Almon C. Leavitt of Laconia, NH

"Curtis Leavitt - Laconia" is written on the back of this photograph, in modern handwriting, copied from a photo album that contained over 40 images. They included several LEAVITT people, all members of the Almon Curtis Leavitt family.

​The son of Andrew B. and Eunice (Kelley) Leavitt, "A. C. Leavitt" was born in Washington, Vermont on 21 Jan 1831 [Descendants of Samuel Leavitt, pg 103/132]. He moved first with his family to Carroll, New Hampshire, later moving to Gilford by 1850, before settling in Laconia around 1853. He was station agent (depot master) for the Boston, Concord and Montreal Railroad (aka the Boston and Lowell RR, White Mountain Division, later part of the Boston & Maine), his home nearby on Pleasant Street.

1892 Laconia, NH map, with A.C. Leavitt's properties in yellow. "L.F." Busiel was father of Lucy, who married Almon's son George.

With son George Russell Leavitt, they also ran a coal, wood, hay and lumber company, "A. C. Leavitt & Son", in the 1880's. George would later become a banker, working in Boston, while Almon went into retirement. His home, at 121 Pleasant St in Laconia, still stands today (2019), overlooking the rail lines where he had worked forty plus years. 

1911 Laconia map, showing house at 121 Pleasant Street

Almon belonged to the "I.O.O.F.", Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and filled several officer positions at their Lodge in Laconia. He was also a selectman for the city (in 1871), and was a trustee of the Gilford Academy.

Mr. Leavitt died at his home on the 28th of March 1913, aged 82 yrs, and was buried in Union Cemetery, Laconia, on the 31st. His widow, Mary Freeman (Russell) Leavitt, removed to Malden, MA after her husband's death, and lived with daughter Lizzie, where she died in 1915.

The intersection of Pleasant and New Salem Streets, from Google Street View, Oct 2018

Notes:
1850 Gilford, Belknap, NH: hh 447/497; "Curtis A", clerk, liv at hotel
1860 Laconia, Belknap, NH census (pg 72): hh 612/595; A.C. "depot master"
1870 Laconia, NH census (pg 19): hh 113/137; Almon C., "station agent"
1880 Laconia, NH census (pg 4 ): hh 37/49; Almon a coal dealer
1900 Laconia census (pg 3A): hh 54/60; 121 Pleasant, owned home, free of mortgage
1910 Laconia census (pg 25A)
Laconia City Dir: 1884 (17 Pleasant, old street #), 1895 (now #121), 1897
Belknap County Deeds (full view on Family Search); 1858 looks like earliest deed in Laconia; Almon (sometimes w/ son George) has at least two dozen listed deeds, many wood lots for lumber
Find a Grave entry for Almon: [memorial #106077534]
1888 testimony by A.C. Leavitt (in railroad lawsuit between the BC&M and B&M Railroads), in which he states his work history w/ the railyard
2019 Laconia Tax Assessor [for 121 Pleasant]; home listed as being built in 1885