Blazo-Leavitt House
Encyclopedia
The Blazo-Leavitt House is a large two-story white-clapboard mansion built in Parsonsfield, Maine
, in 1812.
, the home is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Blazo-Leavitt house has five large brick chimneys. The home also boasts elaborately carved and pillared entrances with leaded glass fans and sidelights, panelled doors, and small-paned windows. The main ell of the home was built in 1812, the main part of house being constructed five years later in 1817. William Blazo was son of Amos Blazo, who in turn was son of William Blazo of Bordeaux
, France, who emigrated to America sometimes before 1727, settling first in Greenland, New Hampshire
, and later in Epsom
. Amos Blazo is recorded in the History of Parsonsfield as having been North Parsonsfield's first settler, clearing the fields at "Blazo's Corner" in March of 1778.[2] Amos Blazo had five sons, four of whom settled on nearby farms. It was Amos's son William who built the Blazo House, later selling it to his nephew, and Amos's grandson, Robert Tibbetts Blazo.
Robert Tibbetts Blazo had begun his career as a schoolmaster. One of his pupils was fifteen year old Mary Freeman of Sandwich, New Hampshire
, who would become his bride eight years later.[3] Before the marriage Robert Blazo practiced law for a time in Moultonborough, New Hampshire
, but eventually the couple settled in Parsonsfield where Blazo practiced law, and was for many decades Justice of the Peace and Post Master. The couple had four children: Susan, Daniel, Charles and Emily. Descendants of Daniel still reside in the Daniel Blazo house directly across from the Blazo-Leavitt house at Blazo's Corner.
All four Blazo children attended Parsonsfield Seminary, to which their father had conveyed the land and helped establish. Here Susan Blazo met John Greenfield Leavitt, a fellow student from Buckfield, Maine
, who had come to Parsonfield to prepare for Waterville College (today's Colby College
). The couple married, and moved into the Blazo house with her parents; they had one child, Robert Greenleaf Leavitt.[4] Emily Blazo married Howard Hiram Browne, and they too took up residence in the house; they had one child, Maude Browne, who later became a portrait artist.
Because Maude Browne was unable to have children, eventually ownership of the house came to the Leavitts and to their son Robert Greenleaf Leavitt, a well-known Harvard-educated botanist and educator. After Robert G. Leavitt's death in 1942, Robert's wife Ida and their children, and grandchildren, and great grandchildren, continued living in it every summer. Robert Greenleaf Leavitt's daughter, Constance Leavitt Hanson, with great regret, sold the house in 1973.[5]
Parsonsfield Seminary, Parsonsfield, Maine. Robert Tibbetts Blazo, second owner of the Blazo-Leavitt House, conveyed land on which Seminary was built and helped found the Seminary.
The Blazo-Leavitt house faces south, and its western side faces Green Mountain, an isolated mountain in Effingham, New Hampshire
and part of the foothills of the White Mountains
. Nearby is the Leavitt Plantation Forest (connected with another branch of the Leavitt family), an 8603 acres (3,481.5 ha) tract that is the largest contiguous block of forest land south of Sebago Lake
. Leavitt Plantation Forest covers 20 percent of Parsonsfield's land. With the support of The Nature Conservancy
, the State of Maine has purchased a permanent conservation easement
to ensure sustainable forest practices and public pedestrian access for recreation. The easement also prohibits development activity on the property. The land remains as working commercial forest.
Parsonsfield, Maine
Parsonsfield is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,584 at the 2000 census. Parsonsfield includes the villages of Kezar Falls, Parsonsfield, and North, East and South Parsonsfield...
, in 1812.
History
The Blazo-Leavitt House is a large two-story white-clapboard mansion[1] built in Parsonsfield, Maine, in 1812 by William Blazo, uncle to prominent Parsonsfield lawyer Robert Tibbetts Blazo. Oral tradition holds that Robert T. Blazo, as a young man of fifteen in 1812, and later aged twenty in 1817, had helped with the construction of his uncle's house. This story seems credible because Robert had been bound out to his uncle William when Robert's father (William's brother) Daniel Blazo fell from a beam at a barn-raising in 1802 and broke his neck. Later, ownership of the house passed to the nephew, Robert T. Blazo. The house next was passed on to Robert Blazo's two daughters, Susan Blazo Leavitt and Emily Blazo Browne. Emily's daughter Maude Browne left no descendants, and the house eventually passed into the hands of Susan Blazo Leavitt's son, Robert Greenleaf Leavitt, his wife Ida Ruggli Leavitt, and his three children Russell Greenleaf Leavitt, Robert Keith Leavitt, and Constance Ruggli Leavitt Hanson. Thus it is called the Blazo-Leavitt house. Undoubtedly based on a handbook design by architect Asher BenjaminAsher Benjamin
Asher Benjamin was an American architect and author whose work transitioned between Federal style architecture and the later Greek Revival. His seven handbooks on design deeply influenced the look of cities and towns throughout New England until the Civil War...
, the home is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Blazo-Leavitt house has five large brick chimneys. The home also boasts elaborately carved and pillared entrances with leaded glass fans and sidelights, panelled doors, and small-paned windows. The main ell of the home was built in 1812, the main part of house being constructed five years later in 1817. William Blazo was son of Amos Blazo, who in turn was son of William Blazo of Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
, France, who emigrated to America sometimes before 1727, settling first in Greenland, New Hampshire
Greenland, New Hampshire
Greenland is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,549 at the 2010 census. It is drained by the Winnicut River and bounded on the northwest by Great Bay.- History :...
