John Leonard (abt. 1615 - bef. 1676)

Born about 1615 in England or Wales

Husband of Sarah (Heald) Tilton — married 12 Nov 1640 in Springfield, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died before 29 Mar 1676 before about age 61 in Springfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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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

Disputed Origins

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.

A previous version of this profile claimed, without source, that he was the son of Thomas Leonard and Lydia White. They've been detached as parents.

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.

Biography

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]

Life in New England

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]

Children

John LEONARD and Sarah HEALD had the following children all born in Springfield MA:^[8]

1. John LEONARD born 25 August 1641. He died on 22 June 1648 at the age of 6 in Springfield, Hampden Co., MA.
2. Joseph LEONARD born 17 March 1643, MA. He died on 20 May 1643 at the age of 2 months in Springfield, Hampden Co., MA.
3. Joseph LEONARD born 20 May 1644
4. Sarah LEONARD born 13 December 1645
5. Mary LEONARD born 14 September 1647
6. Martha LEONARD born 15 April 1649
7. Lydia LEONARD born 2 or 20 October 1650
8. John LEONARD born 10 September 1652. He died on 13 March 1663 at the age of 10 in Springfield, Hampden Co., MA.
9. Benjamin LEONARD born 5 September 1654
10. Abel LEONARD born 22 July 1656
11. Josiah LEONARD born 28 March 1658
12. Hannah LEONARD born 19 February 1659/60
13. Rebecca LEONARD born 26 May 1661
14. Deborah LEONARD 1 October 1663
15. Rachel LEONARD born 8 November 1665

Death

John Leonard was killed by Indians in early 1676, sometime before 29 March 1676 when his inventory of his estate was taken.^[9][10]

This specific account regarding crossing a river appears, but is currently unsupported by historic documentation. "He was killed by an Indian arrow while crossing the Agawam River to go to the assistance of relatives."^{[citation needed]} The 21 or 24 of February is also sometimes given as his exact date of death^[11] but as 21 February is the date his widow remarried, its possible that this date has been accidentally transposed into his date of death.

Research Notes

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.

• March-April 1640 It is agreed ye John Leonard shall be the surveyer for the yeare followinge to see y^ high ways cleerd and kept in repayr of all stubs sawpitts or tymbr & if any man shall not amende on sufficient warninge what is amiss all things y^ are Judged offensive betwixt this & michaelstide shall forfeite i2d for every such default: & If it rema}'n after y' tyme 6 dayes, he shall forfeite 2s. disanulled. ^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ Standish, Harriotte L, and Lois Badger. Leonard Dictionary. Typescript, 1943. at DAR Library and Rochester Library.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} "Descendants of John Leonard 1615-1676 of Springfield, Massachusetts" website (via Wayback Machine, capture date : 25 May 2022.
3. ↑ https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XPJJ-PZZ
4. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (9 December 2022), Hampden > Springfield > Births, marriages, deaths 1638-1728 vol 1 > image 20 of 137; citing Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston.
5. ↑ Hudson-Mohawk Family Histories, (1911) Vol II, p. 555.
6. ↑ Vinton, John. "The Leonard Family of Springfield" in The Giles Memorial (Boston, 1864), , pp. 280-310.
7. ↑ Hudson-Mohawk Family Histories, Vol II, p. 555,
8. ↑ Massachusetts, Hampden Co., Springfield, Vital Records, Film No. 107028972, Images 1-6, https://familysearch.org
9. ↑ Hampshire County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1660-1889. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2016, 2017. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives and the Hampshire County Court. Digitized mages provided by FamilySearch.org) Case 88-31: Inventory and Administration
10. ↑ Jacobus, Donald Lines. Hale, House, and Related Families, Mainly of the Connecticut River Valley (Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, 1952); Pages 678-9.
11. ↑ http://www.usgennet.org/family/bliss/features/2002/july/leonard.htm
12. ↑ The First Century of Springfield, MA the official records from 1636 to 1736, with an historical review and biographical mention of the founders by Springfield (Mass.); Burt, Henry M. (Henry Martyn), 1831-1899, ed; Pynchon, William, 1590-1626. Meritorious price. 1650 (Reprint) https://archive.org/details/firstcenturyofhi01spri

• Giles Memorial Genealogical Memoires, The Leonard Family of Springfield, pp. 280-310.

• Vinton, John Adams. Giles Memorial Genealogical Memoirs. Boston: Dutton, 1864), pp. 280 = 316.

• Burt, Henry. The First Century of the History of Springfield (Henry M. Burt, Springfield, Mass., 1898). Page numbers in PDF higher than page numbers in book.

• Our Royal, TItled, Noble and Common Ancestors (website; needs checking)

• Aaron Tyler Bliss, “Genealogy of the Bliss Family” Midland, MI: 1982 excerpt or transcript?