Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/685

Rh and " Earle's Microcosm ography " (1867), and com- piled the " Learned Genealogy " (1882).

LEAVENWORTH, Abner Johnson, educator, b. in Waterbury, Conn., 2 July, 1803; d. in Petersburg, Va., 12 Feb., 1869. He was graduated at Amherst in 1825, studied theology at Andover, and was licensed to preach as a Congregationalist, 22 April, 1828. After holding charges at Orange and Bristol, Conn., he became pastor, in 1831, of the Young ladies' seminary at Charlotte, N. C., and in 1838 removed to Warrenton, Va., where he again took charge of a school until he was called, in 1840, to a Presbyterian church at Petersburg, Va. Resigning in 1844, he became the principal and proprietor of the Leavenworth academy and col- legiate seminary for young ladies, which acquired a wide reputation throughout the south. Mr. Leavenworth was a vigorous and ready writer, and as corresponding secretary of the Virginia educa- tional association, which he was largely instrumen- tal in founding, exerted a powerful influence for good throughout the southern states.

LEAVENWORTH, Elias Warner, lawyer, b. in Canaan, N. Y., 20 Dec, 1803 ; d. in Syracuse, N. Y., 25 Nov., 1887. He was graduated "at Yale in 1824. studied law with William (5. Bryant, was admitted to the bar in 1827, and practised in Syra- cuse, N. Y., until 1850, when he was compelled to retire through ill health. He was mayor of the latter city in 1849, and again in 1859, member of assembly in 1850 and 1857, secretary of state of New York from 1854 till 1855, and president of the board of quarantine commissioners in I860. In 1861 he became a regent of the State university, and he was appointed by President Lincoln a com- missioner under the convention with New Granada. He subsequently filled the offices of president of the board of commissioners to locate the State asy- lum for the blind, trustee of the State asylum for idiots for over twenty years, and constitutional commissioner. He was elected to the 44th con- gress, serving from 6 Dec. 1875, till 3 March, 1877. From the year 1879 till his death he acted, with Henry R. Pierson, chancellor of the board of re- gents, and Chauncey M. Depew. as a commission to establish and define the boundaries between New York and New Jersey, and between New York and Pennsylvania. Mr. Leavenworth was the author of an elaborate "Genealogy of the Leavenworth Family in the United States" (Svracuse, 1873).

LEAVENWORTH, Henry, soldier, b. in New Haven, Conn., 10 Dec, 1783; d. in Cross Timbers, Indian territory, 21 July, 1834. He studied and practised law, and at the beginning of the war of 1812 was appointed captain in the 25th infantry. Promoted major, 15 Aug., 1813, lieutenant-colo- nel, 10 Feb., 1818, and colonel, 16 Dec, 1825, he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel for gallantry at the battle of Chippewa, colonel for meritorious con- duct at Niagara, where he was wounded, and briga- dier-general, 25 July, 1824, for " ten years' faithful service in one grade." He subsequently command- ed an expedition against the Arickaree Indians on the upper Missouri river, and founded several mili- tary posts on the western frontier, one of which. Fort Leavenworth, was the nucleus of the Kansas town of that name.

LEAVITT, Dudley, almanac-maker, b. in Exeter, N. H., 23 May, 17*72; d. in Meredith, N. H., 15 Sept., 1851. He at one time taught in winter, and worked on his farm throughout the year, making almanacs, arithmetics, and grammars during the long winter evenings. He was known throughout his native state as " Old Master Leavitt," and made its almanacs for over half a century. In 1800 he edited the Gilmanton " Gazette," and in 1806 he removed to Meredith. In 1811 he began the publication of the " New Hampshire Register," which he continued to edit for several years.

LEAVITT, Humphrey Howe, jurist, b. in Suffield, Conn., 18 June, 1796; d. in Springfield, Ohio, in March, 1873. Pie went with his father to Ohio in 1800, received a classical education, stud- ied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1816. He settled at Cadiz, but soon removed to Steubenville, and, after being appointed prosecuting attorney, was chosen successively a member of both branches of the Ohio legislature in 1825-6 and '7. He was then elected, as a Jackson Democrat, to congress, serving from 6 Dec, 1830, till 18 June, 1834, when he resigned, having been appointed by President Jackson judge of the U. S. court for the district of Ohio. This office he held for nearly forty years. His opinions are contained in Bond's and McLean's reports and in Fisher's " Patent Cases," in which latter branch of the law he was deemed an au- thority. Judge Leavitt decided the Vallandighain case during the civil war, which Mr. Lincoln said was worth three victories to him. He was a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church, and sat as a dele- gate during eleven sessions of the general assembly.

LEAVITT, John McDowell, clergyman, b. in Steubenville, Ohio, 10 May, 1824. He was graduated at Jefferson college in 1841, and studied law, but after a few years' practice he went to the theological seminary at Gambier, Ohio, and was admitted to orders in the Protestant Episcopal church in 1848. Mr. Leavitt has been successively professor in Kenvon college and in Ohio university ; also president of Lehigh university, Bethlehem, Pa., and of St. John's college, Annapolis, Md. For several years he was editor of " The Church Review," and he founded and edited " The International Review." He received the degree of D. D. from Ohio university in 1874. Dr. Leavitt has published "Hymns to our King" (1872): "Old World Tragedies from New World Life " (1876) ; " Reasons for Faith in this Nineteenth Century " (1883); and "Visions of Solyma " (1887); and he has also contributed freely to educational and current literature.

LEAVITT, Joshua, reformer, b. in Heath, Franklin co.. Mass., 8 Sept., 1794; d. in Brooklyn, N. Y., 16 Jan., 1873. He was graduated at Yale in 1814, admitted to the bar in 1819, and began to practise in Putnev, Vt., in 1821. In 1823 he abandoned his pro- fession for the study of theology, and was graduated at Yale divinity - school in 1825. 'He settled the same year at Strut- ford, Conn., where he had charge of a Con- gregational church until 1828. In 1819, while a student of law in Heath, Mr. Leavitt organized one of the first Sabbath-schools in western Massachusetts, embracing not only the children, but the entire congregation, all of whom were arranged in classes for religious instruction. He also became interested in the improvement of the public schools. Before he entered the theological seminary he prepared a new reading-book, called "Easy Lessons in Reading" (1823), which