Seventh Generation

1978. Abraham Bryant LEONARD^66,747 was born on 23 Dec 1796 in Middleborough, Plymouth, MA.⁹³¹ He was born on 23 Dec 1796 in Middleboro, Plymouth Co., MA.² He died on 28 Apr 1853 in Bristol, RI.^2,932 He was buried in Old North Burial Ground, Bristol, RI. Sources: Middleborough Vital Records, Vol. 1, p. 263. Also Elisha ClarkLeonard's typewritten manuscript of the James Leonard descendants, #1130(7th Generation), Also, the Bristol Phoenix newspaper and Census records.

1850 Census: Abraham Leonard, laborer, 53, born in RI (!), listed asliving in Portsmouth, RI (across the bay from Bristol, where his wife,Abby, is listed as living with her daughter's family). 1800 Census --MA; 1820, 1830, 1840, and 1850 Censuses -- RI

Abraham was baptized March 6, 1842, at the 1st Baptist Church of Bristol(per church records, RI Vital Statistics -- Arnold Collection). Thisprobably was Abraham's son, who was born on that day (or earlier). Thelatter lists his death as December 4, 1853, but this could have been thefather, Abraham, as both father and son died in 1853.

He may have derived his name from his second cousin, Abraham Bryant, whodied a few months before he was born. This Abraham Bryant was the son ofJesse Bryant, was born July 22, 1783 in Middleborough, and died September30, 1796, aged 13 years, 2 months, 7 days (p. 213, Middleborough VR's, onCD203). Another uncle named one of his children Abraham a few yearslater: Jesse Bryant, Jr., and Jane, his wife, had an Abraham Bryant bornMay 31, 1801, in Middleborough (p. 316). There was an Abraham Bryant, 49,living in Middleborough in the 1850 Census. He was a forge man. Therewere also Abrahams in the Micah Bryant family.

He may have come to Bristol from Middleborough with his older brother,Nathaniel, after 1810. His mother had died by then, and his father hadskipped off to Canada. A Nathaniel Leonard married Sarah Seamans ofRehobeth at Bristol February 21, 1815.

Abraham is in the 1820 Census, household of 3, one male, two female.

Abraham Leonard is mentioned as a "teamer" (teamster?) in Bristol in 1820(Charles O. F. Thompson, Sketches of Old Bristol, 1942, p. 5). TheBristol Phoenix carried an article on December 7, 1833, about hisdissolving a partnership (newspaper not available to check); May 17,1834, placed on Bristol Committee to Remove Nuisances; August 16, 1834,advertising his hotel (newspaper not available to check), November 25,1848, new ownership of hotel ("Mechanics Hotel, Hope Street, Bristol,R.I., recently occupied by Mr. Abraham Leonard").

Abraham Leonard of Bristol placed an ad in the Providence Gazette, April12, 1822: "Notice: Ran away from the subscriber on Tuesday the 9thinst. an indented boy, named William Brown, a mulatto, aged about 18years; had on when he went away, gray Sailnott jacket and trousers,oldish hat, stockings and shoes--all persons are hereby forbid harbouringor trusting him on my account. Any person who will return said runawayto the subscriber, shall be entitled to a reward of One Cent, and nocharges paid."

He was appointed guardian of Thomas Gladding, who was non compos, May 2,1831. He was appointed by the Bristol Town Council 1 of 3 commissionersto receive claims agains the estate of Samuel C. Richmond.

According to the records of the Court of Common Pleas (april 1841 -December 1845), "5. George Waterman and George Vaughn (both Middleboroughmerchants, 'doing business under the firm of Waterman and Vaughn'), v.Cyrus King (Raynham yeoman) and his trustee Ab raham Leonard(Middleborough yeoman). Continued from August term (no writ). Pltf saidhe was owed $300 due for money 'received by deft. to the use of thePltfs.' Pltf. said he was also owed $222.68 and $14.27 on a judgmentaward by Common Pleas Court in August 1840 (#26, see vol. 34, p. 484.)which remained not satisfied. The pltf. appeared and discontinued 'as toall counts in the writ, except a count on the former judgment.' Defaultby defts. Judgement for $255.45 and $15.21 to be recovered 'against thegoods, effects and credits of said Deft. in the hands and possession ofsaid Trustee, if so much there be in his hands.'" Did Abraham still haveinterests in Middleborough, or was this another Abraham?

