k ^^^ ■=S5.'«='.' ^^ -;£i-C .*!M * Rl/KO(S HIST'"""'/|l SURVEY -V m ;?ivf.. ;-^ :int value in history-making for this section of the Mississippi \'alley is here presented in concise form and is written within the memory of people who largely contributed to its social, political and industrial development. It needs no prophetic vision to forecast the future of this community as one of greater prosperity, greater achievement and greater potentiality, anil the mighty river flowing past our door — destined, it is believed, to bear upon its bosom the commerce of the inland seas — is vocal with the message it carries to the southland on its way to join the waters of the Ciulf. Amid scenes of quiet, beauty in prairie groves, on the undulating slopes of wooded hillsides, and within the shadow of Inisy and growing cities, "the rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep," but their work lives after them, ami their years of toil and hardship, not un- mixed with the dangers of frontier life, are glorified in the annals of Historic Rock Island County. Carlyle tells us that the study of biography is the most universally pleasant and profitable of all studies. The present volume, therefore, is rich in biographical information brought down to date, and the publishers confidently believe that the history of men and women, no less than the record of successful business enterprises makes for value and perpetuity in a work of this kind. In this connection, also, they wish to express their gratitude to all who have in any way aided in its preparation. Historic Rock Island County, as its name implies, is an integral part of the story of a great state; and if, when the larger history of Illinois shall be written, the historian finds within these pages aught that adds lustre to the glory of the commonwealth, then indeed will the realization of the hope that prompted their publication be complete. THE PUBLISHERS. THE SACS AND FOXES Our County in the Revolution, the War of 1812 and the Black Hawk War Early Settlers and Other Historic Events WILLIAM A. MEESE THE first pt'oplc wild iiili;il)itcil the coiititrv, iinw Hock Island ('(lunt/. were redmcii. What tril^es first occupied this ground is not known, hut in tlie first part of the seventeenth ccntiirv, it was the huntina; grounds of the once powerful tribes known as the Ilb'ni, or Illinois, who were a confederation of several tribes, the Taniaroas, Michigamies, Kaskaskias, Cahokias, and Peorias, and with whom were also classed the Mascoutins, sometimes called the Sixth Tribe. These tribes all were of the great Algonquin nation. Marquette in his journal speaks of meeting the mini in 107.3, when he stopped at the Des Moines River, and afterwards when, on his return, he came by way of the Illinois River from its mouth to Lake Michigan. The scene of the Illinois' main residence was, however, in the central and southern parts of the state. THf: SAC AND FOX IXDIAXS. About 1722 northwestern Illinois became the home and the hunting ground of the Sacs and Foxes, The word "Ou-Sakis" or ''Sau- Kee," now written Sac and Sauk, is derived from the compound word " A-Sau-we-Kee " signifying yellow earth, and " Mus-qua-Kcc," the original name of the Foxes, means red earth. The early French named this tribe, Renards and the Americans called them Foxes. These tribes originally lived on the St. Lawrence River near Quebec and Montreal. The Foxes were the first to migrate west. They settled along the river that bears their name and which empties into Green Bay. The Sacs after a long ;ind bloody war with the Iroquois were driven from the St. Law- rence River westward. They wore next engagctl in war with the Wyandottes, and again were they compelled to hurry towards the setting sun, until at length they reached Green Bay on Lake Michigan, near where the Foxes had made their habitation. Hero it seems both tribes were frequently attacked by other tribes of Indians, until at last they united, forming an offensive and defensive union, each however, retaining its tribal name. Through intermarriage and long residence they became substantially one people, an alliance lasting to this day. Both the Sacs and Foxes belong to the Algonquin family. At what time these two tribes came to Green Bay is not known. Marquette's map of 1673 locates the Foxes on the Fox River between the present Green Bay and Lake Winnebago. Father Claude Allouez, when he established the mission of St. Francis Xavier in 1669, found them located near, and in 1(172 he commenced preaching the gospel to them. Early in the eighteenth centui'y they were driven from Green Bay and the F( x River by the Menominees, who were aided by the Ottawas, Chippewas and the French. The Sacs and P\)xes made depredations on the French traders and exacted trib^ite from them, whereon the French commandant of the post at Green Bay took a party of his men HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY in covered boats, and while distracting the attention of the Indians, opened fire on them from the water, at the same time that his Menominee allies attacked their vilhige from the banks in the rear. Those who survived the slaughter removed to the Mississippi River. On arriving there they found that country inhabited by the Sauteaux, a branch of the Chippewa tribe. Upon these they commenced war, finally driving them out of the country, which they then took possession of and occupied. This was about 1722. These tribes next waged war upon the Mascoutins and in a battle opposite the moutli of the Iowa River defeated and almost exter- minated this tribe. They then formed an alliance with the Pottawattomies, Menom- inees and Winnebagoes, and together attacked the Illinois and gradually drove these people further southward. The Sacs and Fo.xes have warred with the Sioux, the Pawnees, Osages and other Indians, and their record shows that they ranked among the fiercest and most warlike tribes. Drake said of them: "The Sacs and Foxes are a truly courageous i)eople, shrewd, politic and enterprising, with not more of ferocity and treachery of character than is common among the tribes by whom they were sur- rounded." S.\C .\\D FOX TnE.