Davenport, Iowa

“ Rock Island City is situated on the mainland on the Illinois bank of the river. East of the city, stretching away to Rock River, are some picturesque bluffs and scenery of great beauty. On the sides of the hills are many comfortable residences of well-to-do [412] citizens. The city is about midway between Saint Louis and Saint Paul, and immediately opposite the larger city of Davenport, Iowa. The iron bridge owned by the United States Government and connecting the two cities is open to the public free of toll. ”

“ MATT PARROTT was born in Schoharie County, New York, in 1837 and, after securing an education, learned the printer's trade. In 1850 he went to Chicago where he obtained a position on one of the daily papers. From there he went to Davenport, Iowa, continuing in the trade of printer. ”

“ ALFRED T. ANDREAS was born in Amity, Orange County, New York, May 29, 1839. After acquiring a liberal education he went west, taught school for some years and engaged in several business enterprises. He enlisted in Company G, Twelfth Illinois Infantry and served through the war, fighting in a number of the great battles. Mr. Andreas located in Davenport, Iowa, after the restoration of peace and for many years engaged in compiling and publishing county and State atlases. ”

“ IOWA, Scott County, Davenport, Iowa Reform Building (Davenport MRA) , 526 W. 2nd St. (11/18/83)
IOWA, Scott County, Davenport, Motie, Joseph, House (Davenport MRA) , 421 E. 10th St. (11/18/83)
IOWA, Scott County, Davenport, West Third Street Historic District (Davenport MRA) , Roughly 3rd St. between Ripley and Myrtle Sts. (11/18/83)
KENTUCKY, Shelby County, Shelbyville vicinity, Allen Dale Farm, Off US 60 (11/17/83)
MASSACHUSETTS, Hampshire County, South Hadley, Woodbridge Street Historic District, 3 and 7 Silver St., 25—82 Woodbridge St. ”

“ Yet, should you determine to settle as a pastor, I feel greatly desirous that an effectual door may be opened for you in Iowa. The church at Davenport and in this place cannot unite in the support of one man ; each would claim the services and residence of the minister. And the field is so wide in this vicinity that our brethren feel that they must have a man all the time on this side the river. ”

“ In 1830 a trading post was established on the Iowa River in the present limits of Johnson County. John Gilbert was the agent in charge and was probably the first white man to make a home in that part of the State. The post was near Poweshiek’s Indian village. Goods were brought up the river in keel boats to be used in exchange with the Indians for furs and skins. The following year Colonel George Davenport explored the Cedar River in a canoe to a point above the mouth of Rock Creek, where he established a trading post and carried on a profitable traffic with the Indians up to 1835. ”

“ The churches are numerous, every denomination being represented. Grace Church, the protestant Cathedral, is a fine substantial edifice, erected at a cost of $80,000.
The Public Library on Brady street, founded by Mrs. Clarissa Cook, a lady of wealth, is a highly prized and flourishing institution. The Academy of Sciences embraces a most valuable and unique collection of rare curiosities, both ancient and modern, among others, relics from the mounds of Iowa and adjoining States, including skulls and skeletons of pre-historic man.
The population of Davenport is now about 20,000. ”

“ I attended the Davenport Association the second week in Oct. at Marion, the county seat of Lynn County, Iowa. The session was harmonious and one of more than usual interest and some tokens of divine favor were manifest. Collections were taken in aid of the home and foreign missions. We trust a lasting blessing will follow. On Saturday before the fourth Sab. in Oct., we organized a new association in this place known by the name of Rock Island Baptist Association, in- cluding but four churches, but an extent of territory more than 100 miles in length on the Mississippi. ”

“ As yet the Iowa country, however, had been visited by few white people; and such as came were only hunters and trappers, agents of the American Fur and other trading companies, or independent traders. Two of the most active of these free-lances of early days—the French Canadian Dubuque and the Englishman Davenport—have left their names to flourishing cities.
To recount the successive purchases by which the Government freed Iowa soil from Indian domination would be wearisome. The Treaty of 1842 with the Sauks and Foxes is typical. ”

“ The Permanent Settlement of Iowa. — After the Indian title had been extinguished by the Black Hawk Purchase, settlers began literally to pour into the Iowa country even before they were legally entitled to do so. From 1830 it became apparent that Iowa was destined to be a land of homes and permanent settlements. Towns sprang up with mushroom rapidity, some of which (such as Dubuque, Burlington, Davenport, and Keokuk) have continued to flourish and prosper. ”

“ She came to Iowa with her parents in 1857, making her home at Davenport. At an early age Miss French developed a talent for story writing and eventually became one of the best known authors of fiction in the West. ”

“ The Legislature having created the office of Attorney-General, D. C. Cloud, Democrat, was elected over Samuel A. Rice, Whig, by a vote of 14,464 to 6,900. In 1854 the California immigration had subsided and the tide again turned into Iowa. The Chicago and Rock Island Railroad reached the Mississippi River opposite Davenport early in February, and on the 22d of that month thousands of citizens of Iowa and Illinois gathered at Rock Island to witness the arrival of the first train. ”

“ The record of the Seventh Iowa, from the day it left its first camp to the end of the war, was one of which every member had reason to be proud. The people of the State will never cease to remember its deeds of valor.
EIGHTH IOWA INFANTRY
This regiment was raised during the months of August and September, 1861. The ten companies were enlisted largely in the counties of Scott, Clinton, Louisa, Washington, Benton, Linn, Marion, Keokuk, Iowa, Mahaska and Monroe. They went into camp at Davenport, in September, nine hundred and twenty strong. ”

