Person:Leonard Yeo (1)

Information on Col. Leonard Yeo

Familysearch claims the wife of Leonard Yeo was named "Joanne", but the following record indicates that her name was most likely "Clare" (perhaps there was a second marriage?):

William and Mary College quarterly historical magazine, Volume 9:

11. Col. Leonard Yeo was burgess for Elizabeth City in 1644, 1645, 1663 and 1666. Capt. Leonard Yeo and Mrs. Clare Yeo were headrights in a patent in 1652. In 1667, after the Dutch invasion, he was impowered by the Council to impress men and materials for mounting eight guns on the fort at Point Comfort. He died during or before 1670, since in the General Court Records for that year it is stated that Charles Moryson had married the relict of Col. Leonard Yeo. In 1691, John Lear patented land in Elizabeth City county in right of his wife Rebecca, said land formerly belonging to Col. Leonard Yeo. In 1690, Leonard Yeo "of the Back River, Elizabeth City" county (probably a son of Col. Leonard Yeo) died and gave all his property to his wife Mary. In 1719-'20, George Yeo, Jr., of Elizabeth City county, married Elinor, widow, first, of Coleman Brough, and, second, of Capt. William Boswell, and mother of Grace Boswell, who married John Selden. He died about 1743 without issue, and with him the Elizabeth City Y'eos became extinct. (quarterly, I., p. 157; V., p. 61.)

Yeo and Lear are both Devonshire names. Peter Lear, of Devonshire, was created a baronet for his loyalty to Charles I., and Leonard Yeo was one of the gentlemen who subscribed for the defence of the country against the Armada in 1588.

There was also a Hugh Yeo of Accomac county, burgess in 1663. A deed in Accomac dated February 7, 1680, shows that he died without issue, and that he was son of Justinian Yeo, of Hartland, in Devonshire. Two brothers are mentioned, Richard, the eldest, and Justinian, to whom Richard sold the Virginia estate heired from his brother Hugh.