Lyman Utley Leavitt

Lyman Leavitt was born May 24, 1831, Compton, Lower Canada. At the age of 26 he married Ellen Adell Brown. They moved from Canada to Michigan where they lived six years. Two children were born to them here. Leaving Michigan June 1, 1862 they went to Black Oak, Illinois. They left May 12, 1863 for Utah, and arrived at Centerville, Davis Co., Utah July 26, 1864. They remained in Centerville for 4 years. They were called to settle the Muddy--arriving at Long Valley April 1, 1871. In August 26, 1873 they left Long Valley and went on to Kanosh, Utah. Here they settled down to a life of farming. The raising of bees occupied a great deal of his time. He also operated the first molasses mill in Kanosh. He and Abram Kimball owned and operated the first threshing machine in Kanosh. To his first marriage the following children were born: James Elbert, Florence, Charles, Lyman Elroy, Ellen Adell. As polygamy was being practiced he married Analiza Hakes in 1875. They lived in Kanosh 9 years after his second marriage, then moved to Mesa, Arizona. From there he went to [Pine], Arizona. To this union was born three children: May, Lavern and John.

FROM ANOTHER SOURCE:

Life of Lyman Utley Leavitt and His Families, Part 3, As told by Avis Laverne Leavitt Rogers, daughter of Lyman U. Leavitt and Ann Eliza Hakes Jeremiah Leavitt and his wife Sarah Shannon lived in Canada. He was of English descent and she was Irish. They had ten children whose families have spread all over the United States. My grandfather John Leavitt was their seventh child. He married Lucy Rowell who was our grandmother. They were living in Canada when my father was born 24 May 1831. His parents moved to Illinois and then to Michigan. It was here he met and married Ellen Adell Brown of Ohio in 1857. Note: The second paragraph of Mrs. Rogers’ attached account is incorrect. It should read as follows: 12 May 1863 they left their home in Illinois arriving in Salt Lake City, 26 July 1863. They traveled in a wagon pulled by two dun-colored mules named Muggins and Molly. They had Florence Deborah, 2 years old, and James Elbert, 5 years old. They first settled in Centerville, Davis County, where 3 more children were born, one of which (a twin girl) died in infancy. In the October 1968 conference of the church they were called, with other families, to go south and colonize the Muddy River. They left in November 1868 and arrived in St. Joseph, Rio Virgin County, Territory of Utah, in December 1868. This location was and is called “ The Muddy.” Today this location is St Joseph, Clark County, Nevada. While there, Lyman was elected to the office of sheriff, in Rio Virgin County, Territory of Utah in August 1869. (See the attached copy of a letter, which Mrs. Rogers has included.) Lyman and Adell had their last child while at that location. She was Ellen Adell Leavitt (known in Kanosh as Ella Paxton). She was born in St. Joseph on 20 May 1870. Due to Indian troubles the colony left St Joseph and came north when Ella was 9 months of age. They therefore left in about February 1871. On 1 April they arrived in Long Valley. (Records do not say whether the entire colony stayed there or came on to Kanosh.) At first the Leavitts planned to remain in that valley permanently, but then changed their plans and came on to Kanosh in August of 1873. It was in Kanosh that Lyman took a second wife, Ann Eliza Hakes, born 15 April 1858. She was the daughter of Collins Rowe and Mable Ann Morse Hakes. The Hakes family was also part of the colony, which went to colonize St Joseph. Ann Eliza was just past 10 years of age when she went with her family to St. Joseph. It was in 1883 that Lyman was again called to fill a mission for the church to help colonize Mesa, Arizona. Records do not state why, but he left his first wife and her children in Kanosh with what property he had gained to that point and took with him his second wife and the three children, which had been born to them in Kanosh. They were: Mable Clair, born 23 September 1876, died 25 December 1902 Avis Laverne, born 17 June 1878 John Rowe, born 4 October 1880 (Note: Mrs. Rogers’ account of the family doings while they lived in Arizona cannot be disputed. It appears to be correct in all respects.) It was a typical pioneer journey from Kanosh to Mesa. The trails were not too good; the way was rough, long and hard with teams and wagons. Father’s pioneer spirit and training, along with their faith in the Lord, made the journey possible. It took several weeks for the journey, and all rejoiced when they arrived in Mesa. During the months it took to build our home in Mesa, we lived in a tent—just across the street, north of the present city library. However, at that time it was the jailhouse. (The property where our home once stood is now owned by the Catholic Church.) Father used to walk across the street to the jail and sit on the ground outside the windows and sing to the prisoners. He felt this was an opportunity to do a little missionary work and to bring a little brightness into the days of the prisoners. It was during the years they lived in Mesa that the other eight children of Lyman and Ann Eliza were born. Lucinda Helen, born 9 June 1883 Lyman Hakes, born 13 June 1885, died 18 September 1885 Lucy Pearl, born 13 August 1886, died 19 March 1922 George Wilford, born 18 June 1888, died 7 November 1949 Clarence Edgar, born 25 August 1891, died 18 September 1891 Joseph Collins, born 20 June 1892 Francis Harry, born 8 April 1896, died 6 July 1896 Arthur Floyd, born 6 April 1898, died 24 December 1926 Father planted one of the first orange orchards in the valley. The first year the trees grew fine, but the second year there was a killing frost, and he lost all of them. He had a large peach orchard and always kept a lot of bees. Father was always helping others, materially and spiritually. A friend and he were talking one day when the friend said he didn’t have the money to send to his son who was on a mission for the church. Father didn’t