Person:John Leighton (31)

Thomas Leighton was a native of Liverpool, England and son of John Leighton and Ann Pawson. Emigrating with the Leighton family to Canada West in the later 1810s, Thomas settled near Colchester, Essex, Canada West (now Ontario). Thomas served under brother 1st Lieutenant Henry Leighton in the 1st Essex Militia Cavalry during the Rebellions of 1837 and 1838, attaining the rank of corporal. Thomas married Mary Wright of Colchester, Essex, Canada West on 26 April 1837 in Amherstburg. Thomas and Henry later settled their families in Trenton and Grosse Ile, Michigan respectively. Mary Leighton died shortly after the birth of Thomas Leighton (later known as Thomas Alva Leighton) and Thomas the elder remarried on 8 August 1852 to Deborah Van Camp, before likely dying sometime in 1855.