BIO: John P. Levan, Tillard Pen Pictures, 1911, Blair County, PA

Contributed April 2003 for use in the USGenWeb Archives 
by Judy Banja <jbanja@comcast.net>

Copyright 2003.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/
_________________________________________ 

                Pen Pictures of Friends and Reminiscent Sketches
                                by J. N. Tillard

             Altoona, PA: William F. Gable & Co., Mirror Press, 1911 

                        Life's Cares Lie To The Rearward

             JOHN P. LEVAN Sits in Contentment on The Sands of Time,
          Watching The Fitful Waves Break in Tuneful Melody at His Feet.

THE oldest member of the Masonic fraternity in this city, sits these summer 
days on the veranda his beautiful home, 1223 Twelfth Avenue, reviewing events 
of a busy and useful life in the calm peacefulness that springs from a sense 
of duty well done.
  The subject of this sketch, Mr. John P. Levan, first arrived in Altoona one 
bleak November day in 1852. The conditions that confronted him were not 
inviting. The community was but a raw village straggling over some swampy 
land with a few small railroad shops as a nucleus. The year previous he had 
been entered as an apprentice in the railroad shops at Harrisburg and came 
here to finish his trade. A number of other young men came here at the same 
time, in the service of the young corporation, but of all these only John P. 
Levan and Andrew Kipple remain. Their companions have dropped out through the 
passing years and only the memory of their strong manhood and vigorous 
personalities remain to this generation.
  These men and their co-temporaries gathered together in these early days of 
railroad development, were the founders and builders of this substantial 
city. It is somewhat the fashion among later arrivals to discount or 
discredit the results of the labors of railroad men in the building up of the 
city, but after all, had it not been for the enterprise and industry on the 
outside of the builders of cars and locomotives the other gentlemen, who have 
made their money in independent enterprises, would never have been here. The 
pioneer who clears the way for the reaper of the results of his labors is 
frequently lost sight of, and it is even suggested that he ought not to 
presume to have been so busy doing things for the benefit of posterity that 
he has never found any time to cry aloud in the market or exploit his 
performances or demand public recognition of his services by election to 
office.
  This is particularly true of Mr. Levan. There never was a less presumptious 
man.
  Mild in character and even in temperament, he was loved by his associates, 
both superiors and subordinates. He never thrust himself into public view and 
abhorred notoriety. A quiet, steady, level headed worker, he achieved 
success, because of his devotion to duty. In slang phrase, he was "always 
Johnny on the spot." No matter who was missing when the bell rang, he was 
always there.
  This dependableness of character was early appreciated by those in 
authority, and his advancement in the railroad service was rapid. Coming here 
as an apprentice when he was 18 years old, by the time he was 27, he was 
assistant foreman of the car shops, and, when Foreman Hostetter went to the 
army a year later, he was made foreman. During this period he took a most 
active part in the sports and social life of the town. He was a star base 
ball player in the days when there were no big mits and you stood up and took 
hot liners in the bare hands.  He was actor, musician and organizer of social 
functions.  For many years he led the choir in Christ's Reformed Church and 
was one of the mainstays of that congregation.  Old programs of private 
theatricals and other attempts to brighten the life of the little community 
bear evidence of his handiwork.  In short there was no department of civic 
development in which he did not take an active interest, and he quietly 
maintained that interest through all the years.
  When the new car shops were erected and put into service in 1870 he took 
charge as general foreman, and was the guiding factor for more than 30 years.  
He developed in business capacity as the years grew upon him and became the 
master spirit in large enterprises.  He was the organizer of the Second 
national Bank and is still its president.  Under his management it has become 
one of the strong financial institutions of this vicinity.  He is also 
president of the Altoona Iron Company, the largest industrial affair in the 
city aside from the Pennsylvania Railroad.  But probably the institution 
nearest his heart of all others, because of its altruistic character, is the 
Altoona Hospital.  Prior to its organization, the facilities for taking care 
of those injured almost daily in the shops, years and road, were such that 
untold suffering resulted from the necessity of performing all sorts of 
surgical operations under unsanitary conditions and without proper 
appliances.  The writer when a small boy saw a crushed limb amputated in a 
shanty at Fourth Street, on a hot day, with a gaping crowd watching the work 
of the surgeon and flies swarming over the rude operating table.
  Largely through the efforts of Mr. Levan, the hospital was projected and 
brought to a successful issue by the liberality of his company, and from its 
organization, until declining years began to press upon him, as its 
president, in season and out of season, he was always pushing its interest 
and planning for its development. The vast army of sufferers who have found 
relief and healing in its ministrations have blessed its founder as they 
passed from its portals. Those, who, as the result of serious injury, have 
suffered the agony of physical pain, can best appreciate what this means. It 
is a noble work to improve the moral conditions of men and to assist in the 
relief of poverty and mental distress, but those who have for weeks and 
months been on the rack of physical torture from which there was no escape 
for a single blissful moment, know best what the surgeon's skill and the 
kindly ministration of the trained nurse means.
  Mr. Levan is very proud of his Masonic affiliations. Raised to the degree 
of Master Mason when he had barely attained his majority, he has been a Past 
Master for 47 years, and was one of the earliest promoters of the craft in 
this vicinity. In this relation, as in all others, he has been unobtrusive 
and retiring, but his hand has ever been stretched out to the needy and those 
who sought his help were never disappointed, if found worthy.
  He has now reached the period in his career when life's active cares lie to 
the rearward and he can sit in contentment on the sands of time, watching the 
fitful waves break in tuneful melody at his feet. May the remainder of 
earth's journey be filled with brightness, and all its paths be peace!

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