Levi Brackett Leavitt

In memory of Bracket, son of Thomas & Hannah Leavitt ,the first who died of the spotted fever in Pittsfield Feb'y 8th 1813, in his 11th year.

His full name was Levi Brackett Leavitt, born on 18 Feb 1802, perhaps in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, where his birth date was recorded. The circumstances aren't clear as to why he was in Pittsfield, NH during that dreadful winter of 1813 - was he just visiting his uncle Brackett? Had his father Thomas also moved to Pittsfield, albeit only for a brief time?

A sign in front of the Old Meeting House Cemetery mentions that, among the dead buried here, were "over a dozen children who died in the Spotted Fever Epidemic of 1813".

On Find a Grave, there are 18 individuals [listed here], mostly children, who have an 1813 death date, though most of their stones don't give a cause of death.

The Concord Gazette, on 6 March 1813, wrote that there had been about 120 cases within 20 days, and 13 deaths in Pittsfield. When the disease first broke out, the town quickly organized a committee to help with the sick, bringing in doctors from out of town, and raising $200 for procuring medicine, wine, etc to aid the sick. The elder Brackett Leavitt (uncle of the above youngster) was among the townsmen in the committee who praised the work of the doctors, in a card dated Feb. 27th, 1813. The fever, though, wasn't yet through with the town, and many still perished, including Mr. Leavitt himself, in May of 1813.  

from the New Hampshire Patriot, Feb 23, 1813

For more Pittsfield, New Hampshire grave photos, see their own page HERE.