“ He entered into partnership with Abner Davisson, upon the death of D. S. True, and Davisson & Lane was for many years one of the leading law firms of Davenport. In 1801 he was elected on the Republican ticket to the House of the Ninth General Assembly and took rank among the leading members; was made chairman of the committee on military affairs, then the most important of the standing committees, as the country was in the midst of the great Civil War. In 1873 Mr. Lane was appointed by President Grant United States District Attorney for Iowa, serving with distinction until 1882. ”

“ CHARLES M. WATERMAN was born in Frankfort, Kentucky, on the 5th of January, 1847. His education was acquired in the public schools and in a private academy. He came to Iowa in 1854 and studied law. The first office he held was that of city attorney of Davenport. ”

“ He was instrumental in founding Griswold College at Davenport which was opened in 1860. In 1867 he made a visit to the principal countries of Europe, preaching in some of the largest churches of England, France and Ireland. After an arduous service of twenty years as Bishop of Iowa Henry W. Lee died at his home on the 26th of September, 1874. ”

“ It is 75 miles southwest from Dubuque, 80 miles nearly west from Clinton, about the same distance from Davenport, 55 miles from Muscatine, and about 110 from Des Moines—the capital of Iowa.
NATURAL ADVANTAGES
"Few interior cities are blessed with more natural advantages than Cedar Rapids. ”

“ Fulton was elected by a union of the Whigs and Antislavery voters to represent Scott County in the State Senate and helped elect James Harlan to the United States Senate to take the place of George W. Jones. For more than forty years Mr. Fulton was engaged in nearly all public enterprises for the building up of Davenport and during that time erected thirty-seven buildings. He was always one of the leaders and promoters of public enterprises to advance the development of the city and State. ”

“ Leffingwell mentioned was the well-known W. E. Leffingwell, who formerly resided at Muscatine, then Bloomington, and later removed to Clinton county. He was an eloquent lawyer and a popular man. He was later defeated by William Smyth for congress in this district. Bates and Folsom were both prominent Iowa City men, and well known in political circles for many years. Judge Grant was the noted jurist of Davenport, and was a well-known railroad promoter who had much influence in early years in Iowa.
In this letter Mr. Merritt suggests George Greene as a candidate from Linn county. ”

“ The companies went into camp at Davenport in the early part of September, 1862, and were mustered into service on the 13th of October, numbering nine hundred seventy men. Early in November the regiment was ordered south and reached Helena on the 20th, where it went into camp. It was sent with the Hovey expedition to Coldwater River, Mississippi, and two weeks later joined Sherman’s army in the Vicksburg campaign. It fought with Hovey’s Brigade in the Battle at Chickasaw Bayou, but was not in the disastrous assault which closed the engagement. ”

“ Many of the officers and men were soldiers who had seen service in other organizations in the early years of the war. It was stationed in Louisiana and was not called upon to participate in any important engagements with the enemy during the term of service. Its only losses were from disease and accident and it was mustered out at Davenport on the 14th of July, 1865. ”

“ John W. Green, E. S. Carl, Cashier Citizens’ National Bank of Davenport, Messrs. Dow, Gilman & Hancock, and Messrs. Koehler & Lange, whose names were forged by Egglesht, J. J. Richardson, of the Daily Democrat, Edward Russell, and Geo. H. Ballou, editors of the Gazette, with about sixty of the leading professional and business men of Davenport. Hon. ”

“ Twenty-five thousand dollars was appropriated for its support and the Census Board was authorized to levy a tax each year thereafter for its maintenance. The main buildings of the institution were at Davenport with branches at Cedar Falls and Glenwood. The number of children cared for at these three homes was at this time eight hundred and sixty-four. The Legislature passed acts at this session making the Clerk and Reporter of the Supreme Court elective by the people for terms of two years. ”

“ In politics republican, it is at present published by J. G. Davenport. The second paper was established in January, 1856, under the editorial management of J. L. Enos, entitled the Cedar Valley Farmer, but was discontinued at the close of the first volume. The Cedar Rapids Democrat was the third paper—commenced in June, 1856, by W. W. Perkins & Co. This is still published. Democratic in politics, the Times and the Democrat are both good papers, and appear to be well sustained. ”

“ Upon his return home, he was appointed postmaster of Davenport. In 1870 he was appointed by President Grant Secretary of Montana Territory and became acting Governor. In 1872 he was appointed Register of the United States Land Office for Montana. He returned to his old home at Davenport where for many years he has done editorial work on several of the daily papers. As a writer, General Sanders has for a third of a century ranked among the ablest in the State. ”

“ TIMOTHY DAVIS was born in Newark, New Jersey, in March, 1794. He received but a common school education, went to Kentucky and studied law in 1816. He practiced his profession for twenty years in the State of Missouri and then removed to Dubuque in Iowa. ”

“ We come now into a new state of things in the history of Vandemark Township.
We meet not only the things that made it, but the actors in the play.
Buckner Gowdy, Doctor Bliven, their associates, and others not yet mentioned will be found helping to make or mar the story all through the future; for an Iowa community was like a growing child in this, that its character in maturity was fixed by its beginnings.
I know communities in Iowa that went into evil ways, and were blighted through the poison distilled into their veins by a few of the earliest settlers ”