The Ancestors of My Grandchildren

     Thomas Leonard was born c 1641 in Pontypool, Monmouthshire, England.^2,3,4 He married Mary Watson, daughter of George Watson and Phoebe Hicks, on 21 Aug 1662 at Plymouth, Massachusetts.^5,1 He died on 24 Nov 1713.²

Other information:
He immigrated with James Leonard c 1650.^26,7
     Thomas Leonard was a doctor, justice of the peace, officer of the Court, and a field officer. As a child he worked in his father's forge, but he found the time and energy to study law and medicine³ Thomas Leonard and James Leonard started another Iron Works in the "Taunton North Purchase" in 1695. James sold his half of the works in 1707 to his nephew George Leonard, son of Thomas. In 1713 George received the other half after the death of his father. This became the basis of the Leonard Iron Works in Norton, Massachusetts, which stayed in the family for over a 100 years.⁶
     The estate of Thomas Leonard and Mary Watson paid out its debts between 1714 and 1724. A number of receipts are in the probate records of Bristol County. John Leonard and Samuel Leonard pay out the money. Receipts are signed by Jonathan Williams (in 1713 with his wife, and in 1724 as guardian of his (now deceased) wife Elisabeth's children), George Leonard (in 1714, but in 1724 his wife Anna Leonard for her deceased husband), Mary Tisdal (in 1713 with her husband Joseph, and in 1724 without him), Thomas Leonard (1714, 1724), Elkanah Leonard (1714). Also receipts signed by Nathaniel Paine (1714), Abigail Gibbs (1714), John King (1714), and Richard Godfree.⁸
On 9 Jul 1689 Major William Bradley, son of William Bradley, Esq. deceased, gave a quitclaim deed to the inhabitants of Taunton, Massachusetts. They paid £20.- for it. Thomas Leonard was listed among the original purchasers.⁹