John Leonard

Notes:

According to various records, James' family can be traced back to a John Leonard, born in 1479, who lived in Knole, County Kent, England. Also, we have information of relationships as follows: "February 2, 1732/3, Hannah Dean, sister of Capt. James Leonard (2nd son of James) gave the following account of her relatives: First her great-grandfather was Henry Leonard, her grandfather was Thomas Leonard, and her father was James Leonard, her grandmother's name was White, her mother's name was Martin. James, her father, lived and died in Taunton. Hannah's borthers were Thomas, James, Joseph, Benjamin, John, and Uriah, and her sisters were Abigail and Rebecca." James Leonard of Taunton, Massachusetts, Ironmaster (from the Research and Manuscripts of Elisha Clark Leonard and G. Marston Leonard.)

James and his family came to America in 1645 from Pontypool, Monmouthshire (now Gwent), Wales and settled first in Lynn, Massachusetts and then in Taunton, Massachusetts. He was an iron-worker and in 1652 he and his brother, Henry, "set up a bloomery on Two Mile river," this bing the first forge for the manufacture of iron in Taunton.

James was a friend of the Indian Chief, King Philip, often entertaining him at his home. In October of 1665, King Philip conveyed about 250 acres of land at Mattapoisett Neck in Swansea to James. Tradition says that it was because of this friendship that, at the outbreak of King Philip's War, King Philip gave strict orders that his men were never to harm a Leonard, and conjecture says that because of this, Taunton was not attacked during the war.

James Leonard could not read or write when he came to America but he was able to amass property amounting to 500 pounds during his lifetime.

James married Mary Martin. Mary died about 1663 in Taunton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]