Solomon Decoded
Aug 26th, 2009 | By Leonard Legends & Legacies | Category: Questions & Ancestors
Let’s face it, most of us are in this genealogy game for the intrigue. Why did so-and-so disappear? Why did he/she change his/her name? Where the hell did those people come from? Who among us didn’t love Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code? (The book, not Ron Howard’s lame-ass movie.)
So. In the spirit of discovery, I set out to untangle a couple of perpetual misdirections in the story arc of one Solomon Leonard, American progenitor.
If you surf enough family trees on Ancestry.com, RootsWeb, or even the IGI, sooner or later you’ll find Solomon Leonard called “John Solomon” Leonard, married to “Mary” rather than Sarah Chandler. “Blasphemy!” I say, as the Bible of all things Mayflower, The Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, Vol 15, p8, clearly states that:
SARAH CHANDLER3 (Isabella2 Chilton, James1)… m. Duxbury ca. 1640 SOLOMON LEONARD (LENNER or LEONARDSON), b. prob. Monmouthshire, England ca. 1610; d. Bridgewater bef. 1 May 1671.
So how did these erroneous factoids become so widespread? Well, in a word, laziness. Name collectors aren’t known for checking their sources and the sources, in this case, appeared to be valid. It all started with noted historian/judge Nathum Mitchell, who penned The History of the Early Settlement of Bridgewater, MA. in 1840. He noted, on page 244, that Solomon died in 1686, leaving a widow “Mary.”
In point of fact, Solomon died before 1671 leaving a widow Sarah, but his son Solomon died in 1686, leaving a widow “Mary.” Further complicating the story, it’s entirely possible the two of them were living on land that belonged, at one time, to Roger Chandler, leaving the impression that “Mary” must’ve inherited her “father’s” land. In actuality, it was Sarah (Chandler) Leonard who inherited land from Roger, which she and Solomon Sr. then left to their children, including son “John.” (See where this is going?)
In the settlement of Solomon Sr.’s estate in 1675, son Samuel confirmed that son John, coincidentally married to a woman named “Sarah,” got the 50 acres of land originally left to Sarah, his mother. Around and around we go.
James Savage, who wrote A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England in 1860, simply repeated Judge Mitchell’s error without much thought.
By the time Manning Leonard came along to write the most comprehensive history of Solomon’s line to date, he was well aware of some unintentional errors in The History of Bridgewater. So, too, was the original author, Judge Nathum Mitchell. Manning and Mitchell in fact collaborated, to some degree, on Manning’s Memorial: Genealogical, Historical, and Biographical of Solomon Leonard 1637 published in 1896. The two of them agreed that errors are inevitable “from frequent repetition of Christian names in different families.”
Manning Leonard, according to his Preface, “had some acquaintance with Hon. James Savage and sought to have in his great work, which was then in manuscript, a correction of the published errors in regard to our progenitors. Many of them, however, it will be seen, have been perpetuated.” That’s a left-handed compliment if ever I saw one.
Manning was the first to notice that the Solomon Leonard estate settlement of 1675 happened before Solomon Jr. had passed on. So he did untangle the Solomon-Solomon confusion, but he still had Solomon Sr. married to a “Mary” (presumably Chandler). It would be years before the editors of MF5G (Mayflower Families Through Five Generations) would track down the real spouses of the three Chandler daughters and set the record straight. To wit:
- Sarah CHANDLER m. Solomon LEONARD ca 1640
- Mary CHANDLER m. Edmund BRUFF
- Martha CHANDLER m. John BUNDY bef 1649
The moral of the story? CHECK YOUR SOURCES. And don’t assume that because three-out-of-four dentists gynecologists genealogists agree, they are right. Keep looking, until you find the most recent source, who comes closest to using primary, rather than secondary evidence.
Now, if I could just determine whether Solomon was a member of the Knights Templar….
Rick
Interesting.
Where does Justus Leonard fit in?
Still no idea. But he’ll turn up eventually.
Hey Rick,
I have Solomon Jr’s wife as Mary Mitchell. The death date I have for Solomon Jr. is May 14, 1686
Hey, you’re right! So did I. I just didn’t look! Got it from Allan, so now I have to find out where HE got it.
I did not get mine from Allan. I will have to dig to find the source.
Most likely came from MF5G. (Mayflower Families Through Five Generations.)
Thanks for your information. I have documentation back to William Leonard, b. Taunton 27 May 1751, m. Hannah Thayer. I believe his father was Seth Leonard b. 1 Mar 1727, Bridgewater, m. Ruth Hoar. However I cannot find any valid source to back this up. Do you have any info on this line?
