Thomas Rowell Leavitt facts for kids
Thomas Rowell "Tom" Leavitt (born June 30, 1834 – died May 21, 1891) was an important pioneer and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He founded the town of Leavitt, Alberta, in Canada.
Tom Leavitt was a former sheriff and marshal in Utah. At 53 years old, he led a long journey of about 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) in covered wagons. He was moving to escape problems related to a practice of his faith that was against the law at the time. Many members of his church moved to Mexico and Canada during this period.
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Tom Leavitt's Early Life
Tom Leavitt was born on June 30, 1834, in Hatley, which was then called Lower Canada. His parents were Jeremiah and Sarah Sturdevant Leavitt. His father, Jeremiah, was born in Grantham, New Hampshire, in 1797. He married Sarah in Vermont in 1817.
Soon after they married, Jeremiah and Sarah moved to Hatley. This area was only about 24 kilometers (15 miles) from the Canada–Vermont border. Jeremiah was a farmer and liked the rich soil and lots of trees. He cleared his land, built a log cabin, and started a family that would grow to 10 children.
Joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Later, Jeremiah and Sarah Leavitt joined the Latter-day Saints, also known as Mormons. They were inspired by the church's leader, Joseph Smith. When Tom Leavitt was 16 months old, his family moved to follow Franklin Chamberlain. Franklin was a Mormon convert who had married Lydia, the oldest Leavitt child.
The family returned to the United States. They had been converted by Mormon missionaries who traveled across eastern Canada. The Leavitt family stayed only a short time in New England. In 1835, they began a journey to Kirtland, Ohio. This was a gathering place for many new Mormon converts.
In September 1835, the Leavitt family met Joseph Smith. Soon after, they moved with other new converts to Nauvoo, Illinois. This was the next important stop for the Mormons moving west. During this journey, Tom's elderly grandmother, Sarah (Shannon) Leavitt, sadly died.
After arriving in Nauvoo, the Leavitts bought a farm. They began planting wheat there.
Moving West with Brigham Young
Around 1844, there was a lot of trouble against the Mormons. Rioters attacked Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, killing them. They also set fire to Mormon properties. On August 8, 1844, church leaders chose Brigham Young to lead them.
Brigham Young soon decided to find a safe place for the Mormons away from persecution. This decision came after Illinois decided to make the settlers leave. In 1846, the Leavitt family joined Young's journey. Tom's father, Jeremiah, died during this move.
The family eventually reached Council Bluffs, Iowa. What was left of the family built a house there. They stayed for three years. By 1850, the Leavitt family was very tired. They decided to move to Utah Territory, where they heard a successful settlement had been made.
Journey to Utah
The year 1850 was a busy time for the California Gold Rush. It was also a time when many Mormons were moving west. On June 1, 1850, a group of Latter-day Saints, including the Leavitt family, crossed the Mississippi River. They were in 51 wagons, led by Captain Milo Andrus.
Soon after, the group reached Salt Lake City. The Leavitt family then moved to northern Utah. Thomas Rowell Leavitt settled in Wellsville in Cache Valley. There, he became a constable, marshal, and later a sheriff. He also became a rancher. He built a large log house on his 22-hectare (55-acre) farm outside Wellsville.
Moving to Canada for Safety
By the 1880s, the United States government stopped allowing the Mormon practice of having more than one wife. The government began arresting people who followed this practice. Some people hid, while others moved across the border to Mexico and Canada.
One of the first to leave was Charles Ora Card. He traveled to what is now Cardston, Alberta. This town was named after him. He went there to escape the crackdown and founded the first Mormon town in Alberta in 1887.
New Home in Canada
Tom Leavitt's father, Jeremiah, had not practiced having multiple wives. However, Tom Leavitt had 26 children with his three wives. Soon after Charles Ora Card left Utah, Tom Leavitt, who was a former lawman, followed him.
In early spring 1887, Leavitt left Wellsville with other Mormon families. They traveled in a large wagon train. This was one of the last big wagon trains recorded in the Old West. After a difficult six-week journey of about 1,300 kilometers (800 miles), Leavitt's group reached Lee Creek, Alberta, on May 25, 1887. Leavitt traveled with his wife Harriet Martha Dowdle and several children.
By 1897, the rest of his family had also moved to Canada. This included Leavitt's son Alfred. Alfred and his brother later helped dig irrigation canals. Charles Ora Card had promised these canals to the Canadian government. In return, the government gave more land to Mormon families who were facing difficulties in the U.S.
Tom Leavitt spent his last years in the small community he founded in Alberta. When he arrived, it was called Buffalo Flats. Later, it was named Leavitt, Alberta, in honor of the pioneer. Leavitt died there in 1891. He left behind many descendants who are still members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many of them still live in the beautiful area near Chief Mountain, ranching and living peaceful lives.
