John Leach settled in Calvert County in 1662. The next year he received a grant of land called Leach's Freehold near the site of old Huntingtown. It was the seat of the Leach family for many generations. He received other grants of land in the same vicinity, Peahen's Nest and Leach Chance. His descendants always lived in the Hunting Creek area. They intermarried with the families of Cox, Norfolk, Ireland and others. John Leach was a man of some consequence; he was one of the original vestrymen of All Saints Church in 1692. John Leach died in 1699 and left Leach's Freehold to his wife for life and then to his son Jeremiah. He divided Peahen's Nest between his sons James and Ambrose and left the residue of his estate to his son John.