Hi Malcom,
Sorry, I have nothing on your William and Hannah or Seth and Ruth, but that doesn’t mean much. They could also be descended from the Iron Leonards as these were the years when both lines inhabited both cities.
Good luck!
Rick
Sooooo glad to read your explanation of the “Mary” and “Sarah” problem with the wives of the Leonards. Thanks for your help sorting this out. Lou
You’re very welcome. The problem persists because the error came so early in the Leonard research and almost every serious family historian looks there first. It pays to double-check even the most reliable sources.
Nice explanation! It is good that you tracked how the error began, rather than just said, my source is better than your source, and left it at that.
Who was the Soloman Leonard who was said to have a son, Rice Leonard b.1626? My information says that Rice Leonard was the father of Hopestill Leonard b.1671.
Hi Colleen…
Your Solomon pre-dates anything in this family tree. If he’s related, it would have to be back in the old country. This Solomon line didn’t arrive in America or marry until after 1637.
I have a Solomon Leonard born about 1766 of Pompey NY. (They had an Iron Works thing going there in NY) He married Huldah Hodge. Because of all the disagreeable mess I haven’t added his parents.(fear factor) I got this information from Wells, Bradford Co. PA site. Solomon Leonard b. 29 May 1765 Bridgewater, Plymouth County, Massachusetts son of Solomon Leonard and Joanna Washburn, m. 22 Oct 1787 at Promfret, Vermont, Is this right?
Hi Heather…
If your Solomon was involved with an Iron Works, chances are he is not related to this line, but more likely related to the Iron Leonards. You might try Brad Leonard’s site at http://www.bradsport.com/genealogy.htm
The 5th generation from the James Chilton line through Isabella is Caleb Leonard Sr. He married Jemina Minthorn and they had a daughter Rhoda, b. 1755. She married Luther Cary. I have found this through the internet but cannot find a verifiab le source. I need to prove that Rhoda was the daughter of Caleb and Jemina. Do you know of a source for this information? Thank you.
Hi Joyce,
I had contact with a Cary descendant several years ago, but I’ll have to dig through my records to find her again. I’m leaving on vacation tomorrow, gone for two weeks, but I’ll try to dig it up when I return. The Carys and Leonards were closely related back in New Jersey, but there are some discrepancies in who married who.
Is there any information about Sarah Chandler’s father, and ancestry on this side? I have information on her mother’s (Chilton) side going back through Leyden (Netherlands) to England, — from which I presume a Mayflower descent may be traced?
The only information I have on Sarah Chandler’s father comes from one of the so-called “silver books”: Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, Vol. Fifteen: James Chilton – Richard More; General Society of Mayflower Descendants; 1997; p.5 :
“She (Isabella Chilton) m. Leyden, Holland 21 July 1615 ROGER CHANDLER (Rogier Kandelaer batchelor from Colchester, England); d. prob Duxbury bet. 1658 and 3 Oct 1665.
The Leyden poll tax of 15 Oct. 1622 includes “Rogier Chandelaer, Isabel Chandelaer” his wife and children Samuel and Sara. Roger and his family probably came to Plymouth in 1629 or 1630, when according to Bradford the Leyden contingent arrived. He was taxed in Plymouth 25 March 1633, and listed as a freeman the same year — the earliest record of him in this country. He was enumerated among those able to bear arms in Duxbury in 1643 and sold land there in 1644; he was listed among freemen of Duxbury in a tally presumed taken in 1658.”
Mayflower Families sources are listed on the same page and you are correct in that Leyden is the key to Mayflower descendancy.
Good luck and let us know what you find!
I know that the Chiltons are a little off-topic for this site, but you may be interested in an article published in New England Ancestors (NEGHS publication), Spring 2007, v 8, pt 2, pp 39-40, titled “The Mayflower Chiltons in Canterbury, 1556-1600.” It outlines the English history of this family.
(I love the Bridgewater map — may have to pop for the $15.00!)
Thanks, Rick, your info adds another person to my Family Origins data base. On another question, my info says that Isabella (Chilton) Chandler’s father James Chilton died in Provincetown in 1620, which means he came on the Mayflower but didn’t settle in Plymouth. However, his daughter Isabella came with her husband Roger in 1629 or 1630 according to Bradford’s info you cited. So through her and her father we are Mayflower descendants, though she came later. Solomon, if I recall correctly, came in 1637. Do I have my facts correct?
Correct. James Chilton was the oldest passenger aboard the Mayflower and in fact died in Plymouth Bay without setting foot on land. His daughter Mary was the youngest passenger aboard and contrary to later paintings was NOT the first woman to set foot on Plymouth Rock (if Plymouth Rock even existed). Her mother died that first winter, leaving Mary an orphan who was believed to be raised by John Alden and Miles Standish. Isabella and Roger Chandler arrived nine years later in 1629. Solomon Leonard MAY have been on the same boat, but had not yet married their daughter Sarah.