\TlES. Tlie first recognition b}- our government of the Sacs and Foxes was in the treaty made at Ft. Harmar, January 9, 17S9, which guar- anteed: "The individuals of said nations shall be at liberty to hvmt within the territory ceded to the United States, without hindrance or molestation, so long as they demean them- selves peaceably and offer no injury or aimoy- ance to any of the sulijects or citizens of tlie said United States." In 1804 William Henry Harrison, governor of Indiana Territory, and afterwards Presi- dent of the United States, was instructed by President Jefferson to institute negotiations with the Sacs and Foxes to purchase their lands. At this time, Black Hawk had risen to the position of war chief of the Sac tribe. Four chiefs or headmen of the Sacs and two chiefs of the Foxes went to St. Louis, and November 3, 1804, made a treaty with Govern- or Harrison. By this treaty the Indians ceded all their lands, comprising the eastern third of the present State of Missouri and the territory lying between the Wisconsin River on the north, the Fox River of Illinois on the east, the Illinois on the southeast, and the Mississippi on the west, in all fifty million acres. For this grant the United States guaranteed to the Indians "friendship and ]irotection," paid them $2, 234. .50 in goods, and guaranteed them goods each year there- after to the amount of .$1,000, 1600 of which was to be paid to the Sacs and $400 to the Foxes. By this treaty it was iiro\idcd in Article 7: "As long as the lands which are now ceded to the United States remain their property, the Indians belonging to the said tribes shall enjoy the privilege of living and hunting upon them." This article in the treaty caused much trouble between the government and the Sacs and Foxes, and was the main cause of the Black Hawk War. lilack Hawk was not present at its making, and always denied the right of the headmen of the Sac tribe to sign such a treaty for his people. In the spring of 1804 a white person (a man or boy) was killed in Cuivre settlement by a Sauk (Sac) Indian. A party of United States troops was sent from St. I,ouis to the Rock River village to demand the murderer. The Sacs surrendered and delivered him to the soldiers and he was conveyed to St. Louis and turned over to the civil authorities. During the latter part of October, 1804, Quash- quame, one of the Sac chiefs, together with others of his tribe and some of the Foxes, went to St. Louis to try and secure the release of the Sac murderer who was a relative of Quash-quame. It is an Indian custom and HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 9 usage that if one Indian kills another, the matter is generally compromised with the murdered man's relatives for a property con- sideration, as Black Hawk said: "The only means with us for saving a person who killed another was by paying for the person killed, thus covering the blood and satisfying the relatives of the murdered man," and the Sacs believed that by the giving of ponies and peltries to the whites they could secure the Indian's release. Thomas Forsyth, for many years an Indian trader, and from 1816 until 1S30 the agent of the Sacs and Foxes, in a manuscript written in 1832 says of this matter: "Quash-quamc, a Sauk chief, who was the headman of this party, has repeatedly said, 'Mr. Pierre Cho- teau. Sen., came several times to my canij), offering that if I would sell the lands (ui the east side of the Mississippi River, Governor Harrison would liberate my relation (meaning the Sauk Indian then in prison as aliove related), to which I at last agreed, and sold the lands from the mouth of the Illinois River up the Mississippi River as high as the mouth of Rocky River (now Rock River), and east to the ridge that divides the waters of the Miss- issippi and Illinois Rivers, and I never sold any more lands.' Quash-quame also said to Governor Edwards, Governor Clark and Mr. Auguste Chouteau, commissioners appointed to treat with the Chippewas, Ottawas and Pottawattomies of Illinois River, in the sum- mer of 1816, for lands on the west side of Illinois River, ' You white men may put on paper what you please, but again I tell you, I never sold my lands higher up the Mississip])i than the mouth of Rock River.' " It is claimed that the Indians were drunk most of the time they were in St. Louis, a thing not unlikely. Forsyth said the Indians always believed the annuities they received, were presents, and when he in 1818 informed them it was a part of the purchase price of their lands, "they were astonished, and refused to accept of the goods, denying that they ever sold the lands as stated by me, their agent. The Black Hawk in particular, who was present at the time, made a great noise about this land, and would never receive any part of the annuities from that time forward." When it became known that certain chiefs and headmen had without authority sold their lands, Quash-quame and his companions were degraded from their ranks, Tiama, the son-in-law of Quash-qvuime, being elected to his father-in-law's place. In 1815 a part of the Sacs and Foxes had migrated to the Missouri River, and Septem- ber 13, 1815, these Indians sent representa- tives to the Portage des Sioux, where each tribe made a separate treaty with the govern- ment, agreeing to ratify the treaty of Novem- ber 3, 1804, and to remain separate from, .and render no assistance to, the Sacs and Foxes then living on Rock River. On the 13th day of May, 181G, another treaty was entered into at St. Louis. This treaty was between the "Sacs of Rock River" and the government. It reaffirmed the treaty of 1804 and all other contracts hereto- fore made between the parties. To this treaty is attached the mark of Ma-Ka-tai-me-She- Kia-Kiak, or "Black Sparrow Hawk," as Black Hawk was also called. Yet Black Hawk said in 1832: "Here, for the first time, I touched the goose quill to the treaty not knowing, however, that by the act I consented to give away my village. Had they explained to me I should have opposed it and never would have suined their treaty as my recent conduct will clearly prove." In the treaty of 1804 the government had agreed, in order to put a stop to the abuses and impositions practiced upon the Indians by private traders, to establish a trading house or factory where these Indians could be supplied with goods cheaper and better than from private traders. This the government concluded it was best not to continue, and a new treaty was made by which the United States paid the Indians $1,000 to be relieved 10 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY from this obligation. l?l:ick Hnwk sijiiiod this treaty. Another treaty was made .Aug- ust 4, 1824, which reaiFirmed and recognized all former treaties. Each treaty left the Sacs and Fo.xes with less lainl .