TENTH GENERATION

724. Solomon Leonard (12594) (12595)(12596) was born about 1610 in Co. Monmouth, England.(12597) (12598) (12599) He emigrated about 1630. (12600) He moved from Duxbury, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts in 1656 to Bridgewater, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts. (12601) He died before 1 May 1671 in Bridgewater, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts. (12602) (12603)
The name "Leonard" is a very ancient one and is a surname which was derived from the Christian given name, "Leo" and carries the basic idea of lion-hearted. It is strange that those of the family who attained the honor of knighthood chose the head of a tiger, rather than of a lion, for use on their crest.
Solomon's father, Samuel,a dissenter, migrated to Leyden, Holland (The temporary home of the Pilgrims who came to Plymouth Colony on the MAYFLOWER in 1620) from the environs of the town of Bristol in Monmouthshire, England. It is possible that Samuel came to America
with Solomon, but if he did, he died shortly afterwards. The exact date is not known, but was most likely around 1629-1630. At first, Solomon was engaged in the service of Plymouth Colony Company, then he became a settler in Duxbury. He held land there at "Blue Fish", which is in the northern part of the village by the bay, when the town was incorporated
in 1637. Surviving deeds from the early days of the settlement reveal that Solomon was a neighbor of John Alden, Constant Southworth, and George Soule. Solomon married sometime before 1640 . All we know of his wife is that she was named Mary. They had many children, most probably born in Duxbury, and several dying young. Unfortunately, Duxbury lost all of its town records prior to 1654 due to fire. The Colony records of births and deaths prior to 1647 have also been lost. Associated with Miles Standish, John Alden, Constant Southworth, William Bradford, and others - 54 in all - Solomon became one of the original proprietors of the town of Bridgewater (Mass.) and was one of the earliest settlers there. This would have been sometime between 1645 and 1656, when the town was officially incorporated. It is also mentioned in this work that another of our ancestors, Guido Bailey, was prominent in the early history of Bridgewater. Solomon's primary occupation would have been farmer, but, especially later in life, he also did some weaving. He is referred to as a weaver in the settlement of his estate, but this is the only time he is known to have been referred to as such. Solomon is last mentioned in Colony records in March 1658-9. He was
most likely buried in the ancient graveyard at West Bridgewater, but the site of his grave is not known.
Children : Samuel - born about 1643 m. (1) Abigail Wood (2) Deborah______ ;
John - born about 1645 / m. Sarah (Chandler ?);
Jacob;
Isaac - born about 1650 / m. Deliverance _______;
Solomon - born after 1650 / m. Mary _______;
Mary - born after 1650 / m. 24 Dec 1653 John Pollard.

From Jim Angel<JAMES_ANGEL@@CSG.MOT.COM

First of all, the confusion over Solomon Leonard was clarified for me by one of the "silver books", The Descendents of the Mayflower vol.2, which discussed Manning Leonard's work. from which I have already made some copies, thanks. Anyway they refute Manning's claim Mary and put Solomon's wife as Sarah Chandler, daughter of Roger and Isabella
(Chilton) Chandler of Leyden, they make a pretty strong case of it but I can't remember the details off the top of my head. What adds to the confusion is that John Leonard b.1645 Duxbury, son of Solomon and Sarah, married abt 1670 another Sarah Chandler b. abt 1648 Duxbury. It seems to me that back then not much distinction was made between the 3 Chandler girls. Roger's will isn't very clear nor are the records of which one was Solomon's wife. It probably wasn't too important for most people. I find it very probable that Edmund and Roger were probably brothers, and that the name came down through Edmund and not Roger. That community was pretty tight back then and it seems most of those that came in the 1630's were not coming over for the weather. Most of them new somebody. Roger and Isabella, for example, were part of the original Leyden, Holland contingent of the Pilgrims, and, were following after Isabella's family. Her parents James and Susanna (Furner) Chilton came on the Mayflower with her younger sister Mary. Unfortunately her parents died that first winter, but Mary was there.
________________________________________________ He was married to Sarah Chandler about 1640 in Duxbury, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts. (12604)(12605)

725. Sarah Chandler (12606) was born before 15 Oct 1622 in Leyden, Holland. (12607) She died before 27 Oct 1675 in Bridgewater, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts.(12608) Children were:

child i. Samuel Leonard(12609) (12610) was born about 1643 in Duxbury, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts. (12611) He died after 30 Nov 1720 in Preston, New London Co., Connecticut.(12612) He was also known as Samuel Leonardson Jr.. (12613)
child ii. John Leonard(12614) was born about 1645 in Duxbury, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts. (12615) He died before 21 Nov 1699 in Bridgewater, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts. (12616)
child iii. Jacob Leonard(12617) (12618) was born about 1647 in Duxbury, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts. (12619) He died in 1717 in Bridgewater, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts.(12620)
child iv. Isaac Leonard(12621) (12622) was born about 1650 in Duxbury, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts. (12623) He died about 1718 in Bridgewater, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts.(12624)
child362 v. Solomon Leonard.
child vi. Mary Leonard(12625) was born after 1650 in Duxbury, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts. (12626) She died after 1724 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts. (12627)