Josiah Leonard and Mamie were the parents of Emma Roberta Slade. Mom and Aunt Ginny always called her “cousin Emma” and stayed in touch with her over the years. As a kid growing up I could never figure out the relationship of cousin Emma to me or my mother for that matter. Mom would try to explain it, that Emma was actually my grandmother’s cousin and so Emma and my mother were first cousins once removed. But that was too complicated for me.

In point of fact, the relationship was even more complex since Emma Roberta Slade had married her third cousin, Stanley Milton Slade -- they both were descendants of our 4G GF Abraham Slade. Emma and Stanley Milton had two children whose names also will sound familiar: Clara Roberta and John Leonard. Clara married Clifton King and they had two sons: Clifton and Clevert.

Josiah Leonard was the father of Emma Roberta, aka Cousin Emma.