Logan County, Colorado

David and Mary Leavitt, Golden and Sterling



DAVID'S FAMILY

David Leavitt, Jr. was born 5 Apr 1822 in Putney, Vermont, Parents : David and Corena Leavitt Mother Corena Leavitt

David Leavitt was a member of the Congregational Church of Putney until he was expelled from the church in 1827 for defaulting on a debt to a fellow parishioner. David Leavitt of Putney was a representative to the state legislature for Putney in 1808 and 1814. In 1813, he was appointed a Brigadier General in the state militia. Leavitt married Corinna Aldrich on 24 December 1817.

February 20, 1848 "PETITION FOR CHEAP POSTAGE. To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, in Congress assembled: The undersigned, citizens of Wrentham, State of Massachusetts, respectfully petition Congress to pass a law, establishing 1. A uniform rate of Two Cents postage on letters weighing half an ounce, and two cents for every additional half ounce prepaid, and double that rate if not prepaid. Drop letters one cent. 2. Newspapers, periodicals, and all printed matter, one cent per sheet; but newspapers of the smaller size half a cent., to be prepaid, except newspapers and periodicals sent from the office of publication. 3. To reduce the postage on letters and newspapers by mail packets and steamers, to a rate which will bring it within the means of every class of citizens to maintain frequent intercourse with their friends in other countries, without feeling the postage to be a burdensome tax. 4. To adopt measures that in all large towns and cities there shall be a free delivery of letters and newspapers, and also for the reception and conveyance of letters to the post-office for the mails free of any expense. 5. To abolish the franking privilege entirely, that postage may be paid on every thing sent by the mails. Postage of members of Congress to be paid as their other expenses, and postmasters to be remunerated for the loss of the franking privilege and the temporary diminution of their income, by an increase of their commissions.
NAMES PLACE OF RESIDENCE.
Horace James, Wrentham, Mass. (David's brother-in-law)
Corinna Leavitt Wrenthan
( and many following)

Corinne Aldrich, born December 1783 in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, died April 1861, per one tree.

David's sister Helen (Leavett) James, born October 26, 1823 in Putney, Vermont, died April 15, 1890, in Reading, Masachusetts.
, wife of Horace James. James married Helen Leavitt in Medford in 1843 and they moved to Wrentham, Massachusetts where he served as pastor of the Wrentham Original Congregational Church. Horace James (May 6, 1818 – June 9, 1875) was a minister who served as a chaplain in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He served in the 25th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment and was tasked with assisting freedmen in North Carolina in 1863.
They had one son, Horace Melville James (born March 28, 1846).




Helen Leavitt James died April 15, 1890 in Reading, Massachusetts, to be buried in Wrentham.

Her daughter Corinne had married a Lane, then a Crosby.

James H. Crosby Age 35, born in Brewster married Corinne J. Lane on 6 Jun 1905 in Boston, Massachusetts. His parents were James E. Crosby and Modena F. Parker.

In 1910 Los Angeles, James H. Crosby is 40, Corrine J. Crosby 43 Wife, Raymond B. Crosby 13 Son, Ruth Crosby 11 Daughter, and Dorothy Crosby 8 Daughter.

James H. Crosby born 03 JUN 1870 in Brewster, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, died 16 SEP 1911 in Tulare, California.


In 1922 Venice, California "Miss Olga Reames, daughter of Mrs. Bertha Dresher of Santa Monica, was married at the home of her grandmother, Mrs. Anna Fail of 918 Fourth street, to Raymond R. Crosby, son of Mrs. Corinne Crosby of Los Angeles, by the Rev. F. Traeger, pastor of the Lutheran church. The bride, lovely in a heavy beaded gown of brown silk, wore a drreath of orangt blossoms and carried a bouquet of white lilies of the valley. Tbe ceremony was performed before a bank of exquisite yellow and white chrysanthemums and potted palms. Attending the bride aad groom were Miss Doris Dresher, sister of the bride, and Frank Crathof, an old friend of the groom."

Corrine Crosby, 80, born in Massachusetts, died 7 Jun 1946 in Los Angeles County, father's surname Lane.

