Capt. Joseph Leonard was the first permanent settler of Binghamton, New York. He was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and "in his youth engaged in whale fishery"[1] and moved from there to Wyoming, Pennsylvania, where he owned a farm. He was "under arms there at the time of the massacre, though not in the field of action." He left Wyoming and came up the Susquehanna to New York in 1787. He was accompanied by his wife and a hired man who propelled the boat up the river while Joseph made the trip by land with his horses. "On arriving at the mouth of the Chenango Leonard made his way up that stream about three miles, and disembarked his goods at a favorable site on the rich flat land that stretches away in almost every direction in the vicinity of and just above the present county farm." He met with the Indians at his cabin and he and Amos Draper agreed to lease one square mile of land from the Indians for a period of 99 years at a rate of one barrel of corn per year. The land later became Chenango Village.

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Joseph's son, Amos, was "said to have been the first white child born in this country. He lived on the old farm to the time of his death, just previous to 1870".

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See Binghamton: It's growth and development and the factors in its history, 1800-1900, by W.S. Lawyer, 1900. [Link] Joseph was in the Battle of Bunker Hill, Wyoming and others.

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Some other Leonards in the area, according to this book were: Alvah Leonard was a juror in 1807. Asa Leonard was a member of the Assembly in 1814. Miles Leonard was Superintendant of Streets in 1886 and Vice-President of The Craftsmen's Club. Miles was also contracted to build a courthouse in 1896. Miles was born Dec. 19, 1849, in Nichols, Tioga County, NY, and was the son of Peter Leonard. Miles married a daughter of John Swartwood. Albert Leonard, School Principal, 1893-1898. Harvey K. Leonard was a doctor born in Ovid Center. Zenas Leonard, Mason in Binghamton Lodge No. 177 in 1850. Amaziah Leonard was an early lumberman in Glen Castle. Charles R. Leonard, a Private in New York 27th Infantry otherwise known as the "Union Regiment", Company C (found on p. 561).

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See Historical Collections of the State of New York, by J.W. Barber, 1846, p. 67-68. [Link]