Mrs. Hattie French Leavitt (d. ca1929), Sanford, Seminole County, Florida

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MRS. H. F. LEAVITT, PIONEER CITIZEN DIED LAST NIGHT.
RESIDENT OF SANFORD FOR FIFTY YEARS IS DEAD AT AGE 69.

Death last night claimes Mrs. Hattie French Leavitt, 69, resident of Sanford for 
50 years and one of its earliest pioneer citizens. The end came at 11:30 o'clock 
at her home, 317 W. Third St., following an attack of acute indigestion Tuesday night.

For three or four months Mrs. Leavitt had been in ill health, a fall from her porch 
earlier in the year being described as one of the contributing causes. Prior to that 
time she had been in excellent health and unusually active for her years. Mrs. Leavitt 
came to Florida at the age of 19. With her parents she lived a short time at Orange City 
and then moved to Mellonville and later settled in Sanford where she spent the remainder 
of her life. Her husband, W. F. Leavitt preceded her in death three years ago.

Born Sept. 5, 1860 in Redwood, N.Y. Mrs. Leavitt was the daughter of Harriet Guyot 
French and Dr. Seth French whose name was linked prominently with the earlier history of 
Mellonville and Sanford, and for whom French Avenue was named. In her earlier childhood, 
she moved with her parents to Eau Claire, Wisconsin and received her education at Ferry 
Hall, a girls' boarding school at Lake Forest, Ill. and came to Florida. Mrs. Leavitt's 
father founded what is now Orange City and it was there she married Mr. Leavitt in 1879. 
Moving to Mellonville and later to Sanford, Mrs. Leavitt entered actively into the life 
of the community. She was a charter member of the Sanford Woman's Club and member of the 
Presbyterian Church. Loved and respected by all who knew her, Mrs. Leavitt leaves a wide 
circle of friends who were shocked to learn of her untimely death. The deceased leaves two 
daughters; Mrs. Frances Hayman and Mrs. J. E. Terwilleger both of Sanford; son William A. 
Leavitt of Sanford; sister Mrs. Adele Lane of Batavia, Ill.; a brother, A.V. French of 
Sanford and six grandchildren: Mrs. P. R. (Helen) Stephenson, Harriet Hayman, and Harry, 
Eugene, John and James Terwilleger all of Sanford. Funeral services will be held Saturday 
afternoon at 4 o'clock from the home with Dr. E. D. Brownlee pastor of the Presbyterian 
Church officiating. Interment will follow in Lake View cemetery.