Genealogy in Franklin County, Massachusetts
Town of Leverett

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Information

Leverett lies in the south-central part of Franklin County and is roughly bounded by Montague on the north, Wendell on the northeast, Shutesbury on the east and south, Amherst (in Hampshire County) on the south, and Sunderland on the west. Leverett was organized March 5, 1774 from part of Sunderland.

In 1874, Elias Nason described the town of Leverett as follows:

Leverett

is a mountainous town, having some fine scenery, 180 dwelling-houses, and 877 inhabitants, in the southerly part of Franklin County, and 106 miles west of Boston. It lies in the form of a rhombus, or lozenge; and has Montague on the north, Shutesbury on the east, this and Amherst on the south, and Sunderland (from which it was taken) on the west. It was incorporated May [i.e., Mar.] 5, 1774; and named from John Leverett, president of Harvard University. Among its minerals are found galena (sulphuret of lead), heavy spar, blende, and copper pyrites.

A dashing stream, appropriately name "Roaring Brook," having a very beautiful cascade, runs through the south-east corner of the town, receiving a branch which comes down from the Centre; and Saw-mill River, running through North Leverett, gives valuable motive-power. The number of farms is 121; yet more than 5,000 acres of land are unimproved. Tobacco is extensively cultivated. The town has one pail and one satinet factory, nine saw and two grist mills. The postal centres are Leverett and North Leverett.

It has seven school-districts; a Baptist church at North Leverett, of which the Rev. E. N. Jencks is pastor; and a Congregational church at South Leverett, of which the Rev. James Shurtleff is pastor.

It has a town-hall, but no town-library or soldiers' monument. The Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad passes through the westerly portion of the town. A church was first organized here in 1734, and the Rev. Henry Williams chosen pastor; he, dying in 1811, was succeeded the next year by the Rev. Joel Wright.

The valuation is $335,055; and the rate of taxation, $1.76 per $100.

"The oldest house in North Leverett," writes a correspondent in 1873, "has just been taken down, It was built by Capt. Sparrow in 1748,--125 years ago. Many of the timbers were found perfectly sound. It was for many years the residence of Major Richard Montague of Revolutionary fame, and one of Ethan Allen's assistants in the taking of For Ticonderoga, and subsequently for many years the headquarters of the few Baptists in those parts, then suffering under the intolerance of the unjust religious laws. The major had a stentorian voice; and, it was said, could read so that a whole brigade could hear. One could easily believe that the timbers of this old house rang as the major thundered forth his indignation against religious intolerance, especially just after he had on one occasion been arrested, and conveyed six miles towards jail; when the constable, thinking of a surer way, left him, and levied upon, and sold, a fat pig to pay the obnoxious 'minister tax.'"

(Source: Nason, Elias, 1811-1887. A gazetteer of the state of Massachusetts : with numerous illustrations on wood and steel / by Elias Nason. -- Boston : B.B. Russell, 1874. -- p. 293)

Online Genealogical Resources

The following resources may provide information useful in researching Leverett families.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Bibliography

The following bibliography lists sources that may be useful in researching the genealogy and history of families that have lived in the Leverett area. The bibliography is arranged by subject category and alphabetically by author and title within each category. Information on library holdings is recorded in the box following each citation. For published items, only holdings of libraries profiled on the Archives and Libraries page are given when known. For unpublished and other rare sources, any library known to hold the item is listed. Many of the items listed here are also available at other libraries and research centers in New England, New York, and elsewhere.

Original records and other items microfilmed by the LDS Family History Library (also known as the Genealogical Society of Utah) are also listed below. These microfiches and microfilms are available via interlibrary loan through the LDS family history centers. Make a note of the microfiche or microfilm reel number(s) needed in order to place a request at one of the LDS family history centers.

Church History

• Andrews, Erastus.
  A historical discourse delivered at the Baptist Meeting-House at N. Leveret[t], on August 18th, 1847 : in commemoration of the eightieth anniversary of the Baptist Church of Leverett and Montague / by Erastus Andrews. -- Amherst [Mass.] : J.S. & C. Adams, Printers, 1847.
  24 p.
  
  

  Holdings:



• Field, Ruth.
  History of the First Congregational Church of Leverett, 1774-1979 / by Ruth and Edward L. Field, Sr. ; edited by Dorothy Stockwell and Annette Gibavic. -- [S.l. : s.n., 1979?]
  64 p.
  
  

  Holdings: LDS Family History Library



• Griffith, Helen.
  History of the Mount Toby Friends Meeting / Helen Griffith. -- Leverett, MA : The Meeting, [1989?]
  43 p.
  
  

  Holdings:

Church Records

• Congregational Church (Leverett, Mass.)
  Church records, 1784-1860. -- Salt Lake City : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1972.
  1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm.
  Microfilm of original records in Greenfield, Massachusetts.
  Contains records of meetings, baptisms, marriages, deaths, and lists of members.
  
  

  Holdings: LDS Family History Library (LDS FHL microfilm number 0886712)



• Hartwell, John.
  Pastor's record book kept by Rev. John Hartwell : Leverett, Massachusetts, 1859-1863; Becket, Massachusetts, 1864-1870; Southbury, Massachusetts, 1872-1878 / ... kept by Rev. John Hartwell. -- Salt Lake City : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1954.
  1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm.
  Microfilm of original manuscript filmed at the Connecticut State Library in Hartford, Connecticut.
  Also on title page: Sermons, 1870-1878; lectures and essays, 1867-1877; occasional exercises, 1863-1873; prayer meetings, 1870-1878; members received during pastorate in: Leverett, Massachusetts, 1859-1863, Beckett, Massachusetts, 1864-1870, Southbury, Connecticut, 1872-1878; infant baptisms, 1860-1877; marriages, 1859-1878; funerals, 1858-1878.
  
