For the first four generations we followed two contemporary
pedigrees. The earliest, which appears here, is from Lewys Dwnn’s
Heraldic Visitations of Wales and Part of the Marches, based upon
information given to Lewys by Ralph Leigh, who also signed Dwnn’s
pedigree dated in Queen Elizabeth’s reign R.R. Elsbeth 39. 1597.
Lewys gave the family name as Lee, but Ralph signed Raffe
Leighe. Dwnn also listed RALPH’S four children in 1608, and they are
given in the second generation. As a contemporary record, the pedigree
is very valuable, though Dwnn’s manuscript (published only in 1826)
presented difficulties in legibility, so it must be used carefully. The
second contemporary pedigree was recorded by David Edwardes ninety years
later, and we used it for the second and later generations of the LEIGH
family.
RICHARD'S wife ANN’S surname is uncertain, but possibly she belonged
to the Garlands of Devon, England who moved to Wales, though we found no
connection in the few available records of the Garland family. More
likely she and RICHARD remained in England when RALPH left. We have
found nothing more of the other two children, James and Elsbeth/Elizabeth
in England. A Kyttson family of this period appears in the ancestry of
George Washington and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, so a thorough
search might be rewarding. So far, our attempts to find RICHARD and ANN
in Staffordshire records have been fruitless, and we do not know if it
is significant that Dwnn gives no occupation for either RICHARD or RALPH
(though the second pedigree does), and Dwnn adds gent to RALPH’S
name. See our section WORK IN PROGRESS to be added.
Sources: Lewys Dwnn I,201. The later Herald David Edwardes in
about 1686 lists RICHARD only as "... Leigh of ... in Staffordshire, a
cloathier" and gives no wife. Edwardes names only one of the children,
Ralph, but identifies him as a mercer or merchant (like his
father-in-law, RICHARD NASH). Edwardes does not add gent to
RALPH’S name.
