AMERICA THE GREAT MELTING POT
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Direct descendant is highlighted in red
Henry Leonard | Immigrant Ancestor | see FAMILY TREE |
Born: 1618 Pontypool, Glamorganshire, Wales | ||
Died: Abt. 1693 Monmouth, NJ |
FATHER
Thomas Leonard
MOTHER
Lydia White
WIFE
Mary
Hannah
CHILDREN
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taunton_Iron_Works
"On October 21, 1652, after the discovery of large amounts of bog ore in the area, residents of Taunton voted to establish an iron works in their town. The town invited brothers Henry and James Leonard and Ralph Russell, experienced iron men who had worked at the works in Braintree to come to Taunton to set up a works on the Two Mile River. The Leonard brothers had emigrated from Pontypool, Wales to work at the iron works in Lynn (Saugus). and later at Braintree. The Town of Taunton offered the ironmaster land in exchange for help establishing the works. However, only James Leonard remained in Taunton to take advantage of the town's offer. Henry Leonard returned to Lynn in 1655. He later established a works at Rowley in 1668. However, this works was not successful. Henry Leonard later moved to New Jersey, where he and his sons established successful works. Ralph Russell also did not remain in Taunton, instead moving to Dartmouth where he set up a forge at what became known as Russells Mills, on the Paskamanset River.
For more information about Henry Leonard see: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~bart/LEONARD3.htm
"Henry Leonard, brother of James, of Taunton, was born in England, about 1618, and came to Massachusetts 1645-50. He was engaged in the manufacture of iron at Lynn during the year 1650, at Taunton in 1656, and at Rowley Village 1668, and subsequently. While at Lynn he became married, and had the following children: Samuel, Nathaniel, Thomas, Henry, John, Sarah and Mary. He was engaged only a short time at Lynn in the bloomery, established there by a wealthy company with John Winthrop at its head. In 1652, the leading pioneer citizens of Taunton, discovering large deposits of bog ore in that locality, and hearing of the reputation of the Leonard brothers as 'skilled hammers-men, bloomers and refiners of iron,' in a public meeting 'voted to invite them to come hither and join certain inhabitants to set up a bloomery.' A company was organized and at once commenced to build the works, which in those days required several years to complete. And in 1656, Henry Leonard and his brother James were at Taunton, occupied in their favorite business pursuits. James remained here nearly twenty years, but Henry went back to Lynn for a short time. In 1668 he was at work at Rowley with his sons, Nathaniel, Thomas and Samuel, getting them fairly acquainted with the business. He then went to Canton, near Boston, to aid in starting an iron works there, and after returning to assist his boys for awhile again, he left them to carry out a further contract with the owners of the Rowley works while he went to East Jersey, where reports stated the iron ore was found in much greater quantity, and of much better quality. This was about 1674-5 when he moved to New Jersey, in the vicinity of Middletown and Shrewsbury where it is supposed he lived the remainder of his life, engaged in the favorite business of working in iron at the extensive mills of Lewis Morris."
Proof of relationships can be found in the following two documents: