Leonard

Arms used by the descendants of Sampson Leonard of Chevening, co. Kent, England.

ARMS- Or, on a fess gules three fleur-de-lis of the first.
CREST- Out of a ducal crown or a wolf-dog's head. MOTTO- Pour bien desirer.

[Another version of this same family's Arms has a tiger's head in place of the wolf-dog's head. see Memoirs of the Leonard, Thompson, and Haskell families, by Caroline Leonard Goodenough, 1928, p. 52.]

Sampson Leonard was M.P. for Sussex and sheriff of Kent, born About1544, died 1615. He married Lady Margaret Fiennes, Baroness Dacre, daughter of Thomas Fiennes, 9th Lord Dacre, and Mary Nevill.

Sampson and Lady Margaret's home was at Chevening, co. Kent, 15 miles southeast of London, until perhaps 1594, the year of her brother's death, after which they were much at Hurstmonceux Castle, which they greatly embellished and where they entertained lavishly.

At St. Botolph's Church at Chevening is the stately alabaster tomb of Sampson Lennard and Margaret Fiennes. Effigies of the two figures are shown, the former in armour, and beside them are small kneeling effigies of their children: Henry, George and Thomas on the north, and Anne, Mary, Margaret, Elizabeth and Frances on the south.

Sampson Leonard and his wife Lady Margaret Fiennes had children listed in 1911 by the Marquis of Ruvigny as follows:

1. Henry, 12th Lord Dacre, born 1570, married Crisogona Baker. Henry accompanied the Earl of Essex in his memorable campaign and was knighted at the taking of Cadiz in 1596. He became lord Dacre on the death of his mother in 1611 but only outlived her five years. The title descended to his son Richard who married Elizabeth Throckmorton. He died and was buried at Hurstmonceux in 1630.
2. Gregory Lennard. [George]
3. Thomas Lennard, born 1577, ...ancestor of the Taunton Leonards, of whom further.
4. Anne Lennard, wife of Herbert Morley.
5. Mary Lennard, wife of Sir Ralph Bosville.
6. Margaret Lennard, wife of Sir Thomas Waller.
7. Elizabeth Lennard, wife of Sir Francis Barnham.
8. Frances Lennard, wife of SIr Robert More, M.P.

It is interesting to note this family had for many years been interested in the manufacture of iron. There was early "a steel forge near Hurstmonceux Castle and, on this estate in 1574, an iron works." In 1626, patent rights for making steel were granted to Sampson's grandson, Richard Leonard, Lord Dacre (who married Elizabeth Throckmorton and who died at Hurstmonceux in 1630 and is buried at Hurstmonceux Church). There were also extensive iron works near Chevening, in the western part of Kent on the Sussex line, which gradually had to be abandoned. "Queen Elizabeth was one of those who urged persons aquainted with the iron business to go to Monmouthshire to develope the iron there. This may account for the Leonards of Kent and Sussex giong to Monmouthshire to manage iron works."

Thomas Lennard (Leonard), born 1577, died 1638. He was engaged in the manufacture of iron at Pontypool, in co. Monmouth (once belonging to Wales but, when the boundary between England and Wales was later changed, Monmouth became a part of England). He married Lydia White and had nine children as follows:

1. Margery Leonard, married Henry Samson of Ireland.
2. Joan Leonard, did not come to America.
3. Sarah Leonard, died at New Salem.
4. Henry Leonard, eldest son, called "the father of the American Iron Industry," since he persevered in that calling, and his foundries were perpetuated for centuries. He was born at Pontypool in 1618 we conclude, as in his deposition taken in 1655 he says he is aged 37 or thereabouts, being then of Hammersmith (Lynn), of whom later.
5. James Leonard, who we conclude was born about 1620, because living in Taunton, he is recorded as having died there before 1691, aged 70, of whom later.
6. William Leonard, remained in England.
7. John Leonard, perhaps remained in England.
8. Philip Leonard, who was at Marshfield in 1678 and afterwards of Duxbury, died in July 1708 at Taunton. He married Lydia, who died 13 November 1707, and they had an only daughter, Phebe Leonard, who was married 6 November 1694 to Samuel Hill of Duxbury.
9. Thomas Leonard, who was drowned at Piscataway.

To be continued...

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