say very much, but went home, got the money and gave it to the man to send to his missionary son. As far back as I can remember, father was in much demand as a singer and storyteller. He had an unusual gift for writing original readings, as well as a special talent for giving them. He wrote many reading and poems. He always had plenty of listeners—especially among the young boys. Whenever there was a party or program, he was called on to sing or give a reading or both. He never told smutty stories or read dime novels. The Bible, Book of Mormon and the Doctrine & Covenants were his favorite books. He read many other church works. It seems father liked to live out where he had room to breathe, so to speak. So, as the town grew around him, he wanted to get out into the country again. He sold our home in town and built another house just north of the present Mesa Temple across Main Street. At that time this was really out in the country—it was just thick mesquite, palo verde and chaparral, clear to town. This was the family home until 1899. At the age of sixty-eight, father again received a call from the church. This time he was called to be bishop of the Pine Ward. He was set apart as bishop of the Pine Ward February 26, 1900 by Collins R. Hakes, who was at that time President of the Maricopa Stake. Once again father gladly left all he and mother had spent some nineteen years building, to do the Lord’s will. In Pine he and mother made another home, where they spent thirteen happy, full years. Here they finished raising their family, happy with their blessings and opportunities. Father acted as bishop of the Pine Ward until 18 November 1903. He lived in Pine until his death 23 February 1912. In his blessing father was promised that he would be told of things that were to come concerning his life and the welfare of his family. There were many incidents in his life where this happened. One such incident was when father was warned in a dream that his son, John, would be bitten by a mad dog. The next morning father decided not to let John go duck hunting with his uncle, but took him with him to gather wood. Father watched him closely so he could protect him if danger should come. Once while they were out John got a little further away than father realized. Just as father turned to find him, he saw a dog come out of some brush. John was between him and the dog and before father could do anything, the dog bit John and turned back into the brush and got away. Father rushed John back home but little could be done, as it was impossible to get treatment this side of Chicago for rabies. Father mortgaged their home to get money enough to send John to Chicago for treatment. Grandfather Collins Row Hakes took John and a boy by the name of Wallace--who had also been bitten by the dog—and made the trip. Fortunately, they were able to get the treatment in time to save both the boys. Another time my brother George was ill with pneumonia—near death. Father was told in a dream that George would live, and he soon recovered completely from the illness to live a full and useful life. At the time many of the saints were being persecuted because of the practice of plural marriage. Father was living in Mesa with his second wife, his first wife being in Utah. Because of this, father was not bothered by the officers. Things were going along fine until an uncle of mother’s and another man decided to appoint themselves as informers for the officers—in hopes it would help to gain them favor. What they told on father we do not know, but the officers were going to arrest him. Before this happened, father slipped quietly out of town with the help of grandfather Hakes and a few others. He went down to Old Mexico. There he lived for several months. Feeling was running high at that time and many of the saints were not permitted to have a fair hearing and had to spend many, many weeks and even months in jail before they were cleared and allowed to return to their families. Rather than risk this, father and mother decided it would be better for him to go into hiding until things could be cleared up. While in Mexico he lived with my mother’s sister, Jane Johnson, and her husband. It was difficult to get along without father, but mother knew how to save and father worked and sent everything he could to us. They were so good to father while he was there. Things were hard there too, but father paid his way so he would not be a burden to them. He slept out in a tent with some of their boys. He said on cold nights, Jane would slip into the tent and put a hot rock, rolled up in cloth, to his feet. This would keep his feet warm all night. No one could have been better to father than Jane and Benjie were. I guess that is the reason I have always loved Aunt Jane so much. After they were driven out of Mexico and came back to Mesa to live, I would rather go to her home than any place else. One morning while father was in Mexico, our big red rooster came up onto the back doorstep and crowed loud and long. I remember mother saying, “We are going to have company today.” Along in the afternoon a man came to the house carrying a valise and asked if this were the home of Lyman Leavitt. He was one of my father’s near relatives, John Adams, from Centerville, Utah. He had also left his families to avoid persecution until the church and the government could decide what was to be done. He was in need of a place to stay. Mother gave him the little room on the west of the house, opening into the back yard. She put up a small stove and made things real comfortable for him. While he stayed in our home, he hauled wood. Many a morning he would get up at 2:00 in the morning and be gone until late afternoon. The evening before, mother would put up a lunch for him for his breakfast and dinner. It was always a pleasure for us kids to carry it around to him or walk to town for his mail. He was a wonderful man and was quite old with a long white beard. He didn’t have to stay long, but when he left, we had a