USA > Iowa > Scott County > History of Scott County, Iowa > Part 54
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About this period, at the solicitation of Gov. Clarke, of Missouri, Antoine Le Claire entered the Government service, and was placed at school, that he might acquire a proper knowledge of the English language. In 1818, he aeted as interpreter nnder Capt. Davenport, at Fort Armstrong; and the same year returned to Peoria, where, in 1820, he married the grand-daughter of the Sac chief, Acoqua, (the kettle). The same year he was sent to Arkansas, to watch the movements of the Indians in that locality. He was returned to Fort Armstrong in 1827, and was present as interpreter in 1832, when the treaty was made by which the United States purchased of the Sac and Fox tribes the territory West of the Mississippi River.
In consequence of cholera among the soldiers at Fort Armstrong, the treaty, which would otherwise have been held in the Fort, was transferred to the Iowa shore opposite. Here the great chief of the Sacs, Keokuk, made a reserve of a section of land, which he do-
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A fairchance
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1HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY.
nated to Mr. Le Claire's wife, requiring, as an only condition, that Mr. Le Claire should build his house on the section, and on the spot then occupied by the marquee of Gen. Seott in making the treaty, which condition he afterward filled to the letter. The Saes and Foxes also gave him another section at the head of the Rapids, where Le Claire now stands. The Pottawatomies, in the treaty of Prairie du Chien, reserved two sections on the Illinois side, which they presented to Mr. Le Claire. The flourishing town of Moline is situated on this reserve. The treaty was ratifiod by Congress the following winter.
In 1833 Mr. Le Claire was appointed postmaster at Davenport and also justice of the peace, to settle all matters of difference be- tween the whites and Indians. His jurisdiction extended over all the territory purchased of the Sacs and Foxes west of the Missis- sippi, from Dubuque on the north, to Burlington on the south. The population of Burlington was at this time, about 200; that of Dubuque, about 250.
. Mr. Le Claire was an accomplished linguist-speaking some 12 or 14 Indian dialects, as well as the French and English. Mr. Le Claire was one of the proprietors of the town of Davenport, and one of its active business men. He was possessed of great wealthi ; has improved the city by a liberal expenditure of a large income, in erecting churches and other public buildings, at his immediate expense. The fine church of St. Marguerite-whose spire reaclics from the lofty bluff till it would almost seem to touch the quiet stars, or to mingle with the cloudy glories of a summer's day-was built and furnished by the munificence of Mr. Le Claire. Every - where over the fair city of Davenport are seattered improvements, each of which elegantly and appropriately memorializes his generos- ity. ! It is to regretted that a history of his life, embracing its lesser details, could not have been obtained, as his whole course has been replete with stirring incidents and romantic adventure. When the [Pioneer Settlers' Association was formed, Mr. Le Claire, as the oldest living settler in the county, was elected its first president, and had he not declined a re-election, would have been continued in the office until his death. Tuesday, Sept. 17, 1861, Mr. LeClaire was struck with paralysis, and rapidly declined nntil Wednesday, Sept. 25, when he breathed his last, retaining his consciousness until the last.
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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY.
A meeting of the Pioneer Association was called and arranged ments made to take charge of the funeral. A programme of ar- rangements was formed and 12 members of the association ap- pointed to act as pall bearers. On Friday, the 27th, the body was laid away to rest, followed to the grave by a large concourse of cit- izens.
HON. JOHN P. COOK.
Hon. John P. Cook died at his residence in Davenport on the corner of Sixth 'and Main streets, at 5 o'clock on the afternoon of April 17, 1872. He was a native of the State of New York, having been born in Whitestown, Oneida Co., in Angust, 1817. About 36 years ago, when at the age of 19 years, he came to this place with his father, and with him settled on the "Cook Farm,". at the present western boundary of this city. Remaining there for a year or two, he then prepared himself for the practice of law in the office of his brother, Ebenezer Cook, in this place; removed to Tipton, in Cedar County, and in the year 1842 was admitted to the bar. He married, in 1842, Miss Eliza A. Rowe, of Pleasant Valley, in this county. In 1851 he removed from Tipton to this city, which has been his home to the day of his death. Subsequent to his settling here he was elected to the House of Representatives of the United States, and served his country well and faithfully in the 33d Congress. On the breaking up of the Whig party he affil- iated with the Democratic party, the principles of which he labored earnestly to sustain and promulgate, even to the end of his days. His life has been one of great energy and industry. He was by natural instinct a true Western man-a wide-awake, thoroughly act- ive pioneer who never saw the time when he could lay aside the business harness and to all appearance never wanted to. As a lawyer he had few superiors ; was always ready, finent, and an able advocate, and with these qualities were combined energy, tact and industry; and for years past, and np to the day of his demise, no law firm in the Northwest has stood in better repute than that broken by his death.
