USA > Illinois > Rock Island County > Past and present of Rock Island County, Ill., containing a history of the county-its cities, towns, etc., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late Rebellion, portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 13
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We shall have more to say of these matters when we come to give an account of the Black Hawk War in 1831 and '32. During this war Fort
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
Armstrong was the rendezvous for the soldiers assembled in this quarter. On the 7th of August, 1832, five days after the battle of Bad Axe, General Winfield Scott arrived from Fortress Monroe with a force of United States regulars to assist in putting down the Black Hawk disturbance. He was, however, too late for that, but in season to call together the conquered Sacs and Foxes at Rock Island, and to conclude a treaty with them on the 21st of September, for the strip of land known as the "Black Hawk Purchase," in Iowa. This treaty was not held at Fort Armstrong as was contemplated, owing to the existence of cholera among the soldiers, which then prevailed fearfully, but was held on the opposite side of the river on the grounds now occupied by the depot of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. At that time there were about 1,500 soldiers at the fort.
GOVERNMENT AGENTS ON THE ISLAND.
Fort Armstrong was evacuated by the garrison in 1836, but the island was still held as a military reservation by the government under successive agents appointed to take charge of it. The first of these was General Street, Indian Agent, at Prairie dn Chien, who by order of the government estab- lished the Indian Ageney on the island soon after the withdrawal of the troops. In the spring of 1838 the Indian Agency was removed to Ageney City, Iowa, on the Des Moines River, and General Street was succeeded by Colonel George Davenport, who had charge of the island till the spring of 1840, when Captain Bell was ordered here from Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, and Fort Armstrong was made a depot for arms. Captain Shoe- maker was placed in charge and remained till the spring of 1845, when the arms being required for the Mexican, they were shipped to New Orleans, and Captain Shoemaker went with the army to Mexico. He was succeeded by Thomas Drum, who died in 1853, when Sergeant Cummings, of Fort Crawford, Prairie du Chien, was appointed, and on his declination Colonel J. B. Danforth, Jr., was appointed, January 20, 1854. He resigned in 1857, to accept a position in the United States Navy, and H. Y. Slaymaker, of Davenport, was appointed. In May, 1861, T. J. Piekett was appointed to succeed Mr. Slaymaker, and held till the island was again occupied for arsenal purposes.
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FIRST ENTRIES OF LAND.
The first lands entered in Rock Island County were entered by Col. George Davenport and Russell Farnham, Oct. 19, 1829, and comprised ¡ section 2, 17 north, 2 west. The south half of this was sold to Jonah H. Case,xand embraced the lands east of the Fair Grounds, running east one mile. The north half now belongs to Bailey Davenport. The same day William T. Brashar entered the north half of section 11, upon a portion of which Chipiannock Cemetery is situated.
Col. Davenport entered the south part of section 11, in 1829-30. On this was afterwards laid out the famous " paper town " of Rock Island City. Daniel Webster is said to have held an interest in this town which he sold or gave away to Caleb Cushing for $10,000. The town"plat extended from Dingledine's south line and the south line of Chipiannock Cemetery south to Rock River, and from the Milan road three-quarters of a mile east.
Davenport and Farnham also entered at the same time as above the
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
fractional section 34, 18 north, 2 west, south of the Indian boundary line, on which is now laid out Bailey Davenport's addition to the city of Rock Island. They also entered, October 19, 1829, the fractional sections 35 and 36, 18 north, 2 west, south of the Indian boundary line. Section 35 is still owned by Bailey Davenport, and constitutes the "city pasture grounds."
William Carr entered the farm which George M. Luken now owns, October 29, 1829.
These were all the men who entered land in the County as early as 1829. Col. Geo. Davenport entered several pieces in 1830.
In 1833, John W. Spencer entered the land on which John Schindler's farm is situated.
It was not till 1835 and '36 that the lands were generally entered. the latter year exceeding all the others in the number of entries. In 1836 com- panies were formed and large amounts of land entered for them in the name of individual citizens. One of these was called the Rock River Land Com- pany. It was organized in New York city, and its operations extended all over the northern part of the State. The entries were made in the name of Jeremiah II. Taylor and John S. Busing. The lands entered by them in this County were south of Rock River ; from the south end of the County to Drury township they entered inany valuable tracts of land. The Bank of the United States, by Thomas Biddle, entered several tracts in Bowling and Edgington townships.
