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- Benjamin and Ann and their young daughter Ann Amelia came out to South Africa with the 1820 British Settlers.
The Parkin party settled on "Devonshire" a Quitrent farm (Aly. Q 1.70) on the Kariega River in the Bathurst district. On 23rd January 1824 Benjamin Leach (Leech) was granted the Parkin Party farm "Devonshire" (No. 456) (665 morgen 232 roods). When John Parkin probably left for Cradock Place, Benjamin Leach became party head. He was granted the remainder of "Devonshire" ("Devonwoods No. 457") (Aly. Q 2.6) 834 morgen 368 roods and disposed of it to the estate of Charles Webber on 12th December 1860. The Leach Home was burned down twice during the Kaffir Wars.
Benjamin Leach acquired the farm "Buys Kloof" (Alx. Q 1.14) (presently No. 290 of the Division of Alexandria) from the widow of Johannes Germanus Vogel on 6th July 1838. He transferred it to John Sweet Distin on 15th June, 1858. When the country was taken from the Tembu after the War of Umlangeni it was opened up as far north as Queenstown (proclaimed as a district in 1853), John (Benjamin) Leach son of Benjamin Leach trekked (10) to that district in 1852 and acquired the farm "Vaal Krans" (4) bar Whittlesea, District of Queenstown. This farm was later renamed "Poplar Grove" 370. No further reference to the farm "Vaal Krantz" could be found. However, "Poplar Grove" 370 was a consolidation of the farms "Well Pleased", "Brak Kloof", "Drummond" and "Ensan". The former two being acquired from the insolvent estates of James Slee and J Arnold, "Drummond" from D McDonald and "Ensan" was an additional grant. All the portions were given to John Leach in an amended Quitrent grant. According to the returns of the Field Cornet of the time, farms were granted to Leach, Wainwright, John Staples and John Filmore. "Poplar Grove" and other adjacent farms were ceded to the Republic of Ciskei.
Benjamin Leach, farmer of the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. He was a stonemason (said to have come from Crediton), he emigrated to South Africa in 1820, in John Parkins's party from Devon, on the "Weymouth" - sailed from Portsmouth in Jan. 1820, arrived at Algoa Bay, South Africa, in May 1820. Settled with the rest of Parkins's party on Devonshire Farm, on the Kariega River in the Eastern Cape. In 1822 the whole of Devonshire Farm (665 morgen, i.e. 1,330 acres) was ceded to him. He left the property after bitter experiences during the raids at the beginning of the Frontier War of 1935. Died 3 June 1872, aged 83 at Salem, near Grahamstown, in the Cape.
He moved to Grahamstown after the 6th Frontier War (1834 - 5). Shortly after his arrival he obtained a permit to deal in ivory and became a successful Ivory Trader.
He acquired Lot 127, Hill Street, Grahamstown, 1 May 1835, selling on 17th July 1848 to John Hartley for Three hundred and thirty pounds.
In the 1840's he built a new house at 21 West Street, Grahamstown, overlooking the Market Square. This house was proclaimed a Historic Property in 1987 - article in Grocott's Mail (formerly the Graham's Town Journal) Sept. 1987. This house is now owned by Professor Ross Harker. [3]
Married:
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After his wife, Elizabeth died, Benjamin married Ann. Ben and Ann were married by special licence, she was a widow of Richard Middleton and living at St. Giles, Oxford. The witnesses were Joseph West; Mary West and Philip Gardner.
Eynsham - this village is about 5 miles west of Oxford, England.
They sailed with Parkin's Party from Deavon (Devon). They left from Portsmouth on "Weymouth" in January, 1820 arriving at Algoa Bay in May 1820. They were located on "Devonshire Farm" on the Kariega River. In 1852 they moved to Poplar Grove, Whittlesea.
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