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Joseph Leavens

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Joseph Leavens

Birth
Dutchess County, New York, USA
Death
25 May 1844 (aged 90)
Picton, Prince Edward County Municipality, Ontario, Canada
Burial
Bloomfield, Prince Edward County Municipality, Ontario, Canada Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Joseph Leavens was born on February 5, 1754, to Peter Leavens (1707-1776) and Catherine Caston (1722-1809) at Nine Partners, Dutchess County, New York. He married Phebe Atwill on 1 Jan 1775 at Nine Partners, Dutchess County, New York.

Joseph played a multifaceted role in his lifetime as a school teacher in Dutchess County before 1798 and later as a Quaker Preacher of the Hicksite Quaker branch. He was not only a spiritual leader but also a participant in the Revolutionary War, earning recognition from the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.: Patriot of the US Revolutionary War. SAR.org: Patriot #P-234439, DAR.org: Ancestor #A068178). Leavens' history is intertwined with the early settlement of Canada, as he became an emigrant from New York and a pioneer in the Canadian forest.

According to the "History of the Province of Ontario (Upper Canada)," Joseph Leavens was a highly esteemed preacher within the Hicksite branch of Quakers. Known for traveling extensively to converse with fellow believers, he held preaching sessions in a loft of his brother's store in Belleville. A trailblazer in spreading Quakerism in Canada, Leavens traversed various townships at the Bay and East Lake, contributing to establishing and growing the Quaker community in the region.

Leavens moved to Canada in 1798 with his wife, following his occupation as a school teacher in Dutchess County. All of his children were born in New York state before the family's migration. The Leavens family consisted of four daughters and five sons, as listed below:

Sarah (1775-1892), m. Cornelius Palmer
Mary (1777-1841), m. James Barker
Catherine (1781-1858), m. Enoch Cronk
Deborah (Abt 1783-?), Martinus van Blaricom
Benjamin (1786-?), m. Dency Huyck
Peter (1789-1843), m. Delinda Burlingham
Eliphalet (1791-1880), m. Deborah Rogers
William (1794-?), m. Margaret Hummiston
James (1797-1875), m. Elizabeth Gunter.

Joseph continued his role as a Quaker Preacher within the Hicksite Quaker Branch in Canada, which was named after Elias Hicks. The Hicksite Quakers diverged from orthodox Quaker beliefs, emphasizing the "Inner Light" as the primary source of truth rather than the Bible, challenging the prevailing orthodoxy.

Joseph Leavens' death, recorded in the Quaker Meeting Records of the West Lake Monthly Meeting Register, occurred around May 24, 1844, in Bloomfield, Prince Edward County, Ontario. His obituary in the Picton Sun commemorates him as a venerable figure, noting his role as one of the early settlers in the Canadian forest and his migration from New York State. Despite considering himself possessed of only one talent, Leavens dedicated himself to his Maker's glory, leaving behind a legacy of diligent reading of the sacred volume and gospel labors. His death at 92 was met with expressions of love and respect from neighbors and friends, underscoring the impact of his religious and communal contributions. Joseph Leavens' marriage to Phoebe Atwill on January 1, 1775, in Nine Partners, Dutchess County, New York, further highlights his roots and connections to the Quaker community, with Phoebe sharing his commitment to the Society of Friends/Orthodox Quaker beliefs. Phoebe's death in 1842 in Bloomfield, Prince Edward County, Ontario, marked the conclusion of a shared journey for the Leavens family, as they continued to play a vital role in shaping the Quaker landscape in Canada.
Joseph Leavens was born on February 5, 1754, to Peter Leavens (1707-1776) and Catherine Caston (1722-1809) at Nine Partners, Dutchess County, New York. He married Phebe Atwill on 1 Jan 1775 at Nine Partners, Dutchess County, New York.

Joseph played a multifaceted role in his lifetime as a school teacher in Dutchess County before 1798 and later as a Quaker Preacher of the Hicksite Quaker branch. He was not only a spiritual leader but also a participant in the Revolutionary War, earning recognition from the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.: Patriot of the US Revolutionary War. SAR.org: Patriot #P-234439, DAR.org: Ancestor #A068178). Leavens' history is intertwined with the early settlement of Canada, as he became an emigrant from New York and a pioneer in the Canadian forest.

According to the "History of the Province of Ontario (Upper Canada)," Joseph Leavens was a highly esteemed preacher within the Hicksite branch of Quakers. Known for traveling extensively to converse with fellow believers, he held preaching sessions in a loft of his brother's store in Belleville. A trailblazer in spreading Quakerism in Canada, Leavens traversed various townships at the Bay and East Lake, contributing to establishing and growing the Quaker community in the region.

Leavens moved to Canada in 1798 with his wife, following his occupation as a school teacher in Dutchess County. All of his children were born in New York state before the family's migration. The Leavens family consisted of four daughters and five sons, as listed below:

Sarah (1775-1892), m. Cornelius Palmer
Mary (1777-1841), m. James Barker
Catherine (1781-1858), m. Enoch Cronk
Deborah (Abt 1783-?), Martinus van Blaricom
Benjamin (1786-?), m. Dency Huyck
Peter (1789-1843), m. Delinda Burlingham
Eliphalet (1791-1880), m. Deborah Rogers
William (1794-?), m. Margaret Hummiston
James (1797-1875), m. Elizabeth Gunter.

Joseph continued his role as a Quaker Preacher within the Hicksite Quaker Branch in Canada, which was named after Elias Hicks. The Hicksite Quakers diverged from orthodox Quaker beliefs, emphasizing the "Inner Light" as the primary source of truth rather than the Bible, challenging the prevailing orthodoxy.

Joseph Leavens' death, recorded in the Quaker Meeting Records of the West Lake Monthly Meeting Register, occurred around May 24, 1844, in Bloomfield, Prince Edward County, Ontario. His obituary in the Picton Sun commemorates him as a venerable figure, noting his role as one of the early settlers in the Canadian forest and his migration from New York State. Despite considering himself possessed of only one talent, Leavens dedicated himself to his Maker's glory, leaving behind a legacy of diligent reading of the sacred volume and gospel labors. His death at 92 was met with expressions of love and respect from neighbors and friends, underscoring the impact of his religious and communal contributions. Joseph Leavens' marriage to Phoebe Atwill on January 1, 1775, in Nine Partners, Dutchess County, New York, further highlights his roots and connections to the Quaker community, with Phoebe sharing his commitment to the Society of Friends/Orthodox Quaker beliefs. Phoebe's death in 1842 in Bloomfield, Prince Edward County, Ontario, marked the conclusion of a shared journey for the Leavens family, as they continued to play a vital role in shaping the Quaker landscape in Canada.


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