About the year 1800 Rev. Fobes, L.L.D., pastor of the Congregational church in Raynhan, furnished for the Massachusetts Historical Collection (vo. III, p. 173) an account of the Leonard family, particularly of its longevity, promotion to office and attachment to the iron manufacture.
In his parish was the location of the family; there they built their forge, there erected their first dwelling, there passed the eventful scenes of their transactions and intercourse with the Indians, particularly with King Philip, that famous and warlike chieftan of the red man. It is an historical fact that during King Philip's war Taunton was protected from harm by the king's friendliness for Thomas Leonard. His favorite hunting grounds were around Taunton, and King Philip and the Leonards were on such friendly terms that as soon as the war of 1675 broke out he issued strict orders to all his Indians "never to hunt the Leonards."
The brothers who first came to America, Henry and James, were from Pontycool, Monmouth county, Wales, a place celebrated for its working of iron, at an early date. It has been said that the Leonards are of the family of Lennard, Lord Dacre, one of the distinguished families of Great Britain, descended in two lines from Edward III, and the statement has some plausibility. Thomas Leonard, father of James and Henry, did not emigrate to America.
(I) James, son of Thomas Leonard, was born in England about 1618. He was at Lynn, Mass. in 1651; of Braintree in 1652, settled at Taunton the same year, and with his brother Henry established the first forge for making iron in Plymouth Colony. "It was at a town meeting, conferred and agreed upon, between the inhabitants of Taunton and Henry Leonard of Braintree," Imprimis: "It was agreed and granted by the town to the said Henry Leonard, and James Leonard, his brother, and Ralph Russell, free consent to come hither and join with certain of our inhabitants, to set up a Bloomery work on the Two Mile Run." The "Bloomery," according to this agreement, "was erected and the iron manufacture extensively and prosperously pursued." The forge they erected was the great joint stock company of that vicinity.
For several generations are found on the probate and other records, "My share" or "shares in the iron works." Henry Leonard, who with James, established the forge in 1674 and went to New Jersey, establishing the iron manufacture in that colony. The Leonards were interested in the iron works at Lynn, Braintree, Rowley village and Taunton, and at a later date in those at Canton, literally verifying the statement so often made, "Where you find iron works, there you will find a Leonard." Six generations were actively interested in the manufacture of iron as a family, and the old forge, several times remodeled, was in constant use over two hundred years.
James Leonard and his sons often traded with the Indians and were on terms of friendship with them, as before related. James died before 1691; Margaret, his wife, survived him, dying in 1701. Children: Thomas (see forward), James (2), Abigail, Rebecca, Joseph, Benjamin, Hannah, Uriah.

(II) Thomas, eldest son and child of James and Margaret Leonard, was born in England about 1641, died Nov.2 4, 1713. He came to New England with his father "when a small boy," and "afterwards worked at the Bloomery and with him in the forge."
He was a physician, major, justice of the peace, town clerk and deacon. From 1702 until 1713 he was judge of the court of common pleas. He had many famous descendants. He was the Thomas mentioned as the particular friend of King Philip - in fact, his son John, born 1668, married King Philip's daughter Mary.
Children: Mary, Thomas (2), John, George, Samuel, Elkanah, James, an unnamed daughter, Seth, Phoebe, and Elizabeth.
Another Leonard line begins with Solomon of Monmouthshire, England, founder of the "Bridgewater Branch." The name became a common one in New England. The Leonard family descended from John of West Springfield, Mass., 1639.
The first settlers of the name were sons of Silas Leonard of the fourth generation. Elias (IV) was a son of Reuben (III), who married Miriam Day, of West Springfield, and grandson of Josiah (II), son of John (I).

(V) James Harvey, son of Elias Leonard, was born at West Springfield, Mass., Sept. 22, 1780, and died in Syracuse, N.Y., March 14, 1845. He removed to New York, locating at Skaneateles, where he was a clerk. In 1804, in company with his cousin, Stephen Leonard, also a clerk, he visited Lowville, Lewis county, coming on horseback with the intention of remaining.
In September, 1804, James H. Leonard began business in Lowville, and in January, 1805, was joined by Stephen. For twenty-five years the firm of J. H. & S. Leonard remained in business. They were widely known through northern New York. They supplied rations to the troops passing through the country, and had large business connections in Canada.
He was a prominent, public spirited man, and a leader in the town. He held the office of postmaster for many years, and was an original trustee of Lowville Academy. He was an elder of the Presbyterian church, and a man of moral and intellectual strength. He married, May, 1805, Mary, daughter of Captain John Parish (lost at sea), of Bransford, Connecticut. She was born July 10, 1785, and died at Lowville, May 19, 1871, aged eighty-six. They had five sons and three daughters, among whom were Cornelius Parish, Francis K., James Loren, Van Vechten, Charles R. (died young). Daughters were: Mariette, Susan M. and Caroline R.

