| John Leonard migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 207) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm |
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Where he was born and his parentage have not been determined. Some say Pontypool, Wales; some say Bilston or Bilford, Staffordshire. Some family tradition has him a brother or cousin of James Leonard of Taunton.
The Leonard Family Dictionary, a typescript at the DAR library in Washington, DC,[1] is said to report that he was a son of Nathaniel Leonard, who was a brother of James and Henry. Nathaniel was supposed killed in an industrial accident at the ironworks in Pontypool. Nathaniel was also said to be a sea captain who was appointed governor of Avalon in Nova Scotia in the early 1600's. Nathaniel or his father supposedly had a sister, Dorothy, who married George Calvert, later Lord Baltimore (originally Baltemore in Ireland). These appear to be myths that mix up facts and fancy. James' father's children have been researched and identified, and there is no Nathaniel among them. But one or more Nathaniels could be cousins or second cousins.[2]
Preliminary y-dna analysis of a descendant indicates he was closely related to James Leonard of Taunton and Samuel Leonard of New Jersey.[citation needed] No reliable research information has been found that he was related to Solomon Leonard of Duxbury/Bridgewater whose descendants were of a different haplogroup. There is no evidence he was a descendant of Sir Sampson Lennard nor his wife, Margaret Fiennes.
John Leonard was born in either England or Wales about 1615. He was in Springfield, Massachusetts Colony by 1638.
He married at Springfield 12 November 1640 to Sarah Heald.[3][4][5] Note: The marriage on GS Film 185414 and image on ancestry entry really does read HEALD as does the transcription.
Sarah HEALD, daughter of Thomas HEALD and Elizabeth ROBSON, was born in 1623 in Berwick upon Tweed, Northumberland, England. She died on 23 November 1711 at the age of 88 in Springfield, Hampden Co., MA. Also listed as Sarah Heath. Some debate as to whether her parents were John Heath and Dorothy Royle or Thomas Heald and ? No Heald family was early settled at Springfield, and she may have been brought there by a relative or an indentured servant.[2]
John Leonard was an early settler of the town of Springfield, MA, for on 13 January 1638/39 he proferred two pounds toward the building of a house for the minister, Mr. Moxon. His lot is now occupied by Foot's Block. It was eight rods wide, running from the river, east onward to Amory Hill. Another source, below, gives it as on the southwest corner of Main and State streets. He was chosen surveyor, 26 March 1640, to see that the highways were cleared and kept in repair. He was one of the town appraisers in 1645 for the purpose of a rate (tax) for Mr. Moxon's maintenance. He received several allotments of land from 1640 on and on 10 January 1658/59 was granted 40 acres of the highland "adjoyning to Tho. Miricks meddow over Agawam."[2] Leonard and his wife had 15 children. He is the progenitor of the Springfield Leonard line. No relationship is known to the James Leonard line, although they apparently communicated and knew each other.[6]
Nathaniel Leonard, brother of Henry and James, was father of John, who was also an ironmaster, associated with John Pyncheon in Springfield. No historical documentation is given.[7]
John LEONARD and Sarah HEALD had the following children all born in Springfield MA:[8]
John Leonard was killed by Indians in early 1676, sometime before 29 March 1676 when his inventory of his estate was taken.[9][10]
RIN MH:IF68336
He is not mentioned in "The Great Migration Begins..." It sounds like you only checked the volumes of GM that go through 1635. The Great Migration Directory includes individuals who came between 1636 and 1640, and states: John Leonard: Unknown; 1638; Springfield [SpTR 161; SpVR 19; Pynchon Court 205 ; Hale-House 678-82]. The codes here mean: SpTR: Springfield, Massachusetts, Town Records. SpVR: Clifford L. Stott, comp., Vital Records of Springfield, Massachusetts to 1850, 6 vols. (Boston 2003)
Sarah Heald widow married February 21, 1676/7, Benjamin PARSONS, and third, November 3, 1690, Peter TILTON of Hadley, and died November 23, 1711.
