VOLUME V LEAVITT 1Jescendants of John Leavitt the Immigrant through his son, Samuel and Mary Robinson by EMILY LEAVITT NOYES TILTON, N. H. 1956 For sale by the author Price $10.25 Printed in U. S. A. by the EVANS PRINTING CO. CONCORD, N. H. EMILY AND HERBERT NOYES DESCENDANTS OF JOHN LEAVITT THE IMMIGRANT THROUGH HIS SON, SAMUEL AND MARY ROBINSON 'Preface., I have faithfully copied data, pertaining to Leavitts, for more than twenty years. I have tried to secure correct dates of family records but finding dissimilarity in the records, errors in census reports, vital statistics, town reports, tomb­ stones, and even family Bibles, it is impossible to secure absolutely authentic data in a work of substantial quantity. I do not claim to be always correct and will gladly correct any errors. I do believe my work to be as correct as is hu­ manly possible from existing sources. Relatives, a tremendous task is completed more for love of you than for any selfish desire. However, I enjoyed the work immensely. I gained the acquaintance of hundreds of lovely "Leavitts," having corresponded with descendants in all but one state of the Union, and in foreign countries. When I reach Heaven I am sure there will be a host of Leavitts awaiting my arrival. Please consider this preface a letter direct from me to you, my thousands of relatives! I desire to thank every one who so kindly helped and especially do I thank several who con­ tributed the proceeds of many years' labor. John Shepard Leavitt rendered me incalculable aid. I congratulate him for his correctness of copied data and references. The work of Leora Mae Green (Mrs. George Hildenbrand) was valuable. Runnels' History of Sanbornton, Bell's History of Exeter, Dow's History of Hampton, N. H., and Lincoln's History of Hingham, Massachusetts, are rich in Leavitt genealogy and from these I gathered most of my early data. The latest four generations I received from the living. About fifty years between the early and the late seemed impossible to obtain. Elderly Leavitts wrote me they had sent data to one Joseph Leavitt of Chicago who was writing the genealogy some fifty years earlier. I finally located his manuscripts at the Histori­ cal Society of that City. I discovered the author was a close relative, Joseph Parker Leavitt (7), John (1) line, whose father removed from the town of Northfield, N. H. to Gil- manton and there all records stopped. Unknowingly I was continuing his work, which was cut short by his sudden death in 1883. To my many relatives in states of Maine and Utah, Greet­ ings! especially Della Marriott and Ann Wight. Thanks for your untiring research. Thanks to many others whose names must be omitted. Thanks to early ancestors for carrying on family names which furnished many a clue! For example: the name of Nehemiah is first used in the family of John (I) and continued in his line to the eighth generation. Thanks to my husband, Herbert M. Noyes, for his patience over a period of years of neglected housework; to my brother, Dr. Alvin B. Leavitt, for his research and financial aid; to Leon Leavitt of N. H. many thanks for his English material, a great addition to my own. Miss Almira Leavitt wrote me "While I was in England I met some unusual English people who told me the Leavitts were of Derbyshire and were very fine people." This book is a continuation of Volume one, carrying on the line from John's son, Samuel Leavitt. For John's will see Vol. I. Also see all the English data I secured back of John Leavitt the immigrant. This data is now quite valuable since the bombing of London. Also source of material, John's arrival and name of ship, Notes on Heraldry, John Leavitt 1608- 1691. A National Society of Leavitt Families in America was organized in June 1934 and meetings are held yearly, the last Saturday in June. All descendants are welcome. If interested write the author. I fondly dedicate this book to my oldest son, Hilton H. Noyes. EMILY F. (LEAVITT) NOYES (Mrs. Herbert M.) CONTENTS Page FIRST GENERATION .............................. 35 SECOND GENERATION 61 THIRD GENERATION ............................. 63 FOURTH GENERATION ............................ 68 FIFTH GENERATION ............................. 80 SIXTH GENERATION 102 SEVENTH GENERATION . 132 EIGHTH GENERATION . 154 NINTH GENERATION . 175-182 INDEX OF NAMES OTHER THAN LEAVITTS . 