It was but a few months before that the death of his brother, the Hon. Ebenezer Cook, took place. To him was the subject of this notice most devotedly attached. They had been together almost constantly from boyhood; all their business plans were conned over together, neither ever taking an important step withont consult- ing with, and probably in some way deferring to, the other. His disease was that of the kidneys. His illness was of long duration, but he bore up to the last with the courage of a brave soul.
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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY.
He was one of the founders of the Scott County Pioneer Settlers' Association, and always took the greatest interest in its gathering. No old settler was more missed in their annual social gathering than he. He was 55 years old at the time of his death.
JABEZ A. BIRCHARD.
Jabez A. Birchard was a native of Pennsylvania, being born at Middletown (now Birchardsville), Susquehanna Co., Oct. 22, 1804. His parents were of old Puritan stock and were engaged in agricultural pursuits. Jabez was brought up as a farmer, and merely received the education of a common school in the country.
On arriving at man's estate, he purchased a farm in his own neighborhood, on which he remained umtil 1836. When about 30 years of age he married Miss Lydia Chamberlain. of Silver Lake, in the same county, who proved a faithful helpmeet, and bore him two sons and three daughters. He moved to Iowa in 1836, imme- diately purchasing and settling down on the farm he ocenpied until the day of his death.
Of his children one son died in early manhood: the other occu- pies the homestead. His eldest daughter married a Mr. Le Mar, and lives in Colorado. The second is the wife of Mr. Garrett, of Davenport. The third married Mr. Samuel Heagy.
About 10 years previous to his death, while on a visit to Penn- sylvania, he met with a serious accident in falling from a buggy, which permanently lamed him and eventually led to the disease which caused his death. Ile had lived for some time knowing that he must soon die, and left all his affairs in perfect order. leaving his family in very easy circumstances. At the last meeting of the Old Settlers' Society before his death he delivered the annual ad- dress, and made touching allusion to his own departure. He died at his residence in Pleasant Valley, on Oct. 20, 1871, at the age of 67 years. His remains were deposited in Oak Dale Cemetery, Davenport.
HON. G. C. R. MITCHELL.
Hon. G. C. R. Mitchell, late judge of the fourteenth judicial dis- trict of Iowa, was born on the 6th of December, 1803, at Dan- dridge, Jefferson Co., East Tenn. He was educated at East Ten- nessee College (now East Tennessee University) in Knoxville, Tenn .. and was a member of its first graduating class in 1822. His parents having removed to Lawrence Co .. Ala .. he pro-
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eeeded thither after leaving college, and commenced the study of law under the directions of A. F. Hopkins, of Mobile, and was admitted to the bar in 1825. He practiced successfully in Alabama until 1834, and was several years elerk of the Circuit Court, and was at one time a candidate for circuit judge, but was defeated. Afterward he spent one winter in a tour among the Eastern eities. In the spring of 1835 he decided to settle in Davenport.
In 1843 he was elected to the House of Representatives of the Iowa Territorial Legislature. He was nominated as congressional representative from the State in 1848, but was defeated. He was elected mayor of Davenport in 1856, and served in that eapaeity one year. In 1857 he was nominated by a meeting of the bar, and elected judge of the fourteenth judicial distriet, composed of the counties of Scott, Clinton and Jackson. He held office, however, but a short time, being compelled by ill-health to resign it a year later, intending to return to the South. This purpose, nevertheless, he did not carry out, rest and relaxation bringing for a time the needed relief.
In April, 1852, he married Miss Rose A. Clarke, of Brown Co., O., daughter of a native Irishman. They had six children, two sons and four daughters, only one son and one daughter of whom survive.
Judge Mitehell died on the 6th of September, 1865.
As a jurist, he took a high position. He was profoundly diserim - inating, a keen, careful analyst, whose deductions were always re- liable. He was wealthy, with a cultivated literary taste, a choice and ample library, a large social eirele of sincere and pleasant friends, and an amiable wife and dutiful children. He enjoyed life as only one surrounded by sneh eireumstanees eould.