Ruth Young, born 16 Jan 1899 in Massachusetts, died 7 Nov 1957 in San Bernardino County, Mother's Maiden Name Carter, Father's Surname Crosby.

MARY'S FAMILY

One tree says Mary A. Lawler was born October 26, 1824 in Troy, Rensselaer County, New York.

Another John Lawler was in Kane County, Illinois in 1860, a laborer , 32, born in Ireland, with Elen 35 in Ireland. Mary 5 was born in Canada, James 3 and Margaret eleven months in Illinois.

Possibly related to

JOHN LAWLER and HIS WIFE ARLINE :
John Lawler and his wife, Arline, came to what is now Denver in 1859. He was a plasterer and bricklayer.
Mr. Lawler died from the result of an accident while building, in July 1912. Age 80 years. He is survived by his widow, three daughters and a son: Mrs. G. A. Lykins of 1201 California Street; Mrs. May Wright of 1359 Mariposa Street., Denver; Mrs. Anna Shanks of Gallup, New Mexico; and Frank Lawler of Anaconda, New Mexico.
"Funeral of John Lawler, the old pioneer, will be held from the residence of his daughter, Mrs. H. E. Wright, 1859 Mariposa, Sunday, July 21, at 2 p. m. Interment Fairmount. Friends Invited."





DAVID AND MARY

Mary A. Lawlar and David Leavitt married November 26, 1853 in Kane County, Illinois.

In 1860 Whiteside County, Illinois, David "Lovett" is a civil engineer, 38, born in Pennsylvania, Mary 27 born in New York, Minnie 5 in Illinois, John Sutler 15 a farmhand born in New YOrk, and Corenna Lovitt 70 born in New Hampshire.

March 1861

In 1870 Sterling, Whiteside County, Illinois, David Leavitt is 46, a surveyor, Mary 36, a Doctoress, and Minnie 15 at school.

May 1871 Golden, Colorado "David Leavitt returned from an eastern visit, bringing his family with him to make their home in Golden. Mr. Leavitt is in charge of the engineering department of the Colorado Central."

June 1871 Golden

August 1871 Golden "David Leavitt, our nominee for County Surveyor, although not an old citizen of the county, is well-known as a civil engineer of more than twenty years exper--lence, and there cannot be any doubt of his ability to fill the position to which he 18 nominated."

May 1, 1872 Golden, Colorado
In 1875 David Leavitt of Colorado Territory was paid $2 for government work.

September 1875 an article in the Greeley Tribune - no author listed. had one section on Sterling:
"The stage and mail route stop at South Platte, but the people carry the mail down to Sterling , some twenty-five miles at their own cost, but the postmasters are regularly appointed. What is needed is a line from Julesburg to Greeley and back, once a week on the north side and the same on the south side. Mr. Flory has a fine dairy, and he had on hand about 1,000 pounds of butter. It may be said here that almost all the ranchmen make butter, and that Greeley is their market. Some trading is done at Sidney on the Union Pacific, forty miles from Buffalo, but the prices of all farm products are low, and the stocks of goods are not near as extensive as at Greeley. It is likely they can sell considerable hay at Sidney at the military post. Traveling along the verge of meadows in which cattle were feeding and men were running mowing machines, we came to S. W. Hadfield's ranch, consisting of 900 acres, mostly meadow, 600 of which are on an island. He has 700 sheep, and a dairy of cows which are taken this season by Mr Armburst. They had 500 pounds of butter on hand. Mr. Hadifeld had good improvements, and he can irrigate from the Sterling ditch, which runs in front of the door. It seems also that another ditch is to be taken out to run some distance to the north, covering 5,000 acres. The post-office, north of Mr. Hadfield's, is kept by Mr. Troyer, who has raised good crops under the Sterling ditch, and the name of this office is Sardina.
We slept in our blankets on some hay by the side of the corral, the sheep inside, we outside. On the island were some trees, but none were seen below, and above were none, with few exceptions, for about forty miles, in fact trees are scarce below Fremont's Orchard.
Starting the next morning, we soon reached the Sterling fence - for they have established a fence district under the statute. This fence is well constructed, it is about fifteen miles long, and it encloses over 10,000 acres. As yet there are only posts and wires, poles are to be added hereafter. Soon after passing the fence we came to a large and beautiful tract of land, which, strictly speaking, is neither upland nor bottom, but the soil is dark and rich, and the grass was so green and tall, that thousands of acres could be mowed. The view was broad and grand, and justice compels the acknowledgement that this is the finest tract of land yet seen. Certainly there is no such body of land at Greeley, nor anywhere above on the Platte, nor on any of its tributaries, nor on the Arkansas; we were told, however, that there is a tract still better towards Julesburg. Sterling has some dozen houses, each one on 160 acres. The site intended for the town is not yet built upon. The postmaster, Mr. Leavitt, also a surveyor seems to be one of the leading men. D. W. Davis is secretary of the Fence District, and he and Mr. Perkins seem to he taking the lead in pushing things forward. A considerable portion of the settlers are from the Southern States, and the great amount of good land, the establishment of the fence whereby other fencing is avoided, and the building of the ditch ought to furnish inducements for other Southern people to come hither and help form a prosperous community. Sterling should become the county seat of a new county, and a town of several hundred people might soon be built which in time would reach much larger proportions; indeed, here are all the elements for as prosperous a community as can be found anywhere in the world. There are two great drawbacks, one is the want of fuel, which is found thirty to forty miles distant to the north, mostly of cedar. But they are seeking coal, and the prospect is so good that several feet of slate have been reached, and it still continues. Next is the distance to market, which for some time at least must be Greeley. The Colorado Central has graded a track from Julesburg to Greeley and Golden City, 200 miles, but the laying of the iron has been abandoned, mainly on account of the difficulty of getting money. It may be confidently predicted that the road will be completed within three years, perhaps sooner."


