{Garnsey Ancestors}
Research by Lorena Darnell
Click here to go to a condensed version of this biography.
Although his parents are unknown, Richard Leigh’s identity is established by the 1661 will of his grandfather, Thomas Leigh, of Ipswich, Massachusetts. Thomas and Alice Leigh were in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts by 1641 when Thomas Lee appears in the Ipswich List of Commoners. His will has instructions that Richard is to live with his grandmother, Alice, until he is 22, at which point he is to inherit half of the estate. After his grandmother’s death or marriage, he is to inherit the whole estate, reserving £20 for his aunt, Susannah, in England, or her children, should they call for it. He is not to sell or alienate any of the inherited estate, but to keep it as an inheritance for his children.1
In 1682, Richard signed a deposition, giving his age as 38,5 which would make his birth year approximately 1644; so he would have been about 17 at the time of his grandfather’s death. His parents are not mentioned in the will, and he seems to have been in the care of his grandparents at that time.
Richard Lee married Sarah Edwards of Wenham and Beverly, Massachusetts. She was born about 1650, the daughter of Rice and Elnor Edwards. A number of sources mistakenly give the maiden name of Richard Lee’s wife as "Sarah Coy." For exampls, Colonial Families of the USA, 1607-1775 says: "Eleanor Lee, b. 10th April 1687, in Ipswich, Massachusetts, d. before 8th February, 1736, dau. of Richard and Sarah (Coy) Lee, her father, Mr. Lee, later removed to Norwich, and d. there, 7th August, 1713, his estate was settled in the Probate Court in New London;..."
And Torrey’s New England Marriages to 1700 shows a marriage for "Lee, Richard (1643-) & [Sarah] [?COY]; by 1671; Ipswich {Essex Ant. 10:113; EIHC 3:228; Lee (#4) 29}.2
Sarah’s maiden name has been assumed to be "Coy" because the Ipswich Deeds record a 24 September 1697 sale from "Richard of Ipswich, for £28, to his brother John Coy, of Wenham," However, Richard Lee and John Coy were both married to daughters of Rice and Elnor Edwards, as evidenced by Rice Edwards' probate documents.
For a well researched proof text, see: https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/k/e/n/Donald-S-Kenney/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0001.html
Richard was a carpenter at Chebacco in 1667.5 In 1673, he signed his name as "Richard Leigh" to a deed witnessed by Joseph Lee, second son of John Leigh of Ipswich who may have been his grandfather’s brother.
In 1678, his name appears among those entitled to commonage. He was a Selectman in 1699.
Ipswich Deeds shows a number of land sales involving Richard and Sarah Leigh.
1667 July 10. Richard Leigh, of Chebacco, carpenter, sold to John Choate of Ispwich, 3 1-2 acres of upland on the great hill in Hog Island, No. 106. (Ipswich deeds Yol. 3, p. 100).
1669 June 5. Richard Leigh, of Chebacco, sells for £12 to John Edwards, of Salem, and John Knowlton, of Ipswich, meadow on south side Ipswich river. (Ipswich deeds, Vol. 3, p. 124).
In 1673, he sold land in Ipswich to Edmund Marshall.
1673 Nov. 20. Richard Leigh of Chebacco, yeoman, sells to John Andrews, do, 6 acres marsh on the far side of that creek that bounds Proctor's land. (Ipswich deeds Vol, 3, p. 3 J 3)-
1673 Nov. 26. Richard and wife Sarah, of Ipswich, for £11 to Edmund Marshall, shipcarpenter, 4 1-2 acres of upland in Chebacco. (Ipswich deeds, Vol. 4, p. 328).
1676-7 Mar. 13. Richard Leigh, of Ipswich, for £30 iu. yd., to Deacon Wm. Goodhue, my now dwelling house and land, to be p'd for in wheat, malt, pork, butter and cheese at current rates. (Ipswich deeds, Vol. 4, p. 8.).
1677 May 9, Richard Leigh, of Ipswich, to Dea. Wm. Goodhue, for 50J in money and in corn, 25 acres marsh below Good- man Proctor's farm, joining Jona. Wadis marsh. (Ipswich deeds, Vol. 4, p. 147).
