The Leadbetter's

                                                First Row: ?, Horace Sawyer Leadbetter, Isaac Tolman Leadbetter
                                                Second Row:?, ?, Ruth Isabel Leadbetter, Isaac's 2nd wife
                                                Third Row: ?
                                                 Last Row: 

My Maternal Grandfather, Horace Sawyer Leadbetter, has passed along a book of family history *Leadbetter Records by J. E. Ames 1917, which traces his Vinalhaven branch of the Leadbetters to the Dorchester Leadbetters and from there to England. The following are excerpts from this work:

The connected history of the Leadbetters can readily be traced back for about four hundred years. The family were long before located in the Northern part of England, and many references in much earlier English records are found concerning individual members of the family. In the Hundred Rolls of early English families, the earliest record of a Leadbetter is of Gounild De Lebete, who lived in Bucks ( Buckingham) in 1248. The Assize Roll of Northumberland, time of Henry III. (1256), duly chronicled a Walter Le Lebete, a descendant of Neyden. In the Subsidy Roll for Lancashire (dated 1332) occurs the names of Rog. Le Ledbeter, Robs. Le Ledebeter, and Henr. Le Ledebetter. The Assize Roll of the Warden Parish in the northwest division of Tynedale Wood records seven Ledebeters, -- Leddbetters, and Leadbetters, previous to 1538. Burke's "Landed Gentry," Earwaker and other English authorities describe the Leadbetters even in those early days as "an old Border family." 

The Dorchester Leadbetters

The Dorchester (Massachusetts) Leadbetters  were first recognized in this country with Henry Leadbetter who was born in England, probably in Hinckley, about 1633.Was first listed as a freeman, May 31, 1671. Was a constable, 1673. Was a soldier in King Philip's war, 1675, 1676, probably a sergeant. Took oath of allegiance before the Hon. John Leverett, the Provincial Governor, Nov. 11, 1678. Was active in the First Church of Dorchester for many years. Selectman of Dorchester, 1687 -- 1691. Married Jan 18, 1659 to Sarah Tolman, by Major Atherton. Who came to this country in the "Mary and John," in 1630. The record of the death of Sarah has not been found. Henry married Relief Foster, March 9, 1691 - 2. She was born in 1650. Was twice married before marrying Henry Leadbetter. Was the daughter of John Holland, one of the earliest settlers of Charlestown. Her first husband was John Dowse, by whom she had children (2); second husband was Timothy Foster, by whom she also had children. She died July 7, 1743; age 93 buried in Old Dorchester Burying Ground, near Wiswell's (small stone). He died in Dorchester, April 20, 1722, age 89. Although no verifying records can be found it is believed that he came as a young man, like most of the Colonists, possibly in the ship "Increase," in 1652 (as there ought to have been some reason why he named a child by this unusual name).

Increase Leadbetter, 6th child of Henry was Born Jan 20, 1672, in Dorchester, MA. He Married Jan. 20, 1701, to Sarah Davenport in Dorchester by Samuel Sewell, Esquire. He died Nov. 10, 1737 and is buried in the Old Dorchester Burying Ground. Stone on south side near Stoughton Street. He was 63. She was born on July 10, 1680, in Dorchester. She died June 16, 1734. Buried in Old Dorchester Burying Ground. Stone on west side with the Davenports. Age 54.

Increase Leadbetter, 6th child of Increase (above) was born on April 5, 1724 in Dorchester, MA. Married Aug. 29, 1745 to Katherine Babcock of Milton: in Dorchester, MA. In early life he apprenticed to a blacksmith. After marriage, moved to Stoughton, MA.. Came to the Fox Islands, ME., in the fall of 1769: These islands afterwards became the town of Vinalhaven. She died in Vinalhaven, ME. March 4, 1814. He died July 13, 1800. in Vinalhaven, ME., Age 76. They had nine children: 
1. Daughter                         Died young
2. Katherine Leadbetter       Born 1747. Died April 20, 1838. Age 91
3. Increase         "         JR.  Born Oct. 20, 1749, in Stoughton, MA. Baptized Old Dor. Church Oct. 22
4. Hannah          "                Born Nov 6, 1752
5. Abigail           "                Born             1756. Died Aug. 15, 1769, in Dedham, MA. Age 13.
6. Sarah Jane     "                Born                       Married Jeremiah Philbrook.
7. John               "                Born Sept. 5, 1764  in Stoughton, MA.
8. *Luther          "                Born Aug. 25, 1766
9. Daughter        "                Born 1768. Died young  
* Luther was lost at sea in a vessel sailing from Salem, bound for the West Indies. Was mate of the vessel. Sept. 11, 1789.

