Leonard Edgcombe (died 1696) was a ship's captain with the Hudson's Bay Company who made a number of voyages into Hudson Bay and James Bay on behalf of the company. He had Henry Baley as a chief mate for a time prior to 1692 and this mariner became an important link with the area for the Hudson's Bay Company.
Does this next sentence follow, given the preceding text?
Leonard Edgcombe's historical significance was disputed by historians.
It's impossible to say