1680 Richard, of Ipswich, and wife Sarah, to Rev. John Wise, 6 acres lying within the dwelling of s'd Richard.
1686 Dec. 7. Richard, of Chebacco, Ips., and wife Sarah, for £25, to Benj. Edwards, Wenham, 5 acres marsh in Chebacco. (Ipswich deeds, Vol. 14, p 91)
1696 Oct. 28. Richard, of Ipswich, carpenter and wife Sarah for £37, to son Thomas Lee, yeoman, a lot of salt marsh in Hog Island. (Ipswich deeds, Vol. 13, p, 169).
1697 Sep. 24. Richard, of Ipswich, for £28, to his brother John Coy, of Wenham, 8 acres marsh and thatch in Hog Island marshes, bound W. on marsh of his son Thomas. (Ipswich deeds, Vol. 13, p. 23).
1698 Dec. 19. Richard and his wife Sarah, Thomas Lee and his wife Anna, all of Ipswich, to John Choate, yeoman, and Robert Annable, tailor, of Ipswich, 10 acres salt marsh in Hog Island. (Ipswich deeds, Vol. 14, p, 196).
1701 Dec. 17. Richard, Ipswich, carpenter, from Thomas Knowlton 3 d for £135, between 30 and 40 acres of land. (Ipswich deeds, Vol. 15, p. 102).
1702 May 1. Richard and wife Sarah, Ipswich, to John Knowlton and Adam Cogswell, Ipswich, and Benj. Edwards, Wenham, all our lands in Ipswich, containing about 60 acres. (Ipswich deeds, Vol. 15, p. 143).3
Sept. 7, 1703, Richard Lee bought 113 acres of land of John Allyn in Norwich, Connecticut. He was admitted an inhabitant of Norwich, Connecticut in 1705.4
Jan. 5, 1703/4, Thomas Lee, Richard Lee Jr., Nathaniel Giddings, and Sarah Giddings, his wife, and Mary Lee, Spinster, children and heirs of Richard Lee, house carpenter, all of Ipswich, sold for £388, to Rev. John Wise, of Ipswich, between 70 & 80 acres, with 2 dwelling houses, 2 barnes & 1 shop on s'd lands which was a "sure Estate of Inheritance from their grandfather, Thomas Lee." (Ipswich deeds, Vol. 15, p. 216.)
His son, Joseph, received the land in Connecticut during his father’s lifetime.
His will was probated Aug 7, 1713. His widow, Sarah, was granted administration of his estate on 6 Sept 1713, with John Arnold and Andrew Davis as bondsmen. The inventory totaled L287 18 s. 8d.
The will of Sarah Lee says,
"In the name of God, Amen, the seventh day of Sept. 1726, I Sarah Lee of Norwich, in the County of New London, and Colony of Connecticut in New England being very sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God therefor … do make and ordain this my last will and testament.
"Imprimis, I give and bequeath to my well beloved daughter, Mary Lee, whom I likewise make and ordain my sole executor of this my Last Will and Testament, my riding mare and three loads of hay.
"Item. – I give to my grandson Benjamin Lee an equal share of my estate with my children after my daughter Mary and granddaughter Elenor has got what is particularly to them.
"Item. – I give to my well beloved Grand Daughter Elenor Andruce all my wearing Clouse and a feather bed and bolster with covering sufficient foe such bed also a black mare and sucking colt and a panel.
"Item. – My will is that all the rest of my estate shall be equally divided among my children which are living in the Colony of Connecticut, and I do hereby … In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written.
Her
Sarah O Lee
mark
John Welch
Her
Dorothy O Lee
mark
Sarah apparently recovered to live an additional 9 years, and died in June 1735 in Norwich.
Richard and Sarah Leigh's children wrote their names "Lee". They were
Thomas, born 20 February 1671
Sarah, married Nathaniel Giddings
Susannah, born 20 February 1675, died early
Jonathan, born 29 June 1677, died early;
Richard, born 20 January 1679; (Ezekiel's ancestor)
Mary, born 20 January 1681, (spinster 1702-4)
Joseph, born 23 January 1783, died early
Benjamin, born 25 November 1685, died early
Eleanor, born 10 April 1688, died early4
Probate Records of Essex County, p 374, 375)
Torrey’s New England Marriages Prior to 1700 Vol II, p 936.
Ipswich Deeds, Vols 3, 4 & 15
History of Peter Spicer( Spicer Genealogy) p 528.
John Leigh of Agawam (Ipswich) Massachusetts, 1634-1671.