LOUIS SYLVESTER LEAVITT

Louis S. Leavitt, my grandfather, was born in Ogden, Utah the 28^th of May 1886. I suppose about as far back as I can remember I can recall my grandfather Leavitt. He was about the sweetest little man I have ever known. He was born of LDS [Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints] pioneer heritage on both sides of his family. His father Jasper William Leavitt was the son of Nathaniel Leavitt a prominent pioneer. His mother was the daughter of John Hammond another well known pioneer of the early exodus to Salt Lake Valley.

When Louis was a very young boy he had to get out and help make a living for the family. His mother was left with the heavy duties of raising a large family almost alone. She would make soup and Lou would help sell it, along with newspapers and mowing lawns. A story that was related to me by grandpa when he was about 17 years old was about mowing the front lawn of David O Mc Kay. This was before he had become the Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Grandpa had been working awhile when Brother Mc Kay came to the door of his home and called to him. "Lou come here, I want you to see something". Grandpa said he went inside and was led through the house to the bedroom, where sister Mc Kay and a new born baby son were laying on the bed, both dressed in white and ruffles. Brother Mc Kay said, "have you ever seen anything so beautiful". My grandfather confessed he had not. He told me it was something he never forgot, the picture was perfect.

Grandpa learned a lot of wonderful songs when he was growing up and they would effect us all of our lives, children and grandchildren alike. Lou could be described as a rather handsome extrovert with an abundant measure of love for his fellow-man. Family meant most to him and I remember he gave us all a great deal of affection. some of my most keen memories are of all the family getting together and just having great fun. We would sit in the back yard and talk, he and grandma telling us about the old times or how to do something really a better way than the way we then did it. He would tell us stories that were really funny we would play games or sing songs, he would scratch our backs or take us around showing us his newest thing he had done to the garden or yard. In the summer he and Bessie my grandmother, would make home made ice cream, it was wonderful. He was often kissing, loving or teasing his 5 daughters as well as grandchildren especially the girls. But would take a lot of time letting the boys know how to do something or teaching them a lesson. He owned a hide business for many years in Salt Lake City, and most of us knew the fun to go with him in his black truck on his route to do pick ups for his business. He was known for his generosity to people everywhere he went. He would leave food, cloths, or just his sweet cheerfulness when he went to those places. And when I went with him he would teach me those wonderful songs he knew.

Grandma Bessie was the Ideal of his life you might say. We all knew he adored her. They had their times we remember those but all in all no one could say anything about grandma and if any one in the family said anything or there was an argument, he quickly let them know he wouldn't have it. He sometimes got on the band box about something he was upset about and would let everyone know about it. We just knew it was grandpa.

We would sometimes go with he and grandma to camp out in the wilds, he was great in the out doors, he loved to fish and camp.

When I was about 6 years old grandpa came to our home in Leland, Utah where we lived at the time and brought us a dog, we named him Skippy, we all loved him, especially my brother Don. I remember most going to Salt Lake City to 930 Atkin Ave where my grandparents had bought a small home years before and grandpa had fixed it up so well, adding room's to it as well as a garage, a shed, and potato cellar. We all went to visit on Sundays, usually, and we would meet with cousins, aunts and uncles and that was my most happy memories of the Leavitt family. Sometimes they would play cards and laugh a lot, we remembered those evenings we would sleep in the back of the car going home. My memories of my grandfather are precious to me. They include his sweet smile and little twinkle in his eyes. Grandpa had a real temper though, we called it the Leavitt temper. As much love as he gave, we knew he could be pushed to the limit.

When I was young he would come to our home and would always make us laugh and occasionally there were a few tense moments. I remember such a time when everyone was in our front room, someone said something and it hurt grandpa's feelings and he decided he was going to walk home. We lived in Logan and he lived in Salt Lake. He started out on the highway and had gone about 2 blocks when my mother drove up and apologized even though it may not have even been her fault. It was excepted and they returned, with more love and laughs than before. When he would go on his route to Park City, he would leave things for poor people on the way. What fun it would be to go with him, we would sing songs and he would tell us stories that usually always had a moral for good.

On my grandparents 50^th anniversary all the family got together to celebrate the wonderful occasion. Everyone was proud of them both.

I probably will never forget the sweet blue spruce pine that he had gone to the mountains to cut down and plant in their front yard and the beautiful snowball tree that stood beside it.

Grandpa passed away Aug 12, 1963. Before he passed away we went to see him, it wasn't the same. I knew life just wouldn't be the same without him. He was just a cute little man that gave an extra measure of himself. Everyone loved him a great deal and said so. We had reason to be proud of him, he was a very hard worker, who loved people and few knew the many friends he had and the kindnesses he bestowed. At his funeral the spirit was beautiful, you could tell the kind of man he was by the spirit present that day. I felt that day and since that the Lord's spirit was so strong because he loved and helped people so much. When we left the funeral my husband said to me that it was the most spiritual funeral he had ever attended.

These words were written to me from my sister Mary Jane Adlard of Odessa, Mo.