children were:-- John, b. August 25, 1641, d. June 22, 1648. Joseph, b. March 17, 1643, d. May 20, 1643. Joseph, b. May 20, 1644, had six wives. Sarah, b. December 13, 1645, m. John KEEP. Mary, b. September 14, 1647, m. Samuel BLISS, Sr. Martha, b. April 15, 1649, m. Benjamin WAITE. Lydia, b. October 20, 1650, m. John DUMBLETON, and second, Joseph BEDORTHA. John, b. September 10, 1652, d. March 13, 1663. Benjamin, b. September 5, 1654, m. Sarah SCOTT. Abel, b. July 22, 1656, m. Mary REMINGTON. Josiah, b. March 28, 1658, m. Sarah DUMBLETON. Hannah, b. February 19, 1659, m. Daniel DENTON. Rebecca, b. May 26, 1661, m. Thomas MILLER, and 2nd, Samuel BILLINGS. Deborah, b. October 1, 1663. In the distribution of the estate in 1718, she is called Deborah LOOF. Rachael, b. November 6, 1665, m. Thomas HANCOCK.
Adm. of his estate granted 10 January 1676/7 to widow, Sarah. The agreement between his heirs names sons, Joseph, Benjamin, Abel, Josiah L., John Keep, and Samuel Bliss.
Extract from book on John Harmon of Springfield, MA and His Associates: John Leonard: BIRTH: John Leonard was born abt 1615 at Pontypool, Monmouth, Wales, son of Thomas Leonard. John?s paternal grandparents were Samson Leonard and Margaret Fiennes who md. in 1564 John Leonard?s great-grandmother was Elizabeth Harmon born 1520 at Elam, Crayford, Kent, England; Great-grandmother, Elizabeth, married a John Leonard abt 1538, at Knole, Kent, England. I think it is highly probable that there could be a relationship with John Harmon as their families appear to have had quite a bit of interaction in Springfield. His widow remarried in 1677 to Benjamin Parsons (Benjamin was the father of Sarah Parsons who married James Dorchester. James was the son of Anthony Dorchester who married the Widow of John Harmon.) and again in 1690 to Peter Tilton of Hadley. She died in 1711.
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Categories: Puritan Great Migration
edited by Ramsey Corbett
edited by Robert Dorn
I note that his wife remarried on 21 February 1676(7), and I would suggest that the exact date is an error relating to her remarriage.
I agree with M Cole that his date of death should be "before 29 March 1676" when his inventory was taken.
edited by M Cole
I added this note into notes: " It sounds like you only checked the volumes of GM that go through 1635. The Great Migration Directory includes individuals who came between 1636 and 1640, and states: John Leonard: Unknown; 1638; Springfield [SpTR 161; SpVR 19; Pynchon Court 205 ; Hale-House 678-82].
Since he is in the full edition of GMD, he definitely gets the Puritan Great Migration project box
The unknown means Anderson views his origin as unknown. If you want to update the profile with more sources, the codes here mean: SpTR: Springfield, Massachusetts, Town Records SpVR: Clifford L. Stott, comp., Vital Records of Springfield, Massachusetts to 1850, 6 vols. (Boston 2003)
What is the evidence this man was born in Wales?
What evidence supports the asserted relationship to Nathaniel, let alone the probably-fictitious Dorothy Leonard who notionally married Sir George Calvert?
(How do we explain that a family of drunken (per court records) Protestant manual laborers in New England marries into Catholic neo-aristocracy in Maryland?)
Could we perhaps relocate the speculation and repetition of unsourced/uncited rumors to the bottom of the page; and let the bio be a clear statement of facts we can support with contemporary primary sources? For example 'prelimary y-dna analysis' paragraph doesn't belong in his bio.
Do we need a Disuputed Origins?
Ref image event uploaded today.
Thanks