DANIEL T. NEWCOMB.
Daniel Tobias Neweomb, son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Wallace) Newcomb, was born at Pittstown, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., July 25, 1794. Ilis youth and early manhood were spent upon his father's farm. In the war of 1812 he served under Gen. Eddy in the inva- sion of Plattsburg, September, 1814. In 1522, at the age of 28, he located in Essex Co., N. Y., with the design of enltivating a large traet of land which he owned there, situated in what is now the town of Newcomb, so named after him, incorporated in 1828.
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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY.
July 13, 1825, he was married to Miss Patience Viele, eldest daughter of Abraham L. and Hannah (Douglass) Viele, of Pitts- town. Soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Newcomb removed to Essex County, then a wild region of the Adirondaeks, where they resided some four or five years, when they returned to Pitts- town. Mr. Newcomb's ambition was to become an extensive agri- enlturist. and he therefore decided to explore the great West. Leav- ing home in January, 1837, he traveled alone on horseback, with the snow in many places two feet deep, through Western New York, Upper Canada, Michigan. Indiana and Illinois; then crossed into Iowa (then Wisconsin Territory), and decided to settle on the west side of the "Father of Waters."
In September of the same year Mr. and Mrs. Newcomb removed West, accompanied by Mrs. Newcomb's parents and other members of the family. They located in a beautiful part of the country on the Mississippi River, about 15 miles below Rock Island, and took possession of a log cabin. At that time there were but two counties in Iowa (then about 25 miles wide), Dubnque and Des Moines. Here they resided several years, enduring all the fatigues and privations incident to frontier life in the West. Here Mr. Newcomb found ample scope for the gratification of his ambition and became the owner of large tracts of land in Iowa. He ope- rated one farm in Iowa containing a field of 1,200 acres, all inclosed by a substantial fence, which in one year produced the enormous yield of 30,000 bushels of grain. He was one of the first farmers in the State of Iowa to nse agricultural machinery. The profits of his estate, under his judicious management and nntiring industry, in due time accumulated a large fortune.
At an early day he decided to make Davenport his future home, and accordingly he removed to that place in 1842. He afterward erected a splendid residence on spacious grounds. In this lovely home, which commands a charming view of the Mississippi River and Rock Island, he spent the remainder of his days, dispens- ing the same generons hospitality that he had become noted for in his log cabin in the country. He died of apoplexy, Dee. 22, 1870, leaving no issne, beloved and respected by all who knew him.
Mr. Newcomb was a man of little or no personal pretentions, re- markable for sound judgment, close observation, honest and up- right dealings. His remains rest in the family ground in Oakdale Cemetery, Davenport.
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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY.
Mrs. Newcomb, who survives her husband, is truly a remarkable woman, of more than ordinary intelligence. She enters heartily into all philanthropie enterprises, and is liberal in the use of her large fortune. During the late war she was active in the cause of our wounded soldiers, and during the entire period of the war she was an active worker. She was very efficient as president of the Soldiers' Aid Society of Davenport, and also one of the incorpora- tors of the Soldiers' Orphans' Home, located in that city. She is an earnest and consistent worker in the Presbyterian Church, and aids largely in maintaining its interests.
She sometime since erected the "Newcomb Memorial Chapel " at Davenport, in memory of her late husband, and quite recently, with a wise liberality, donated to the Davenport Academy of Science a lot, whereon a fine building is now standing. The im- petus thus given to this; worthy enterprise has placed the insti- tution in advance of all similar ones in the West. This has been followed by a like donation to the Literary Association in the neigh- boring city of Moline, and others, which serve to show how great is the place she fills in the community.
EBENEZER COOK.
Ebenezer Cook was the son of Capt. Ira Cook, and was born at New Hartford, near Utica, Oneida Co., N. Y., Feb. 14, 1810. While yet a boy his father moved to Broome County in the same State, where he was extensively engaged in the lumber business.
Ebenezer at the age of 17 went to Ithica as the confidential agent of Hiram Powers, in a wholesale house there. When 23 years of age he married at Undilla, Miss Clarissa C. Bryant, and soon after went into the mercantile business, at Vienna, Ontario Co. In May, 1835, with his old friend and earliest patron, Hiram Powers, he jour- neyed via the lakes to Green Bay, then on horseback through the Indian country to Galena. There they heard such glowing accounts of the lands of Iowa and the opposite shores of the Missis- sippi that on returning to New York State, the entire family de- cided upon leaving their eastern home for a new one in the regions beyond the Mississippi. Ebenezer did not accompany them but followed in December, 1835.
