Betty's Boneyard Genealogy Blog

Sunday, December 14, 2025

My Ancestors in the American Revolutionary War: Capt JOSIAH LEAKE of Goochland County, Virginia

JOSIAH LEAKE was born 19 March 1730 on Rocky Springs Plantation, Goochland County Virginia. He was the son of WALTER LEAKE and JUDITH MASK, and the grandson of WILLIAM LEAKE and MARY BOSTICK, who emigrated from Nottinghamshire, England in about 1685 and established Rocky Springs Plantation in what was then Henrico County, Virginia.

JOSIAH was married three times, and had children with all three wives. On 1 January 1759 he married ANN FENTON, the daughter of THOMAS FENTON of Henrico County. ANN died before 1767, when THOMAS FENTON wrote his will and made JOSIAH LEAKE his executor, naming JOSIAH's two daughter JUDITH (wife of Capt CHARLES WOODSON, see previous post) and LUCY LEAKE in the will.

The second marriage was to ANNE MINTER, sometime shortly after 1767. They had two sons, WALTER & JOSIAH Jr. ANNE died in 1777.

He married a third time, to ANN FOSTER, who was a widow, sometime before 1780. They had three children, CHRISTIAN, JOHN M and SAMUEL D LEAKE.

JOSIAH LEAKE was Captain of the Virginia Militia, Goochland district, from July 1777 until May 1780. I am uncertain whether this unit of the Virginia Militia ever saw battle; I have not found any records or documentation or regimental history. JOSIAH was 47 years old and likely a widower when he enlisted.

After the Revolutionary War, JOSIAH was sued by his daughter JUDITH and her husband Capt CHARLES WOODSON. The court record from around 1785 listed slaves PHYLLIS, LUCY, SUCKEY, JUDY, JAMES, AMY, JACK & ISAAC, which CHARLES & JUDITH claimed as JUDITH's property from the estate of THOMAS FENTON, JUDITH's maternal grandfather. The lawsuit indicated that the slaves were being withheld from JUDITH by her father JOSIAH LEAKE.

Capt JOSIAH LEAKE wrote his will 10 July 1794, which names all his children from the three marriages. His third wife is not mentioned in the will. I have only a transcription of the will which does not include the names of his slaves.

Capt JOSIAH LEAKE died at Rocky Springs Plantation sometime before 21 September 1795, when his will was brought to court.

Capt JOSIAH LEAKE is in the lineage of my maternal grandfather, R B MARTINE

SOURCES:

--DAR Patriot Index

--Historical Genealogy of the Woodsons and their Connections by Henry Morton Woodson

--The Leake Family and Connecting Lines by George Warren Chappalear

--Genealogies of Virginia Families Volume II from William & Mary College

--The Douglas Register

Have a great day!

Betty

Friday, December 12, 2025

My Ancestors in the American Revolutionary War: Capt CHARLES WOODSON of Cumberland County Virgina: Siege of Charleston

Siege of Charleston by Alonzo Chappel

CHARLES WOODSON was born 30 December 1759 in Cumberland County, Virginia, the son of DRURY WOODSON and LUCY CHRISTIAN.

When he was about eighteen years old, CHARLES enlisted in the Virginia Continental Line under Brigidier General WILLIAM WOODFORD. He first held the rank of Sergeant Major, then Captain within this regiment. The Virginia Continental Soldiers were beginning to build winter quarters in Morristown, New Jersey, when General GEORGE WASHINGTON ordered them to march post haste to Charleston, South Carolina to reinforce the troops of General BENJAMIN LINCOLN who were already fighting there. Charleston is over 800 miles away from Morristown, so it must have been a grueling march.

While he was encamped at Charleston, but before the battle began, CHARLES WOODSON sent a letter to Miss JUDITH LEAKE, to whom he was engaged:

Source: "Historical Genealogy of the Woodsons and their Connections" by Henry Morton Woodson p 109

A short time later, in March of 1780, the Siege of Charleston began. The battle lasted six weeks and culminated in the total surrender of General BENJAMIN LINCOLN and over 5000 American troops. It was a stunning defeat for the Continental Army.

Captain CHARLES WOODSON was captured and imprisoned by the British 12 May 1780. While paroled, he and 30 other American prisoners of war managed to escape-- and walked back to Virginia. It was a harrowing journey, hundreds of miles; the men were required to walk at night in order to avoid any British sympathizers.

Shortly after CHARLES returned to his home and recuperated, he wed JUDITH LEAKE on the 23 of September 1780 in Goochland County, Virginia. She was the daughter of JOSIAH LEAKE and ANN FENTON (who died a few years after JUDITH's birth). JOSIAH was a Captain in the local Militia (see next blogpost).

There are no indications that Captain CHARLES WOODSON ever re-enlisted after his grueling march to Charleston and his walk back to Virginia.

Upon his marriage, CHARLES' father DRURY WOODSON gave him slaves, farm implements, horses, cattle--and a substantial amount of land, "skirted by the Willis River". It was here that CHARLES and JUDITH built their home, which they named "Rosebank". They lived there for the rest of their lives.

Captain CHARLES WOODSON died 31 December 1830 at Rosebank Plantation, Cumberland County, Virginia. I could only find a transciption of his will, dated 1 September 1829, which names wife JUDITH and their children. However, I am certain that they owed many slaves, whose names were likely included in the original will. A court record from 1785, a lawsuit against his father-in-law JOSIAH LEAKE listed slaves PHYLLIS, LUCY, SUCKEY, JUDY, JAMES, AMY, JACK & ISAAC, which CHARLES & JUDITH claimed as JUDITH's property from the estate of THOMAS FENTON, JUDITH's maternal grandfather. The lawsuit indicated that the slaves were being withheld from JUDITH by her father JOSIAH LEAKE.

JUDITH LEAKE WOODSON applied for her husband's Revolutionary War Pension, which she received on 4 March 1836.

Capt CHARLES WOODSON is in the lineage of my maternal grandfather R B MARTINE