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Eighth Generation
3442. Jesse
Bradford LEONARD was born on 4 Aug 1865 in Maine. He died
on 27 Feb 1934 in Brockton, MA.1026
In the 1900 Census, Jesse was a farmer living in the first ward ofBrockton.
They had three servants.
He may have been born in Canton, Oxford Co., Maine -- he and Chester arelisted
in the Canton Genealogy Project. Jesse Bradford LEONARD and Alice Lillian SNOW
were married on 27 Apr 1884 in Brockton, MA.1026
Alice Lillian SNOW (daughter of Dennis SNOW and Charlotte
Reed BROWN) was born on 3 Feb 1866 in Brockton, MA. She died in 1959.
She was known as Doe. She left a letter with memories in "the book."It
read in part, "Brockton used to be called West Shores in the past. Ilived
in a part of North Bridgewater. I remember the big September galethat struck
here when I was 3 years old (1869). It did a great deal ofdamage. I remember
it took down the Porter Church spire, a tall onethen. It blew down a large willow
tree in our yard that had a swing onit for my sister and I... I first went to
school in the little schoolhouse on the hill side of the Pearl Street. When
I was about eight yearsold, it was moved to where the Hancock School now stands.
I graduatedfrom grammar school when I was fourteen... I graduated from high
schoolin the old Browne Church, which used to stand on the hill at the corderof
Pheasant Street and Main Street, a land mark for years... The highschool was
where the cityhall now is. There was many wooden buildings onMain Street then
and trees on the side of the streets. Warren Ave. wascalled Pond St. and quite
a large pond was at the corner of Warren Ave.and West Elm St. I was a farmer's
daughter and a farmer's wife. So wehad a busy life, but there was many pleasant
things about a farm.
There is a pond on our farm, it used to be called Dana's pond after myfather.
Now it's called Leonard's pond. I learned to skate on thatpond, my children
and grandchildren and great grandchildren have allskated there. One of the pleasant
things about our farm life is thefragrance of new mown hay. I always liked riding
on the loads anddriving the tedder and the horse rake. The animals are interesting,
somany are so knowing. We have had so manyhorses, and some were sobright. One
would come to the door for his lump of sugar, and bow andshake hands. Several
knew all the stops on the milk route, one alwaysturned around at the last customer
on the street while the driver wasdelivering the milk...
I belonged for many years to the Harrison Lodge of Good Temples, cousinMary's
father and mother spent many hours helping to get upentertainments for the meetings.
I falso enjoying helping and so didCaribou of this page. I belonged to the
W.S.C.S. of the Pearl St. Churchand was president for nine years to the former
Ladies Aid...
I see there will be no Brockton Fair this year. I have always attendedeachfair
since it first started, except year before last, when I was inPhiladelphia.
We used to go in a covered wagon and take a water pailfull of lunch and tie Dorbin
to the railing around the track as near thesame place every year where our friends
and relatives found us and oftenate with us. Father brought home many blue ribbons
for his cows. Iliked it best when there was a cattle show; now it is more like
acarnival...
I have only four children, but eighteen grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren
and do enjoy them, especially the babies. I had one son inthe last war (World
War I). I have two grandsons in the present war(World War II). One has been
across a year this January. One expects togo now he has his wings. One of my
granddaughter's husband is in theCoast Guard and another is going in the Navy
and one's in the SeaBees... All we can do is pray for them and for a speedy ending
with a fairsettlement for all nations."
She was 74 when she wrote most of this and the very last in 1951 when shewas
85. She died at the age of 93 in 1959.
She was a descendant of William Snow, born in 1624 in Sturtle Parish,Dorchester,
England of NIcholas Snow and Mary Walker and who was broughtto this country from
England by Richard Derby to whom he wasapprenticed. In 1638 he was one of the
early settlers of Bridgewater.In 1657 he married Rebecca Brown, daughter of Peter
Brown (Browne) whocame on the Mayflower.
Jesse Bradford LEONARD and Alice Lillian SNOW had the following children:
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