wonderful stack of mesquite posts that lasted several years for firewood. It was a pile of neatly stacked wood that I shall never forget. Mother was thankful for it many times. There was a joyous reunion when father came home to stay. The joy of having him near to care for us, to love us, and to teach us was a blessing, which we doubly appreciated. It wasn’t long until the sad memories of our separation were put in the background by the good times of having him home with us again. Distance was great in those days, and we had little news of Ellen’s family. In 1892 my brother Jim and his wife and their little girl came to visit. They lived with us for about a year. Grace, their little girl, was a sweet, light-haired girl. While they were with us, their daughter Mary was born. In a few weeks my brother Joe was born. We used to call them twins. It was a joy to have them with us, to get to know them and to learn to really love them. Father was so thrilled to have Jim and his family with him for a while. It was in 1898 that Roy, another brother, came out for a visit. I remember that he loved to fish and go rabbit hunting. We used to go quite often. We all enjoyed him very much. It was in 1927 that Florence, a sister, came down to the dedication of the Mesa Temple. We surely did enjoy having her with us. She was very sweet and lovable and I wished many times that she could have made the visit while father and mother were alive. We surely enjoyed the letter she wrote us. It was some time later that Ellen, the youngest sister, came to the Mesa Temple on a special excursion with a group from Kanosh. I had the pleasure of meeting her in the temple. My husband and I took her around to visit the family—all except Joe. Joe was working with the police department and been sent out of town. I knew that he would be sorry he missed meeting her, and Ellen said if she could have met Joe, she would have been satisfied. After saying our goodbyes, George and I started for home, but remembered something we wanted to get, so went across the street and there we met Ellen on the sidewalk. They had forgotten something and had come back into town for it. While we were visiting with her again, Joe walked up. We were all very happy that they were able to meet after all, but sorry that Ellen could not stay with us longer. In 1942 my husband and I and daughter Mabel had the privilege of visiting with Ellen in her home for a few hours on our way home from conference. The family had gathered at her home and had a wonderful lunch prepared for us. We had a lovely visit—one that I look back on with fond memories. We took pictures of the family. Then I had the pleasure of taking the picture of the house I was born in and also of my grandfather Hakes’ house. As this is being written in 1958, there are 6 of father’s children living. Leroy, 91, in Salt Lake City, Utah; Ellen, 88, in Kanosh, Utah; Laverne, 80, in Mesa, Arizona; Joseph, 65, in Mesa, Arizona. During his lifetime, father served as a ward teacher, high councilman, bishop’s councilor and bishop. He filled several mission calls and was always willing to serve the Lord, wherever and whenever he was asked. He was called nine times by the church to go into new territory to help settle and colonize it. He was well known as an organizer and peacemaker. He worked hard all his life and for the most part enjoyed excellent health. The day before he died, he cut down a big tree. He apparently knew his life was fast drawing to a close. The Sunday before his death, he went to visit a good friend, a forest ranger, who lived near his home. He had dinner with him and told the ranger he had had his last Sunday dinner there, with him. He died 23 February 1912. After father’s death, mother stayed on in Pine with the two younger boys, Joe and Floyd. Soon after this, Joe, the older of the two boys, was called to go on a mission to the southern states. Mother put her talents as a seamstress to work and sewed for the people in Pine. She was a beautiful dressmaker and drafted all her own patterns. She made the wedding dresses for all four of her daughters. She also boarded schoolteachers both years Joe was on his mission. When Joe came home, he went to Mesa and worked. Soon after this, mother and Floyd moved to Phoenix, where they lived for several months. When Floyd went to Mayer, Arizona, to work, Mother came to Lehi to visit with us for the winter. It was while mother was with us that we received word of my sister Pearl’s death, 19 March 1922. It had been a bad winter that year, and there was still so much snow on the ground, it was impossible for mother to go to Pine to the funeral. They couldn’t make it by team and wagon, and it was almost impossible to go by horseback. Four of the men, three brothers, George, Joe, and Floyd, and a nephew, Rulon Rogers, went to the funeral. They went on horseback from the Brady Ranch—knee deep to the horses in snow—some places were worse. As soon as it was possible for mother to get to Pine, she went and was mother to the seven children, left motherless by Pearl’s death. It was while she was in Pine that she died, 2 February 1926, after having lived a very useful and happy life—both for her and others. When mother was president of the YWMIA, she made one memorable trip to Salt Lake Conference--memorable to us perhaps because of the combined efforts of all the family. All during the peach season the family cut and dried peaches to sell. By the time the MIA Conference came in June, enough money had been raised to send mother to Salt Lake City. Some of the other church positions held by her were secretary and1st and 2nd councilor in the Relief Society. Lyman Leavitt, husband, father, and friend to those who loved him, had success, materially and spiritually, in his lifetime. He loved the gospel, his family, and his neighbors. We, his posterity, can be proud of his life and can profit by his example, receiving strength from his testimony—given to us by his words and deeds. Told by Avis Laverne Leavitt Rogers