About the author: Levi E. Case (March 30, 1876 — June 18, 1938), officer in the Philippine Constabulary. A defunct genealogical database contains the following information:
…born… at Vanceboro, Washington, Maine. He married Maria Lucas say 1916 at Mati, Davao, Philippines… He died… at Veterans’ Administration Hospital, St. Petersburg, Pinellas, Florida, at age 62; “By 8:10 PM he gently slipped away, and was gone from us.” He was buried on 29 Jun 1938 at Fairview Cemetery, Westford, Middlesex, Massachusetts; The funeral services of Captain Levi E. Case, a veteran of the Spanish American War, formerly a resident of Littleton, who died June 18, in St. Petersburg, Florida, were held Wednesday afternoon at 2 oclock from the parlors of David L. Greig and Son, Wesford. The Rev. Otis W. Foye, pastor fo the Dorchester Temple, officiated and there was a large attendance of relatives and friends from Littleton, and vacinity [sic]. The American Legion Post 249 of Littleton, under Commander Henry G, Bond, were represented, with Dr. James D. Christie, adjutant, and Warren M. Nixon as color bearers. There were many beautiful floral tributes. The ritual of the legion was conducted at the grave, under Corporal Ralph P. Hosmer, Camp 55, U.S.W.V. of Concord, by Commander Arthur Wright, J.V. C. Peter Shea; O.D. Herbert E. Berry; Adjutant W.P. Blodgett; Q.M. John E. Anderson; S C.S. John E. Loring; J.C.S. Arthur Parks; O.G. James N. Berry. The color guard from the Concord Post were Hiram parker and Louis Glibert. Buglers P.F.C. Edweard P. Konik, Co. L, 13th Inf., and Leo E. Powers, Co. I, 13th Inf. of Fort Devens sounded taps at the grave. The firing squad were H. Flint Furbush, Aaron Lund, E, Foster Kimball, William E. Smiley, George Wood and Milton Robbins of the Littleton Post. The committal prayers were read by the Rev. Mr. Foye. Interment was in the family lot in Fairview Cemetery, Westford. Funeral Directors David L. Greig and Son were in charge of the arrangements.
He began military service on 2 Oct 1899 Enlisted as private of the hospital corps, occupation, nurse.
Character: Character, Excellent. No objection to his reenlistment is known to exist. Service honest and faithful. He was 5 feet, six inches tall, Fair complexion, Blue eyes, Dark brown hair on 2 Oct 1899. He arrived on 24 Dec 1899 in the Philippines. He ended his military service on 1 Oct 1902 at Calapan, Mindoro, Philippines; Honorable Discharge from the Hospital Corps. Rank of private.117 Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, Philippine Islands.118 As of 11 Nov 1935, Levi E Case lived in St. Cloud, Florida. His address on 4 Jun 1938 was Beaverbrook (Forge) Road, Littleton, Middlesex, Massachusetts.
Children of Levi E4 Case and Maria Lucas were as follows:
i. Eva Lillian, born 18 Sep 1917 at Mati, Davao, Phillipines; married Basil Burroughs Francisco Jr.
ii. Hazel Dean; born 5 Nov 1919 at Mati, Davao, Phillipines; died Apr 1953 at age 33; of complications following a still birth.
She ‘A tease. Lazy about writing. Wants to be an aviatrix. Excellent grades in algebra.’ At the Central American School, Manila, P.I. as of 1938. She was also known as Hazel Deanne. She also went by the name of Tess or Tessie.iii. Leticia is still living.
iv. Alexander Benjamin, born between 1920 and 1926 at Mati, Davao, Philippines; married Flavia Lao.
Policing America’s Empire: The United States, the Philippines, and the Rise of the Surveillance State by Alfred W. McCoy notes that as deputy of Capt. Lewis Patstone, then-Lieutenant Cates was assigned in December, 1903 to establish a permanent Constabulary outpost in Kiangan, eventually opening four outposts in the area: “Over the next two years the lieutenant extended his influence across central Ifugao through a mix of deft politics and punitive expeditions, leaving pigs slaughtered and houses in flames.” A thesis by George Yarrington Coats (Ohio State University, 1968) notes that a February 27, 1905, the Manila Times report mentions that as acting Senior Inspector of Nueva Vizcaya province, Case, on February 19, led a Constabulary detachment in a pitched battle “in the district of Fapao at the rancheria of Sagaui,” and that “It was reported that the engagement was triggered off by Lt. Case’s effort to liberate a kidnapped woman.” Case went on medical leave in 1906, but the Official roster of officers and employees in the civil service of the Philippine Islands, lists him as a Captain as of 1912.
About the diary: Typescript. Located in the H. Otley Beyer Ethnographic Collection, National Library of the Philippines, as Notes from My Diary (Covering the period from January 12, 1903, to October 26, 1905) Extracted from the original diary by Levi E. Case and H. Otley Beyer, at Manila, P.I., on July 27, 1912.
A Preface by H. Otley Beyer to the diary reads as follows:
In copying [illegible] from the original diaries, a [illegible] have been omitted. These are of a purely personal nature and have no bearing on the history of Ifugao. The only other changes are as follows. Substitution of Ifugao for the Igorrote of the original text. Phonetic spelling of all names known either to Capt. Case or myself. A few verbal additions by Capt. Case.
The chief value of these diaries is that they are almost the only consecutive record of events in Ifugao during the period covered. The extracts have not been carried beyond October 26, 1905, first, because of lack of time, and second, because my own diaries, plus those of Governor Gallman, and the records of events at Banaue and Kiáñgan, fully cover the [illegible] subsequent to that date. The documents just compiled will be included in the papers of this series.
H. OTLEY BEYER
Manila
August, 1912.