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129. Ephraim Leach (Married: Dorothy Bennett (Bennet) (Dorithy Benit) (#130) on 8 February 1762 at New Fairfield, Connecticut). (Ephraim would have been 17 1/2 and Dorothy 19 1/2 when they were married. (The source of pink information on this page is The Settlers of the Beekman Patent, Dutchess County, New York by Frank J. Doherty, Pleasant Valley, New York 12569, 2003; p 914-915.) (The source of tourquoise information on this page is Scott Fisher <fishfamman@aol.com> 4 Jan 2012). (The source of orange information on this page is from Windham, Connecticut Vital Records.) ( The source of information below in blue-"times new Roman" font is Barbour Collection of CT VITAL RECORDS, Births, Marriages, Deaths 1692-1850.)

Born: 8 July 1744 (July 8, 1744) at Windham Co., Connecticut of Amos Leach (#257) and Mercy Martin (#258) (Baptism: 5 Aug 1744 in Hampton, Connecticut (Source: Connecticut, Church Record Abstracts 1630-1920).

Died: ca. 1815 (He died sometime after the 1810 census and before 15 Jan 1816 when his will was probated.) (He was 71 when his will was proved.) in Dover Dutchess, New York (Ancestry.com).

 

[His siblings included:

a) James Leach (Married: no one, Mary Prindle) Born: 7 March 1728 (12 March 1728/9) (12 March 1728/9) Died:19 Sept 1747 in the 19th y of his age (19 Sept 1747 in the 19th y. of his age) (19 Sept 1747 in the 19th y. of his age); (Source: History of the Wanzer family in America: from the settlement in New Amsterdam, New York, 1642 to ?)

b) Amos Leach (Married: Deborah Wanzer 25 Nov. 1752 at New Fairfield,CT, both living there.) Born: 8 Dec. 1730 (8 Dec. 1730) (8 Dec 1730) (Dec. 8, 1730) at Windham, CT. Died:1805; Miscellaneous: On 19 Feb. 1777 William Ellis appeared before the ConC and testified to the effect that : "(he) went from Pawling's Precinct to the State of Connecticut in order to conceal himself. That while he was at New Milford relating to a certain Amos Leach the Situation he the examinant was in, Leach asked him if he was willing to take up Arms against the Country, to which the examinant answered that he was not; that Leach then recommended him to one Joseph Seley Jun: for information respecting a certain Capt,. Vaughn who was raising a company that was going to the Enemy" (etc.) [SBP I: 423, ConC 136-7] Amos Leach was one of the signers on a petition (to the King) Nov. 1766 to obtain a full confirmation on the lands they were granted in the western parts of New Hampshire (Collections of the Vermont Historical Society, Vol. I. 1870, p. 283). "He removed in 1785 to New Fairfield, VT., with his large family of children, where many of his later descendants are still living; he was executor of his father's will, which is now on file at Danbury, Conn. "(Commemorative Biographical Record of Dutchess County, New York, Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co., 1897.) "Amos Leach, blacksmith of Franklin, DC, wrote his will 9 June 1805, proved 1 Nov. 1805. He named wife Mary and children: Amos, Debborough, wife of Elijah Fairchild; Massey, wife of Dan Pepper; Johannah, wife of Silas Peel; Azuba, wife of Seth Pepper, dec'd; Lucy, widow of Eliud Wanzer, and Amy. He also named gr.-dau. Dunry, dau. of Nancy, dec'd who had married ___ Burhans. Amos Leach also named Sarah Monroe, dau. of wife Mary, and gr.-son Jonathan Wright Jr., son of Jonathan."

c) Mercy (Mary) (Mary) Leach: (Married: Ebenezer Wright on 11 March 1751 at New Fairfield.) Born: 1 Oct 1732 (1 Oct 1732) (1 Oct 1732) at Windham, CT; Died: ?

d) John Leach: (Married: 1st Martha Wanzer on 2 April 1760, 2nd Hannah Page on 9 July 1772. Born: 10 Aug 1735 (10 Aug 1735) (10 Aug 1735); Died: 27 June 1811; Miscellaneous: He had an account at the Merritt Store on Quaker Hill from 1767 through 1779 and on 28 July 1767 his brother Ebenezer's wife charged alum to his account. He went to New Fairfield, VT.

e) Sarah Leach: (Married: Silas Hill on 4 Jan. 1757 at New Fairfield.) Born: 19 Jan 1736 (19 Jan 1736/7) (19 Jan 1736/7); Died: ?

