John Leighton (1673 - 1712)

Born 1673 in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Cromwell) Leighton — married before 1695 (to 1703) in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire

Descendants

Died 24 Sep 1712 at about age 39 in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire

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Biography

John Leighton, the son of Thomas Leighton II and Elizabeth (Nutter) Leighton was born in Dover N.H. abt. 1673 and died in Dover, N.H. abt. 1718.

He married first "Sarah" (probably Sarah Cromwell, b. abt 1668, d. 1703), The daughter of Phillip Cromwell and Elizabeth (Tuttle) Cromwell.

He married second Eleanor (Merrow) Meader, the daughter of Henry and Jane (Linders) (Wallis) Merrow (Noyes-Libby-Davis, 474, 476). She was born at Reading, MA. She died at Dover abt. 1738. Eleanor married first about 1695 Nathaniel Meader; they had five children before he was killed by Indians 25 Apr. 1704 at Oyster River (Stackpole, Durham, 2:276).

John served under Capt. Woodman for 34 days at the Oyster River garrison from Dec. 1695 to Jan. 1696 (NHSP, 17:655). He was chosen guardian of James Nute 16 Dec. 1699 (NHPP,3:173; NHSP, 31:361). On 22 Nov 1698 he sold 20 acres on the Back River to Shadrach Hodsdon (Thompson, Landmarks, 65). He was deeded land at Dover by Job Clements 15 Mar. 1704 (a consequence perhaps of the recent death of John's grandmother Joanna), and bought land at Madbury 29 Mar. 1708 from Samuel Perkins (NHPD, 5:111, 7:211). He was chosen surveyor of highways in 1706, 1708 and 1709 (Quint, Old Dover, 160-161). He sold land in Dover 7 May 1714 to Timothy Conner, and on the 25th of that month sold 30 acres to John Drew (NHPD, 9:734).

John made his will 24 Sep. 1712, leaving his Dover homestead to Thomas and his Madbury property to James "to let my wife Eleanor to have hous rume and fier wood, covenant he shall hall the wood to the dor and cut itt to put into the fier as long as shee seese fit to live with him on the place, with hous rume for her creturs." His son John was given "my land and marsh up to the back reiver, binding him to pay ten schillings every year to his mother-in-law (that is, step-mother) Ellenor as long as she liveth."

The will could not be accepted due to improper wording, and son Thomas was appointed administrator 4 Jun. 1718, after an inventory made 8 Apr. showed an estate valued at more than 524 pounds (NHPP, 10:32-4). Widow Eleanor probably died about 1738; between then and 1742 the other children sold their rights in their father's estate to their brother Thomas for 50 pounds each.

Children, all by first wife Sarah, born at Dover:

1. Thomas, b. 1696
2. John, b. 1698
3. James, b. 1699
4. Sarah, b. abt 1701; m. James Clark
5. Lydia, b. 19 Feb 1703-4,
   • m. 1st at Salem 17 Feb. 1725, Isaac Meacham, son of John and Mary (Cash) Meacham. d. bef. 1738
   • m. 2nd at Salem 14 Sep. 1749, Samuel Fowler of Salisbury

John was born about 1662. John Leighton ... He passed away about 1716.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ A source for this information is needed.

• Perley M. Leighton "A Leighton Genealogy: Descendants of Thomas Leighton of Dover N.H., Vol-1" Pages 26-27. NEHGS, Boston 1989.

• WikiTree profile Leighton-569 created through the import of HANSON.ged on Mar 21, 2012 by Sue Durling. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Sue and others.

• Source: S00032 Author: Ancestry.com Title: Public Member Trees Publication: Name: Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2006;; Repository: #R00007
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