" The name Sterling was first applied to an area around four miles north of the present town by 1874. David Leavitt was a railroad surveyor and named it after Sterling, Illinois. It wasn’t just a paper designation – the first Sterling post office is assigned on February 24, 1874. Sterling Ditch No. 1 is named in 1874 as well. The town gets a public school in 1875, with Carrie Ayres as the first teacher.

David Leavitt claimed 160 acres in sections 21 and 28, 8N 52W in 1874.

In March 1909 C. L. Goodwin wrote from Frazier, Idaho " A man named Leavitt aiso had a claim here and was among the early settlers. He was a surveyor and run the lines for the old Sterling ditch, his implements consisting of a home-made triangle and a plumb-bbb. He has been dead a number of years. His daughter, Minnie, was postmistress at Brush twenty years ago. .""

"By 1874, enough settlers had arrived in Old Sterling that a post office called Sterling was established. Frank Soper was the post master and there were stage travelers between Denver, Julesburg and Cheyenne that passed through the Old Sterling settlement with Rocky Mountain mail, cargo and people that were coming to the area to settle."





May 1884 " Mrs. Mary Leavitt, M. D., one of Brush’s first settlers, and the first to practice medicine in the Platte valley, has her professional card in this issue of the Lariat. "

June 28, 1884



February 1885 Brush, Colorado

In 1885 Weld County, Mary Leavitt is 52, born in New York, daughter Minnie 30 born in Illinois.

David Leavitt served as Adj't, 34th Illinois Infantry, and Mary Leavitt, widow, received a widow's pension July 1890 from Colorado.

MARY AFTER DAVID

In 1900 Denver, on Burt Street, Mary Leavit is a physician, born May 1835 in New York. She's had one child, one living. Mary H. was born Sept 1854 in Illinois.

"BRUSH, Colo., Feb. 15. 1905 - 0ne of the old landmarks of the Platte valley was totally destroyed by fire here today, The house was built in 1882, and the first postoffice was kept in it by Mrs. Leavitt, who still owned the bullding, but now resides in Denver. It was occupied by a family named Wilson, and it is thought the fire was caused by a defective flue. The contents were all saved. The loss is about $BOO. No insurance."

In 1910 Pasadena, California, Mary is widowed, 76, Mary H. 56, neither employed.

Mary Leavitt BIRTH unknown DEATH 9 Jan 1911 Los Angeles County, California, BURIAL Evergreen Cemetery Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, PLOT Lot 3752 MEMORIAL ID 210573377.


