Leavitts Arrive In Twelve-Mile Grove, Illinois 1837

Weare and the other Leavitt families are reported to have arrived at Twelve-Mile Grove on September 19, 1837. They obviously decided or were counseled to stay in Illinois until the Missouri conflicts were resolved. The Leavitt families bought farms in the area and also worked at any job that was available to meet their families' needs. The rich soil brought forth abundant crops. They were also building a canal in nearby Joliet. Lyman D. Platt reports that Wilton Township was first settled by white men about 1832. The area was previously an Indian reservation. The grove was said to have been one of the finest tracts of timber in Northern Illinois and was full of deer, wild turkeys and other game. Unfortunately, the area was also a sickly place to live with the potential for fever and ague.

Sarah Sturtevant Leavitt reports that they were not able to join the family at Twelve-Mile Grove until the next year in November, 1838. As Jeremiah II's family traveled to Illinois, they found Nathaniel's three older children abandoned in St. Joseph County, Indiana, and brought them with their own family to Twelve-Mile Grove. When they arrived at Twelve-Mile Grove, they found the rest of the family very discouraged because of death and sickness. Mother Sarah Shannon Leavitt had passed away. Genealogy records indicate that her death occurred in 1839/40; however, Sarah Sturtevant Leavitt's record is probably more reliable and reports her death as occurring before November, 1838. She also reports that Weare's oldest son had passed away and that Weare was very sick with a cancer. Weare's oldest son was Jeremiah who was about 22 years of age. It is undoubtedly this son that Sarah was referring to in her autobiography. Some family historians have thought this might have been Weare's son, Charles, but he stayed with the family for many years after this date.

Unfortunately, Weare passed away on March 3, 1839, and was buried along with his son, Jeremiah, at Twelve-Mile Grove. Weare Leavitt was a noble father and son. He had given a lifetime of service to his parent's family as well as his own. His courage, industry, and integrity, and above all, his faith in God, provided his family with a heritage and legacy that would bless their lives throughout eternity. With Weare's passing, this left Phoebe to care for her young family which now included Weare's older daughter, Charlotte, as well as her own children, Charles, George, Emeline, and four-year old Louisa.

Sarah Sturtevant Leavitt records that the family had not had any contact from the Mormon Church since they left Kirkland. Their discouragement because of death and sickness had taken its toll on the family. With the coming of Sarah and Jeremiah II the whole family renewed their commitment to the gospel and were rejuvenated by their testimonies. She records that they got together every week and had prayer meeting in which all of the family participated. As soon as the Mormons got settled in Nauvoo they sent Mormon Elders to many Midwestern towns to visit, hold meetings with members, and perform missionary work among non-members. Two of Phoebe's children are reported to have been baptized while the family was at Twelve-Mile Grove. Emeline's baptism is recorded as occurring in 1842 at the age of 9 or 10. Family histories indicate that George's baptism was performed while the family was in Wilton by an Elder George G. Jones (or Jenson or Johnson) on March 16, 1844. However, a church census indicates that Phoebe and her children were in Nauvoo by 1842, so the baptismal year for George probably occurred in 1842 as well. As the Missionaries visited these outlying areas they encouraged all members to come to the new gathering place being established in Nauvoo, Illinois.