American journalist, born at Heath, MA, in 1794. After practicing law at Putney, VT, for some years, he studied theology at New Haven, and was ordained pastor at Stratford, CT, in 1825. In 1831 he founded the New York Evangelist to advocate the revival system in the Presbyterian Church. As he was also prominent in the antislavery agitation, he had but poor prospects in New York. In 1837 Leavitt became editor of The Emancipator, which he removed to Boston in 1841. From 1844 to 1847 he was chairman of the National Committee of the Liberty Party. In 1848 he became the managing editor of the New York Independent, and contributed to its pages for many years. He aided in founding and became secretary of the first temperance society in New York; as secretary of the American Seamen’s Friend Association, established chapels in a great many ports in all parts of the world, and he was one of the abolitionists who were obliged to flee from Philadelphia to escape mob-violence. He died in Brooklyn, NY, in 1873.
