Springville remembers old-time heroes

SPRINGVILLE — Better late than never.

That's the sentiment surrounding a posthumous honor for officer Levi Washington Davis, a sheriff's posse member killed defending Springville in April 1860.

Davis' death was recently discovered by former Springville police officer and current Salt Lake Tribune columnist Robert Kirby, who was doing research for the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial, said Springville Police Lt. Dave Caron.

Davis' name was added to the Utah memorial in September and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., on May 13.

The old Western story is that Springville Marshal Jesse Steele had a warrant for Jack Cole, a convicted horse thief who had escaped from a federal prison in California, Caron said.

Cole had come to Utah and was staying at his father's house, continuing to steal horses and mules.

Knowing he needed help to round up the dangerous convict, Steele asked for a handful of deputies and 24-year-old Davis volunteered.

When the posse got to Cole's father's home, they found Cole still in bed. Cole was allowed to get dressed, but despite promises to surrender his guns, he quickly strapped them on and shot Davis, Caron said.

The posse shot back and Cole was also mortally wounded. Both men died days later, within several hours of each other.

Davis was the first Springville officer killed in the line of duty.

"I like to tell the stories of Levi and of Silas Clark, the second Springville officer to die in the line of duty, to kids who come through for tours of the station," Caron said.

Clark's story takes place in November 1897, when he was the town's marshal and had his hands full dealing with train bandits, Caron said.

Clark also called for a posse, and the men nervously assembled at the local police station. While they were loading their rifles and discussing the dangerous operation, a young deputy's gun misfired and shot Clark in the abdomen.

He died four days later, leaving a wife and nine children.

The story goes that one of Clark's daughters married the young deputy whose gun had accidentally discharged, Caron said.

These two officers, as well as several current Springville police officers and dispatchers, were honored Thursday night at an annual awards banquet.

E-MAIL: sisraelsen@desnews.com