-intl I'ewer rights. For years there had existed a bitter feeling between the Sioux and the Sacs and Foxes, and .\iigust 19, 1S2."), Willi;im t'lark and Lewis Case on behalf of the government assembled these tribes, together with the Chi]3pewns, Meiiominees, Winnebagoes, lowas, Ottawas and Pottawattomies at Prairie du Chien, and entered into a treaty whose object was to end the wars t)ctween these nations. In this treaty it was agreed that the I'nited States should run a boundary line between the Sioux and the Sacs and Foxes. It seems that this treaty proved \msatisfactory to the Indians, for .July 30, 1830, another treaty was entered into at Prairie du Chien in which the Sacs and Foxes ceded to the United States a tract of land twenty miles in width lying south of the line established by the treaty of August li), 1825. The Sioux also ceded a strip twenty miles wide along the north line of said bound- ary. This forty mile strip was neuti'al terri- tory, open to all for himting and fishing, and was along the Iowa River. their parents. The husband could at any time di\'orce his wife or add another if lie deemed best, and although the marriage ties were not strong, the ties of consanguinity were I'isidl)- preserved. Hereditary rights were tracetl through the female line. This was accomiilished by means of the Totem, an' institution or emblem which ser\-ed as a distinction for the different clans or families. The family surname was represented by some l)ird or animal, such as Eagle, Hawk, Heron, Deer, Bear, etc. Each Indian was proud of his Totem— in fact it represented a fraternity or secret society. As the different members of a clan were connected by ties of kindred, they were prohibited from intermarriage. A Hear might not marry a Bear, liut cotdd marry an Eagle, Hawk, or member of any other clan. This Totem system furnished the means of tracing family lineage thrcjugh all their >'ears of wandeiing and preserved their hereditary rights. The Sacs and Foxes had from the early part of the eighteenth century occupied the banks of the Mississippi between the mouth of the Missouri and the Wisconsin, the Sacs occupying the eastern side of the river, and the Foxes its western banks. S.VC AXD FOX CUSTOMS. The Sacs and Foxes had many peculiar cus- toms, one being that eacli male child was marked at bii-th with either white or black color, the Indian mother alternating the colors so that the nation was evenly di\ided between black and white. This distinction was kept alive during life, the object being to create ri\'alrv and ,-i spii'il of eiunlation between the members of tlu^ tribe. Tims black was the competitor of white in their games and .social customs, and earh side tried to outdo llie other, and in wai- to take more scalps. lilack Hawk belongetl to the "Black" party and Keokuk to the "White" party. Marriage among the Sacs and Foxes required only the consent of the parties and THE HOMES OF THE SACS. The Sacs' house or wigwam was made by setting posts in the ground and siding it with bark. On top of the posts small poles were laid for rafters upon which strips of bark were laid. These wigwams were about eight ei-n feet wide and from twenty to sixty feet long. West of the Rock River village the Indians cultivated aljout one thousand acres, raising corn, beans, sc[uashes and melons. The Sacs and Foxes planted their corn in the same hill year after yeai'. They would ilig up the hill each year and plant the corn in the middle, cultivating it with a primitive hoe and hoeing it three or four times during a season. These corn hills were quite large, many of them be- ing still visible a few years ago. The farming HISTORIC ROC K ISLAND COUNTY 11 was doiip principally by the women assisted by the old men and children. From the years 1780 to about 1820, the traders at Prairie dii Chien came to the Sac village for all the corn they used. After the crops were harvested, the Sacs wo\ild prepare to leave for their win- ter hiuit. Before going they would dig a round liolc in the ground alxiut eighteen inches in diameter. Carefully removing the sod and digging five or six feet they wovdd enlarge it so that it would hold many bushels. These holes they would line with l)ai-k and dry grass and then fill up with tlicir grains and vegetables. When full they would re- place the sod and remove all traces of earth, often building a fire over it so ihai im cuciny could find the jilace and steal the supply they had laid u]) for the next spring and siiinnicr. When this was done the Sacs and Foxes would go off into Iowa and Missouri where they would liuiil. In the winter their houses wei'e made bv sticking poles in the ground ami bending tliem over so as to form a luilf circle about twelve feet in diameter. These were covereil with r\igs woven of grass and with hides. THE ROCK RIVER VILL.\GE. The chief Sac village was located on the north bank of Rock River about two miles from its uio\itli. It was built about 1780, west of where the Rock Island and Peoria Railway crosses the river, and it extended down along the bank in a straggling form. It was one of the largest Indian towns on the continent, the oldest and longest inhabited, and had a population often as high as three thousand. It was the summer home of the Sacs. Here was located the tril)al l)nrying ground, a spot more revered by an Indian than anything else on earth. Here reposed the bones of a century of the Sai' warriors, their wives and children, and here each Sac came once each year to commune with his friends and family who had departed to the "happy hunting grounds," On these occa- sions all vegetation was removed from the moimd and the mourner addressed words of endearment to the dead, inquiring how they fared in the laud of spirits, and placed food upon the graves. The Sacs were particular in their demonstrations of grief. They dark- ened their faces with chai'coal, fasted and abstained from the use of vermilion and ornaments of dress. Black Hawk said: "With us it is a custom to visit the graves of oiu- friends and keep them in repair for many years. The mother will go aliuie to weep over the grave of her child. After he has been successful in war, the brave, with ple.nsure, visits the grave of his father, and repaints the post that marks where he lies. There is no place like that wher(> the bones of oiu- forefathei's lie to go to when in grief. Here, prostrate liy the tombs of iiur forefathers, will the (Ireat Spirit take pitv on us." X.