He entered Yale college in 1843, graduating in 1847, and from the Theological seminary in 1851. While connected with the seminary he was principal of the Washington school, which position he retained for a year after he had completed his studies. As a teacher he was exceptionally successful, as many of his former pupils now residing in this city will attest. The board of visitors for the first school society in New Haven reported in October, 1851, the condition of the Washington school as follows : ” We have never been able to give our hearty approval to this school until this time. It is now highly creditable to the district. Mr. Cleaveland has succeeded in mastering the turbulent and securing the confidence of the well-disposed. The exercises of the school have all been very pleasing since he has had charge of it. He has a Latin class of ten scholars . . . and a class of thirty who practice composition — an invaluable exercise which should be.more extensively pursued in other schools.” While in college he acted as leader of the Beethoven choir, which corresponded to the present Glee club.

            During the last year with the school he received a call to the pastorate of the Congregational church in Durham, the church agreeing to wait for him till the close of his school, nearly a year later. He was ordained and installed as pastor June 8, 1852. Trouble with his eyes caused him to resign the more confining duties of his pastorate [dis. Sept. 10, 1853] to accept the agency of the American Sunday-school Union of this State. In 1855 he accepted a call to the Congregational church at South Egremont, where he was installed as pastor in July of that year. After a pastorate of seven years he removed to Goshen, Conn, [at G. 1862-3], where he preached until he accepted a call to theNorth church in New Hartford, Conn, [there 1863-7, member Board of Education 1868]. While at New Hartford he was made a member of Northern Star lodge No. 58, F. and A. M., and he was chaplain of the Masonic lodge at Bloomfield, Conn., many years. After ministering to this people four years he accepted a call to Bloomfield, where he lived 8 years (1867-75, of Board of Ed. ’75.] While at Bloomfield he was an associate editor of the American Recorder. His next pastorate was over the First Congregational church of Berlin, in the village of Kensington, Hartford co., Conn. [1875-80]. In 1880 he was called to the First Congregational church at Granby, where he resided until 1885. Before taking up his residence once more in New Haven he preached about three years in Oxford.

            Mr. Cleaveland was an honest, earnest, able, and faithful minister of the gospel. The congregation of which he had charge during a long life spent in the service of his master will remember him with love and reverence. In the early days of the anti-slavery movement he was an ardent advocate of abolition, and at the time when it most needed supporters he continued to speak burning words for the liberation of the slave. He was ever ready to advocate the cause of temperance, and during all his life took an unusual interest in the public schools of the towns in which he resided. Mr. Cleaveland at the time of his death was a member of the United church, having joined the old North church in 1853, and many times occupied its pulpit as well as that of the Center church.

            New Haven Palladium, May 25, 1889 —

            Rev. James B. Cleaveland — The Funeral Services at the United Church Largely Attended. — The funeral of the late Rev. James B. Cleaveland at the United church yesterday afternoon was largely attended. The services were conducted by Rev. T. T. Hunger, D.D., assisted by Rev. James L. Willard, D.D., of Westville, and Rev. S. P. Marvin of Woodbridge. The bearers were L. S. Punderson, Judge E. I. Sanford, Hon. Joseph Sheldon, Dr. S. G. Hubbard, James M Townsend, John G. North, Henry G. Newton of this city, and Charles T. Walker of Woodbridge.

            Among those in attendance were many of the former parishioners of the deceased clergyman. The venerable colored teacher, Mrs. Sarah Wilson, who had been instructed by Mr. Cleaveland in some of the higher studies when she first taught school in this city many years ago, was present among the mourning friends. On the casket were large double palms, a bunch of roses, and a handsome cross. On the Communion table at the head of the center aisle was a cross formed of a white spring flower known as Deutzia.

            Dr. Munger made the address, and said : “A good man has fallen. With regard to our brother I can say that I remember his face and form in the early days of my college life, for he was leaving college just as I was entering it. I have seen that face many times since that day, but did not have the privilege of a personal acquaintance with him until the last few months, when he came to New Haven to make it his permanent residence. Ceasing as he did his laborious labors in permanent pastorates he had an opportunity for rest, and, by faithful attendance on divine worship here, special preparation perhaps for the event that awaited him.”

            Dr. Munger was followed by Rev. Mr. Willard, who spoke substantially as follows : “It needs no words of mine to keep fresh in the hearts of those who knew him the memory of our deceased brother. He was a faithful minister of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was in his heart to do justly and love mercy and walk honestly with his God. He did not exalt himself, and seemingly felt that he was less than the least of all saints, but it was apparent that he desired that every thought might be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. He was a man of prayer, not only in the assembly of the saints, but in the family and in that secret place where no eye seeth but the eye of God. He loved his work and caught the spirit of the Master, and, like Him, went about doing good. No one who saw him in his daily living doubted for a moment his loyalty to Christ. His mental endowments he kept quick and active, and his reading was that of one ever seeking after new stores of knowledge. Many a conscience did he probe with the Word of God, and his labors in the various churches that he served were followed by good and gracious results. He scattered the seed, and with his own eyes saw many a harvest. His record is on high, and in it is so much that bears the mark of Christ that no doubt the Master has already said, ” Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of the Lord.” Tenderly will we cherish his memory, and nothing shall drive from us the thought that on Friday, May 24, 1889, we committed to earth the dust of one who in his lifetime had been a dutiful child, a true and faithful husband, a loving father, a patriotic citizen, a promoter of sound learning, an able and earnest minister of the Lord Jesus Christ, and, to some of us, a beloved friend.”

            The closing remarks by Rev. Mr. Marvin were in part as follows : ” It may be said of my Brother Cleaveland that he lived an earnest, conscientious life, fully consecrated to his calling, not simply as a profession, but as a loyal service to Christ. His genial life and winning ways made ineffaceable impressions upon many who sat under his ministry, and who were led to Christ through his faithfulness. From the day he and I entered college together, forty-six years ago, though our fields of labor were often widely separated, the ties of college life were never sundered. The same forbearance and.the same courtesy which I received from him he bestowed upon others and endeared himself to those who came under his charge. He was scholarly, critical, sound in the faith, an earnest pastor, and a loving husband and father.”

            The music, by the United Church quartette, was most beautifully and touchingly Tendered. Attorney John Currier Gallagher had charge of the funeral. The interment was in the Grove Street Cemetery. As the funeral procession moved from the church to the place of burial the bell of the United Church tolled sixty-eight times, once for each year of the age of the deceased.

            Religious Herald. Hartford, May 30, June 6, 1889; Church Record, Kensington, July, 1889: Resolutions Hiram Lodge, 98, A. F. and A. M., Bloomfield ;