On the 21st of May, 1836, Jonah H. Case entered the land on which is situated Spencer and Case's and Bailey and Boyles' additions to the city of Rock Island. This tract extends from Eagle street to Arsenal street, on the east, and to a point a little south of Rock River street.
The County Commissioners, George Davenport, John W. Spencer and John Vanatta, entered that part of the city of Rock Island, or Stephenson, lying-between Eagle and Swan streets, and bounded south by a line com- mencing on Eagle street at a point about sixty feet south of the northeast corner of the Taylor House lot, and running west to about the centre of Illinois street, in front of Col. H. B. Burgh's house, and north by the river.
West of, and adjoining this tract, was a five-acre piece, entered by Huntingdon Wells, and south of it was a tract entered by Ira Wells and Joel Wells, Sr. On this is laid out Thompson and Wells' addition to the city of Rock Island.
James Thompson and William Carr entered all the lower addition, west of the Wells' land, and extending to the river.
Thomas Hanlon entered the land on which Milan is situated, June 19, 1835.
EARLY SETTLERS.
The first white man who came to this County as a settler, was Col. George Davenport, who came with the garrison in 1816, and built his house on the lower end of the island. For about thirteen years he and his family were the only white persons, aside from the soldiers and officers of the garrison, in this vicinity.
Col. Davenport's life here was intimately identified with the events which mark the early history of Rock Island. He was born in Lincoln- shire, England, in 1783. Ilis early life was one of many vicissitudes, and more eventful than the lives of most young men. Learning the craft of a
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
sailor, he made many voyages to sea, in one of which he was taken prisoner by the Russian government, and after a winter of great suffering was released. He came on board a ship with a cargo of goods from Liverpool to New York, in 1804. Prevented from returning to England by an acci- dent in which one of his legs was severely fractured, he remained in this country, and soon entered the army as sergeant in the Fifth Regiment United States Infantry, at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. He soon entered the service under Gen. Wilkinson, at New Orleans, and was actively engaged during the war of 1812-14. The latter year he took part in the battle of Lundy's Lane.
In the spring of 1816, he came with the Eighth Regiment and a Com- pany of Riflemen, under Col. Wmn. Lawrence-the same officer under whom he had enlisted ten years before-to build Fort Armstrong. In 1817, he built a double log cabin and storehonse adjoining, about half a mile from the fort on the island, purchased a stock of goods, and began his career as an Indian trader. He subsequently established several trading posts among the Winnebagos, on upper Rock River, and also among the Sacs and Foxes, in opposition to the traders of the American Fur Company. His principal depot was on Rock Island.
In 1825 he was appointed postmaster on the island, and kept the only postoffice nearer than Clarksville, Missouri.
The American Fur Company bought him out in 1826. In 1827, he visited his native home in England, being abroad one year. In 1833 he built his new residence on Rock Island. In 1835, in connection with several others, he purchased the land where Davenport is situated, on which the town named in honor of him was laid out.
Col. Davenport was noted for his humanity ; he was of a very free and generous disposition, and his life was a remarkably active and eventful one. His death is remembered as the most tragic event that ever cast its shadow over this community. He was murdered by John and Aaron Long and Granville Young, members of the " Banditti of the Prairies," on the 4th of July, 1845, while alone in his house, his family having gone to attend the Fourth-of-July celebration.
As early as 1824, Russell Farnham, who had founded the town of Warsaw, Illinois, where he resided, came to Rock Island. In that year he formed a partnership in the fur trade with Colonel Davenport. In 1826, they built the house afterwards so noted in the first records of the County as the "house of John Barrell," which was the first County seat of Rock Island County.
In 1828 a few persons came here, and being much pleased with the appearance of the country, resolved to remain and make themselves homes. Among this number was John W. Spencer, a prominent citizen still residing here. He had passed up the river to Galena, and in passing Rock Island, had been pleased with the situation, so that he returned the following autumn, and in the spring of 1829 brought his family to Rock Island. In his " Reminiscence of Pioneer Life," speaking of that trip in the spring of 1828, Judge Spencer says : " We found here two white families, near where the Farnham house stood, one of them Capt. Clark, father of Capt. Lewis Clark, of Buffalo, Scott county, Iowa, the other a discharged soldier, by the name of Haney ; Judge Pence at Rock River ; and at the rapids, where Rapids City now stands, were John and Thomas Kinney, George Harlan, Conrad Leak and Archibald Allen. This constituted all the white settle.