, and later in Epsom
Epsom, New Hampshire
Epsom is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,566 at the 2010 census.-History:Incorporated in 1727, Epsom takes its name from Epsom, England. Although dotted with several small mountains, the land was suitable for grazing and growing grain...
. Amos Blazo is recorded in the History of Parsonsfield as having been North Parsonsfield's first settler, clearing the fields at "Blazo's Corner" in March of 1778.[2] Amos Blazo had five sons, four of whom settled on nearby farms. It was Amos's son William who built the Blazo House, later selling it to his nephew, and Amos's grandson, Robert Tibbetts Blazo.
Robert Tibbetts Blazo had begun his career as a schoolmaster. One of his pupils was fifteen year old Mary Freeman of Sandwich, New Hampshire
Sandwich, New Hampshire
Sandwich is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,326 at the 2010 census. Sandwich includes the villages of Center Sandwich and North Sandwich...
, who would become his bride eight years later.[3] Before the marriage Robert Blazo practiced law for a time in Moultonborough, New Hampshire
Moultonborough, New Hampshire
Moultonborough is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,044 at the 2010 census. Moultonborough is bounded in part by Lake Winnipesaukee in the southwest and Squam Lake in the northwest corner...
, but eventually the couple settled in Parsonsfield where Blazo practiced law, and was for many decades Justice of the Peace and Post Master. The couple had four children: Susan, Daniel, Charles and Emily. Descendants of Daniel still reside in the Daniel Blazo house directly across from the Blazo-Leavitt house at Blazo's Corner.
All four Blazo children attended Parsonsfield Seminary, to which their father had conveyed the land and helped establish. Here Susan Blazo met John Greenfield Leavitt, a fellow student from Buckfield, Maine
Buckfield, Maine
Buckfield is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. Buckfield is included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England City and Town Area. It is a member of Maine School Administrative District 39 along with nearby Hartford and Sumner...
, who had come to Parsonfield to prepare for Waterville College (today's Colby College
Colby College
Colby College is a private liberal arts college located on Mayflower Hill in Waterville, Maine. Founded in 1813, it is the 12th-oldest independent liberal arts college in the United States...
). The couple married, and moved into the Blazo house with her parents; they had one child, Robert Greenleaf Leavitt.[4] Emily Blazo married Howard Hiram Browne, and they too took up residence in the house; they had one child, Maude Browne, who later became a portrait artist.
Because Maude Browne was unable to have children, eventually ownership of the house came to the Leavitts and to their son Robert Greenleaf Leavitt, a well-known Harvard-educated botanist and educator. After Robert G. Leavitt's death in 1942, Robert's wife Ida and their children, and grandchildren, and great grandchildren, continued living in it every summer. Robert Greenleaf Leavitt's daughter, Constance Leavitt Hanson, with great regret, sold the house in 1973.[5]
Parsonsfield Seminary, Parsonsfield, Maine. Robert Tibbetts Blazo, second owner of the Blazo-Leavitt House, conveyed land on which Seminary was built and helped found the Seminary.
The Blazo-Leavitt house faces south, and its western side faces Green Mountain, an isolated mountain in Effingham, New Hampshire
Effingham, New Hampshire
Effingham is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 1,465. Effingham includes the villages of Effingham Falls, Effingham , Center Effingham , and South Effingham...
and part of the foothills of the White Mountains
White Mountains (New Hampshire)
The White Mountains are a mountain range covering about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, they are considered the most rugged mountains in New England...
. Nearby is the Leavitt Plantation Forest (connected with another branch of the Leavitt family), an 8603 acres (3,481.5 ha) tract that is the largest contiguous block of forest land south of Sebago Lake
Sebago Lake
Sebago Lake is the deepest and second largest lake in the U.S. state of Maine. The lake is deep at its deepest point, with a mean depth of , covers about in surface area, has a length of and a shoreline length of . The surface is around above sea level, so the deep bottom is below the present...
. Leavitt Plantation Forest covers 20 percent of Parsonsfield's land. With the support of The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
, the State of Maine has purchased a permanent conservation easement
Conservation easement
In the United States, a conservation easement is an encumbrance — sometimes including a transfer of usage rights — which creates a legally enforceable land preservation agreement between a landowner and a government agency or a qualified land...
to ensure sustainable forest practices and public pedestrian access for recreation. The easement also prohibits development activity on the property. The land remains as working commercial forest.
External links
- Letters sent from Stoughton, Massachusetts, Blazo family history, Stoughton Historical Society, stoughtonhistory.com
- Blazo-Leavitt House, National Register of Historic Places
- Blazo-Leavitt House, building details, Archiplanet
See also
- Robert Greenleaf LeavittRobert Greenleaf LeavittDr. Robert Greenleaf Leavitt , born at Parsonsfield, Maine, was an early American Harvard-educated botanist and widely-published author in the field of botany, as well as an early college and high school educator in the natural sciences. Leavitt also worked for nine years as a botanical researcher...
, Parsonsfield SeminaryParsonsfield SeminaryParsonsfield Seminary, which operated from 1832-1949, was a well-known Free Will Baptist school in North Parsonsfield, Maine, in the United States. Also known as the North Parsonsfield Seminary, its preserved campus of four buildings is located on State Route 160.-History:In 1832 Rev. John Buzzell...