Judge Leverett M. Hubbard, who passed away on the 7th of December, 1906, was termed the foremost citizen of Wallingford, a position which he held not only by reason of his ability as a lawyer and business man but also owing to the fact that his uniform courtesy, his kindly nature and his public spirit gave him high rank in the circles of friendship and of citizenship. He was born on the 23d of April, 1849, in Durham. Connecticut, and was a son of the Rev. Eli and Georgiana (Leach) Hubbard. After acquiring a public school educa-tion in his native town he continued his studies in Wilbraham Academy and afterward became a student in the Wesleyan College, in which he won his Master of Arts degree. He prepared for the bar as a student in the Albany Law School at Albany, New York, and after his graduation there with the class of 1870 continued his law reading under the direction of the late Hon. Charles Ives of New Haven.

Judge Hubbard established his home in Wallingford in August, 1870, and began practicing at the bar of New Haven county. No dreary novitiate awaited him. While advancement at the bar is proverbially slow, he soon won recognition by reason of the thoroughness with which he prepared his cases and his clear and concise reasoning before the courts. He practiced in partnership with Morris W. Tyler from 1874 until 1877 and was later associated with John W. Ailing and E. P. Arvine. In addition to his law practice he figured prominently in financial circles. He became one of the promoters of the First National Bank of Wallingford and on its organization in 1881 was elected to the directorate, while for many years he served as its vice president. He was also a director of the Dime Savings Bank of Wallingford from 1884 until his death, was its vice president from 1890 until 1894 and was then elected to the presidency, so continuing until his demise. He was likewise one of the incorporators of the Wallingford Gas Light Company, of which he continuously served as a director until 1899, when he severed his connection with that corporation.

Judge Hubbard was one of the stalwart leaders of the republican party in New Haven county and in its tanks his opinions carried large weight. He was appointed postmaster of Wallingford by President Grant in 1872 and by reappointment was continued in that position until 1885, when following the accession of a democratic president, he resigned with three years of his last term to serve. He was elected to various public offices on the party ticket, was a member of the board of school visitors from 1S74 until his death, was justice of the peace from 1878 until 1881 and was borough attorney and counsel for the town almost uninterruptedly after 1870. With the establishment of a borough court in 1886 he was appointed to the position of judge through the unanimous vote of the state legislature and was reelected at each successive term until 1897, when he retired from that position, having been elected by the general assembly judge of the court of common pleas for New Haven county. He remained upon the common pleas bench until 1905, making a most excellent record in that position. In 1886 he was unanimously nominated for secretary of state by the republican party and led his ticket at the election. While serving in that office there was prepared and published the first comprehensive "Register and Manual for the State of Connecticut," on which all subsequent editions have been modeled. He was frequently called upon for campaign service and did active work for his party in that connection in every campaign from 1876. He was a thorough student of political questions and his arguments were based, therefore, upon a comprehensive understanding of the points which he discussed. He was made a delegate to the republican national convention in Chicago in 1888, when Benjamin Harrison was nominated for the presidency.

In May, 1873, Judge Hubbard was united in marriage to Miss Florence G. Ives, of Wallingford, and they became the parents of three sons and a daughter: Samuel, living in Wallingford; Leverett M. and Kenneth D., of East Orange, New Jersey; and Mrs. Frank Bacon Hancock, of Philadelphia. Judge and Mrs. Hubbard held membership in the First Congregational church, in the work of which he took an active and helpful part, filling a number of its official positions. The cause of education ever found in him a stalwart champion and in 1881 he was elected a trustee of the Wesleyan Academy at Wilbraham, Massachusetts, in which position he continued up to the time of his death. He possessed notable oratorical power, being an eloquent, earnest and convincing speaker. Every cause for good found in him a champion, every movement for the public welfare an earnest supporter. Prominent as he was in the public life of the community and of the state, it is said that his best traits of character were reserved for his own fireside and that he was an ideal husband and father. Governor Woodruff at the time of his death expressed a general sentiment when he said: "The death of Judge Hubbard is a distinct loss to the community. He was a man of fine ability and a lovable character. He was the soul of courtesy and good nature. His public speeches at political conventions and elsewhere were gems of oratory. He had a marvelous command of the English language." Even those who opposed him politically entertained for him the highest respect, knowing the integrity of his opinions and of his character.