Malinda Minion Leavitt

Malinda Minion was born 22 April 1838. At the time of her endowments, she stated her birthplace as being Pulaski, Jackson County, Michigan. Her parents were Clarissa Kern and Isaac Minion. She was their first child in a family of six, two sisters and three brothers.

It is known that when Malinda was growing up she lived in Homer and Claredon, Calhoun County, Michigan, and in Pulaski, Jackson County, Michigan. After her marriage her father traded a farm in Pulaski for one in Jamestown, Ottawa County, Michigan, and evidently he operated some type of a store. Her parents evidently moved about quite a bit. One record claims she was born in Jonesville, Hillsdale County, Michigan, but no formal record has been found to prove this. Family tradition claims that she and her husband graduated from the University of Michigan, but when an inquiry was sent there, they had no record of either one having graduated from the university.. There is a possibility that they may have graduated from the Hillsdale College, which was near where they lived, but the school suffered two fires and the early records are missing. Some other colleges were contacted to see if they graduated from them, but all reported they had no record of either one graduating. They were evidentially well educated, as they both taught school in Farmington, Davis County, Utah, and in Ogden, Weber County, Utah.

Malinda was 20 years old when she married John Quincy Leavitt in Pulaski, Jackson County, Michigan on 21 May 1858, and on 29 May 1858 she was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She must have had a willing spirit to move to Utah right after her marriage. , She left her family, none of who joined the church; but they seemed always to be interested in her well-being, for when she died, the grand- parents asked to take Ida. the little girl, to raise her so she would not be in such a wild country.

John and Malinda Leavitt arrived in Ogden, Weber County, and lived there a while. Later they moved to Farmington, Davis County, Utah. She served in the Relief Society in Farmington. She was an attractive woman, as her picture portrays her. She was also a fine seamstress. She used her wedding dress to make baby clothes for her children.

Her first child, Elmer Brigham Leavitt, was born in Council Bluff, Iowa on 19 February 1859. John Julian Leavitt was born in Ogden on 13 October 1861. Ida Josephine Leaavitt was born 3 February 1863 in Farmington, Davis County, Utah.

Malinda and John were sealed in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City 5 March 1864. Malinda was teaching school in 1868-69, and a Cynthia Elmer was living with them.

Tradition ways Malinda contracted measles and became very ill even unto death. Her concern was for the care of her small children. She asked John to marry Cynthia so she could care for the children. Malinda died 9 March 1869 in Farmington, Davis County, Utah, and is buried in the cemetery in Farmington.

John Q. Leavitt married Cynthia Elmer 16 August 1869 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. Utah.