Toby or Tobias Leech, the first of the name to settle in Pennsylvania, was a son of Toby Leech, of Cheltenham, Gloucester county, England, and was baptized at the Parish Church there, January 1, 1652-3.

The family of Leech was an ancient and honorable one and many of its members bore for arms, "Ermine, on Chief indented gules, three crowns or." and Crest, "Out of ducal coronet on an arm erect ppr. grasping a snake environed around the arm."

Burke notes that it is recorded in an old pedigree that "One of this ancient family, living in Berkshire, near Windsor, in ye time of King Edward the Third, entertained and feasted three Kings in his house, one ye King of England, ye King of France and ye King of Scots; which two kings were at that time prisoners to King Edward; which King Edward to requite his good entertainment and other favoures, gave him three crowns.