Things I remember about my grandpa Louis Sylvester Leavitt. I remember him as a very happy person, always singing, laughing, and telling stories. Whenever we would go anywhere no matter where it would be, he would sing fun songs, both going and coming. One of his favorites and the family's favorites was Down in the Butter cup Meadow. He always seemed to have a cheery hello for everyone. He tanned hides and made soft gloves. I always wished I could be old enough to get a pair of gloves from him, but I was always to small. I remember he gave my older brother a pair, I thought he was so lucky. The leather was so soft when you put it on your face, it almost felt like silk. When we would go to Salt Lake to see he and grandmother, grandpa would sit on the couch after dinner, he would tell stories and scratch my back and head, and rub my ear lobes. My grandpa worked very hard all of his life, but I never remember him being dirty or unkept. He spent a lot of time keeping up the lawn, trees and garden in his back yard. I remember an apricot tree in the back yard that we climbed all the time when we went to visit. He had an old truck that he used for work and I remember I liked to ride in it. It was a lot like the one my dad had. He would use his hands a lot when he would talk. He always liked a good discussion, some might call it an argument, at any rate there were always things to be discussed. He was for the most part a gentle man, full of love and concern for others.

Grandpa by Susan Shaw

The memories of my youth, are brought to mind of him. A man with a twinkle in his eye and cheery, happy grin. He took us in his old black truck, a land mark to us all. Cousins, Brothers, Sister too, all knew the treat to go with him. He taught the songs he knew so well, with all the fervor and the vim. We joined with him and soon we knew the same old songs he loved. Song's of our dear Lord, and of our country too. His favorite song, Oh Danny Boy, his mother dear had sung to him. What wonderful thought have come to mind, when I think of that sweet grandpa of mine. The stories he would tell us all, of pioneer times of days recalled. The bundles of cloths he gave away, to those in need and to the poor, picking up an occasional stray. We all knew this mans intent, his love for man and what it meant. The Saviors wondrous request obeyed, he loved his fellow-man for sure. To seek for this and what he taught, to care for one of God's in need, it's clear for my own mind to see, we care for God, we care indeed.

Other Memories of Louis Sylvester Leavitt

Henry Kocherhans (son in law) Louie took his business all over the state of Utah. In the early days he and Jack went and traded for muskrat and coyote skins in the Lava Hot Springs area, first on horseback, then with a wagon. When he first went there, there were no houses and the springs were undeveloped. They were just natural thermal springs coming out of the mountain. He always said he could throw a sack over his back and support his family by trading. He bought what you didn't want for less than it was worth and you were glad to get rid of it and have the money. Then he went and found somebody who needed it and charged him what it was worth and kept a percentage of the difference. He could start out with a pocket knife and end up with a kitchen range.

LaRay Merrel (granddaughter) I remember Grandpa sitting in his green corduroy rocking chair by the kitchen door. He loved to sit there where he could watch Grandma working in the kitchen. He would take me up on his lap and talk to me about anything I wanted to talk about. While he talked he would rub my ear lobe between his thumb and forefinger till it was sore, but I wouldn't say anything because I wanted him to go on visiting with me. He had a million stories to tell from his days on the road and his family. And I don't remember being bored because he repeated himself. I would ask a question and get philosophy.

As a young woman, I remember him saying that the oak tree stood it's ground and was so strong it never gave and inch. But the willow would bend with the wind and when the really bad storms came, sometimes the oak would be uprooted but the willow would go on standing. He said if I would bend a little with life I would stand it better. As a young woman, he told me that life would get really hard some day and when it did I should go to someone who loved me, like my family, and ask their advice (and then take it!). He said you could trust the advice of those who loved you most, like family, more than friends!

Grandpa had a lean-to shed attached to his garage. A huge sweet pit apricot tree shaded it and I often found him there mending something. Every tool was in it's own place and he seemed to be able to work magic in that shed. He repaired things there that he had recovered from the trash other people threw away. Because of this he gave many children toys they would not otherwise have had. He repaired scooters, bicycles, trikes and skates, etc. He also repaired his own shoes and garden tools and did leather work. I recall him taking me to his back room to see the beautiful leather he had tanned and the pelts of animals he had cured and tanned. He even tried a little taxidermy.

I was asked to speak at Grandpa Leavitt's funeral. Afterwards, a man I didn't know came up to me and said, "Lou Leavitt gave me my first pair of shoes." He had tears in his eyes. The man was probably one of the children "on the river" that grandpa often talked about. I remember the bundles of clothes and shoes he took to the people "on the river" but we never knew which river.

When I was sixteen, Grandpa and Grandma took me on a trip "Down South". We went through Echo Canyon and there I learned how to wash dishes with dirt! He showed me how to spread dry soil over the plate and rub off soil and food till the plate was shiny, then pack it dry to be washed later. He told me the best way to clean a pocket knife was to push it into the dirt several times until it came out clean and then store it clean and dry so it would not rust.

Linda Hulsey (granddaughter) "I remember picking apples with Grandpa and what fun we had. We went to visit him and he lined all us children up on the rug and took our shoes off and rubbed our feet! His hands were so big and strong. I remember thinking how nice that a man would to that."

She went on to say that she remembered the Uncles and Grandpa going out on the driveway and pitching pennies at the garage door. The one who came closest to the door.

Susan Shaw (granddaughter) Grandpa told me that the night before the great San Francisco Earthquake, he was told by a voice (audible or inside) telling him to leave the city. He felt it so strong he went and got on the train and left for Utah. The next day he heard there was a terrible earthquake.