Hello Dr. Richard!!!!!!!
Your facts are pretty correct…The reason James Chilton did not settle in Plymouth was because he died in the first outbreak…the ship had not landed yet. his death occured shortly after he signed the Mayflower Compact…his wife died shortly after
Dear Richard, This family tree of ours is better reading than a mystery novel! When doing research, I must keep a pencil tip on which Solomon they are speaking of. Think I am finally getting on to the story. Course I get side-tracked from time to time with all the children mentioned. Then my head really spins..
I am curious though about the two surnames that I have found for Abigal Woods.( b 13 September,1657) The records that I have indicate that her fathers name was John Atwood. ( be 4 1623 ) and her mother a Sarah Masterson. I have not researched either..but I am headed that way to see if there might be some information on that subject.
Before I forget..thank you for clearing up the little mystery of Sarah Chandler..That was a head spinner..Could not get my arms around it until you explained it. Thanks for the little tip on research..to use most recent if it fits.
CC Tillett
I don’t have any light to shed on Abigal (Abigail?) Woods or Atwood at this time. However, records of that era often contained alternate versions of surnames. Solomon Leonard’s last name (or Samuel’s etc.) might appear as Lenner, Lennard, Lennerson, Leonardson or something similar. So it would not surprise me if Atwood and Woods are versions of the same name.
I keep finding references on the ‘net’ to a Mary Leonard of the Bridgewater Leonards or daughter of Solomon Leonard and his wife Mary Lenerson, who married Sylvanus Campbell of Norton, Mass., about 1691. Is there any published references other than Manning Leonard’s Memorial, genealogicak, etc., pub. 1896.
Hi Frank,
There are literally dozens of published sources on the Leonard family. The ones I’ve used are listed on the “Sources” page of the Leonard Database. http://www.rickleonard.net/leonard-database/browsesources.php
Keep in mind that there were two branches of the Leonard family living in Bridgewater, Solomon arrived first, the Iron Leonards came along later. I have not researched the Iron Leonards. http://www.rickleonard.net/2008/12/questions-and-ancestors-the-iron-leonards/
Rick: You didn’t answer my question. Information on the web, mostly unverifiable, lists Mary Leonard of the Bridgewater Leonards as marrying Sylvanus Campbell of Norton. This seems to be a Leonard legend that you should address, either prove or disprove it. If your data do not have a Mary of the right age or you can verify the husbands of all the Mary Leonards of the Bridgewater Leonards then I think some one should get up and try to set the record straight. There is too much BS on the internet that gets recycled and recycled!. Being 84 and not being a computer wiz some one else is going to have to do it. Ancestry certainly won’t.
Frank,
It can get confusing on Ancestry with it’s hints and other members blindly following and accepting hints with out verification. I believe the Mary (1673-1722) you are referencing who married Sylvanus Cambell (1671-1718) in 1791 is the daughter of Solomon Leonard (jr) (1653-1686) and Mary (Surname unknown to me) (1754-1795).
They had a dozen children, too numerous to list.
The Surname Lenerson is likely the same as Leonard (son) as the kind Dr. had mentioned earlier.
as for references, Birth Death and Marriage, they can be found in the Massachusetts vital records for Taunton, MA
You have provided a lot of information about Sarah Chandler and Solomon Leonard, but I got to Solomon by looking for information about Sarah Chandler who married Moses Symonson/Simmons/etc. Everywhere I look, I find Moses married to the same Sarah as Solomon. The surname I’m working on is Simmons. Can you point me in the right direction because this seems to be the wrong one.
Hi Betty,
When you say “Everywhere I look” I have to ask… “Where, specifically, have you looked?”
I have 2 family lines that both include Sarah Chandler. First one, she marries Solomon Leonard, the second one, she marries Moses Simmons. Can you help sort this out? It looks like both men lived at the same time so it doesn’t appear to be a first and second marriage for her. Lou
I’m pretty much convinced that Sarah Chandler is not the Sarah I’m looking for. Any help, though, would be appreciated.
Did you ever get an answer to your Sarah Chandler question? If you have any further info. please share. Thanks. Lou
My head is spinning! My great great great grandmother’s mother was a Leonard. In the obituary, it says that she traced her family history and was a relative of General George Washington through the Leonard family. I am trying to find out if this is true. Any information or verification on this?
I should say – any verification the Leonard family has relationship to George Washington?
Lot Leonard (1754-1847) was married to Elizabeth Hoge who was a 2nd cousin to George Washington. I’m a little lean on the documentation (so please share anything you find), but this is the way it was passed to me.