works to him, leaving
James free to devote his time to theWhittinton works. In 1696 he and his brother
James obtained a grant of200 acres of land in the North Purchase for encouragement
to build aforge on the Cowesitt River. He and James continued to own and operatethis
forge until 1707, when James sold his share to his nephew George,son of Thomas.
In 1700 Thomas, together with Philip King, commenced tobuild a forge at Trout
Brook in Middleboro. The next year, Thomaspurchased King's portion, finished
the forge, and placed his youngest sonElkanah to manage it and the sawmill that
he erected at the same time.Thomas gave this forge and lands to (his son) Elkanah
in his will."
"He was appointed by the Court at Plymouth an ensign of the militiacompany
at Taunton in 1665. No doubt that he immediately set himself towork to become
efficient as a military officer. In 1884, a book entitled"The discipline
of the young artilleryman" was found with ThomasLeonard's autograph and
given in his will to his son, Samuel. In 1690,he became Captain of the East
Taunton militia.
"In 1668 Thomas Leonard was one of the purchasers of the North Purchase,later
set aside as the town of Norton. In 1669 he was on a committee tomake a list
of the free inhabitants of the town. In 1882 he was electedone of the Selectmen
of Taunton and a Deputy to the Court at Plymouth.These offices he continued to
hold with but a single exception until1691. After the union of Plymouth and
Massachusetts Bay Colonies, he waschosen a Representative to the General Court
at Boston in 1694/5 andagain in 1698/9. On May 6, 1675, his father conveyed
to him the EastHearth at the Taunton Works as Masterworkman. In 1683 he was
appointedClerk of the Ironworks, which position he held until his death in 1713.Taunton
purchased and possesses the account books that he maintained,giving a clear indication
of his methodical habits. From the time ThomasLeonard became Clerk and manager
until his death, the Taunton Ironworkspaid 15% per year on its shares.
"In 1684 he was appointed to solemnize marriages in Taunton. In 1685 hewas
appointed an Associate Justice for the County of Bristol, whichoffice he continued
to hold until his death in 1713. He also apparentlystudied medecine, due to
the remoteness of help to Taunton. He also hada large farm. Will dtd. January
29, 1711/12 probated February 5, 1713/4."
Another source: Squaw Betty, niece of King Philip treated both familiesof the
Leonards when they were stricken with typhoid fever. She gatheredherbs, prepared
and administered the medecine, and nursed them back tohealth. In return, they
offered her wampum but she declined the same.However, she did accept as a present
a pretty red cloak and in it shesaid she hoped to be buried.
The Eddy Family in America, 1930: John Eddy was in Capt. Thos. Leonard'sFirst
Military Company of Taunton. There may be more in Emery, Historyof Taunton,
p. 354.
Will of Thomas Leonard "the eldest of ye name in Taunton" being in
his71st year of age, dtd. 29 Jan. 1711/2, prob. 5 February 1713/4. Mentionswife,
wife's father, five sons, two daughters, grandson Thomas of sonJohn, brothers
Benjamin and James. Lands in Middleboro, Taunton,Rehobeth, and Taunton North
Purchase. Friends Elder Henry Hodges, DeaconEzra Deane, Deacon Israel Thrasher,
and Seth Wiliams to be overseers.(3:179-185).
Children checked against the list in NEHGS Reg. 1851, p. 414(3),"Genealogical
Memoir of the Leonard Family." [NEED TO DEFINE SENTENCE: Private-Begin]7 Mary WATSON8 (daughter of Capt. George WATSON
and Phebe HICKS) was born on 2 Aug 1642 in Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA.2 She died on 1 Dec 1723 in Taunton,
Bristol Co., MA.2 She was
buried in Neck of Land Burying Ground, Taunton, MA. She died in her
81st year. (History of Bristol County, MA, by D.Hamilton Hurd, Philadelphia,
1883.)(Also Savage, p. 80.) Deacon, Major Thomas LEONARD and Mary WATSON had
the following children:
+11 | i. | Mary
LEONARD. | +12 | ii. | Thomas LEONARD. | +13 | iii. | John
LEONARD. | +14 | iv. | Judge, Major George LEONARD. | +15 | v. | Rev., Capt. Samuel LEONARD. | +16 | vi. | Ensign
Elkanah LEONARD. | 17 | vii. | James
LEONARD9 was born on 17
Dec 1679 in Taunton, Bristol Co., MA.10
He died on 8 May 1682 in Taunton, Bristol Co., MA.10 | 18 | viii. | Daughter
LEONARD11 was born on
6 Apr 1681 in Taunton, MA. She died on 6 Apr 1681 in Taunton, Bristol
Co., MA. Taunton VR's says a daughter of Thomas stillborn April 10,
1681. GeorgeMarston Leonard's charts indicate the same. | 19 | ix. | Seth LEONARD12 was born on 28 Apr 1682 in Taunton, Bristol Co., MA.10 He died on 2 Nov 1682 in Taunton,
Bristol Co., MA.10 | 20 | x. | Abiah Phebe LEONARD13 was born on 3 Mar 1683/84 in Taunton,
Bristol Co., MA. She died on 15 Jul 1685 in Taunton, Bristol Co.,
MA. | +21 | xi. | Elizabeth LEONARD. |
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