The Vinalhaven Branch

Sarah Jane Leadbetter came with her parents and was married to Jeremiah Philbrook (Philbrook Branch)
There is probably another child between Sarah and John, but no record has ever been found. John Leadbetter remained in Vinalhaven and his descendants became the continuation of the Vinalhaven branch. Luther was lost at sea, as stated above and this was accepted as the account of this son's death. In 1915 there was discovered in the early records of Vinalhaven the record of Luther Leadbetter and Mary Pease marriage intentions, Published in 1794. It does not appear they were afterward married. The Federal Census of April 1790 also records a Luther a resident of Vinalhaven, which however might be so recorded even if he had been lost some months previously at sea, as in those days there were no means of conveying the news. The vessel was outward bound, there were no steamship, and no telegraph; or even mail service from the port at which she finally arrived. If the date of the Vinalhaven Record of Marriage Intentions is correct, however he could not have been lost in the fall of 1789.

John Leadbetter, 7th child of Increase (above) of Stoughton, MA. was Born Sept. 5 1764, in Stoughton, MA. Moved to the Fox Islands, ME. 1769 and in 1789 married Mercy Brown. She was born on Dec. 10, 1768 and died on Jan. 29, 1841 at the age of 73. He married for a second time on Jan. 16, 1842 to a Lucy Poole, a widow. He died Nov. 16, 1859 and the age of 95 and is buried in Vinalhaven, ME. She died May 28, 1884. They resided on place settled by Increase Leadbetter, Vinalhaven, ME. John had seven children.

Lewis Leadbetter, 5th child of John and Mercy was born Apr. 17, 1803 in Vinalhaven, ME. In Feb. of 1830 he married Margaret R. Tolman of Matinicus, ME. She was born May 17, 1811 and died Jan. 20, 1862 at age 51. He died Jan., 20 1890 at age 87. After marriage they settled in North Haven, ME. They had ten children.

Isaac Tolman Leadbetter, 9th child of Lewis (my great grandfather) was born July 11, 1853 in North Haven, ME. He married Jennie Sawyer on Feb. 8, 1883. She was born Jan. 31, 1862 and died (in childbirth) Mar. 15, 1899. She was 37. Isaac remarried on Nov. 8, 1902 to Mattie A Brewster a widow. She was born Sept. 29, 1864. Isaac had eight children with Jennie, the first of whom was my grandfather Horace Sawyer Leadbetter and the last of whom was an infant son who died the same day as his birth. Mar. 15, 1899.* Isaac died on Dec. 11, 1944 in Stockton Springs, ME. at he age of 91.

Horace Sawyer Leadbetter,
                                                                                                      
 Ruth Isabel, Gilbert Horace, Alfreda Matilda (Mae), Horace Sawyer Leadbetter                        Horace Leadbetter & Gilbert Norton
                 Taken at 109 Bayview St. Camden, Maine                                                             Porch Camden, Maine about 1942

1st child of Isaac Tolman was born Feb. 9, 1884 in North Haven, ME. He married Alfreda Matilda (May) Young in Bangor ME., on Dec. 26, 1910. She was born on May 7, 1887 in Milcove, Nova Scotia, Canada. (The original spelling of the name was Jung and her ancestry traces to Lilzelinden in Weilbourg, Germany. With her ancestors arriving on the ship "Ann" in 1750). He died Aug. 23, 1971 in Camden, ME. at age 87. She died May 15, 1972 at the home of her daughter Ruth in Portland, CT., at age 85. Horace and May (Alfreda) had two children. Gilbert Horace Leadbetter (my uncle) and Ruth Isabel Leadbetter (my mother).

Gilbert Horace Leadbetter, 1st child of Horace was born Mar. 28, 1913 in Camden, Me. Graduated from Camden High School in 1931, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY., 1934 with a degree in industrial mechanical engineering. Married Catherine Margaret Chisholm on Aug. 28, 1941 in Rockland, ME. Served in U.S. Navy during WWII as Lieutenant, Jr. Grade, and was commanding officer on the U.S.A.Y.P. 213 and Executive officer on U.S.S. LST in the South Pacific. Awarded Am. Area ribbon, and Asiatic-Pacific area ribbon with 3 bronze Star, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with 2 Bronze Stars. Began operating Leadbetter's Machine Shop on Bayview St. in 1938. (Where the Waterfront Restaurant and Once A Tree are currently located). He developed and installed the first fish pump to be used for pumping herring in the United States. He died April 26, 1995 at the age of 82. Gilbert and Catherine had five children. Carol, Bob, Ann, David and Janet.

Ruth Isabel Leadbetter, 2nd child of Horace and May was born Oct. 13, 1915 in Camden, ME. Graduate of Camden High School in 1933 she returned to Camden to teach art. She attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y. and Boston University, Boston, MA. from which she graduated in 1939.  She married Ernest (Ernie) Calvin Norton on Sept. 20, 1940 in Camden, ME. He was born Jan 6, 1915 in Guilford, CT. (more information on Norton ancestry in following pages). They first resided in Middletown CT and moved to Portland, CT in 1950 into a house designed by Ernie who was an Engineer for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. He died Jan. 20, 1985 in Portland, CT at age 70. She died on June 29, 2000 age 84, in Portland, CT and was laid to rest on July 4th, next to her husband in the Swedish Cemetery on High St., in Portland, CT. They had two children, Gilbert Mallory Norton and Linda May Norton.

*Leadbetter Records authored by J. E. Ames, 1917.

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