In 1838 he commenced reading law with Judge Williams, and was appointed clerk of the Federal Court in 1839, being admitted to the bar in 1840. He soon obtained an extensive practice in 10 counties.
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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY.
In 1847 he commenced the locating of land warrants issued un- der the Congress of 1845, and this led him to active operations in real estate which he successfully carried on until the railroad ex- citement of 1851, '52, '53, when he took an active part in the new movement for the advancement of the State by these means, be- coming a director of the Chicago & Rock Island Road from its first organization; was elected secretary and vice-president of the old Mississippi & Missouri Road, and at the consolodation of the two roads, as the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific, he became treasurer, afterward vice-president, and was at the time of his death acting president of the same road, which loses one of its most valuable and energetic chiefs.
The handling of large sums ot money during his land warrant business drew his attention to banking, and he became a member of the firm of Cook & Sargent, until 1859, when he withdrew to devote his whole attention to the interests of the railroad.
Although a consistent and patriotic member of his party he took no active share in politics, and never sought or solicited any office in his life. He had his share of civic honors, being elected alder- man of Davenport in 1351. again in 1854, and honored with the mayorality in Is58. He died at his home in Davenport, on the Sth day of October, 1871, aged 61 years and eight months.
WILLARD BARROWS.
Willard Barrows was born in Monson, Mass., in 1806. At the age of 10 years his father removed, with his family, to New Braintree, where the subject of this notice spent most of his youth- ful days. He left the parental roof at the age of 15, and after spending some time in Pomfret and Thompson, in Connecticut, at school, he passed two years at Brimfield, at the home of his uncle, and in 1827 located in Elizabethtown, N. J. He was for many years a very acceptable teacher of youth in that place, and married there in 1832. His natural love of the " wild and beautiful " in nature, led him to select as his profession for life that of a surveyor and engineer. His first introduction to his profession was on a con- tract with the Government in 1835, to close up the public surveys of the Choctaw Indian Purchase, in the State of Mississippi.
In the spring of 183S he returned to New Jersey, having been absent from his family for nearly two years, and returned with them in July of that year, and settled in Rockingham, five miles below
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Davenport. In 1840 Mr. Barrows was engaged in the survey of the islands of the Mississippi, from the mouth of Rock River to Quiney, Ill.
In 1841 and '42, the publie surveys being suspended, he turned his attention to farming, and, being justice of the peace, postmas- ter and notary publie at Rockingham, his time was occupied in discharging these duties until the spring of 1843, when he was sent into the country lying north of the Wisconsin River, called the Kickapoo country, to perform the surveys of that rough, broken, uninhabited land, where he spent most of that season.
" Barrow's New Map of Iowa, with Notes," was published in 1854, by Doolittle & Munson, Cincinnati, and was a work at that day, of much importance.
From 1845 to '50, Mr. Barrows was engaged most of the time in the surveys of the Government. He has at different times given letters to the public, containing much valuable scientific and other information, while his work upon the map of Iowa has done more to disseminate a knowledge of our State than anything of the kind ever published. He died in 1868.
ADRIAN H. DAVENPORT.
One of the most prominent men in Scott County during the first 20 years of its existence was Adrian H. Davenport, who was born in Shawneetown. Ill., March 14, 1812, the son of Marmaduke S. Davenport. His father was appointed Indian agent on Rock Island in 1832, and it was then that the family came to the island to live. Adrian H. was married on the island in 1833 to Miss IIar- riet Lane. Mrs. Davenport proved one of the best of wives and mothers, and he survived her loss less than a year, she dying in June, 1880. In March, 1834, Adrian Davenport made a claim at Rockingham, and he, his father, his Uncle James, and Col. John Sullivan became proprietors of the site, and laid out the town, while Adrian established a Mississippi ferry between Rockingham and the month of Rock River, which was opposite. He kept a gen- eral store at Rockingham, and did a very large business. He was the moving spirit in Rockingham until along in 1840, when Day- enport was established as the county seat, and the desertion of Rockingham commenced, the leading spirits aside from Mr. Dav- enport striking out for Davenport.
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In 1847 he, with his father, removed to Le Claire, where they had acquired considerable property. Mr. Davenport soon became the leading man in Le Claire; was the first mayor of the town, and was re-elected every spring for several years.
