Family Record by Mary Polly (Brown) Leonard

Mary (Brown) Leonard was my 4th great-grandmother. Family tradition says she was Native American, from either the Mohawk, the Seneca, or the Cayuga Indian tribes of Central New York. Mary was born on November 12, 1838, and she married Charles Russell Leonard when she was about 16 years old, probably in 1853. Charles would have been about 22 years old. Their first child, Joseph Russell Leonard, was born April 6, 1854, in Cayuga County, New York. Charles and Mary would have at least eleven children born between 1854 and 1880.

A photo of a family record Mary embroidered by hand was so graciously shared on Dryer Family Photos. In this treasured family heirloom, each person in the family was listed, along with their birth dates. At the top of the list, we see C. R. Leonard (Charles Russell Leonard), followed by herself (M.L.) and their eleven children, listed below.

Children of Charles & Mary Leonard, all listed in the family record were:

1. Joseph Russell Leonard b. April 6, 1854 in Cayuga County, New York ("Joseph" on 1855 census age 2 or 3 months; on 1865 census, age 11; on 1870 census, age 16)

2. Susan L. Leonard b. June 5, 1856 in Cayuga County, New York ("Susan" on 1865 census, age 8)

3. Charles L. Leonard b. Aug. 10, 1858 in Genoa, New York ("Charles" on 1865 census, age 6)

4. Sarah G. Leonard b. Nov. 30, 1860 in Tompkins County, New York ("Sarah G" on 1865 census, age 4; "Jane" on 1870 census, age 8)

5. Frances Jennie Leonard b. July 12, 1863* in Tompkins County, New York ("Frances" on 1865 census, age 1 year 11 months; "Frankie" on 1870 census, age 7, "Frances" on 1875 census, age 13)

6. William H. Leonard b. July 24, 1866 in Tompkins County, New York (not in parents home in 1870 or on any census)

7. Lewis F. Leonard b. Oct. 4, 1869 in Tompkins County, New York ("Lewis" on 1870 census, age 1)

8. Maude M. Leonard b. Sept. 7, 1871 in Tompkins County, New York (not in parents home in 1875 or on any census)

9. Lydia Leonard b. June 13, 1873 in Cayuga County, New York ("Lydia" on 1875 census, age 2; on 1880 census, age 7)

10. Arthur Leonard b. May 23, 1877 in Cayuga County, New York ("Arthur" on 1880 census, age 3)

11. Irving Eugene Leonard b. April 18, 1880 in Cayuga County, New York ("Irvin" on 1880 census, age 2 months)

See the family's census records here.

Also found on Dryer Family Photos is a typed genealogy, which provides the following information:

[Click here to learn more about Mary "Polly" (Brown) Leonard]

[Click here to learn more about my branch of the Leonard family]

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