(VI) James Loren, fifth and youngest son of James Harvey and Mary (Parish) Leonard, was born in Lowville, Lewis county, N.Y., June 5, 1821, died Jan. 26, 1867. He was educated at Lowville Academy, where he completed his education at the age of seventeen.
He began his business career as a clerk in the store of J. P. Ellis, at Carthage, New York, and after a few months with him returned to Lowville, entering the store of William L. Easton, where after seven years' service he was admitted as a partner, and with a one-third interest. On April 10, 1840, he began his long connection with the bank of Lowville, as bookkeeper. He was appointed teller June 19, 1841, and on April 1, 1846, was electec cashier. April 19, 1855, he was chosen vice-president, and on Sept. 19, 1857, became president. At an early period of his connection with the bank he began to buy the stock as the opportunity offered and his means allowed, until nearly all was owned by Mr. Easton and himself. In 1856 he purchased the larger interest of his associate, and became almost sole owner of the institution. He also organized the Valley Bank and Bank of the People, as individual banks, under the general banking laws of the state. The former he disposed of and the latter voluntarily liquidated. During the financial crisis of 1857, when the banks wetn down to ruin everywhere, the Bank of Lowville asked for the appointment of a receiver, who was appointed Oct. 10, and dissolved, Oct. 27, of the same year, after finding the sound and healthy condition of the bank's assets. They came through the crisis without a single loss or bringing suit against a customer. It has ever been the chief financial institution of the county and Mr. Leonard's financial ability and banking management brought him warmest praise. His name will always be linked with that of Giles C. Easton, and held in grateful remembrance by his town.
He was the "father" of the town. He conducted his business to the common advancement of his own interests and those of the public generally; as his means increased his native generosity and public spirit expanded to meet his growing impulses. The erection of a session room and the costly renovation of the Presbyterian church; the enargement of Lowville Academy; his efforts to bring a railroad to the town; his personal intention to erect a telegraph line, which brought an established company in; his advocacy of a rural cemetery; his generous bequest to and endowment of Lowville Academy; his erection of a fine central block of buildings; his hearty support of Mr. Hough in his efforts to publish a history of Lewis county; his warm support of the Union cause; and his numerous public and private charities, are all monuments to his memory, and will long be remembered.
He was fond of travel, and was one of the few who were present at the "restoriaion of the flag" exercises at Fort Sumter; he witnessed the Grand Review of the tattered "boys in blue" at Washington; after the war he visited the battlefields of the South. He had many plans for the advancement of the educational interests of Lowville that death nullified, that would have necessitated a public library and historical building for the preservation of pioneer memorials.
He married Jan. 25, 1858, Mary M. Williard, who died Aug. 11 following, daughter of General Joseph A. Williard, of Lowville. He never again married.

(VI) Cornelius Parish, son of James Harvey and Mary (Parish) Leonard, was born in Lowville, Lewis county, N.Y., Feb. 13, 1813, died Oct. 17, 1863. He was educated at Lowville Academy, and after his school days were ended, entered the mercantile house of William L. Easton & Company as clerk, where he remained until after his marriage, when he removed to Ohio city, Ohio (now West Cleveland). Here he was for a time in the drug business. He was afterwards of Geneva, New York. One of his father's enterprises in which he took a deep interest and to which he devoted much of his time after his retirement from mercantile life was silk culture, and at Carthage, N.Y., he had a farm devoted to the raising of mulberry trees and silk worms. After leaving Geneva he ws associated with his father in this enterprise.
He next spent six years at Watertown, N.Y., and June, 1847, returned to Lowville, where he had a dry goods store and engaged in the lumber trade. He was appointed postmaster of Lowville, and later cashier of the Black River National Bank, which position he was holding at the time of his death.
He was an old-time Whig, and later a Republican. His church connection was with the Presbyterians. He married, Sept. 10, 1835, Elizabeth F. Jones, born in Albany, N.Y., April 17, 1817, died Jan. 26, 1869, daughter of Peter and Margaret (Otterson) Jones. Children: 1. Henry Chapman, born April 30, 1838, died April 11, 1901; graduated from Lowville and was associated with his father in business. 2. Mary Elizabeth, Oct. 15, 1840, educated at Lowville Academy and Elmira College, Elmira, N.Y.; married Dr. H. Prescott Chambers. Mrs. Chambers is the last of this distinguished line of Leonards.
H. Prescott Chambers, D.D.S., was born in Lowville, Lewis county, N.Y., April 7, 1840, died July 18, 1898, son of Rufus, and grandson of William H. and Rachel Chambers. Rufus Chambers was born in Farmington, Mass., Aug. 11, 1799, died 1800; married, 1827, Betsey Wilbur, born 1805, died Jan. 15, 1887. H. Prescott Chambers was educated at Lowville Academy; studied dentistry in New York city, and after receiving his degree began praciticing in Lowville, which he continued all his life. He was a veteran of and served in the great civil war. He enlisted as private in the Seventh New York Cavalry (known as the "Black Horse Cavalry") and was mustered out first lieutenant.
He was a cultured musician and the head of all musical life of the town. For forty years he was organist of the Presbyterian Church, and for several years an elder. He was a Republican in politics, a comrade of the Grand Army of the Republic, and a member of the Masonic order.
He married Mary Elizabeth Leonard, daughter of Cornelius P. and Elizabeth (Jones) Leonard. (See Leonard VI). Mrs. Chambers survives her husband and resides in Lowville. She is a member through her patriotic ancestry of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and her colonial ancestry has admitted her to the Society of Colonial Dames. She is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

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