\ME OF THE VILL.VdlO. The old Indian town has by some been called "Saukenuk." How tins name origi- nated is not known. The first to use it was Armstrong in his "Sauks and the Black Hawk War," published in 1SS7. Catlin refers to it in 1837 as "Saug-e-nug," yet none of our pioneer settlers mention it except as the "Sac Village," or "Black Hawk'.s Village." Judge Spencer in his " Reminiscenses," in speaking of the year 1829, says: "We were here but a few days when two Indians came, the first we had .seen. One of them connnenced talking in a loud voice in the Iiulian language of which we could not understand a word. By ])ointing to the wigwam, saying, 'Saukie Wigeop,' then ])ointing to the ground saying, 'Saukie-Aukie,' and rep(^ating this many times we understood he claimed the land and the wigwam belonged to the-Indians." Caleb Atwater, who was the commissioner employed bv the United States to negotiate with the Indians of the upper Mississippi for the purchase of their mineral lands in 1829, was unable to learn the luune of the Sac town 12 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY whether because it liad iiono or because the ludians did not care to name it, is not known. Major Morrill Marston who was stationed at Ft. Armstrong from August 1819 to June 1821, in a letter dated November 1820, in speaking of the Sac village said they call it Sen-i-se-pp Ke-he-sau-Kee (Rock River penin- sula). When the Major spoke to one of the chiefb- about removing his people west of the Mississippi, the Indian replied, that his people were not willing to leave Ke-bc-sau-Kee because their chiefs and friends were buried there. POPUL.\TION OF THE SACS AND FOXES. In 1S05 Lieutenant Zebulon Pike on behalf of the United States government made an expedition from St. I.ouis to the sources of tlie Mississippi River. He says that the Sacs had three villages, one at the head of the Des Moines Rapids, the second on a prairie about two miles from the Mississippi at Oquawka. and the third on Rock River about three miles from its mouth. The Foxes or Rey- nards also had three villages, one on the Illinois side above the Rock Island Rapids, one at Dubuque and one near Prairie du Chien. Pike estimated that the Sacs numbered 2,850 souls, of whom 1 ,400 were children, 750 women and 700 warriors. The Foxes num- bered 1,750 of whom 400 were warriors, 850 children, 500 women. In 1825 the secretary of war estimated the entire number of Sacs and Fo.xes at 4,600, an increase of over one thousand in twenty years. In 1831, at the commencement of Indian hostilities preced- ing the Black Hawk War, there were twenty families of whom twelve were Sacs and eight were Foxes, and their total nvmiber is esti- mated to ha^■e been five thousand souls, this number including those living in Iowa and Missouri. A REVOLUTIONARY BATTLE. In the spring of 1780 Captain Hesse, a former British soldier, then Indian trader, assembled at the portage of the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers, a body of Menominees, Winnebagoes and Sacs and Foxes, in all about six hundred and fifty Indians, and with fifty white traders came down the Wisconsin River in canoes and thence down the Mississippi River to St, I.ouis, and attacked that then Spanish post. The British and their Indian allies on May 26th, made their attack, but were repulsed b_v the inhabitants and the small Spanish garrison. They then crossed the Mississippi River and attacked the Amer- ican post at Cahokia, Colonel John Mont- gomery was American commandant of the Illinois, and he having heard of the enemy's movements, was prepared. General George Rogers Clark had while at the Falls of the Ohio learned of the threatened British-Indian invasion, and hurried to the Illinois, arriving on the night of the 25th, and assisted in the defense. The British and Indians were repulsed although one American was killed. General Clark now ordered Colonel ilont- gomery to pursue the enemy, and Montgomerj' at the head of an armj' of tliree hundred and fifty soldiers, mo.stly Virginians, including a company of Illinois French Militia and some Spanish, marched to where Peoria now is and destroyed the Indian village on the Illinois. He then took up his march across the prairies to the Sac village near the mouth of Rock River. It was in the first part of June, early accounts do not mention the day of the month, but it was during the season that the Sacs and Foxes were alwaj's at their village cultivating their fields of corn. Black Hawk does not mention this American visit, due probabh- to the fact that an Indian seldom if ever men- tions defeat. Colonel Montgomery himself makes scant mention of his journej^ save in a letter WTitten in 1783 to the Board of Com- missioners for the Settlement of Western Ac- counts in which he defends his actions while in the Illinois. He speaks of desiring a leave of absence and says, " It was then he (General George Rogers Clark) informed me of his reso- lution; and that the Public Interest would HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND C U X T Y 13 not permit of my request beins granted, that I must take command of the expedition to Rock River." He then says: "After giving me instructions, he (Clark) left Kohos (Caho- kia) the 4th of Jmie with a small escort for the mouth of the Ohio on his route to Ken- tucky. I immediately proceeded to the Business I was order'd and march'd three hundred and fifty men to the lake open on the Illinois River, and from thence to the Rock River, Destroying the ToNrtis and Crops proposed. The Enimy not Dareing to fight me as they had so lately Been Disbanded and they could not raise a sufficient force " James Aird, an early British trader, speak- ing of this matter in 1805, said that the Sac village was burnt, "by about three hundred Americans, although the Indians had assem- bled 700 warriors to give them battle." Aird from 1778 on was engaged in trade with the Sacs and Foxes made annual visits to their vil- lage and for weeks maintained on Credit (now Suburban) Island a trading post or station. The French Militia who accompanied Mont- gomery undoubtedly expected to