John Hooker Leavitt

Who was John Hooker Leavitt?

John Hooker Leavitt was an early banker and Iowa state senator who was born at Heath, Massachusetts, but who later moved westward to Iowa in search of fortune.

John H. Leavitt was the son of Col. Roger Hooker Leavitt, a businessman, politician and noted Massachusetts abolitionist. Young Leavitt studied civil engineering, and early in his career was contracted by John Roebling, the builder of the Brooklyn Bridge, to survey a large tract of land. Having gained some measure of confidence in his abilities, Leavitt struck out for the west in 1854, reaching Dubuque, Iowa, where he remained for less than a year before settling at Waterloo, Iowa.

While in Dubuque, Leavitt married Caroline Clark Ware of Granville, Illinois. Shortly after his move to Waterloo, the young engineer decided on a change of career, and became a banker. Within a decade he founded his own private banking firm.

Several years later, on the admission of a new partner, the sole proprietorship of Leavitt's bank necessitated a change of name to Leavitt & Lusch. Subsequently, on the addition of another partner, the bank became known as Leavitt, Johnson & Lusch. On the retirement of partner A. T.