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
ment on the main land. In March, 1829, came Londen Case, Sr., and his three sons, Jonah, Londen and Charles, and settled at the old Case place. Rinnah Wells and his four sons, and Joshna Vanruff and sons settled at Rock River. In January previous, Joel Wells had settled near Hampton, and in the spring, Joel Wells, Sr., and Levi and Huntingdon Wells settled at Moline ; Joseph Danforth, a son-in-law of Rinnah Wells, a mile above Moline, and Michael C. Bartlett, a son-in-law of Joel Wells, Sr., about where the Quilt Factory now stands. About the last of May, 1829, camne Mr. Goble and his son Benjamin, and settled above Joseph Danforth's. William T. Brashar settled on the farm bearing his name."
By 1831, quite a little settlement had gathered in, so that at the com- mencement of the Black Hawk trouble of that year, a company of fifty- eight men was organized as the Rock River Rangers. This Company probably embrace about all the able-bodied men then in the County. It may be interesting to preserve the names of the members of this first militia company of Rock Island County, together with those of its officers:
ROCK RIVER RANGERS-1831.
OFFICERS.
Benjamin F. Pike, Captain ; John W. Spencer, First Lieutenant ; Griffith Aubery, Second Lientenant ; James Haskell, Leonard Bryant and Edward Corbin, Sergeants ; Charles French, Charles Case, Benjamin Goble and Henry Benson, Corporals.
MEMBERS OF THE COMPANY.
Allen, Archibald
Johnson, Moses
Vanruff, Henry
Brashar, Wm. T.
Kinney, John W.
Vanruff, Samuel
Bane, John
Kinney, Samuel
Vanatta, Benjamin
Bartlett, Michael
Leek, Conrad
Vanatta, Gorham
Been, Josephi
Levit, Thomas
Varner Edward,
Case, Jonalı H.
McNeal, Henry
Wells, Levi
Danforth, Joseph
Miller, George
Wells, George
Davis, Thomas
McGee, Gentry
Wells Joel, Sr.,
Dance, Russell
Noble, Amos C.
Wells Joel, Jr.,
Frith, Isaiah
Syms, Thomas
Wells, Huntingdon
1
Gardner, Thomas
Syms. Robert
Wells, John
Harlan, Geo. W.
Sarns, Wm. F.
Wells, Samuel
Hultz, Uriah S.
Smith, Martin W.
Wells, Rinnah
Hubbard, Thomas
Stringfield, Sevier
Wells, Asaph
Hubbard, Goodridge
Thompson, Joel
Wells, Eri
Henderson, Cyrus
Vanruff, Joshua
Wells Ira.
THE BLACK HAWK WAR.
In the spring of 1829 the Indians were notified by the agent at Fort Armstrong that the government wanted to bring the lands in this section into market, and they were requested to remove to the west side of the Mis- sissippi. Keokuk and the majority of the Sacs and Foxes complied, bnt Black Hawk refused, and being joined by his warriors of the British Band, determined to remain in possession of lis village. An attempt was made
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
the spring following to induce him to leave peaceably by the offer of a few thousand dollars from the government. Colonel Davenport visited Wash- ington and laid the proposition for such a peace-offering before President Jackson, who, after listening to the recital of the perfidy, treachery and dis- loyalty of the Indians, and considering the folly of attempting to purchase a peace that could only be temporary, exclaimed, "They must go, Mr. Da- venport; and by -, they shall go! I will not pay them one cent."
In the spring of 1831, white settlers began to encroach upon the Sac village at Rock River. Judge Spencer, who was then in the country, says, in his Reminiscences: "In 1831 came a new era in our history. The In- dians returned in large numbers, perhaps as many as in 1829, and with quite a different spirit towards the whites. Black Hawk gave the settlers to un- derstand that after this season they must go south of Rock River, or above Pleasant Valley. He said this district between the rivers should be oceu- pied exclusively by the Indians, giving several reasons why they could not afford to give up these pleasant hunting grounds. One reason was that on this side of the Mississippi they were comparatively safe from their enemies, and another that the region abounded with game and fish, and was suited to their mode of living, and they would not give it up. Black Hawk said we could all stay this season except Joshua Vanruff and Rinnah Wells, who lived in the midst of their village, and had a large stoek of cattle which troubled the Indians a great deal. Mr. Vanruff showed Black Hawk that it would be very hard for him to leave on so short a notice, as he was a poor man and had twelve children. Black Hawk finally consented that he might stay another season, but Mr. Wells must go, and he would give him till the next day to make up his mind whether he would go willingly or be put off. Mr. Wells consulted with his friends, and finally consented to leave in thirty days. This move on the part of the Indians made it necessary for the settlers to look about and see what they could do for their protection."
