LEAVITT, John H., Hon 1831-1906
LEAVITT, WARE
Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 9/10/2014 at 23:54:01
[Semi Weekly Reporter, Friday, September 28, 1906, Waterloo, Iowa]
J. H. LEAVITT AT REST AFTER LONG ILLNESS
LIVED HERE SINCE 1854
HAD BEEN CRITICALLY ILLL OF CANCER FOR SEVERAL WEEKS
Was in Banking Business Continuously for a Half Century - Once Served as State Senator.
Hon. John H. Leavitt, one of the oldest bankers in Iowa, and a pioneer of Waterloo, died at 4:00 o'clock Tuesday morning after a lingering illness of cancer. He was stricken several months ago, but was able to be at his office in the Leavitt & Johnson Trust Company until a few weeks ago when he was removed to the Presbyterian Hospital to undergo a surgical operation. He rallied from the effects, but the assistance he received was not permanent He was taken to his home, 523 West Park Avenue, where he grew steadily worse. His children were at his bedslde when the end came.
The funeral will be held at the home Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 o'clock. Friends are requested not to send flowers. All banks of the city and the Union Mills will close at noon and most of the business houses of the west side will close from 2:30 to 4:30 Wednesday out of respect to the members of the city's honored dead.
John H. Leavitt was Waterloo's pioneer banker. He was born in Franklin County, Mass., October 11, 1831. He was reared and educated in that state and at the age of 23 started west, to the section of the country which was at that time attracting thousands with its opportunities for business and advancement.
Mr. Leavitt arrived in Waterloo in 1854, and from that time to the day of his death he had been a resident of this city. Waterloo was a frontier village when Mr. Leavitt first saw it and no other man has witnessed the growth and development of the city with such keen interest and shrewd perception of the possibilities of the city's future.
During the first two years of his residence here he was engaged in the work of surveying and in handling of real estate. Two years after his arrival he started a private bank in a small building on Commercial Street, and from this bank grew the splendid financial institution of which he was president and the guiding spirit for so many years.
He continued in the business alone until the first of the year 1865, when A. T. Lusch became his business partner, under the firm name of Leavitt & Lusch. The firm of Leavitt & Lusch continued until 1870 when Emmons Johnson became identified with the bank and the firm name was changed to Leavitt, Johnson & Lusch. In 1876 Mr. Lusch retired to engage in the lumber business and since that tlme the bank has born the name of Leavitt & Johnson. These genelemen continued the business as a private bank until 1898, when it was re-organized as the Leavitt & Johnson National Bank with a capital stock of $100,000. Later the capital stock of the bank was increased to $200,000 with a surplus fund of more than $50,000, and Mr. Leavitt continued as its president until within a few months ago when he resigned on account of failing health with the view of retiring from active business for all time.
His illness followed his retirement from the bank and the operation which he underwent at the Presbyterian Hospital several weeks ago failed to bring hoped for results.
During his life Mr. Leavitt was a staunch republican and was a zealous and ardent supporter of the principles of that party. He was elected to the state senate in 1871 and served one term. Mr. Leavitt was free from political aspirations and so far as known he never sought election to any office, preferring to devote his entire attention to the banking business and to his home life.
Deceased was married January 1, 1858, to Caroline C. Ware, who was born in Putnam County, Illinois, October 11, 1835. Five children were born to the couple, two sons and three daughters, as follows: Roger Leavitt, cashier of the Cedar Falls National Bank; Joseph, who resides in Illinois; Mary L., wife of R. L. Davidson, Waterloo; Lucy O., who resides at home, and Grace, wife of Thomas Cascaden, Jr., of this city.
Mr. Leavitt was a charter member of the First Congregational Church of this city, and he had been a regular worshipper and faithful member and supporter ever since.
Black Hawk Obituaries maintained by Karen De Groote.
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