capture rich booty from the Indians and were greatly disappointed. In a lengthy declaration to M. Mottin de la Balme, pensioner of the King of France and French Colonel, etc.. the inhabitants of Cahokia complain grieviously of the Virginians. They say in speaking of the Rock River Expedition: "Oh, Colonel Clark, affecting always to desire our public welfare and tmder pretext of avenging us, soon formed with us and conjointly with the Spaniards a party of more than three hundred men to go and attack in their own village the savages who had come to our homes to harass us, and after substituting Colonel Montgomery to command in his place, he soon left us. "It is, then, well to explain to you, sir, that the Virginians, who never employed any principle of economy, have been the cause by their lack of management and bad conduct, of the non-success of the expedition and that our glorioiis projects have failed through their fault : for the savages abandoned their nearest villages, where we have been, and we were forced to stop and not pu.sli on fiu'ther, since we had almost no more provisions, powder and balls, which the Virginian.s had under- taken to furnish us." Thus at the Sac village at the mouth of Rock River was fought a battle during the War of the Revolution. How long it lasted, were there any killed or wounded, or if British soldiers took part, our early records do not state, but in this farthest west of the Revo- 'utionary engagements, American soldiers like tlieir brothers in the east, triumphed. BLACK H.\WK AND KEOKUK. At the commencement of the nineteenth century and up to the Black Hawk War, the principal and central figtu-e of the redmen in the upper Mississippi A'alley was the Sac chief. Black Hawk, who was born at the Indian village on Rock River in 1767. Black Hawk was of middling size and as Catlin says, "with a head that would excite the envy of a phrenologist; one of the finest that heaven ever let fall on the shoulders of an Indian." Another Sac chief who had risen from the ranks was Keokuk. His advancement was due to his raising a war party to defend his nation from an expected attack of the Amer- icans during the War of 1812, but which attack never occurred. Although polygamy was practiced among the Sacs and Foxes, Black Hawk had but one wife while Keokuk had seven. Keokuk w-as also born at the Sac village on Rock River in 1783, and died in April, 1848, at the Sac and Fox Agencj' in Kansas. Early in the nineteenth century there seems to have arisen a difference between the Sacs and Foxes. Lieutenant Pike, writing in 1805, says: "But recently there appears to be a schism between the two nations, the latter (Foxes) not approving of the insolence and ill will 14 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY which lias marked the ccndiict of the former (Sacs) towards the United States on many late occurrences." This disagreement con- tinued to grow, and while some of the Foxes lield with the Sacs, most of the Foxes were inclined to be well disposed to the Americans, as were some of the Sacs, and these friendly Indians arrayed themselves under Keokuk's standard while the war party held to Black Hawk. Black Hawk and Keokuk were thus rival chiefs. Keokuk had never done any- thing that entitled him to leadership. The Indian standard of character and honor made it the dtity of an Indian to be foremost in the ranks of the war party. Keokuk had few victories to his credit, but he was diplomatic. In 1828 he moved with his following across the Mississippi and built a village on the Iowa. Black Hawk, like Keokuk, was not an hereditary chief, but had risen to the position of chief of the war party through the native vigor of his character and his great success in war. Black Hawk had never stiffered defeat. His band, which w'as much the larger, com- prised the chivalry of the Sac and Fox nations. At the beginning of the War of 1812, he offered the services of his nation to the Amer- icans, which from motives of humanity they declined. Yet the British were not loth to accept them, for dii'ectly after this we find that La Guthre, an agent of Great Britain, was at the Rock River village to enlist the Sacs and Foxes on the British side and against the Americans, and we find them fighting us in the War of 1812. From this fact and from this time, Black Hawk's band was known as the "British Band." A study of Black Hawk's life discloses that he possessed those qualities which in a white man would raise him to power and position. Black Hawk was the great Indian commoner. Keokuk was noted as an Indian orator; Black Hawk as an Indian warrior. THE CAUSE OF INDIAN WAKS. Every so called Indian war in this country originated in a desire on the part of the white man to ]3().ssess the home and the hunting grounds of his red brother. Discovery by the European nations was considered a right to extinguish the redman's title. England's policy then as now was to claim that all title to land was vested in the crown, that her subjects might occupy the soil, but could not alienate it except to her own people. Eng- land treated the Indians as she did her own subjects. When the United States at the close of the Revolutionary War succeeded to this country from the Atlantic to the Mississ- ippi, the same principles regarding the title to the Indian lands were carried out, and while in every instance our government had secured title and extinguished Indian rights, by treaty or purchase, we must admit that the consideration was the most trivial, and too often acceptance on the part of the red- man was influenced by the force of arms. "Did the red man foresee his impending doom, his forced retreat towards the setting sun, the gradual breaking up of his power and the final extinction of his race?" Careful study of Indian history leads us to believe that among the Indians, as well as among the white men, there were those who saw the coming storm, "who saw the threatening cloud coming from the east, small at first, scarce a shadow, but gradually becoming more distinct and greater as it traveled west- ward, and, when it reached the summit of the Alleghanies, it assumed a darker hue; deep murmurs, as of thunder, were heard; it was impelled westward by strong winds and shot forth forked tongues of lightning." On the plains of Abraham, when French sti- premacy west of the Alleghanies was forever lost, and Pontiac stood before the British