Petitions were immediately sent to Governor Reynolds, then Governor of the State, asking his interference for the protection of the settlers at Rock River. The Governor, in response, called for seven hundred mounted militia, and at the same time requested General Gaines, then at Jefferson Barracks, to repair to Fort Armstrong with the sixth regiment under his command.
The call of the Governor for mounted militia was answered by more than twice the number required, which the Governor, however, did not feel at liberty to refuse. They rendezvoused at Beardstown, where they were speedily organized under command of Hon. Joseph Duncan, the member of Congress, as Brigadier General, and marched immediately for Rock Island.
On the 7th of June, 1831, General Gaines, who had arrived a short time before at Fort Armstrong, ordered the Indians to leave Rock River and remove to the west side of the Mississippi, a large number of them be- ing present in council. That council was composed of General Gaines, the officers of the Sixth Regiment, the officers of the garrison, the citizens, and Keokuk and the friendly Indians. Says an eye witness: "Black Hawk, with seventy-five or one hundred warriors, nicely dressed and painted, drew near. When within about a hundred yards of the council-house they com- menced singing in a very loud voice, which seemed to alarm Keokuk and his party so much that they left in great haste. Those who understood the Indians best, thought from their singing and their manner, that there would
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
be a general massacre." No violence, however, was attempted. During' the several interviews. Black Hawk and his party did not positively refuse to leave Rock River, but the conclusion reached by General Gaines was that they would fight before they would give up their village.
On the 25th of June, Governor Reynolds and General Duncan reached Rock River with 1,600 mounted volunteers. On the following day General Gaines left Fort Armstrong with ten companies of United States infantry. two pieces of artillery, and Captain Pike's company of Rock River Rangers, and proceeded to the Indian village on Rock River for the purpose of driving the Indians off. General Duncan marched up from Andalusia, where there had been a block house erected by order of General Gaines. The Indian town was found evacuated, the Indians having crossed the river during the night. The armies of both generals marched to Fort Armstrong. glad, no doubt, to escape an effusion of blood. Governor Reynolds, in his Life and Times, speaks on this point thus: " Not a single good and intelligent man in the State desired a collision with an insignificant and infatuated band of In- dians; but at the same time the peaceable citizens, residing on their own lands, must be protected from the assaults of a contemptible and ignorant foe, as well as from an enemy of a different character."
The retreating Indians were peremptorily summoned to Fort Arm- strong to make a treaty of peaceful surrender of their lands. They came somewhat reluctantly, and a treaty was agreed upon on the 10th of June, 1831. This treaty was signed by Major General Gaines and Governor Reynolds on the part of the United States, and by Black Hawk, Pashapaho and others, on the part of the Indians of the British Band. It stipulated a lasting peace, and that the British Band should immediately remove west of the Mississippi, and not return without the express permission of the government of the United States or of the State of Illinois.
On the 2d of July, Captain Pike's company of Rock River Rangers was mustered out of service, as all fears of the Indians had now vanished. But alas for the certitude of Indian treaties !- at least for treaties made with Indians so perfidious as were Black Hawk and his warriors. On the 30th of June, thirty chiefs of this band had come into the council at Fort Arm- strong and agreed to remain west of the Mississippi, and yet the next year Black Hawk led a large force into Illinois, ascending Rock River in canoes and necessitating two vigorous campaigns before he could be driven from the State.
After the Indians had been driven to the west side of the river, their condition was no doubt deplorable; many of them actually died of hunger; for they had left their cornfields before the time of harvest. Their famish- ing condition, and the indignities which some of them suffered at the hands of the whites, when hunger had driven them to recross the river in the night, to plunder a few ears of corn from their deserted fields, no doubt ex- asperated the animosity of Black Hawk, and induced him to hasten to vio- late the treaty he had made.
At all events, early in the spring of 1832, he returned with his band and with his women and children in canoes, and ascended Rock River, for the purpose of regaining his lost territory. His warriors numbered about two hundred. Brigadier-General Atkinson, at this time in command of Fort Armstrong, sent a message after Black Hawk, to return and recross the Mississippi, but the sullen old chief deigned him no reply, and proceeded on up to Prophetstown. Another message was sent with no better success.
