Joseph Leigh

 The earliest record of a Leigh in Washington co. is an old document dated 24 1789 and entitled "Those who were residing on their lands and were forced to leave because of the last war."  Residing on the Patent granted Duncan Reid and others 13 Mar. 1764 were Joseph, Amos and Jonathan Leigh on Lot 28.  This definetly placed Joseph Leigh on the south shore of Summit Lake in Argyle town at the time of Burgoyne's invasion in 1777.

After being forced to flee his tract during the Revolution, Joseph returned to New Jersey, and 1777 he volunteered as a foragemaster for the American forcesduring the Revolutionary War; he served in this capacity until 1782.

When the war was over, Joseph and his second wife and their children returned to Argyle and founded a substantial colony of Leigh's in eastern New York.

p. 121 Adm of estate of Joseph Leigh late of Argyle, co. washington died intestate Granted to Amos Leigh, William Leigh, & Jesse Leigh as Admrs. [Seal] 21 October 1806

Washington County, New York, Deeds Book L:1-15, heirs of Joseph Leigh, 1812; County Clerk's office, Hudson Falls; FHL microfilm no. 553416. Transactions are dealing with dividing the property. Some transactions mention 1/14 'undivided share' implying that there were 14 heirs. Each transaction except the last mentions the land by which Joseph Leigh deceased was seized at the time of his death. The names of those involved and who were named were these:

• William Leigh of Argyle
• Charles Leigh married to Lanah of Hoosick, Rensselaer County, New York
• Hezekiah Leigh married to Nancy of Argyle
• Amos Leigh of Argyle
• Josephus Leigh married to Mary of Argyle
• Jesse S. Leigh of Argyle
• Jonathan Leigh married to Margaret of Argyle
• Amy Leigh (apparently unmarried) of Argyle
• Sycha Leigh married to William Hunt Junior of Argyle
• Stephen Leigh married to Catrin (of Virginia)
• Hannah Leigh married to Ferdinand Gulick (of Virginia)
• Samuel Leigh of Argyle

The deed recorded on page 14 (Deeds Book L:14-5) was written in 1807 and Isaac and Elizabeth Heath sold to Leigh heirs . At first glance it looks like Elizabeth may also be a Leigh heir, but the deed does not say anything about Joseph Leigh.

Joseph and Hannah (along with other Leigh's) are buried in Old Scott's Cemetery on Hwy. 40 south of Argyle. Their marble tombstones are still leigble - - his reads: Died on the 4th day of Arpil 1806 Joseph Leigh in the 79th year of his age; her stone reads Died on the 4th day of August 1795 Hannah wife of Joseph Leigh in the 55th year of her age.

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Joseph Leigh, 1726, married (a) Scyhe Hoagland. After her death in NJ, he married (b) Hannah Smith, 1741-1896.

the Leigh's originally hailed from Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, England.

Joseph Leigh, d. 1840, and his wife, thankful, of Dublin, Ireland, emigrated to America and settled in Amboy, Hunterdon county, new jersey.

they were probably the grandparents of Joseph who settle on lot 28 of the argyle patent and had sixteen children, 5 by his first wife and 11 by his second, 15 of which were;

• 1) Amos, 1760-1856, married Ann Hoff and had 11 children;
• 2) john remained in New jersey;
• 3) Rachel, 1770-1826, married William Hunt jr. 1772-1838 of Salem. she later changed her name to Sycha;
• 4) William, 1772-1828, remained single
• 5) Jonathan married Mary Tinkey, daughter of Henry and Lanah Tinkey of lot 2;
• 6) Hannah married Ferdinand Gulick, lived in Virginia, ahd a large family;
• 7) Hezekiah, b. 1778 married Nancy _ and died in Williamstown, ma.;
• 8) Samuel remained single;
• 9) Charles married Lany - and lived in hoosic falls;
• 10) Josephus married Mary - and had 11 children;
• 11) Jesse, 1785-1850 see below;
• 12) Elizabeth 1785-1859 married Isaac Heath, 1779-1866, of lot 120;
• 13) Joseph 1789-1874 married Anna, 1797-1835;
• 14) Stephen b 1790-1886 marred (a) Catrin _ and (b) Rachel _ 1804-1886, and lived in Virginia;
• 15) Amy about 1789 about 1865 see below.

joseph came to Argyle before the revolution, returned to New jersey where he was a forage master during the war, and later come back to argyle....

RECORD:

1. John D. Gifford, Hezekiah Leigh His Ancestors and Descendants (undated). "Served as fragmaster during Revolutionary War. Butcher of Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey."

2. Portrait and Biographical Record of Hunterdon County, New Jersey (1898), p. 366. "A Biographer wrote: he was a descendant to Thomas first Lord of Leigh of Stanley, Warwick, England."

3. Francis Bayley Lee, Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Mercer County New Jersey, 2 Vols. (1907, New York). "It is written: said to be the son of Baron Leigh of England when he died all trace of Joseph was lost and the estate was confiscated."