Leek Family

First, I will begin with Major EM Woodward's genealogy of the Leek family from his 1883 History of Burlington County.

Capt. John Leak, an Englishman by birth, came to America at an early day and settled in Bass River, during which time he followed the occupation of surveyor. He married Martha, daughter of Samuel Rose, and took up his abiding place at Bridgeport. His wife is said to have been a very beautiful woman, and attracted much attention by her beauty during her reign. John Leak became one of the leading men of the township of his adoption, and it is said he "fared sumptuously every day." Captain Leak's children were:

1. Samuel Leak, who married Sarah, daughter of Micajah Mathis, Sr. and had:
   • John Leak married Rosanna Allen and had:
     • Sarah Leak
     • Kesiah Leak
     • Mary Eliza Leak
     • Martha Leak
     • John Leak
     • Amy Leak
     • Phebe Leak
   • Stacy B. Leak, who married Hannah Adams, daughter of Hezekiah Adams and had:
     • William Leak
     • John Leak
     • Mary Ann Leak
     • Esther Leak
     • Achsah Leak
     • Hezekiah Leak
     • Abigail Leak
     • George Leak
   • other whose names we have no knowlege of
2. William Leak, who married Catherine Loveland. They had:
   • George Leak
   • William Leak
   • Catherine Leak
   • Elizabth Leak
   • Mary Leak
3. George Leak, who married Hannah Mathis
4. John Leak
5. Mary Leak, who married Joseph Allen of Bass River.
6. Achsah Leak who married Chalkey Cranmer, and after his decease she married Joseph Sears.
7. Phebe Leak, who married John Towers and had one child, Phoebe Towers.
8. Martha Leak, who married Reuben Clark.

This is an extremely common name in South Jersey...this page will list all of the refereneces I have found so far in my research. Firstly, I will begin with the census information:

Census Year	House #	Family #	Surname	Family Name	Age	Birthplace	Occupation
1850	188	194	Leak	Chalkey	41	NJ	blacksmith
				Ruth	37	NJ
				George	18	NJ
				Sarah Jane	16	NJ
				Hannah	14	NJ
				Catherine	12	NJ
				Maria	11	NJ
				William	8
				Rebecca	4	NJ
				Emma	3	NJ
1860	245	253	Leek	William	48	NJ	laborer
				Hannah	50	NJ
				Charles	18	NJ
				William S.	14	NJ
	246	254	Leek	Job,jr.	38	NJ	carpenter
The rest of this family are of the Weeks family.
see main census for rest of information
	281	292	Leek	Majer	43	NJ	farmer
				Sarah	43	NJ
				Charles W.	19	NJ	waterman
				Majer T.	9	NJ
				George H.	4	NJ
				Josephine	1	NJ
1870	18	18	Leek	Charles	NJ	blacksmith
1885	61	63	Leek	John	20-60
				Mary	20-60
				George	5-20
				Lizzie	5-20
			Brown	Joseph	5-20

In addition, the Leek surname comes up in many other places of note:

• Isa Leek (nee Peterson) left a wonderful diary from her childhood in Pleasant Mills in the early 20th century; she mentions a George Leek in that diary and states that his mother lived at Batsto.
• According to a placard in the Batsto visitor center, Phebe Leek was the daughter of John Chester Leek. She married Andrew Etheridge on 31 Jan 1882 at Hammonton, and moved to Atsion about 1892. There she died on 24 Jan 1913.
• George and Isa Leek were later the parents of Carl, Laura, and George Leek
• The following bit of Leek genealogy was printed in the Batsto Citizen's Gazzette, vol. XXIII #1: Philip Leek was born in England and immmigrated to Connecticut; he was the father of Ebenezer Leek, who moved to Long Island and fathered Stephen Leek, who moved to Little Egg Harbor and fathered John Leek (born ca. 1714 in Easthampton NY). John married Phebe Devinney.
• A visitor to this site, Rob, has provided this bit of info regarding the Leek family of Wading River:

   
  Maja Leek was born about March 1818 in Wading River; he married Sarah Cavileer, born in Wading River about July 1817. Maja died on May 1, 1865 in Wading River; his wife died there in February of 1899. Their children were:
  Charles W. Leek (1842-1862) 
  Josephine Leek (25 March 1846-14 March 1855) 
  George W. Leek (1842-1862) 
  All three children were born and died in Wading River.
  The above information was taken from headstones in the Wading River Cemetery.