1.EAV1TT, JOSH r A. 



LEAVITT, Rev. JOSHUA, D. D., an Ameri- 

 can journalist and author, born in Heath, 

 Franklin County, Mass., September, 1784 ; died 

 in New York City, January 16, 1878. He re- 

 ceived his early education in Franklin County, 

 and graduated from Yale College in 1814. lie 

 tln-ii taught awhile, after which he studied 

 law in Northampton, Mass., and opened an 

 office in Putney, Vt Soon afterward he went 

 to New Haven and entered the Theological 

 Seminary. Finishing bis coarse, he settled in 

 Stratford, Conn., where be remained in a very 

 successful ministry for four years. In 1819, 

 while a student of law in Heath, Mr. Leavitt 

 organized one of the first Sabbath-schools in 

 We-teni Massachusetts, embracing not only 

 the children, but the entire congregation, all 

 of whom were arranged in classes for religious 

 study. An earnest revival resulted, and the 

 school grew into one of the strongest churches 

 in the region. He early became interested in 

 the improvement of the public schools. Be- 

 fore he entered the Theological Seminary, he 

 prepared a new reading-book, called "Easy 

 Lessons in Reading," which met with an ex- 

 tensive sale. To this, he subsequently added 

 other books, to furnish a complete course of 

 readers; but these, though possessing much 

 merit, encountered more competition than the 

 "Easy Lemons," and were not as popular. 

 Mr. Leavitt, through his writings in the press 

 and in other wars, aided materially to elevate 

 the character of the schools of the town and 

 State. He was among the first to perceive the 

 evils of intemperance, and exerted all his in- 

 fluence against it, and when the American 

 Temperance Society was formed he became its 

 first secretary, and was one of its traveling 

 agents, spent several months in lecturing in 

 New Haven. Northampton, in many places de- 

 livering the first temperance lecture the people 

 there had over beard. In 1828 he came to 

 New York City as secretary of the American 

 Seamen's Friend Society and editor of the 

 fiailor'i Magaiinr. and had ever since been en- 

 gaged in editorial work. The society, under 

 hi- management, became popular and iisei'ul. 

 He established chapels in Canton, the Sand- 

 wich Islands, Havre, New Orleans, and other 

 domestic and foreign ports. At this time, too, 

 he aided in starting the first city temperance 

 society, and became its first secretary, ivr- 

 reiving early the advantage of having a com- 

 bined hymn and tune hook for use in revival 

 and social meetings, nothing of the kind then 

 existing, he. in company with an excellent 

 young musician, prepared one, which was pub- 

 lished nnd.-r the name of "The Christian 

 Lyre.'' 1 This has always been considered one 

 of the best of its kind. He became, in 1881, 

 editor and proprietor of the Eeangrlitt. which 

 had been started a year before, during which 

 time he had frequently assisted in its editorial 

 work, I'ndcr his energetic management his 

 paper soon became one of the most powerful 

 in the land; it was the organ of the more lib- 



eral religious movements, and was outspoken 

 on the subjects of temperance and sla\cry. It 

 early became noted for doctrinal discussions, 

 in which Mr. Leavitt was completely at home, 

 possessing a keen argumentative mind, and a 

 perfect mastery of the contested points in the- 

 ology. Mr. Leavitt bore a conspicuous part 

 in tlie early autislavery conflict, his senic.s 

 going back to his Stratford pastorate, when l.e 

 wrote ably on the subject in the Chri*tian 

 Spectator, and other periodicals. His denun- 

 ciation of slavery during the time of th- 

 citement attending the formation of the first 

 abolition societies and the robbery of the mails 

 at Charleston cost his paper its circulation in 

 the South and a large portion in the North, 

 and wellnigh compelled its suspension. To 

 bring up its circulation again he undertook the, 

 difficult feat of reporting in full Finmy's re- 

 vivid lectures, which, though not a short-hand 

 reporter, he accomplished so successfully that 

 bis subscribers came back by hundreds, till his 

 list reached 12,000. These reports were niter- 

 ward published in book-form, and sold largely 

 here, and to the extent of 100,000 copies in 

 Great Britain. The financial crash <!' 1887 

 compelled him, while erecting a new building, 

 to sell out the Ewngeliit. In 1888 he aided in 

 organizing the New York Antislavery Pociity, 

 and in 1887 he devoted his whole time to the 

 cause, as editor of the AVr Yort J-'iitimripator, 

 which John C. Calhoun said was more dan- 

 gerous to Southern interests than any thing 

 else in the country. At this time troubles 

 arose in the society, and, the old ccmmitue 

 and officers having been turned out, the Eman- 

 cipator was transferred to the Young Men's 

 Antislavery Society, by which it was con- 

 ducted for a year, then transferred again to 

 Mr. Leavitt, who moved it to Boston. Mr. 

 I.envitt early argued that theantislavery i 

 nient must become a political power, though 

 in this he was strongly opposed by many 1< tid- 

 ing abolitionists. In the coineinion which 

 met nt Albimy in 1840, and orgMiizcd li.e Lib- 

 eral party, Mr. Leavitt took a pr< miiunt part, 

 and afterward earnestly supported its meas- 

 ures in the I-'tiiiitirifKitiir. lie was also chair- 

 man of the Natic mil Committee from 1844 to 

 1847. In the latter year, pen eh ing the neces- 

 sity of nominating a strong man for 'he presi- 

 dency, lie secured the adhesion ol John 1' 

 to the party, and aided in placing him at the 

 head of the ticket. In 1848 Mr. I.eaviit be- 

 came otlice-editor of the h<ilt)rniltiil, which 

 had just been started by three Congregational 

 merchants, ami was connect i d i ditorially w itb 

 it until his death. On reaching the up of 

 seventy, however, he relinquished the active 

 duties of managing editor, und took a post of 

 less labor, mid during the last few years bis 

 waning health had prevented his performing 

 much work. I>r. I.envitt had also been engaged 

 for soine time in preparing a history of the nnti- 

 slavery conflict, for which be was peculiarly 

 fitted. This work his death leaves in a very 



