Thomas “the Immigrant” Leonard

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Thomas “the Immigrant” Leonard

Birth
Death
6 Nov 1638 (aged 60)
Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts, USA
Burial
Burial Details Unknown Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Thomas Leonard is called "the Immigrant." He was one of the last of the 13 children of Sampson Leonard and Margaret Fiennes, Baroness Dacre, of Knol in Kent and Herstmonceux in East Sussex. Being one the last of many children of a titled family didn't stand for much. Thomas is found as a skilled iron worker in Pontypool, Wales. He is a skilled iron worker there. He also married Lydia White there in 1600. Thomas Leonard and his son Henry Leonard, and another son, made the trip to Massachusetts, where all three worked in the colonial iron forges. Lydia died in Pontypool, Wales in 1701. Thomas died in Taunton, Bristol Co, MA on 6 Nov 1638. Thomas Leonard, along with his son became the founders of an roaming iron-working dynasty that lasted over 200 years.
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Contributor ID: 50889839 adds on Oct 8, 2023: Noteworthy is the following alternate biography given for this Thomas Leonard in the bio of his great grandson, Stephen Leonard, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/190336887/stephen-leonard
, managed by Contributor ID: 48326113:
" ***NOTE- Stephen's great grandfather Thomas b 1577 WAS NOT the son of Sampson Leonard and Margaret Fiennes, as connected here on FindaGrave. That is a common incorrect belief that is found all over the Internet, as well as in vanity genealogies from the past century. Thomas Lennard, the son of Sampson and Lady Margaret Fiennes, died without children!!
Stephen's line STOPS after his great grandparents Thomas b 1577 & wife Lydia White who were actually Stephen's grandparents, but their information is mostly wrong, as is their lineage back through royalty.

Thomas b 1577 listed on findagrave- besides many other inaccuracies, was NOT the immigrant to America of the Leonards, as he died in Wales. He & Lydia had at least one daughter and 4 sons who came to America- Henry, James, Phillip and Thomas.
Sons Henry, James & Phillip were iron workers like their father, setting up the first (and still famous) forges in America in Massachusetts. Son Thomas was drowned in Piscataway.

Thomas b 1577 was engaged in the manufacture of iron at Pontypool, in County Monmouth (once belonging to Wales but, when the boundary between England and Wales was later changed, Monmouth became a part of England).

Thomas b 1577 & wife Lydia White had 9 children:
----Margery Leonard, married a Henry Samson of Ireland.
----Joan Leonard, did not come to America.
----Sarah Leonard, died at New Salem, MA.
----Henry Leonard, eldest son, was born at Pontypool in 1618, as in his deposition taken in 1655 he said he was '37 or thereabouts, being then of Hammersmith' (Lynn, MA).
----***James Leonard, (Stephen's grandfather) born about 1620, because living in Taunton, he is recorded as having died there before 1691, at aged 70.
----William Leonard, remained in England.
---- John Leonard, perhaps remained in England.
----Philip Leonard, who was at Marshfield in 1678 and afterwards of Duxbury, MA, died in July 1708 at Taunton, MA. He married Lydia, who died 13 November 1707, and they had an only daughter- Phebe Leonard, who was married 6 November 1694 to a Samuel Hill of Duxbury.
----Thomas Leonard, drowned at Piscataway (now in Middlesex County, New Jersey)."
Thomas Leonard is called "the Immigrant." He was one of the last of the 13 children of Sampson Leonard and Margaret Fiennes, Baroness Dacre, of Knol in Kent and Herstmonceux in East Sussex. Being one the last of many children of a titled family didn't stand for much. Thomas is found as a skilled iron worker in Pontypool, Wales. He is a skilled iron worker there. He also married Lydia White there in 1600. Thomas Leonard and his son Henry Leonard, and another son, made the trip to Massachusetts, where all three worked in the colonial iron forges. Lydia died in Pontypool, Wales in 1701. Thomas died in Taunton, Bristol Co, MA on 6 Nov 1638. Thomas Leonard, along with his son became the founders of an roaming iron-working dynasty that lasted over 200 years.
________
Contributor ID: 50889839 adds on Oct 8, 2023: Noteworthy is the following alternate biography given for this Thomas Leonard in the bio of his great grandson, Stephen Leonard, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/190336887/stephen-leonard
, managed by Contributor ID: 48326113:
" ***NOTE- Stephen's great grandfather Thomas b 1577 WAS NOT the son of Sampson Leonard and Margaret Fiennes, as connected here on FindaGrave. That is a common incorrect belief that is found all over the Internet, as well as in vanity genealogies from the past century. Thomas Lennard, the son of Sampson and Lady Margaret Fiennes, died without children!!
Stephen's line STOPS after his great grandparents Thomas b 1577 & wife Lydia White who were actually Stephen's grandparents, but their information is mostly wrong, as is their lineage back through royalty.

Thomas b 1577 listed on findagrave- besides many other inaccuracies, was NOT the immigrant to America of the Leonards, as he died in Wales. He & Lydia had at least one daughter and 4 sons who came to America- Henry, James, Phillip and Thomas.
Sons Henry, James & Phillip were iron workers like their father, setting up the first (and still famous) forges in America in Massachusetts. Son Thomas was drowned in Piscataway.

Thomas b 1577 was engaged in the manufacture of iron at Pontypool, in County Monmouth (once belonging to Wales but, when the boundary between England and Wales was later changed, Monmouth became a part of England).

Thomas b 1577 & wife Lydia White had 9 children:
----Margery Leonard, married a Henry Samson of Ireland.
----Joan Leonard, did not come to America.
----Sarah Leonard, died at New Salem, MA.
----Henry Leonard, eldest son, was born at Pontypool in 1618, as in his deposition taken in 1655 he said he was '37 or thereabouts, being then of Hammersmith' (Lynn, MA).
----***James Leonard, (Stephen's grandfather) born about 1620, because living in Taunton, he is recorded as having died there before 1691, at aged 70.
----William Leonard, remained in England.
---- John Leonard, perhaps remained in England.
----Philip Leonard, who was at Marshfield in 1678 and afterwards of Duxbury, MA, died in July 1708 at Taunton, MA. He married Lydia, who died 13 November 1707, and they had an only daughter- Phebe Leonard, who was married 6 November 1694 to a Samuel Hill of Duxbury.
----Thomas Leonard, drowned at Piscataway (now in Middlesex County, New Jersey)."


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