Jonathan Leavitt (1731 - 1802)

Born 11 Jan 1731 in Suffield, Hartford, Connecticut

Ancestors

Husband of Tirzah (Field) Ashley — married 27 Aug 1792 in Greenfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, United States

Descendants

Died 9 Sep 1802 at age 71 in Heath, Franklin, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

Jonathan Leavitt is Notable.

Birth

Jonathan Leavitt was born 11 Jan 1731 at Suffield, Connecticut Colony. His father was Joshua Leavitt from Hingham, Massachusetts Colony and mother Mary Thomas Winchell daughter of Joseph Winchell and Sarah Taylor.

Life Story

Jonathan Leavitt was an early Congregational minister of reknown for his long sermons and prayers and pundent for being released from churches. After recieving his degree from Yale on 13 Sep 1758 he entered into Yale's school of divinity to earn a second degree. He earned this degree on 20 Sep 1761 in Ministry. He was called to Walpole, New Hampshire on 22 Dec 1761. His first pay was for 75 pounds sterling, yearly, and this would become of importance later in his life. He left this position on 22 May 1764 after being charged by the parish with cruelty to a runaway slave. He then moved to Charlemont, Massachusetts and only one year later left over disagreements concerning the Revolutionary War. He complained about not receiving "real money" for his salary. This was the beginning of the "penny tax". This was a tax ordered for the town of Charlemont to last three years to tax all lands in the town of Charlemont per acre -one penny to go to the meeting house for supplies and the rest to the preacher. Being away from the town for several years, he was called back to be the preacher with this higher pay. On 1 Sep 1769 he was asked to be the new preacher of Charlemont, MA. Again, in 1785 he was dismissed. He moved on to Heath, MA and continued preaching in a school house. In 1788, he brought lawsuits against the towns of Charlemont and Heath for loss of pay and neglegent salary. He recovered 500 pounds for salary and 200 pounds for loss of payments. At this time re retired from the ministry and stayed home with his wife. It was in these years that his oldest daughter Clarissa gave her mother the wrong medicine which caused her death on 11 Oct 1791.

He was known for his respectable appearance wearing a great white wig and a cocked hat. He was a gentleman in his manners, hospitable in his home and a Christian his entire life.

His political views were radical of the Tory persuasion. This caused much trouble with towns he was ministering to. He was a staunch loyalist and this did not sit well with the population wishing to be removed fromthe tyranny rule of British taxation and control. These beliefs cost him his last ministral position.

He came from a family who cherished academia: two of his brothers were also educated at Yale. His sister was mother of Chief Justice Ellsworth of the U.S. Supreme Court. He was very proud of the accomplishments of his sons: his oldest son, Jonathan became a prominent minister in Greenfield, MA. while also being a judge, state senator and businessman. Two grandchildren became ministers, one being a noted abolitionist and others who operated Underground Railroad stations.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Jonathan Leavitt (minister)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, [1]; accessed April 21, 2021.

• Dexter, Franklin Bowditch. Biographical Sketches of the Graduates of Yale College (Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn., 1896) Vol. 2, Page 543-45.

Research Notes

The following does not reflect the life of Rev. Jonathan Leavitt but family connections.

• Todd, John. The Todd Family in America (Gazette Printing Co., Northampton, Mass, 1920) Page 83

"The church records from 1786 to 1823 are what were collected from manuscripts kept by Deacon Taylor, Rev. Josiah Spaulding, and Dea. Sherwin, and revised by Nathaniel Sherwin, Samuel Tylor, Lemuel Taylor, Jesse Pratt, and John Porter. These pillars of righteousness were satisfied "from verbal testimony and concurring circumstances that the Congregational Church of Christ in Buckland was embodied into a church state on a day in either the first or second week in October A.D., 1785, at which solemnity the Rev. John Emerson was present and officiated." In accordance with the custom of churches then, a covenant was adopted, but no creed. Samuel Taylor was chosen Moderator and Lemuel Taylor clerk in August 1786. At the organization there were eighteen members. Down to the settlement of Pastor Spaulding, Oct, 15, 1794, fifty-three members in all had joined.

During those nine years preaching seems to have been maintained with Rev. Jacob Sherwin of Ashfield, Rev. Jonathan Leavitt of Heath, and the occasional aid of neighboring pastors."

It is therefore probable that Rev. Jonathan Locklin, who lost his wife in 1791, and had a large family with her, then needed help from relatives in order to find help to take care of his large family. SInce Mary Locklin was closely associated already with the family, being a sister -in-law of Rev. Leavitt's second cousin, she may well have been chosen to help Rev. Leavitt, until his mariiage in 1792, at which time Mary Locklin became engaged to Eli Fuller.

Rev. Jonathan Leavitt was the nephew of Mary Leavitt, who married Matthen Cushing, and was the mother of Noah Cushing, who married Abigail Locklin, sister of Mary Locklin (wife of Eli Fuller of Charlemont and Buckland).