f) Johanna Leach:(Married 1st: Thomas Northrup on 25 Aug. 1757 at New Fairfield, Connecticut; He was a farmer but sometimes preached.; Married 2nd:____ Page) ; Born: 24 May 1739 (24 May 1739) (24 May 1739) ; Died: ~1832 ; Miscellaneous: With her first husband, she had the following children: David, Thomas, Amos, Isaac, Abraham, Johanna,and Abigail. Her first husband died. With her second husband, she moved to Vermont. She was aged 99 when she died. (Source of dark green information is North American, Family Histories, 1500 - 2000, The Northrup-Northrop genealogy: a record of the known descendants of Joseph Northrup)

g) Ebenezer Leach: (Married: Mary Marsh. Mary was the daughter of Zerviah (Abbe) and Elihu Marsh Sr. of New Milford and the sister of Ruth Marsh who married Ebenezer Leach's brother, Ichabod); Born:16 Jan 1741 (16 Jan 1741) (16 Jan 1741) at Windham, CT; Died:?; Miscellaneous: "Ebenezer Leach had an account at the Merritt store and bought wheat, a felt hat, molasses, tea, sugar, paper, nails, etc. On 14 July 1767 Ephraim Leach purchased a bolt of clothe and charged it to Ebenezer's account. Ebenezer paid his account with a pair of oxen, £14, and cash, in 1767."

h) Jemima Leach: (Married: David Prindle on 19 Jan 1763); Born: 22 Aug 1743 (22 Aug 1743) (22 Aug 1743); Died: ?

i) Simeon Leach: (Married: Elizabeth Prindle on 22 Jan 1766); Born: 28 March 1746 ( 28 March 1746) (28 March 1746) at Windham); Died: ?; Miscellaneous: He had an account at the Merritt store as early as 1767 and dealt with Mercy Leach , James Leach, Moses Wanzer and Aaron Prindle.

j) James Leach (James Leach) : (Married: Mary Prindle, daughter of Daniel and Phebe Prindle of New Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut) Born: 12 Aug 1748(12 Aug 1748) Died: 1810 in Fletcher, Franklin County, Vermont Miscellaneous: He bought a gallon of rum at the Merritt store on 14 April 1767 and charged the account of his brother Ebenezer. During the American Revolution 1776-1783, James served with the Prince of Wales American Regiment, and was discharged from this regiment in 1784 in New Brunswick. His wife, Mary, was born 24 Jan 1752 and died 6 Jan 1835, aged 82 yrs 11 ms & 13 days. She is buried in Old Eden Cemetery, Elgin County, Ontario, Canada. Her son, Zebulon is buried next to her. (Source: e-mail dated 11 May 2013 from Bob Phillips descendent of James <bobphillips001@gmail.com> and reference to Find A Grave Memorial # 15952511)

k) Ichabod Leach: (Married: Ruth Marsh on 1 Jan 1776 at New Fairfield. Ruth was the daughter of Zerviah (Abbe) and Elihu Marsh Sr. of New Milford and the sister of Mary Marsh who married Ichabod Leach's brother, Ebenezer); Born: 28 Feb 1750 at New Fairfield. 25 Feb 1750 (Reference: U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s - current) Died:3 May 1813, Miscellaneous: Ruth Leach and Rachel Marsh joined the Dover First Baptist Church 18 Nov. 1792. Ruth Leach was a member in 1819. Ichabod Leach was a Merritt store customer from 1769 through 1775, at least. He bought goods on 23 May and 26 July 1769. In 1769 Cornelius McMann and John Leach dealt on his account. He was in New Fairfield, CT in 1800 at 0-0-0-0--1 and 2-1-0-1-0 between Joel Conger and David Leach, their son. Ichabod was in Sherman, CT in 1800 at 0-0-0-0-1 and 0-1-2-0-1. A William Leach was one away on the roll. They had son David Leach born 17 May 1779 who married Lydia Buckley. Ichabod and Ruth also had two daughters, Lecty who died 23 February 1789 at age 3 and Lecty who died 20 January 1816, aged 24. (Source for the information on the two Lecty daughters: The Connecticut Magazine, Volume 3-4). The second Lecty (aka. Lucy, Electa, and Lecta by various sources) wrote a letter to her mother in 1815 and signed her name Electa. In 1815, Electa was ~23, away from home in a school, and likely a teacher with students she referred to as "schollars." The Connecticut Death and Burial Index lists her as Lucy, who was born about 1792 and who died on 20 January 1816 at 24 years of age in Sherman, Fairfield, Connecticut. U. S., Find A Grave Index lists her as Lucy, born 4 February 1792, and dying 20 January 1816. Connecticut, Church Record Abstracts list her as Lecta dying on Jan 20, 1816 at age 21. According to that source, she would have been only 20 in 1815 when she wrote the letter. Additional information about Electa was obtained from the letter, provided to the webmaster by Sean Sweeney. You can find it at at the following link. Additional information about Ichabod Leach's family and descendents was located and sent to the webmaster by Sean Sweeney in September 2016. A link can be found to that information here.

l) Miriam Leach: (Married: Samuel Marsh on 13 Nov. 1771); Born: 8 Oct 1751; Died: ?; Miscellaneous: She and her husband joined the Dover First Baptist Church on 8 Sept. 1792. She had an account in her own name at the Merritt store on Quaker Hill in 1767. She bought linen, 1/2 yard of lawn and 3 skeins of thread.] Note: Three of Ephraim's siblings married Prindles (Jemima Leach married David Prindle, Simeon Leach married Elizabeth Prindle, and James Leach married Mary Prindle.). Ephraim's mother had married John Prindle after Ephraim's father died. (Source: "History of the Wanzer family in America: from the settlement in New Amsterdam, New York, 1642 to 1920.")