  

  Holdings: LDS Family History Library (LDS FHL microfilm number 0014772)

History

• A history of Leverett, Massachusetts, 1774-1974. -- [Leverett, Mass.] : Leverett Bicentennial Committee, 1974 (Northampton, Mass. : Gazette Printing)
  126 p. : ill., facsim., ports.
  
  

  Holdings: LDS Family History Library



• Leverett, the community / prepared by Georgene and William Bramlage ; with contributions from Jane Davis ... [et al.] ; introduction by Forrest Glazier Briggs. -- [Leverett, Mass. : Leverett Historical Society, 1974?]
  44 p. : ill., maps.
  "Leverett 200."--Cover.
  
  

  Holdings: LDS Family History Library



• Smith, John Montague, b. 1825.
  History of the town of Sunderland, Massachusetts, 1673-1899 : which originally embraced within its limits the present towns of Montague and Leverett / by John Montague Smith ; with genealogies prepared by Henry W. Taft and Abbie T. Montague. -- Greenfield, Mass. : Press of E.A. Hall & Co., 1899.
  xii, 684 p. : ill., facsims., maps, ports.
  Supplemented by: History of the town of Sunderland, Massachusetts, 1899-1954.
  Includes indexes.
  Contents: History of Sunderland / by J.M. Smith -- Family genealogies / by H.W. Taft and A.T. Montague -- Index, persons mentioned in history -- Index to names of persons mentioned in appendix -- Appendix, Sunderland village in 1825-30 / by H.W. Taft. -- Indian wars -- Occupations of our grandmothers / by Fanny M. Stockbridge and Charles Harding.
  
  

  Holdings: LDS Family History Library (in paper and on microfilm, LDS FHL microfilm number 0886461)

  
  Reprint. Boston, Mass. : New England Historic Genealogical Society, [1988?]
  
  

  Holdings:

Maps

• Sunderland and Leverett. -- Scale ca. 1:39,600. -- [S.l. : s.n., 185-]
  1 map ; 36 x 55 cm.
  Relief shown by hachures.
  Oriented with north towards right.
  Shows residences and landownership.
  Includes insets of Sunderland Village, North Leverett, South Leverett and Leverett Centre with business directories of Sunderland and Leverett.
  
  

  Holdings:

Tax Records

• Leverett (Mass.). Town Clerk.
  Tax records, 1837-1851. -- Salt Lake City : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1972.
  2 microfilm reels ; 35 mm.
  Microfilm of original records in Leverett, Massachusetts.
  
  

  Part titles, etc.	Dates	LDS FHL microfilm numbers
  Property valuations and taxes	1837-1851	0886711
  Property valuations and taxes	1831-1839	0886713

  
  

  Holdings: LDS Family History Library (for LDS FHL microfilm numbers, see the table above)

Town Records

• Leverett (Mass.). Town Clerk.
  Town records, 1727-1916. -- Salt Lake City : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1972.
  2 microfilm reels ; 35 mm.
  Microfilm of original records in Leverett, Massachusetts.
  
  

  Part titles, etc.	Dates	LDS FHL microfilm numbers
  Records of town meetings, proprietors' records, mortgages, bills of sale, and some intentions marriage	17l7-1888	0886467
  Records of town meetings and town financial records	1842-1916	0886468

  
  

  Holdings: LDS Family History Library (for LDS FHL microfilm numbers, see the table above)

Vital Records

• Leverett (Mass.). Town Clerk.
  Massachusetts vital records to 1850 ff [sic]. Leverett, 1736-1890. -- Oxford, Mass. : Holbrook Research Institute, 1983.
  10 microfiches.
  ISBN 0-9312-4856-6.
  
  

  Holdings:



• Leverett (Mass.). Town Clerk.
  Vital records, 1705-1900. -- Salt Lake City : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1972, 1993.
  2 microfilm reels ; 35 mm.
  Microfilm of original records in Leverett, Massachusetts.
  Also contains some miscellaneous town records such as, deeds, mortgages, etc.
  Includes index.
  
  

  Part titles, etc.	Dates	LDS FHL microfilm numbers
  Births, marriages, intentions of marriage, and deaths	1705-1843	0767314
  Births	1844-1862	1887526
  Marriages	1844-1858
  Deaths	1844-1861
  Births	1862-1900
  Marriages	1859-1900
  Deaths	1862-1900

  
  

  Holdings: LDS Family History Library (for LDS FHL microfilm numbers, see the table above)

General Information

The following resources may provide useful information on the Leverett town area.

• Franklin County Chamber of Commerce - Town Profiles - Leverett

  Includes current information on Leverett as well as a brief history of the town.

Related Pages

• Genealogy in Franklin County, Massachusetts

• Genealogy in Franklin County, Massachusetts - Town of ...

  Ashfield | Bernardston | Buckland | Charlemont | Colrain | Conway | Deerfield | Erving | Gill | Greenfield | Hawley | Heath | Leyden | Monroe | Montague | New Salem | Northfield | Orange | Rowe | Shelburne | Shutesbury | Sunderland | Warwick | Wendell | Whately