After Mr. Davenport moved to Le Claire he became engaged in river business, and for years was captain of the finest steamboats on the Upper Mississippi.
Capt. A. H. Davenport was appointed sheriff of Scott Co., Iowa, in 1838, by Gov. Lucas, to sueceed Maj. Frazer Wilson, who was the first sheriff of the county appointed by Gov. Dodge, under the territorial government of Wisconsin. Capt. Daven- port served under this appointment till 1839, when the office of sheriff was made elective by a change in the organie law of the territory. Capt. Davenport was then elected and re-elected every two years till 1846, when, under the law, he could serve no longer. The Captain then retired to private life and in 1847 moved from Rockingham to Le Claire and became largely interested in the latter town. He bought the machinery of the Rockingham Steam Mill and brought it to Le Claire in 1848 and erected a steam flour- ing and saw mill, and in company with Mr. Samuel Lyter engaged extensively in a general mercantile business. Mr. Lyter was sue- ceeded by Mr. Robert Christie. The mill ereeted by Capt. Daven- port burned down in a year or two after it was built, and he, in company with R. H. Rogers, James Jack and Winchester Sherman, built a much more extensive flouring mill on the same site and also built the saw-mill now owned by Mr. Strahbun. Capt. Daven- port was also one of a company who built the "boat ways " in Le Claire.
On the 11th of May, 1880. Capt. Davenport was stricken with paralysis, and for a month after his life hung in the balance; but he recovered only to experience a similar attack a few days before his death, which occurred Mareh 27. 1SS1, at his home in Le Claire. Six children were left-J. H. and W. A., esteemed citizens of Le Claire; Mrs. Anna E. Hewitt, of Marion ; Mrs. Sarah MeCaffrey and Mrs. Elvira Gardner, of Le Claire; and Mrs. Virginia Ilen- derson, of Princeton.
FATHER PALAMORGUES.
The Very Reverend John Anthony Marie Palamorgues departed this life in his native place. Ste. Geneveive, France, on the 19th of November, 1875, aged about 70 years.
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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY.
He was born at Ste. Genevieve, France, about 1806 ; was edu- cated to the priesthood, came to America in the year 1838, and ar- rived in Davenport, where he had been sent as a missionary priest, Ang. 1, 1839. IIe came a perfect stranger, and without knowl- edge of the English language, poor of purse, yet rich in faith in his church and mission, and full of determination to excel in good words and good works.
The church, St. Anthony's, in which he was to minister, had been commenced the year before (1838), and was at his coming al- ready completed.
Father Palamorgues was the first to assume the charge of this church, which he retained as priest, teacher, and philanthropist until May, 1868, when he retired from his people to spend the rest of his days among his kindred in his native village in France.
At his coming to this charge there were only about 400 Catholics in the Territory of Iowa, and he lived here to see the number in- creased to 125,000; the priesthood increased from two to 70. The school which he opened in 1840 was the first common school in Davenport, and had among its scholars as many children of Prot- estants as of Catholics.
The entire people were sorry that he went away ; and at a meet- ing of the Pioneer Settlers' Association in January, 1871, a motion was unanimously adopted that an address be sent to him at Ste. Genevieve, France, showing their earnest desire for his return to Davenport. This he was forced to decline.
MARGUERITE LE CLAIRE.
Mrs. Marguerite Le Claire, wife of the late Antoine Le Claire, died at the family residence, in Davenport, Oct. 18, 1876.
Mrs. Le Claire was born at Portage des Sioux, St. Charles Co., Mo., Oet. 16, 1802. She was the daughter of Antoine Le Page, a Canadian, and the grand-daughter of the Sae chief, Acoqua (the kettle), the leading chief of his nation. Her early life was spent in her native village, where her education was superintended by one of the orders of nuns, under whom she studied French and English. In 1820 she was married to Antoine Le Claire in Peoria, who was then acting as interpreter between the Indians and the Government, and frequently accompanied her husband on his ex- cursions among the Indians in Arkansas, whom he was sent to watch, when acting as scout or interpreter for the Government,
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during seven years. During her residence in Davenport, and be- fore and since the death of her husband, delegations of the Sac and Fox Indians visited her place every year, where they were always made welcome, entertained as long as they wished to re- main, and when leaving, always carried away as a free gift what necessaries they required-corn, flour, etc.
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