Miscellaneous:

Ephraim "deeded land to his brother in New Fairfield, CT on 27 Sept 1765. It was 5 acres of land for £28. There are no land records for him in the Beekman Patent (See below in blue). Ephraim sued Thomas Wing 25 Feb 1793 for £99. He kept an active account at the Merritt store on Quaker Hill from 1767 on and Ebenezer Leach dealt on his account and Ephraim's son Amos dealt with him around the end of the century.

Ephraim Leach was listed in Pawling in the 1790 census at 2-1-7 and he was between Reuben Draper and Samuel Turner. He was probably the ____ Leach on the 1795 Pawling tax roll, assessed at £2. In Oct. 1799 he had a farm worth $1,554.75 and personal goods valued at $104. In 1800 he was listed at 0-0-1-01 and 0-0-0-0-1 and was between Reuben Draper and George Wilcox. In 1810 he was listed in Dover at 0-0-0-0-1 and 1-0-2-1-0. Next to him was his son Bennett Leach and William Kidney.

He was a customer at the Duncan store in Dover on 7 July 1794 and bought 3 quarts spirits, rum and sugar. On 16 July he bought some items and his son Amos charged 1/2 gallon spirits and 1/2 lb. of tea to his account. On 21 Oct. 1794 he bought 1/2 yard of chintz, 1/2 gallon of spirits and 1 skein of thread. He paid his account with hogs, a steer, pulling logs and cash.

He lived in Dover and his will was probated 15 Jan. 1816 at Poughkeepsie; no date on will. He mentioned that son Levi had a wife and children and son Amos did as well. He noted son Bennett had children. He mentioned children of John and Rachel Nichols; children of John Nichols Jr. and Dorcas (formerly Cummins) Nichols; child of John and Rheta Nichols; children that Eliakem Nichols had by first wife. He mentioned daus: Mercy Barnes and her children, Rachel dec'd wife of John Nichols, Louise Culver, Lydia Soule, Hannah Thomas, Dimmaris Alliss and Phonia (or Zerviah) Marsh. He named John Wing of Dover and John Jewett 2nd of Dover executors. Witnesses were John Jewett 2nd, Joseph Odell and David Allis. A subsequent document changed the executors to Benjamin Hoag, Asa Jones and John Cummins Jr."

Ephraim and his wife had 10 children: Amos, Levi (#65), Bennett, Rachel, Lois, Lydia, Hannah, Dimmis, Mercy, and Zerviah.

A transcription of his will, written by one of his great grandsons Scott Fisher, can be read at this link.

 

History of the Beckman Patent: (Source of information: http://www.beekmanhistory.com/id19.html)

"In 1697, Henry Beekman, a large landowner from the Kingston area, obtained a land grant from the British Crown for the area that became known as the “Beekman Patent”."

"He paid the Crown an annual rent of forty shillings a year."

Due to boundary disputes, Henry returned the patent for a new one in 1703. This was the second largest land holding in Dutchess County and included Beekman, Pawling, Dover, Union Vale and part of LaGrange. Beekman and his heirs, two of them Livingston’s, were landlords and rented the land. The first European settlers arrived around 1710. The hamlet of Beekmanville settled around this time and by the nineteenth century; the hamlet came to house a hotel, forge, meeting house and schoolhouse."

"Beekman became a precinct in December 1737 and a government was set up. Then in 1769, the section was divided into Pawling Precinct (the present towns of Pawling and Dover) and Beekman Precinct."

"An important colonial highway ran through Beekman during the Revolutionary War, which provided a reliable artery for transporting men and supplies from New England to New York. The Town of Beekman, formed in 1788, was one of the early towns recognized by the newly independent state of New York. Parts of the Town’s original land holdings were broken off to form other towns."

 

History of Dover: (quoted from Scott Fisher <fishfamman@aol.com> 4 Jan 2012)

"During the Revolution, Washington's Army marched the Upper Road, from Hartford to Fishkill, which ran beside the Ten Mile River; they camped west of present day Wingdale. Near Church Hill, the Morehouse Tavern hosted General George Washington, and other leaders and dignitaries of the American Revolution, such as Generals Gates, Putnam, Arnold, Heath, Parsons, Lafayette. After the Revolution, new civil divisions in 1788, created Pawling Township from the Beekman Patent; Dover was then a part of Pawling.

The area continued to grow and local leaders gathered to discuss separation of Dover from Pawling. On February 20, 1807, the New York Legislature separated 26,669 acres from Pawling, creating the Town of Dover. The first designated town meeting took place in the home of John Preston, today's Old Drovers Inn."

 

 

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Contact person for this website is Susan Snyder: susanleachsnyder@gmail.com