Buried in plots #652 and #653 in the Old North Burial Ground in Bristolare Abraham and Abby, sons Abraham and Henry, and Fitz Peabody and PhebeLeonard. It's strange, in that the major stones are for Fitz and EllenHenrietta Peabody and a Gifford family. Abraham's stone is broken; thecemetery foreman said it was probably moved from the town green ofBristol when the North Burial Ground was opened, but Abraham remainsburied under the town green. Research indicates the North Burial Groundwas opened in 1818, early enough for Abraham to have been buried there.Walter B., John H., Maria A., Alfred Francis, Ann, and John H. are alsoburied in the North Burial Ground. Nearby are Albert C. Bennett in #692and Walter Bradford in #786. Abraham is listed as a teamer by occupationat the time of his death.

George, son of Abraham Leonard of Bristol d. 9 mos. May 8, 1827. A 9 mo.old child of Abraham Leonard died on May 8, 1827, is mentioned in ElderWight's deaths (Arnold Collection).

Also listing Abraham Leonard as kin are: Henry M. Leonard, d. Feb. 2,1863 (b. 1837); John H. Leonard, d. Aug. 22, 1879 (b. 1828); John J.Leonard, d. April 25, 1876 (b. 1831); Abby D. Leonard, d. March 22, 1886(b. 1800). Abby also listed Lucy E. Leoffler. George A. Leonard, d.Oct. 24, 1890 (b. 1832), lists Abraham and Abby D. Leonard. Harriet L.Leonard, d. Sept. 1905 (b. 1832), lists George A. and Ann M. Leonard.James Leonard, d. April 29, 1875 (b. 1818), lists John and Ann Leonard askin. James M. Leonard, d. April 11, 1856 (b. 1791) also listed AbrahamLeonard as kin, but nothing else relates him to this branch of theLeonard family. I suspect he is from the Bridgewater line.

In the 1840 Census, the Abraham Leonard household consisted of 11persons, 1 male child under 5, 1 male child 5 to 10, 1 male 16-20, 3males 20-30, 1 male 40 to 50 (Abraham), 1 female 10-15, 1 female 16-20, 1female 20-30, and 1 female 40-50 (Abbie).

There was an Abraham Leonard living in Bristol in 1830, per Census, p.352, with a wife, two sons, and three daughters.

There were only two Leonards living in R.I. for 1800 Census: John G. andZephaniah, both Washington County.

There was an Abraham Leonard, b. 1770, d. April 28, 1853, associated withLeoffler -- check further. Different birthdate, date of death.

Nathaniel Leonard of Bristol married Sarah Seamans of Rehobeth at BristolFebruary 21, 1815. Abraham's brother Nathaniel? This Nathaniel Leonardmoved to Attleboro. One of Abraham's children was born in Attleboro.

The names chosen for Abraham's children are strange, in that there are noNathaniel's (Abraham's father and brother), no Joseph's (Abraham'sgrandfather), no Jesse's (maternal grandfather). John and George, whichpersist in the children's names, are not in the family trees of eitherAbraham, but they do occur in the his wife's Munro family. Henryprobably comes from Abigail's father, Henry Munro. Abigail and Abrahamare children named after their parents.

Other Leonards living in Bristol about this time included Sylvanus, whowas a member of the 1st Baptist Church of Bristol from August 11, 1811 to1820. Nothing indicates he was related to our branch of the family.Another was David Augustus Leonard and his many children. He lived inBristol in 1815 and then moved on to New York. He was descended from theSolomon Leonard line.

There was an Abraham Leonard who married Miss Keziah Dean, both ofRaynham, 16 Nov 1816, by Rev. Stephen Hall (Margaret Harris Stover, VitalRecords of Raynham, Massachusetts, 1997: The Mayflower Society, p. 65.)There appear to be no further records of Abraham or Keziah in Raynham.Is this the same Abraham who was later in Bristol?