officer who was to proceed westward to secure the fruits of victory and said, "I stand in thy path," he realized the impending conflict, and his note of warning to the chiefs of his nation to "Drive the dogs who wear red clothing into the sea " was his last appeal to save his race. Fifty years later Tecumseh HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 15 fell a martyr to the Indian cause, and his efforts to stem the westward march of the white man failed. For three years after that Tuscaloosa strove in vain to save his nation, and in 1S32 the Sacs and Foxes on Rock Island soil, under the leadership of their great chief, Black Hawk, made the last determined Indian defense of their homes and the resting place of their forefathers. SACS AND FOXES OF TODAY. After their removal to Iowa, they by trea- ties in 1836 and 1S42 ceded all their lands up to the Missouri River, and in June, 188.5, these people were distributed as follows: On Sac and Fox Resen-ation in Iowa (Tama Count}') about 380; on Pottawatomie and Great Nemaha Agency Reservation, near the northeast corner of Kansas, the Sacs and Foxes of Missouri about 187; on Sac and Fox Reservation in Indian Territory, 457, and Mohoko's band, wandering in the west, about 350— a total of 1,374. Almost all but the last named band are farmers and herders. The agent at Sac and Fox Agency, Iowa, writing in 1884, said: "For honesty and truthfulness our Indians stand above the average white man with the merchants with whom they deal." Yet in spite of all at- temjits to civilize them, the Sacs and Foxes still li\-e in rude huts like their ancestors, cooking their food at a fire made on the ground, the smoke escaping from an opening in the roof; sleeping on bunks of boards arranged on the sides of their huts, wearing blankets, painting their faces, shaving and decorating their heads, as did their ancestors who lived at the old Rock River village. They lack thrift, industry and a spirit of progress. They still offer prayers and hold feasts before planting their crop.s, and another series of prayers and thanksgiving when their crops are gathered. Notwithstanding the efforts of Christian missionaries, holy or con- secrated tobacco is still l)vu'ned on certain occasions as incense, and as of yore they still have "Me-sham," a something that profane eyes have never been allowed to see. The modern Sacs and Foxes, while quiet and peaceful, are averse to work and seem at their best visiting the neighboring towns, lounging about smoking, chatting and playing the white man's game — cards. FIRST WHITE EXPLORERS. Undoubtedly the first white men to cast their eyes upon Rock Island soil were Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette, when they and their five French canoemen, in June 1673, floated from the mouth of the Wiscon- sin River down the broad Mississippi. We do not know that they landed at any spot in the boundary of what is now Rock Island County, but as they came over the Rock Island rapids, gliding down the swift flow- ing water, they could not fail to notice the Island of Rock Island with its rocky shores and beautiful groves, for their canoes must needs take the channel on the north shore of the island. All early voyagers remarked upon this locality, and it was generallv con- sidered "the handsomest and most delightful spot of the same size on the whole globe." We have no record of the first white man who stepped on Rock Island soil. We know- that as early as 1690 Nicholas Perrot, French commandant of the west, built a post oppo- .site to where Dubuque, Iowa, now is and that in 1695 Pierre Le Sueur built a fort on a large island in the Mississippi River between Lake Pepin and the mouth of the St. Croix, which Charlevoix says became "the centre of com- merce for the western parts." Le Sueur dis- covered lead mines on both sides of the Miss- issippi River (at Dubuque and Galena), and Penicault, his reporter and companion, speaks of the rapids at Rock Island. We know that agents of Anthony Crozat at some time be- tween the years 1712 and 1717 worked the lead mines around Dubuque and Galena; that as early as 1792 printed maps of this country show the Rock Island Rapids, naming them 16 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY "Nine-mile Rapids," and we fnrllier know that from 17S8 to ISlO.Iuiien ])u Biique with a force of Spanish, French and Indian miners operated tlie lead mines near where l)nbiique. Iowa, now is, and floated his lead down the Mississippi to St. Louis and New Orleans, and it is not impossible that some of these people may have explored this co\inty and even lived here; but the first record we have of a white man stopping at this locality is when Lieu- tenant Pike in 1805 made his trip u]i the Miss- issippi. FIRST FLAG IN THE UPrER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. On August 9, 1805, Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike, an officer in the fnited States Army, in command of twenty soldiers, left St. Louis under instructions from the government to trace the sources of the Mississippi River. ascertain the condition of the Indians, create a better feeling between them and the Amer- icans and to select certain sites upon which to' erect forts. The party made the voyage in a keel boat seventy feet long, and on August 27, 1S05, the party arrived at the mouth of Rock River. Black Hawk in his autobiography says: "Some time afterwards a boat came up the river with a young American chief, at that time lieutenant, and afterwards General Pike, and a small party of soldiers aboard. The boat at length arrived at Rock River and the young chief came on shoi e with his interpreter. He made us a speech and gave us some pres- ents, in return for which we gave him meat and such other provisions as we could spare. "We were well pleased with the speech of the yoimg chief. He gave us good advice and said our American father would treat us well. He presented us an American flag which we hoisted. He then requested us to lower the British colors, which were waving in the air, and to give him our British medals, promising to send us others on his return to St. Louis. This we declined to do, as we wished to have two fathers," The event related by Black Hawk, and occm-ring at the old Sac village on Rock River, in August, 1S05, was the first raising and unfurling of the United States flag in the valley of the