Samuel Leonard

From [http://spotswoodhistory.tripod.com/id12.html]

Samuel Leonard, son of Henry, from Massachusetts, was born about 1645, married Sarah Brooks, and moved to New Jersey 1675-6. He had Sons Henry, John, Samuel, Jr., James and Thomas, and a daughter, known afterwards as Mrs. Walker. He was a resident at Middletown. N. J., 1678, and deeded to Lewis Morris, Nov. 16, 1679, the Monmouth Indian tract which he had received from his father in the previous March. [On] June 25, 1689, he bought 200 acres on Manasquan river, of Indian owners, and in November of the same year took title for same lands from the proprietors of E. N. J. In 1691 he was appointed by the court as their majesty’s attorney, March 1, 1692, he received a commission as "Captain of a good company," and on the 16th of September, same year, was appointed by Gov Hamilton "High Sheriff" of Middletown." [On] July 6, 1693 he took deed from the East Jersey Proprietors for a tract of land at Colts Neck, Monmouth County. He quitclaimed in 1693 by deed dated Oct. 1, to his brothers, Nathaniel 100 acres, Thomas 80 acres, and Henry 50 acres. In 1697, he refused to assume the office of King’s Attorney, and was ordered to pay a fine of forty shillings or be committed to jail. He was chosen Justice of the Peace, and is named as the Judge of the Court of Sessions. One meeting of which was held at Shrewsbury, before whom a trial was had on the 27th of Aug., 1700, where John Leonard was a Grand Juror, and Henry Leonard a complainant against an unruly party for assaulting him, a County officer, and the Sheriff of Monmouth, and wresting their swords from them.

Samuel Leonard served as a member of the Governor’s Council during the turbulent condition of colonial affairs from 1700-1702. On the surrender of the proprietary government of East New Jersey to the royal authorities at this time, Queen Anne appointed him November 16, 1702 one of the first council under the new administration, with Lord Cornbury as Governor, but he died before the commission arrived in this country, which was July 29, 1703. So extended was the prevailing disorder in provincial affairs, that this vacancy in the council was not filled till 1706. For his time, Samuel Leonard became one of the largest land owners in Monmouth County, and because of this qualification and his controlling influence over disturbing elements in society during many years of settled government in the colony, he was entrusted with the administration of justice in the County, and appointed one of the councilors to the Governor. His name occurs on the register of deeds, at Trenton, as grantor in no less than forty-five transfers of landed titles extending from 1685 to 1700-2, the year previous to his death.

It was thought by many of the land owners that if the government by the proprietors was surrendered to the Crown, they should be exempt from paying to the proprietors the required quit rent. Under date of March 26, 1700, William Penn wrote a letter to Samuel Leonard on this subject, as follows:-William Penn to Samuel Leonard, March 26, l700: "Tis a vanity in any to think they can vacate their quit rents by offering ye which is none of theirs to give, viz , ye government. I was ever for taking what I could get, knowing yt 1/2 a loaf is better than no bread, and if the proprietors would persuaded by me yt am also a proprietor, it should be to concur wth ye proprietors in their Gov’t, and by an easy and engaging way to draw from m what privileges or benefits they wanted and the Gov’t could graunt without any notable damage to their interest."