Abraham Bryant LEONARD and Abigail Diman MUNRO were married about 1820 in Bristol, RI. Abigail Diman MUNRO² (daughter of Capt. Henry MUNRO and Phebe MUNRO) was born in 1799 in Bristol, RI. She was born in 1801 in Bristol, RI.² She died on 22 Mar 1886 in Providence, RI.² She died on 22 Mar 1886 in Providence, RI.⁹³³ She was also known as Abby. She was also known as Abby Diman Monro. She was buried in Old North Burial Ground, Bristol, RI. Abby Leonard was confirmed June 4, 1830 (along with Allen Leonard), butI'm not sure which Abby Leonard: this one, her daughter (who was 5) oranother Abby. She probably was named after her father's sister, Abigail,who married Jeremiah Diman.

Abigail was her formal name, but she seems to be listed as Abby or Abbiein most records. Abby D. Leonard came back to Bristol from Providence tocelebrate the Bristol Centennial in 1876. Her tombstone lists her asAbbie. As of 2005, the tombstone was of limestone and deterioratingbadly. Abraham's, broken, was lying beside it. Both were in the FitzPeabody plot.

In the 1870 Census, Abby is living in the 3rd Ward in Providence with theFitz Peabody family.

In the 1880 Census, Abby is listed as living with her daughter, Abby M.Ellis, 49, and her daughter's husband, Henry W. Ellis, 50, and their twochildren, Abby W. Ellis, 28, and son, Halsey Ellis, age 26, inProvidence, R.I. (National Archives Film T9-1212, page 407B).

Abby D. Munro was listed as age 86 at death March 22, 1886 (AC/VR RI).She listed Abraham Leonard and Lucy E. Leoffler as kin at death.Severine George Leoffler m. Lucy Ellen Bromeley April 5, 1879. TheLeofflers had two small children who died soon after Abby died.

Abby is buried next to Henry M. Leonard and George Leonard. The gravesare next to the Peabody (Fitz Herbert Peabody) plot. Her stone reads"Abbie D. Leonard died March 22, 1886, in the 87th year of her life."Nearby to the NE is the stone of Abigail Diman, after whom she wasprobably named. Almost in the middle of the burial plot is a Giffordmonument.

Her birth is not listed in the source document for Henry Munro and PhoebeMunro (The Monroe Book by Jean S. Guilford, Franklin: The GenealogicalPublishing Service, 1993), but the death notice in the Bristol Phoenix,Saturday, April 3, 1886, p. 2, lists her as the daughter of the lateCapt. Henry Munro of Bristol. Death in RI Vital Records, Bk 86, page719, ct 28. also lists Henry Munro and Phebe Munroe as her parents. Abraham Bryant LEONARD and Abigail Diman MUNRO had the following children:

+3116	i.	Abby M. LEONARD.
+3117	ii.	John Henry LEONARD.
3118	iii.	Abraham LEONARD2,934 was born in 1826 in Bristol, Bristol Co., RI.2 He died on 8 May 1827 in Bristol, Bristol Co., RI.2
3119	iv.	George LEONARD was born in 1826 in Attleboro, Bristol Co., MA. He died on 8 May 1827 in Bristol, RI. He was buried in Old North Burial Ground, Bristol, RI. His tombstone is slate, next to Abbie D. Leonard and Henry M. Leonard.Stone reads: "George Leonard, son of Abraham, Abigail his wife, died May8, 1827."
3120	v.	Harriet L. LEONARD2 was born in 1829 in Bristol, RI.2 She died on 1 Sep 1905 in RI. She listed George A. and Ann M. Leonard as next of kin at death. She waslisted as a widow living at 199 Charles in the 1863 Providence CityDirectory. A Harriet J. Leonard m. Levi D. Hale October 15, 1864. A Harriet M.Leonard m. William J. Williams November 13, 1864.
3121	vi.	John J. LEONARD2 was born in 1831 in Bristol, RI.2 He died on 25 Apr 1876 in RI.933
+3122	vii.	George Abraham LEONARD.
3123	viii.	Henry M. LEONARD2 was born in 1836 in Bristol, RI.2 He died on 2 Feb 1863 in Bristol, RI.2 1850 Census: Henry, then 14, living with his mother, Abby, and Henry andAbby Ellis in Bristol. There was a Henry Leonard, b. 1825, d. March 31, 1907, next of kin JohnLeonard, who doesn't seem to fit into our family, yet coincidence ofnames.
3124	ix.	Abraham LEONARD was born on 6 Mar 1842 in Bristol, RI. He died on 4 Dec 1853 in Bristol, RI. Death date of father or son? Both died in 1853.