upper Mississippi River. All the country west of the Mississippi had until October, 1803, belonged to Spain, and Lieu- tenant Pike was the first American represen- tative to navigate the Mississippi north of St. Louis. THE W^AR OF 1812. The Louisiana Purchase in 1803 gave the United States control of both banks of the upper Mississippi River. Previous to this time, but little was known of our upper river by the Americans, and not imtil Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike under orders from our gov- ernment in 1805 came up the river from St. Louis, to discover its source, and to select locations for future United States posts, did our government have any definite knowledge concerning this country. At the beginning of the year 1814 the war with England was still in progress and though the warfare was carried on mostly on the lakes, the Atlantic Ocean, and among the eastern states, the west, and especially the upper Mississippi River, were the scenes of important events, which owing to their distance from civilization, the lack of means and the length of time to transport news, were overlooked, and have failed to receive that recognition in American history that events of less importance, but happening in the east were accorded. St. Louis, the American headquarters for the upper Mississippi River, Cap au Oris, a small French hamlet a few miles north of the mouth of the Illinois River, the deserted old post at Ft. Madison, the mines at Dubuque and the small French settlement and British post at Prairie du Chien were the only settle- ments on the upper river. Colonel Robert Dickson, a British trader during the years 1811-1813 had been active in inciting the Indians of the northwest, his HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 17 object being to secure their aid in an attack on the American settlements at St. Tvonis, Kaskaslcia and Peoria. On March 27th, 1813, Ninian Edwards, territorial governor of Illinois, wrote the secre- tary of war: "If the British erect a fort at the mouth of the Wisconsin, and should be able to retain it two years, this and Missouri territory will be totally deserted, in other words, conquered." In the beginning of the year 1814 our gov- ernment decided to build a fort on the upper river at Prairie du Chien (the mouth of the Wisconsin River), where the British had the preceding year fortified the house of the Mac- inac Fur Company and stationed a company of Michigan fencibles (militia). THE FIRST EXPEDITION. On May 1, 1814, William Clark, governor of Missouri Territory, with a detachment consisting of sixty United States regulars of the Seventh Infantry, and one hundred and forty Illinois and Missouri rangers or volun- teers, left Cap au Gris in five fortified keel boats for the mouth of the Wisconsin River there to erect a United States fort. At the mouth of the Rock River they had a slight skirmish with a party of Sauk (Sac) braves. About the middle of April. Colonel Dickin- son left Prairie du Chien, taking with him most of the British forces, together with about three hundred Indian allies. Captain Deace was left in charge of the post. His command consisted of a company of Michigan fencibles;) and a body of Sioux and Fox Indians. When it was learned that an American force was nearing the Prairie, the Indians refused to fight the Americans, and Captain Deace and his British soldiers fled. Lieutenant Joseph Perkins, who was in command of the United States regulars, on his arrival at the Prairie, took possession of the place and immediately began the erection of a fort, which he named Fort Shelby in hon- or of Governor Shelby of Kentucky. As soon as the fort was completed Captain John Sulli- van's company of fifty rangers, thirty-two rangers from Captain Yeizer's company, to- gether with Governor Clark, left Fort Shelby and returned to St. Louis, arriving there the last of June. On the 17th of July Fort Shelby at Prairie du Chien was attacked by Colonel William McKay in command of one hundred and fifty British soldiers and four hundred Sioux, Winnebago, Menominee and Chippewa Indi- ans, and on the evening of July 19th, the same day Campbell's expedition was defeated, Lieutenant Perkins surrendered Fort Shelby. The British renamed the fort, calling it Fort McKay. M.\JOR CAMPBELL'S EXPEDITION. When General Howard, commandant of the American forces in the west, learned of the return of the troops from Prairie du Chien, he immediately organized another expedition to be sent uj) the river to reinforce Fort Shel- by. On July 4, 1S14, the second expedition left Cap au Gris. It consisted of three forti- fied barges, or keel boats, each with a cabin and all having sails. There were thirty-three regular soldiers and sixty-five rangers (mili- tia), some of the latter being Frenchmen from Cahokia. The expedition including the sut- lers' establishment, boatmen, and women and children, making one hundred and thirty- three persons. This expedition was com- manded by Lieutenant (acting Brigade Ma- jor) John Campbell of the First Regulars (infantry), who with the regulars, contractors, sutlers, women and children, occupied one boat. The two other boats being occupied by the rangers and were commanded by Lieutenant Stephen Rector and Lieutenant Jonathan Riggs. The n\unber of regulars in this expedition has been repeatedly given as forty-two; Major Campbell, however, reports that he had but thirty-three. On the thirteenth of the month, about eighty miles below the mouth of Rock River, IS HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY they met a party of Indians from Prairie du Chien. with a packet directed to Governor Clark. These Indians informed Campbell that everything was quiet, and that the gar- rison at .the Prairie (Prairie du Chien) had been completed. The same day T.ieu tenant Rector, of the rangers found a canoe which had a considerable quantity of Indian pro]i- erty in it. and which had just been abandoned. On the 18th of July, about twenty miles below the mouth of Rock River, the ex- pedition was met by a party of nine Indians in canoes, bearing a white flag, who informed Major Campbell that they had heard of the American's approach and had come to conduct them to their o^nti town, and to inform them that the Sacs and P'oxes were friend!