Sarah (Sally) Shannon

Sarah Shannon was born in 1766 in Chester Rockingham, NH, the daughter of Thomas Shannon and Ann Rand.

Sarah married Jeremiah Leavitt in 1784. In about 1800 Sarah and Jeremiah along with their children, left New Hamshire along with other Leavitt family members and moved to Sherbrooke County, Quebec, which is near the town of Hatley. At that time the land was cheap and they could take up homesteads. They cleared the land and built housing.

They burned the hardwood trees, that they didn't use and carefully saved the ashes and processed them to sell as pearl ash, which was shipped to Montreal and then London to be used in soda soap and potash. They also sold corn and potatoes.

Education was a big problem in Hatley so they built a school house in 1804. The children walked four miles to school and their only books were the Bible, a reader and a speller.

Unfortunately the family had lived there only a short time, when Jeremiah suddenly died 1806 in Stanstead, Quebec, Canada. He was only 46 and is buried in the Leavitt Cemetery at Hatley, Quebec, Canada.

Sarah at 41 years of age became a widow, but with the help of her older children, her son Weare was now 21 years of age, they were able to survive through this crisis. The family survived and grew, then in the early 1830s Hannah Leavitt Sarah's daughter discovered the LDS religion (Mormon Church). She spred the word among her family and Sarah Shannon and her Daughter in law, Sarah Sturdevant became believer and convinced the rest of the Leavitt Family to leave Hatley and join the saints in Kirkland, OH. The Leavitt Family prepared the move and were dedicated to leave for Kirkland OH together.

After week and months of preparation on 20 July 1837, Seven wagons pulled out together. They all understood that they may not be able to stay together long and each family would manage the best they could, with the goal of all arriving at Twelve Mile Grove. This was a journey of 650 miles to Kirkland and another 350 miles to Twelve Mile Grove.

The wagons consisted of the following occupants:

Wagon #1 was the wagon of Frank Chamberlain and wife Rebecca Leavitt. Since this was the best outfit on the road, it to the lead and included the Chamberlain's five children and Sarah Shannon Leavitt age 72.

Wagon #2 Betsy Leavitt and her husband, James Adams along with their three very young children.

Wagon #3 Hannah Leavitt and her husband Horace Fish and their three chilcren.

The first three wagon traveled together and arrived in Joliet IL on Sept 19, 1837.

Note: The dates that I am using is coming from family history and they are probably incorrect. What we can say is the family left Hatley and arrived in Twelve Mile Grove during the period of 1835-1838.

Wagon #4 Weare Leavitt and his wife Phoebe Cowles and seven children, three children were from Weare's first wife. They arrived one day later behind the first three wagons.

Wagon #5 John Leavitt and his wife Lucy Rowell and their six young children. History stated they arrived at their destination in good time but we are not sure where their destination. Their is no evidence they made it to Kirkland, if they did they back tracked to settle in Burton OH.

Wagon #6 Nathaniel Leavitt and his second wife, Betsy Jane Bean with six children, 3 sons from Nathaniel's first wife. Nathaniel grew ill and died in St. Joseph County, IN and his wife became discouraged and returned to Canada with her three children. The three older children from Nathaniel's fiirst wife, became ill and were left behind. About a year later they were found by their uncle Jeremiah II and were joined with their family.

Wagon #7 Jeremiah II Leavitt and his wife Sarah Sturdevant and their four children. It appears that Jeremiah's family settled about ten miles from Kirtland while the rest of the family continued on to Twelve Mile Grove. This is when they found Nathaniel Leavitt's three orphaned boys.

Even though the remaining Leavitt family had bought good farms at Twelve Mile Grove, the region suffered much marlari and many became disheartened and many died before their final destination in Utah.

The following members of Jeremiah Leavitt and Sarah Shannon's family died before reaching the Salt Lake Valley.

Sarah Shannon died in 1838-40 at Twelve Mile Grove, Adams, IL.

The following Leavitts died before reaching Utah:

Sarah Shannon Leavitt died and was buried at Twelve Mile Grove.

Weare's oldest son Jeremiah (age 22) died and is buried at Twelve Mile Grove.

Nathaniel died near Lake Michigan, St. Joseph, IN.

Jeremiah II son of Sarah Shannon died along the Trail in Iowa in 1846.

John Leavitt son of Sarah Shannon died in Cambria MI in 1852.