On this sunny hillside, overlooking the country that they loved, we place this monument
to honor the memory of Lemuel Sturtevant Leavitt
born 3 Nov 1827 in Compton, Quebec, Canada, to Jeremiah and Sarah Sturtevant Leavitt, died October 1916 in Santa Clara Utah
We honor his four wives and their children
Laura Melvina Thompson born 18 Dec 1833 Livonia, New York died 18 October 1862 Santa Clara, Utah
their children:
Laura Melvina Leavitt born 4 Aug 1851 Tooele, Utah died 13 Feb 1922 married Samuel Knight; Lemuel Sturtevant Leavitt Jr born 6 Nov 1852 died 27 Jun 1883 married Rebecca Sprague & Claire Sprague; Edward Washington Leavitt born 1 Jan 1853 Tooele, Utah died 3 Feb 1931 married Elthier Bunker; Deborah Jane Leavitt born 15 Jan 1856, died 21 Feb 1914 married William Vincent Lay; Thomas Dudley Leavitt born 8 Nov 1857 Santa Clara, Utah, died 25 Aug 1933 Bunkerville, Nevada married Mary Luella Abbott & Adah Ann Waite; Orange Decater Leavitt born 10 Dec 1859, Santa Clara, Utah, died 2 Jan 1918 Bunkerville, Nevada, married Thirza Helena Leavitt & Mary Eleanor Leavitt; Lovina Leavitt born 22 Oct 1861 Santa Clara, Utah died 22 Oct 1862, Santa Clara, Utah; Lovisa Leavitt born 22 Oct 1861 Santa Clara, Utah, died 6 April 1917 in Bunkerville, Nevada married Myron Abbott
In 1862, Laura Melvina Thompson died leaving eight children under the age of 12 years of age. Their one year old daughter died a few days later. He cared for his seven children alone for a year. Then Lemuel married Betsy Amelia Mortensen, a young Danish immigrant. She mothered the children and bore one daughter of her own. Scarcely four years lateer, trouble struck again and Betsy died leaving the first seven children and her own little three year old Mary Matilda
Betsey Amelia Mortensen born 20 Feb 1840 Gelballe, Skanderup, Ribe, Denmark, died 4 Aug 1867 Santa Clara, Utah married 13 Oct 1863,Santa Clara
their child: Mary Mathilde Leavitt born 6 Nov 1864 Santa Clara, utah died 24 Dec 1919 Sutherland, Utah married Myron Alma Abbott
six years after Betsy died,an new mother came to brighten the home and lighten the load when he married Mary Ann Morgan Adams, she brought two children from her previous marriage. She bore Lemuel tow sons, only one of whom, Lorenzo Calvin lived to maturity. the second son died at Birth
Mary Ann Morgan Adams born 16 Jan 1835 Whitecroft, Newland, Gloucestershire, England, died 12 Jan 1922 Santa Clara, Utah married 17 Nov 1873
their children; Lorenzo Calvin Leavitt born 16 Nov 1874 Santa Clara, Utah died 24 Feb 1957 married Suzette Hafen; Lemuel Alfred Leavitt born & died 18 Dec 1877
Rebecca Gibbons White born 14 Jan 1843 in Moulton, Moulton, Lincolnshire, England, died 17 Oct 1895 Bunkerville, Nevada married 1881
their children: Joseph Leavitt born 21 Dec 1882 Bunkerville, NV, died 1 Jan 1883 Bunkerville, NV; Mary Ann Leavitt born 15 Dec 1884 Bunkerville, NV died 19 Apr 1937 Bunkerville, NV; Alonzo Rowell Leavitt born 6 Jan 1887 Bunkerville, NV, died 22 Dec 1966 Salt Lake City,Utah married Mary Ann Daly
Lemuel Sturtevant was destined to be a rescuer. When the settlers in Santa Clara ran out of flour mid-winter, he made two heroic trips north, over snow-filled mountains returning with life-saving provisions. Many fatherless and orphaned children became his own. The children of his widowed wives numbered eight, all of whom he loved and reared. In addition he reared six orphaned children of James Hiram and Margaret McMillken Craig, neighbors who died leaving their little ones. We honor him here, for his exemplary life of compassion and steadfast faith
the Western Association of Leavitt Families - August 30, 2008