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
The preparation to meet this invasion of the State was more formidable than that of the year preceding. General Atkinson addressed a letter to Governor Reynolds, asking for assistance, as his force of regulars at the fort was insufficient to meet the emergency. In response to this request about two thousand volunteered and were organized into four regiments, a spy battalion, and an odd battalion. They were officered as follows: Colonel De Witt commanded the first regiment; Fry, the second; Thomas. the third; and Thompson, the fourth. Thomas James was Major of the odd battalion; Samuel Whiteside, Brigadier General, and James D. Henry, Major of the spy battalion. Governor Reynolds issned orders to every county in the State to levy and organize in the whole at least five thousand volunteers, to be ready to march at a moment's warning. As the war progressed slowly, this precaution turned out well for the second campaign.
The army under General Whiteside marched to the mouth of Rock River, where General Atkinson received the volunteers into the United States service and assumed the command. It was soon ascertained that Black Hawk and his warriors were still up Rock River. The army, under order of General Atkinson, after receiving provisions, commenced its march up the river on the 9th of May in pursuit of the enemy.
It is not our, purpose here to pursue the history of the Black Hawk war any further than it has relation to Rock Island county. The details of the organization, disbandments and reorganization of the volunteers, the marches and counter-marches in pursuit of the enemy through an unknown wilderness, the perils and hardships endured in encounters with roving and lurking bands of Indians, the battles and the losses on both sides, would fill a volume. The principal engagements were at Stillman's Run, May 13, 1832; Pe Ratonica, June 24; Wisconsin Heights, July 21; and the battle of Bad Axe, which closed the war, August 2. The Indians fled before their pursuers, crossing over the Wisconsin River, which they descended to the Mississippi, and thence up to the scene of the last battle, where they en- countered a gun-boat in front of them and a victorious army in their rear. and were cut to pieces and effectnally conquered, Angust 2, 1832. Black Hawk fled, but was returned by Pottawatamie chiefs to- Prairie du Chien, where he was given up to the United States authorities. He was sent to Washington and was a prisoner some time at Fortress Monroe. He re- turned to the West, making a tour of the eastern cities, and died at the Sac and Fox Agency, Iowa, October 3, 1838.
ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY.
Rock Island County prior to its organization was included in the juris- diction of Jo Daviess County. Its judicial administration was performed by a few justices of the peace.
In 1833 the Legislature passed an act declaring that all the territory embraced within the following boundaries, to wit : Beginning in the middle of the channel of the Mississippi River, on the north line of township 15 north, and west of the fourth principal meridian ; thence running east- wardly on said line to the fourth principal meridian ; thence north to the middle of the channel of Rock River; thence up the middle of said channel to the Marias d'Ogee slough ; thence along the middle of said slough to the middle of the channel of the Mississippi River ; thence down along the
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HISTORY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY.
middle of said channel to the place of beginning, should be erected into a county, to be known by the name of Rock Island.
In pursnance of the provisions of this act, due notice was given to the legal voters of said county, to meet at the house of John Barrell, in Farn- hamsburg, on Monday, the 5th day of July, 1833, to elect three County Commissioners, one Sheriff and one Coroner, three Justices of the Peace, and three Constables. Accordingly they met, and organized by choosing Joseph Danforth, Joel Wells, Sr., and Wm. H. Simms, Judges, and Joseph Conway and W. Thompson, Clerks. Sixty-five votes were cast. George W. Harlan, John W. Spencer and Col. George Davenport were elected County Commissioners ; Benjamin F. Pike, Sheriff ; Levi Wells, Coroner ; George W. Harlan, J. B. Patterson and Joel Wells, Jr., Justices of the Peace ; George V. Miller, Huntington Wells and Edward Corbin, Constables.
On the Sth of July, 1833, the County Commissioners met at Jolm Barrell's, and organized, by choosing Joseph Conway, Clerk. Joseph Wells, Sr., was appointed Treasurer and Assessor. As the county seat had not been fixed upon, the Court ordered that elections and courts be held at the house of John Barrell, in Farnhamsburg.
At the March term, 1834, Asaph Wells and Joel Wells, Jr., were appointed Supervisors of Roads.
A petition was sent to the Postmaster General, and made a matter of record, requesting that a post-office be established at the court house (John Barrell's), and that Joseph Conway be appointed postmaster. The petition was afterwards granted. The reason for this was, that the settlers were obliged to go to Fort Armstrong for their letters, and in addition to the high rates of postage-twenty-five cents on each letter-they had to pay their ferriage, which made letters rather an expensive luxury. Feeling the burden of this, the settlers petitioned and obtained their first post-office on the main land in 1834. vier- a alle
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