MINNIE


July 1884 Brush " A Miss Minnie Leavitt, of Brush, has returned from a visit to Denver."

October 1890 " Miss Minnie Leavitt started on Sunday for a visit with friends living in St. Francis, Kansas."

October 1891 Brush "Miss Minnie Leavitt » visiting friends in Denver.."

In 1900 Denver, on Burt Street, Mary Leavit is a physician, born May 1835 in New York. She's had one child, one living. Mary H. was born Sept 1854 in Illinois.

August 1901 Weld County teachers included "Miss Minnie Leavitt, of South Dakota, who has been visiting friends in the Lincoln district, No. 87, this summer, has been appointed to teach in that district the coming year."

In 1910 Pasadena, California, Mary is widowed, 76, Mary H. 56, neither employed.

In 1920 Los Angeles, Mary H. is living alone, 65, a candy maker in a factory.

In 1930 Los Angeles, Mattie M. Hayes is widowed, 66, born in Indiana, father born in Massachusetts, mother in Kentucky.
Her husband died in Colorado in February 1898 " Friday morning the news was passed about town that Mr. A. L. Hayes had met with a terrible accident while working in his coal mine a few miles south of town, and later in the day it was announced that his death had resulted from the injuries.
In the morning Mr. Hayes had gone to his mine as usual with Mr. John McAdams. In descending some complications occurred with the cars, by which both men were thrown out. Mr. McAdams was stunned and bruised considerably, and Mr Hayes was crushed badly and several bones broken. He was soon taken to his home and every effort made to save his life, but death came soon after one.
Mr. Hayes was born at Waterford, Pennsylvania, being the only son of Mr. and Mrs. D. H. Hayes. After living in Illinois several years, he moved with his parents to Canon in 1880. In 1890 he was married to Miss Mattie Murphy. The deceased leaves a wife and four children. The funeral took place from the home of Mr. D. H. Hayes under the auspices of the Knights of Pythias. Rev. Fisher conducted the services, those at the grave being in charge of Prelate Okey. The funeral was a very large one, and many friends showed their respect for the dead by floral offerings and by their presence."
Mary L. Leavitt 75 Lodger.

JOHN

Sierra County, New Mexico

" Lake Valley was a town few people had every heard of until 1878. That was the year a blacksmith named John Leavitt took a lease on a claim and two days later discovered the most fabulous lode of silver the world has ever known. Called the "Bridal Chamber", it was a hollow in the hillside with walls of solid horn silver. Before it was all over, a spur from the railroad was extended into the "Bridal Chamber" and ore deposited directly into the ore cars. Total production from the "Chamber" was close to $2,775,000. Worthy of note is the name of George W. Lufkin who together with a partner owned the claim on which Leavitt later discovered the "Chamber". They sold the claim to the Sierra Grande Mining Company for $100,000 who in turn leased a portion to Leavitt who discovered the "Bridal Chamber". Lufkin, the first discoverer of silver in the area, died penniless and is buried in the Lake Valley cemetery. Submitted by Henry Chenoweth."

John Lawler Leavitt, on 30 Jul 1891, claimed a tract in Section 34, 11N 9W, New Mexico Meridian.

April 1904

February 1917
August 1919 Rocky Mountain News "John Lawler Leavitt, one of the most experienced mining prospectors in the United States, and perhaps the best known prospector in New Mexico, once said that mining and the oil business were the only two trades on earth which a man can become rich overnight. "

John L. Leavitt Birth Place Sterling, Ill. Death Date 2 Nov 1924 Death Place Albuquerque, Bernalillo, New Mexico Burial Date 4 Nov 1924 Occupation Miner Father David Leavitt Mother Mary Lawler.
John L. Leavitt BIRTH 1843 Sterling, Whiteside County, Illinois, DEATH 2 Nov 1924 Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, New Mexico, BURIAL Fairview Memorial Park Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, New Mexico, PLOT (Unmarked) Section: 9A, Row: 16- West, Grave: 23 MEMORIAL ID 197791008.

"Son of David & Mary Lawler Leavitt of Sterling, Illinois; foster son of John Lawler, sister of Miss Mary Leavitt & Mrs. Mattie M. Hayes of Los Angeles, California who was informant. "

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