Robert Leach (abt. 1605 - 1688)

Born about 1605 in England [uncertain]

Died 22 May 1688 at about age 83 in Charlestown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Disputed Associations

In 1924, F. Phelps Leach published a loosely researched genealogy about the immigrant, Lawrence Leach of Salem, Massachusetts and some of his Descendants. The author made gross errors in the development of his sketch about Lawrence's son, Robert. In 1995, conflating Lawrence's son with this Robert Leach of Charlestown. Robert Charles Anderson wrote, "The Robert Leach presented in this volume as son of Lawrence is a chimaera, created by mixing records for Robert Leach of Charlestown and Robert Leach of Manchester, the latter of whom was son of the immigrant."^[1]

This Robert Leach was profiled by Thomas Bellows Wyman, The genealogies and estates of Charlestown in 1879.

Biography

Robert Leach was born, probably England, about 1605 (age 57 in 1662; died 22 May 1688, "ae above 80").^[2]

Immigration

The details of his immigration are not known. He had immigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony by at least 1637.

At Massachusetts Bay

His wife, Mary (_____) Leach, was admitted to the Charlestown church 9 (7) 1639 [9 September 1639].^[3].

According to Wyman, Robert Leach owned 11 lots in 1638,

(1) House and lot in Middle Row

(2) 2 acres at Eastfield, bounded by Zechariah Symmes, R. Cole and J. Allen

(3) 1 cow common (cites p. 72); 1 cow common (another, cites p. 79)

(4) House in field, "without neck," with common, bounded by R. Mousal, Solomon Phipps. Mrs. Coytmore. Bought of John Baker.

(5) 2 acres adjacent to house, bought of Baker

(6) 1 acres in the same field, with commons bought of R. Mosal, bounded by R. I., W. Frothingham and Richard Sprague.

(7) 1-1/1 acres, bought of James Greene, with common, bounded by Richard Sprague, W. Barnard and W. F.

(8) Piece of meadow, bought of W. Bachelor, "in same field, N.W. creek; bounded to the S.E. by W. F.

(9) 1 cow common, bought of A. Palmer

(10) 2 commons, bought of Maj. Sedgwick.

(11) 1 common "given him."

Wyman also reported various transactions,

(1) Purchased of James Greene, 1-12 acres in 1648, recorded 1682.

(2) To W. Bachelor, 2 acres Eastfield, in a 1648 exchange, recorded 1682.

(3) Purchased in 1649 of R. Mousal, 1 acre Westfield, bounded by W. Frothingham's marsh and R. I. commons and R. Sprague, recorded 1682.

(4) Entered 4 commons, 1656-1657

(5) Purchased of Thomas Mousal in 1678, 16 acres woods, bounded by Gould, Jonathan Bunker, John Fosket and R. I.

(6) Purchased of Jonathan Crouch, a lot, 1678-9.

(7) Granted 4 commons, 1681.

(8) Sold to Thomas Fosket, 8 acres, 1683

(9) Grant of 14 acres, 1685, bounded by N. W. range, Widow Dady, Solomon Phipps T. Jones

Robert Leach left a will dated 24 December 1685, proved 14 June 1688. Estate devised to "my Seven Grand Children that John Foskit had by my Daughter Elizabeth,"^[4]

Family

He married Mary sometime before her admittance to the church in 1639.

Wyman claims his daughter was Elizabeth Leach, married John Fosket; however, WikiTree reports this Elizabeth was the daughter of William Powell and his wife, Elizabeth. William Powell is said to have died at England. His widow, Elizabeth died at Charlestown in 1644, leaving an orphaned daughter, Elizabeth Powell, who was raised by Robert and Mary Leach. It was this Elizabeth Powell who married John Fosket.^[5]

Research Notes

No Robert birth at Manchester about 1654. See the published early vital records at 75 (Leach), 76 (Lech), and 85 (Leech).

No Robert death at Manchester about 1683. See the published early vital records at 268 (Leach) and 273 (Leech).

Odd Note. Note: #N9971 N9971_P_CCINFO 1-18437Original individual @I06681@ (@MS_JUMPER 1-2_869GM2@) merged with @I06674@ (@MS_JUMPER 1-2_869GM2@)

Sources

1. ↑ Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III, 3 vols. (1995), 2:1161-1164 (Lawrence Leach); digital images by subscription, American Ancestors.
2. ↑ Thomas Bellows Wyman, The Genealogies and Estates of Charlestown ..., 2 vols. (Boston : D. Clapp, 1879), 2:610 (Leach); digital images, InternetArchive.
3. ↑ James F. Hunnewell, Records of the First Church in Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1632-1789 (Boston., D. Clapp and Son, 1880), 9; digital images, InternetArchive.
4. ↑ Robert Leach 1688 probate, case 1648 (4 pp.), Suffolk County, MA: Probate File Papers; database and digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.
5. ↑ Robert Leach, case 1648 (4 pp.), Suffolk County, MA: Probate File Papers; database and digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.

See also--

• Lawrence Leach of Salem, Mass., and some of his descendants. Lawrence Leach of Salem, Massachusetts and some of his descendents] by Leach, F. Phelps (Fayette Phelps), 1864-; Publication date 1924; Publisher East Highgate, Vt. : F.P. Leach

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Michele Britton for creating WikiTree profile Leach-1173 through the import of ANCESTORS OF MARIE ALAINA CINTOLO.ged on Jul 18, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Michele and others.