A Maine Family's History - Smith / Glidden Surnames

Leavitt

John LEAVITT, Deacon, tailor, resident of Dorchester in 1634, in Hingham by 1636; died 11/20/1691 age 83; possibly has brother Thomas

Spouse: (1) ??? died 7/4/1646 (2) Sarah married 12/16/1646, died 5/26/1700

Children by 1st wife: John born 1637, married Bathsheba Hobart, she married 2nd Joseph Turner; Hannah baptized 1639 married John Lobbell of Hull; Samuel born 1641 removed to NH; Elizabeth born 1644 married Samuel Judkins; Jeremiah born 1645-6 removed to Rochester. By 2nd wife: Israel born 1648; Moses born 1650 removed to Exeter NH married Lydia Jackson; Josiah born 5/4/1653 married Margaret Johnson; Nehemiah 1/22/1655-56 married Alice ____; Sarah born 2/25/1658-9 married Nehemiah Clapp and Samuel Howe; Mary born 6/12/1661 married Benjamin Bates at New London CT; Hannah born 3/20/1663-64 married Joseph Loring; Abigail / Abiel born 12/9/1667 married Isaac Lasell

Josiah LEAVITT, cooper, farmer, born in Hingham 5/4/1653, died 9/14/1708 age 55

Spouse: Margaret JOHNSON (Margery) married 10/20/1676 daughter of Humphrey & Eleanor Johnson; born 1659 died in Hingham 6/7/1739 age 80

Children: Josiah born 7/28/1679 married Abigail Gill; Joseph 7/23/1681 married Judith Hobart; Margaret born 10/20/1683; Jeremiah 8/21/1685 married Jael Hobart; Joshua born 8/1/1687; David born 8/16/1691; Asaph 7/31/1695; Hezekiah born 9/17/1697 married Mary Beal & Grace Hatch; Mary born 10/7/1699 married Matthew Cushing

Margaret LEAVITT born 10/20/1683

Spouse: Caleb LINCOLN married 11/17/1709

Children: Thankful

Thankful LINCOLN married 2/9/1737 Hingham, born 1714 Hingham, died 3/2/ 1786 Hingham

Spouse: Samuel JOY born 8/20/1706 Hingham MA, died 121/28/1792 Hingham, occupation cooper; corporal in Gray's company at Halifax 1759

Children: Mary; Elizabeth married Jesse Sprague

Genealogical & Family History of the State of Maine Vol 3: John Leavitt was about twenty years old when he reached the shores of the New World. He was among the first settlers of the common land known as Mattapan which plantation September 7 1630 was established under the direction of the general court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony as the town of Dorchester. John White the first minister of the church established as the nucleus of the town and his followers were mostly from Dorsetshire England, and they gave to the new town the name of the municipal borough and capitol of the shore Dorchester located eight miles north of the seaport at Weymouth from which port they probably took ship for New England, and it is safe to presume that John Leavitt was a Dorsetshire man. The settlement at Mattapan antidated the settlement of the town of Charlestowne, Watertown, Roxbury, and Boston although the general court established the town government of Charlestown August 23 1630 and of Boston, Dorchester, and Watertown on September 7 1630 and of Roxbury September 28 1630. In 1633 the town of Dorchester was described as ye greatest towne in New England. John Leavitt appeared before the general court and took the freeman's oath March 3 1636, he having removed from Dorchester to that part of the colony which included the common lands known as Borilove established as the town of Hingham September 2 1635. He was deacon of the church for many years was selectman of the town 1661, 63, 65, 68, 72, 74, and 1675 was a representative in the general court of Massachusetts Colony 1656 64 and held other offices of trust and honor in the town and colony. He was married about 1636 but the name of his wife is not recorded. She died July 4 1646 and he married for his second wife Sarah December 16 1646, died May 26 1700. Deacon John Leavitt was by trade a tayler and died in Hingham November 20 1691 aged eighty three years. The children of Deacon John Leavitt by his first wife were 1 John of Hingham born 1637 married Bathsheba daughter of Rev Peter Hobart June 27 1664. He died soon after and his wife married November 19 1674 Joseph Turner. 2 Hannah baptized April 7 1639 married John Lobdell of Hull. 3 Samuel baptized April 1641 removed to Exeter New Hampshire. 4 Elizabeth baptized April 8 1644 married Samuel Judkins March 25 1667. 5 Jennial baptized March 1 1645 46 removed to Rochester Plymouth Colony. Children of John Leavitt and his second wife Sarah 6 Israel qv baptized April 23 1648. 7 Moses baptized April 12 1650 removed to Exeter New Hampshire. 8 Josiah May 4 1653. 9 Ne hemiah January 22 1655 56. 10 Sarah February 25 1658 59 married Nehemiah Clapp of Dorchester and as her second husband Samuel Howe.11 Mary June 12 1661 married Benjamin Bates of New London Connecticut October 10 1682. 12 Hannah 2d March 20 1663 64 married Joseph Loring October 25 1683. 13 Abigail December 9 1667 married January 20 1685 86 Lasell.

History of the Town of Hingham: The family tradition concerning John Leavitt is that he was an indented apprentice in England and that he absconded from his master and came to this country when nineteen years of age and settled first at Roxbury and afterwards in Hingham. If this tradition is correct he must have arrived in this country before the year 1628 as he died November 20 1691 aged 83. He received a grant of land in this town in 1636. His homestead was in Leavitt street recently so named on both sides of the river and is now principally owned by the descendants of his sons Israel and Josiah. He was a deacon of the church. In his will executed November 30 1689 and proved January 27 1691 2 he mentions his sons Samuel, Israel, Moses, Josiah, Nehemiah, and the widow of his son John, also his daughters Mary, Sarah, Hannah, and Abigail.