Leavitt was born in New York City, the son of John McKenney Leavitt and Henrietta N. (née Decker) Leavitt.
While enlisted he saw duty on the Mexico-United States border with John J. Pershing, and was later sent to France where he participated in combat during World War I. Also during this period (1914) he began his wrestling career using the ring name of "Soldier Leavitt".