BIO: Fred B. LEAVY, Clearfield County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Sally Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/swoope/swoope.htm _____________________________________________________________ From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr., Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 898 & 899. _____________________________________________________________ FRED B. LEAVY,* proprietor of an undertaking establishment, is also engaged in the coal and livery business at Clearfield, Pa., and has been a lifelong resident of Clearfield County. He was born December 20, 1877, in Clearfield, Pa., a son of Augustus B. and Martha (Merrill) Leavy. Hugh Leavy, grandfather of our subject, was a native of County Donegal, Ireland, and was one of the pioneers of Clearfield County, Pa. His cousin, Father Leavy, was a priest, and traveled through this circuit, and it was he who asked Hugh Leavy to come here and build the Roman Catholic Church. It was a brick building and the first Catholic Church erected in this section of the country. Hugh Leavy married Sarah Wrigley, who was born in Lawrence township, Clearfield County, Pa., and they reared a family of seven boys and two girls, all now deceased. Augustus Leavy was born and reared in Clearfield County, Pa., and was the second eldest of the nine children born to his parents. He spent his boyhood on his father's farm and later with his brother James engaged extensively in the lumber business, having been members of the well known firm of Leavy, Mitchell & Company. He and his brothers also ran the old stage for a time. Mr. Leavy married Martha Merrill, who was a daughter of William and Rebecca (Reed) Merrill, and to them were born eight children: Lillian; William J.; Hugh, deceased; Rebecca, who married Edward Ditmer of Indiana, Pa.; Fred Bernard, our subject; Mary Catherine; and Cecil P. Mr. Leavy died September 9, 1910, and is still survived by his widow, who is the only surviving member of her family. Fred Bernard Leavy was educated in the local schools of Clearfield, and in 1897 formed a partnership with his uncle James L. Leavy, with whom he established an undertaking and coal business. After the death of his uncle on June 20, 1903, he became sole owner of the business and in 1907 graduated from the Pittsburg School of Embalming, and the following year from the H. S. Eckles School of Embalming of Philadelphia. Mr. Leavy has his office and residence on the corner of Second and Cherry streets, and owns his own funeral cars. He is fraternally a Mason; and belongs to the B. P. O. E.; M. O. O. L.; I. O. O. F.; K. G. E.; O. U. A. M., and is religiously a member of the Presbyterian church.