Signed Petition for Church Reform 1642
5. Gabriel (E-3) Leggett (Thomas E-2, Gabriel E-1), fifth child of Thomas (E-2) and Katherine Piggott, was born in Ely before 1599, so no baptismal record exists. On July 26, 1625 he married Susan Kilbourne who was baptized on December 1, 1599 and who was the daughter of John Kilbourne, owner of a large amount of land. The Kilbournes are listed in the 1580s Feet of Fines as owners of land in Cheveley and Trumpington, Cambridgeshire. (Other local land- owners mentioned are the John Cottons and the Cromwells.) Gabriel (E-3) and Susan had six sons and one daughter, but only three of their sons lived to manhood. The other three sons and the daughter died as children, perhaps during the plague epidemic that struck Ely in 1636. Gabriel (E-3) died in 1657, his wife Susan in 1670.
Gabriel (E-3) was church warden of St. Mary's, Ely when Oliver Cromwell was the lay rector from 1638 to 1642. (Cromwell's half-timbered house is still the parish rectory.) Gabriel's position as warden would have made him a collector of tithes and manager of church property. In 1642 he signed the Petition for Church Reform, a petition which described the Bishop's neglect of the parish churches and requested that sermons be given regularly in each parish. (Gabriel signed his own name, which means that he was literate.)
Much social history has been written about the Ely area during this era (two books which examine this era are Margaret Spufford's Contrasting Communities and Christopher Hill's The World Turned Upside Down). As previously noted, discontent over the draining and enclosure of the fens had reached fever pitch. Many radical sects such as the Ranters, the Levellers, and the early Quakers (before George Fox) drew strong support in Cambridgeshire and nearby areas of East Anglia. These areas also supported the Puritan side in the Civil Wars of 1642-1646 and 1648-1650 in which Oliver Cromwell played so large a part. In 1649 Cromwell appointed Gabriel (E-3) to a thirteen-member commission in charge of the disposal of the Ely Cathedral and Chapter House, a task which the commission fortunately did not undertake.
Cromwell died in 1658 after having served since 1653 as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth. The passing of the Commonwealth and Puritan ascendancy undoubtedly affected the fortunes of the Leggetts. After 1660 Charles II reinstated Bishop Wren of Ely, a high Anglican who had spent years as a prisoner in the Tower of London, and the Church began to reclaim its lost property and position of influence. Prior to the time of Cromwell the Bishop of Ely had been the secular lord of the area, appointing the Courts and maintaining his own prison.
In 1563, St. Mary's congregation numbered only 154 households. In this same parish with the Leggetts was a family of Richardsons, but it is not clear whether this is the same Richardson family so closely tied to West Farms and Gabriel (E-4, A-1) who married an Elizabeth Richardson.
Children (Leggett), 6 sons and 1 daughter all born in Ely.
i. Thomas b. March 28, 1627 d. November 13, 1636
ii. John (E-4) b. May 4. 1628 d.----
iii. Richard b. ---- d. April 30, 1630
iv. William (E-4) b. May 2, 1632 d. June 22, 1665 m. Ann Hasell
v. Edward b. March 2, 1633 d. October 23, 1636
vi. Katherine b. February 28, 1635 d. March 3, 1638
vii. Gabriel (E-4, A-1) b. May 2, 1637 d. June, 1700 m. Elizabeth Richardson
Will of Gabriell Leggate, 1657
(on file: Public Records Office, Chancery Lane, London)
In the name of God, Amen. I Gabriell Leggate of Ely in the Isle of Ely in the County of Cambridge yeoman, calling to mind my own frailty and mortality do for my better preparation for death now whilst I am in health and perfect understanding and memory (blessed be the Lord for the same) institute and make this my last will and testament in manner and form following. First of all I surrender my soul unto the hands of Almighty God my Creator trusting in his free grace and abundant Goodness to receive the free remission of all my sins and eternal life through Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer, and my body I commit to the earth to be buried in a convenient place and decent manner according to the good pleasure of God at the discretion of my Executor hereafter named, in hope of a joyful Resurrection at the last and great Day. And as touching that temporal estate which the Lord hath lent me to use in this world I thus dispose thereof in manner as followeth. First of all I give and bequeath unto Susan my beloved wife: all this my household stuff or movable goods furniture and implements which are now within my dwelling house (except my wheat). As for my other Corn and Malt and other things whatsoever now in my house I give that same wholly to her my said wife and her heirs and assigns forever. I also give unto my said wife our land of wheat for her bread, corn, all my butter, cheese, bacon and my farming, also my linnen and bedding and whatever else is within my house aforesaid. Also I give and bequeath unto my loving son William Leggate twenty shillings of the lawful money of England to be paid to him by my Executor within one year next after my decease. I give him also the one year old filly which came of the mare which was fair's first. I give and bequeath unto my loving son Gabriell Leggate twenty pounds of the lawful money of England to be paid to him by my Executor within one year after my decease. All the residue of my movable goods corn, money, cattle and chattels whatsoever I give the same wholly unto my loving son John Leggat whom I appoint and make the sole executor of this my last will and testament to pay my debts and legacies and to discharge my funeral expenses and to see my body decently interred and buried and to perform and fulfill this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have set my hand and seal unto this writing of my last will and testament in the sixth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and fifty seven. Gabriell Leggate, his mark.
Sealed subscribed, published to be the last will and testament of the above named Gabriell Leggate in the presence of Thomas Tye, his mark William Waddysone, his marke Robert Browne
This will was proved at London before the judges for probate of wills and granting administrations lawfully authorized the 18th day of December in the year of our Lord God according to the computation of the Church of England one thousand six hundred and fifty seven by the oath of John Leggat the son and sole executor of the deceased to whom administration of all the goods and chattels of the said deceased was committed he being first sworn by commission to administer the same.
Source:
THE ENGLISH ORIGINS OF THE GABRIEL LEGGETT FAMILY
Early Settlers of West Farms, Westchester County, New York
Researched by Dorothy Corbett Wertz, Ph.D. Boston University,
School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, 1985
Compiled by the Rev. John Milton Leggett, Trinity Episcopal Church, Washington, Pennsylvania, 1986
Electronically scanned, formatted and annotated thusly [ ] by his son, David John Leggett, 13 February 2000
Children
Thomas LEGGETT b: BEF. 28 MAR 1627 in "Chapel House"?, Ely, England
John "The Mariner" LEGGETT b: BEF. 4 MAY 1628 in "Chapel House", Ely, England; left England after July 1665?
Richard LEGGETT b: ABT. 1630 in "Chapel House?", Ely, England
William LEGGETT b: BEF. 2 MAY 1632 in "Chapel House"?, Ely, England
Edward LEGGETT b: BEF. 2 MAR 1632/33 in "Chapel House"?, Ely, England
Katherine LEGGETT b: BEF. 28 FEB 1634/35 in "Chapel House"?, Ely, England
Gabriel LEGGETT b: BEF. 7 MAY 1637 in "Chapel House"?, Ely, England; came to New Amsterdam, 1661.
Gabriel Leggett 
- b.< 1545 in Ely, Cambridgeshire, England d.02 Nov 1609 in Chapel House, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England
- d.1615