187 The National Association of Leavitt Families was organ­ ized June 14, 1934 at Hingham, Mass. through the combined efforts of Emily Leavitt Noyes, the author, Dr. Mary Leavitt of Boston, and John S. Leavitt of Dorchester, Mass. Yearly meetings are held the last Saturday in June; all Leavitt descendants being eligible to join. Leavitt genealogies previously published by Emily Noyes: John, Vol. I (out of print) Israel, Vol. II Josiah, Vol. III Thomas, Vol. IV To be published: Nehemiah Vol. VI ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS dau. for daughter; m. marriage; w. wife; b. born; d. death or died;-*this person is carried further either on this page or in next generation as head of a family; (T & J) a marriage connecting the two Leavitt lines of Thomas and John (1). U. S. Census of 1790 written thus: 1-4-2 means one male more than 16 yrs. old, 4 males less than 16, and 2 females of any age including the mother all by same name. J. P. L. refers to the mss. by Joseph Leavitt of Chicago. N. H. P. P. mean the New Hampshire Provincial Papers which are found in all N. H. Libraries in printed form, copied from town records. P r•s mean Probate records. HSame as above" means the line of ancestors run the same from the last name and number given. Names of heads of families are alphabetically arranged in each generation, but only by first letter of the Christian name. Foreword (Source of Leavitt data.) Several have written short Leavitt genealogies. A booklet by James Torrey of Lewiston, Maine, 1853 gives names of descendants of Jacob of Pembroke, Mass. and Turner, Maine, without dates. "The Leavitt Fam­ ily in America" by Jane Eldridge: Utah families are very well done but the eastern material contains many errors. In the work of Joseph P. of Chicago three Leavitts who had secured many data passed it on to him. Thomas Hooker Leavitt (6) J. (1) line describes his work thus: "A family record which I had commenced in 1849 was in 1871 placed in the hands of Joseph Leavitt and with intense interest and at a great cost of time and labor was continued by him to about the time of his death. * * * * The story has been handed down that they came from England on the May­ flower, which had brought to Plymouth the Pilgrim Fathers eight years earlier." (This seems to confirm statements made by authors of early histories that John arrived in 1628, also to confirm the family tradition often repeated that he arrived in this ship.) "They were grandsons of William of Tittle­ worth, County of Essex, on the coast of England." (If he refers to Thomas and John, and if it be true, John and Thomas were own cousins, but I very much doubt it.) "It is supposed that the Leavitts came to England with William the Conqueror in 1066, for in a church in Normandy several Leavitts are said to be listed as having gone to England with William. The little farm is on Leavitt Street on the edge of Hingham, Mass. The original house is not standing but the farm house now standing is over 200 years old." (This was written between 1849 and 1871 therefore would make the John Leavitt homestead built before his death. However, descendants at Hingham believe the frame house now standing on Leavitt Street was built in 1712 by two of his grandsons; others say two of his sons built it.) "John was chosen to seat the people in the meeting house. The Elders and Deacons sat in pews facing the congregation. Men and women sat apart. In 1681 John was taxed seven lbs. 13 shillings and 4 pence for the new meeting house which is still standing at Hingham, Mass., the oldest Pro- 8 DESCENDANTS OF SAMUEL LEAVITT testant meeting house in the United States. It is called the 'Ship Meeting House,' and has been used by the Unitarians for about 100 years. On Jan. 10th, 1669 town lands were put into 700 shares, of which John received 14½ shares. 'Signed Thomas Hooker Leavitt.' " See New Eng. Genea­ logical Society, at Ashburton Place, Boston, Mass. mss. by William Hunt Leavitt, January 1900, who was a relative of Thomas Hooker Leavitt. His records differ from those of his relative. "At Dime, on the coast of France, in an old church is recorded the list of names of those crossing to England with William the Conqueror in 1066 and among these names appears the name of Leavitt. Motto of Crest: 'Mens Consia Recti' meaning a mind capable of concentration.'' WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR In Jan. 1934 issue of the D. A. R. magazine pp. 18 to 25 is a very interesting story bf William and his followers, giving a partial list of Americans who descend from him or his followers who were made knights by him. A picture of the tablet which hangs in Battle Abbey is sliown on p. 21, and carries the names of his companions who were mostly noblemen of Normandy, France, and whom he honored, after his conquest, with knighthood. The name "Lovet" appears in the fourth column, fourth place from bottom line.