New marker dedicated at the grave of first city police officer killed in the line of duty
May 17—Reading patrolman William Levan was assisting in an arrest Feb. 27, 1868, when he was kicked hard in the abdomen by the suspect.
Reporting the incident to the chief less than an hour later, Levan mentioned feeling unwell.
Within minutes, he was slumped on the floor.
A doctor was called, and Levan was pronounced dead.
"Officer Levan was the first (Reading) officer to die in the line of duty as a result of a hostile action," the Rev. James Farnsworth said.
Yet for 156 years, Levan's grave site in Aulenbach's Cemetery remained unmarked, he said.
That changed recently.
Farnsworth, a Reading police chaplain and pastor of St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Birdsboro, led the effort to identify Levan's final resting place and mark it with a new tombstone.
The stone, funded by the Fraternal Order of Police, was dedicated Friday during a graveside ceremony honoring Levan for his service.
"Today, we gather to honor the memory of a hero long forgotten by time, but never by the spirit of this community," said English Bradley, Mayor Eddie Moran's chief of staff.
Speaking on behalf of Moran, who was unable to attend the ceremony, Bradley noted Levan served with dedication, courage and honor.
"Patrolmen Levan's name may have faded from memory, but his legacy of selfless service, his commitment to duty, to protecting the residents of Reading, simply showed the very best of our law enforcement officers," she said. "Today, we come together to ensure that Patrolman Levan's memory is not only remembered but celebrated."
The service also included prayers by Reading police chaplains the Rev. Nicolas Camacho, pastor of community outreach at West Lawn United Methodist Church, and the Rev. Pamela J. Johnson, assistant pastor of Life Church, Reading.
A color guard of Reading FOP members stood at attention as Farnsworth played the hymn Amazing Grace on the bagpipes and Reading Police Chief Elias Vazquez solemnly placed a wreath beside Levan's new tombstone.
"As we look upon this marker, let us not only reflect on the life of Patrolman Levan, but also the countless others who have served and continue to serve this community with bravery and dedication," Bradley said.
The granite stone, designed by Farnsworth, features a carving of a police badge in the style of that worn by Levan.
A longtime member of the city's police force, Levan served as a city watchman before the police department was organized in the early 1860s.
He was patrolling his beat in the vicinity of South Ninth and Bingaman streets, when he came to the aid of Officer Henry Schroeder, who was escorting an intoxicated and unruly suspect to the holding cell in the old city hall in the 100 block of South Fifth Street.
The man was detained after provoking a fist fight outside a beer garden near the intersection of Muhlenberg and South Ninth streets.
In attempting to restrain the resisting suspect, Schoeder wrestled the man to the ground and placed a knee on his chest, the Reading Eagle reported on April 20, 1868.
Reporting on testimony given at the suspect's trial, the Eagle said the man tried to kick Schoeder and then kicked Levan, who was assisting.
An autopsy on the body of the fallen officer determined he died from a heart attack, resulting from the internal injuries caused by the kick, the Eagle reported.
The perpetrator was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to four months in the Berks County Jail, then in City Park.
Levan's funeral was attended by the mayor, chief of police and members of the department, presidents and members of the city's select and common councils, and members of the Rainbow Fire Company, to which Levan belonged.
The patrolman was survived by his widow, Susan Schroeder Levan, and grown children.
"May Patrolman William Levan continue to rest in peace, knowing that he's finally recognized and remembered," Bradley said. "And may his legacy inspire us all to strive for justice, compassion and unity in our beloved city of Reading."
