JOSHUA LEAVITT, eldest child of Roger and Chloe (Maxwell) Leavitt, was born in Heath, Mass., Sept. 8th, 1794. His grandfather, Rev. Jonathan Leavitt, of Charlemont, Mass., graduated at this college in 1758.
After teaching awhile, he studied law, and was admitted to the bar in Northampton, Mass., in 1819. He then practiced as an attorney in Putney, Vt., until 1823, when he returned to New Haven, and pursued theological studies with the first class in the newly-organized Theological Department. In August, 1824, he was licensed to preach, and on February 23d, 1825, was ordained pastor of the Congregational Church in Stratford, Conn. While in this place, he became interested in the Temperance movement, and served for four months as an agent of the American Temperance Society. In 1828 he was appointed secretary of the American Seamen's Friend Society, and removed to N. Y. city, being dismissed from his pastoral charge Oct. 22d. In his new position he took charge of the "Sailor's Magazine," and the rest of his life was devoted to editorial service. In 1831, he became editor and proprietor of the " N. Y. Evangelist," and so continued until the financial crisis of 1837 obliged him to dispose of the paper Meantime he had been a pioneer in the Anti-Slavery cause, and now gladly seised the opportunity of devoting his whole time to it, as editor of the "Emancipator," from 1837 to 1847. In 1848 he became office editor of the "Independent," and retained this position until he reached the age of 70, when he relinquished the management, and took a place of less labor, which he occupied till his death. He died of an apoplectic stroke, while at the residence of his son, in N. Y. city, Jan. 16th, 1873, aged 78.
Besides his conspicuous connection with the Anti-Slavery movement, Dr. Leavitt was active in many other directions. He was a diligent writer in behalf of Free Trade, and in 1869 received from the Cobden Society of England a gold medal for an essay. He was also a vigorous advocate of cheap postage. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Wabash College in 1854.
He married Sarah, daughter of Rev. Solomon Williams (Y.C. 1770), of Northampton, Mass. One of his sons graduated at this college in the class of 1840.
