The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-08-01
Honor Negroes Memory.
White People of Sumter, S. C.,
Erect a Monument to Joe Levan,
The Village Barber, as Tribute
to His Worth Faithful as a
Slave, Respected as a Freeman.

Sumter Correspondent Charleston News and
Courier
Few men make such an impress
upon their day and generation that
at their death there is a spontaneous
movement to erect in their honor an
enduring memorial as a mark Of the
esteem in which they have been held
by their fellow citizens. When such
q monument is erected it is cOnsid-
cred a noteworthy event in the his
tory Of community. For a negro
to be so hOnOred is an event OF such
rare occurrence that it is worthy OF
more than passing mention, and this
is offered as an excuse for q brief
statement OF the facts concerning the
erection OF monument to Joseph
Levan, colOred man, by the white
people OF Sumter.
Joseph Levan was born slave in
1880, and was the property of Mr.
Andrew White, ST., of this county
He was trained to be- Il house servant,
and by the time he was grown he was
frst-class cook. barber and handy
man generally. When the war broke
out and the first company was or
gained in Sumter to 90 to Virginia,
Joe was hired from his master by
Lieutenant J. Diggs Wilder, who car
Tied him to Virginia to serve him in
the dual capacity OF body servant
and cook. This company took part
in the battle of Bull Run and Captain
j. 5. Richardson was wounded. Joe
was then commissioned to wait on
him while he was in the hospital.
When Capt Richardson was able to
return home Joe rejOined the com
pany at the front, and continued in
the service OF Lieutenant Wilder for
two years, serving him and other
members Of the company with a de-
vOtiOn and zeal that won for him
their lifelong friendship. After the
war Joe opened barber shop in this
town, which he conducted continu-
ousl y until 1905. Hehad patronage
that rival shops could not win away
from him, and as long as "JOe, the
Barber was able to work, his was
the most popular place of the kind
III town, Notwithstanding the fact
that numerous better equipped "ton-
serial parlOrs" were established from
time to time.
He never performed any single
spectacular service, but was simply
faithful, courteous, honest and in
dustriOus throughout his life He
asked no favors from any man, and
was content to earn an honest living
ut his trade. In manner, he was pO-
lite and respectful, without trace Of
servibility; reserved and dignified in
department, and his word was better
than many Il white mans bond.
When he died there was general re-
greet in this community. and his fu-
neral was attended by hundreds OF
his white friends. The suggestion,
made in Il local paper, that a popular
subscription be started for the pur-
pose OF erecting a simple monument
to mark his grave, met with immedi-
ate response. and in a short time
sufficient sum was III the !hands Of
Mr.. j. Diggs Wilder, adjutant of
Camp Dick Anderson, L. G.. v, of
which Joe was an honorary member,
To pay for the monument. No col
lection was taken up and no effort
was made to raise a large sum by
soliciting subscriptions, every dollar
being sent or carried i'll person to
MIR. Wilder, who was named in the
original suggestion as the proper
Gust Odian of the fund At the first
meeting OF Camp Dick Anderson, sub
Iscquent to JOe's death, u committee
was appointed to superintend the
erection OF the monument The COM
mlttee discharged this duty promptly
and shortly before the anniversary
of his death the stone was erected on
Joe Leyan S grave in the negro ceme-
terry.
The monument, which is simple and
unpretentiOus, is made of light blue
marble, resting on a square base,
Iand is III all about nine feet in height.
he inscription reads as follows:
Joseph Levau.
Tho VILLAIN, u, rLor