Family:Ezra Dean and Abigail Leonard (1)

The births of none of the children of Ezra Dean appear to have been recorded (or more likely, were lost when Taunton records were burned). He had two wives named Abigail and neither marriage record appears to exist.

Bristol deed Vol. 39, p. 115: 6 Mar 1746: Ezra Dean Cordwainer & Nehemiah Dean Bloomer Both of Taunton, Stephen Dean of Raynham Husbandman & James Dean of Easton Blacksmith, Ephraim French & Bethiah his wife & Caleb Walker & Abigail his wife all of Rehoboth & Richard Godfrey Jun'r of Taunton and Theodora his wife for £60 convey to Jonathan Paddleford of Taunton yeoman a tract of land in Taunton at a place called [Cottley?] about 10 acres which land our Hon'd Grandfather Capt James Leonard Late of s'd Taunton deceased gave to our Hon'd mother Abigail Dean Deceased.

Source:Dean, Arthur Denorvan. Genealogy of the Dean Family Descended from Ezra Dean of Plainfield, Conn., and Cranston, R. I, p. 32, quotes an article in the Columbian Reporter in 1825: "Dr. Ezra Dean's children were: 1. Ezra, died at the age of 89 years; 2. Theodora, 100; 3. Abijah [Abigail?], 95; 4, Bethiah, 96; 5. Nehemiah, 90; 6. James, 90; 7. Seth, 88; 8. Solomon, 61; 9. Elkanah, 87; 10. William, now (1825) living, aged 94; 11. George, 86.; 12. Elisha, 83; 13, Nathaniel, 25; 14. Esther, now (1825) living, aged 92; 15. Prudence, 80; 16. Stephen, 51; ..."

Source:Representative Men and Old Families of Southeastern Massachusetts, p. 1487, lists the children as Ezra, b. 30 Oct 1706, lived to be 89; Stephen, b. 29 Sep 1708, d. 19 Oct 1759, age 51; Theodora, b. 31 Dec 1712, d. 14 Jan 1813, age 100; Abigail, age 95; Bethiah, age 96; Nehemiah, age 90; James, b. 1717, d. 1813, age 96; Solomon, age 61; Nathaniel, age 25; Seth, age 88; Elkanah, age 87; Prudence; Elisha, age 83; William, b. 1731, age 94+; George, age 86; Esther, b. 1733; aged 92+.

Presumably the children named in the deed are the children of Abigail Leonard, the others being children of the second wife. The first source is not in birth order, but the second one appears to be, and Ezra, Stephen, Theodora, Abigail, Bethiah, Nehemiah, and James appear to be the children of Abigail Leonard.

Of course one wonders how the second source got specific birth dates where there are no records. The two sources do not appear to be copies, since there are some differences. Specific conflicts:

1. Ezra's death record gives his age as 95, not 89.
2. One source gives James age as 90, the other 96. He, presumably, is the youngest child of Abigail Leonard.
3. A Nehemiah Dean d. 1795. If this is the right death, an age of 90 would make him older than brother Ezra, which seems uncertain. If not, no death record has been located.
4. Raynham's records show Stephen died 1749, not 1759.

Few of the facts here appear to be represented by high quality records. Nor is much detail given to enable confident matching to various deaths and marriages. Significant in depth research will be needed to confirm this data, and establish its credibility.