}^ dis- posed. The Indians left the keel boats a few miles below the mouth of Rock River, at the mouth of which the boats were met by five other Indians in canoes, who informed the commander that the Indians at the vil- lage on Rock River, about a mile above its mouth, wished to hold a council with him. The keel boats proceeded up the river and landed on the Illinois shore opj)osite the lower end of the Island of Rock Lsland. In a short time, about one hundred and fifty warriors, besides women and children of the Sac and Fox nation appeared. Black Hawk was at the head of the party. He approached Ma- jor Campbell and asked if he had brought any presents for him from his fnther. Major Campbell told Black Hawk he had, provided he fulfilled the pr:;mises he had made his father in the spring, which was to go to war with the Peaus OVinnebagoes.) Black Hawk replied that he had made his father no such promises, and that his "father was drunk when he said so," but that he was ready to go to war with the Peaus if the government would furnish him with the means. He fur- ther said: "The Mississippi is a broad and straight road and the people of the United States shall meet with no ot)structions in traveling." During the evening the Indians were very friendly, recognizing many old friends among the Frenchmen from Cahokia. THE B.\TTLE OF C.\MPBELL'S ISLAND. On the morning of July 19, before break- fast, the boats all set sail and started up the river, with a fine breeze. During the night a part}^ of Indians arrived at the Sac village from Prairie du Chien, coming down Rock River, Black Hawk said they brought the Sacs si.Y kegs of powder and told them that the fort at Prairie du Chien had been captured by the British. These messengers also told the Sacs that the British wished them to again join them in the war against the Americans, which the Indians agreed to do. Black Hawk's memorj' is at fault. He does not state exactly what these Indian messen- gers told him. Colonel McKay, whose armj' of British and Indians had attacked Prairie du Chien. in a letter to his superior officer, un- der date of July 27, 1S14. says that on the 17th of July, about three o'clock in the afternoon, after the gunboat "Governor Clark '' had been driven from its position by the British cannon and had started down the river, that he immediately sent off a canoe with three men: an lowan. who had come from Mackinac with him, and two of the six Banks, who had joined him on the Fox River. that he gave them four kegs of gun powder and ordered them to pass the "Governor Clark" and get as soon as possible to the rapids at the Rock River, where he believed the gun- boat would run aground: that they should collect all the Sauks and annoy the" Govern- or Clark" and prevent their landing to get fire wood, etc. Early in the morning, Black Hawk col- lected his warriors .and determined to attack the boats, which had now started up the river. As Black Hawk says: "I collected my warriors and determined to pursue the boats. I immediately started with my party by land in pursuit, thinking that some of their boats HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 19 might get aground, or that the Grc.it Spirit would put them in ovu" power, if he wished them taken." The boats had just passed the head of Rock IsLand when the boat commanded by Major Campbell was grounded on the rocks, and he was compelled to discharge and put off part of her loading into the other boats before he could release his boat. After proceeding about six miles the wind increased to a hurricane. Campbell's boat being still heavily loaded, he says: "I was afraid of her dashing to pieces on the rocks, and ordered her to be put shore, which in do- ing from the severe gale of wind which was blowing, and the roughness of the water, dashed her so hard on shore it was impossible to get her off while the storm lasted." The boat was driven on the north shore of an island lying about six miles east of Moline and which since that day has been known as Campbell's Island. It lies near the eastern shore in Rock Island Coimty and belongs to the State of Illinois. Black Hawk says: "About half way up the rapids I had a full view of the boats, all sailing with a strong wind; I soon discovered one boat badly managed and was suffered to be driven ashore by the wind: they landed by running hard aground, and lowered their sail, the others passed on." The ground where the boat landed was covered with high grass, hazel and willow bushes for a considerable distance up and down the shore. Campbell immediately placed two sentinels about sixty yards from the boats and the men then commenced getting their breakfast. They had not been on the island more than twenty-five or thirty minutes when the Indi- ans commenced their attack, both sentinels were killed the first fire, and one other man on shore. Campbell ordered the cable cut and the boat to be gotten ofT, in doing of which two men were killed and three wounded. Finding the gale blowed directly on land. and that it was impossible to get her off, he ordered his men to defend the boat to the last extremity. The boats of Lieutenants Rector and Riggs were about three miles up the river at this time. Lieutenant Riggs' being in advance. He heard the report of the firing and saw the smoke rising from where Campbell's boat lay. He tacked his boat and signaled Rector, who also tacked and both sailed for Campbell's boat. Rector's boat being the first to reach the scene of the battle. Savages were seen among the trees and bushes, and a large number of Indians were seen coming in canoes from the eastern shore. It was estimated that about four hundred Indians surroimded them. The savages commenced giving their war-whoop and pouring in on them a fire of musketry and arrows. Major Campiiell's right wrist was fractured by a musket ball during the first onslaught, and he was carried into the cabin of his boat and laid on a bunk, while his men gallantly returneil the fire of the Indians. Campbell's boat was so near the bank that the Indians were able to fire in at the port oar holes. The storm had now become so vio- lent that it was fully an liour before the other boats were able to come to Campbell's assist- ance. Riggs' boat was driven ashore about one hundred yards below Campbell's boat, and Rector to avoid a similar fate, had let go an anchor, and lay about twenty yards above Campbell's boat. The rangers from both barges kept up a brisk fire on the Indians. This unequal contest waged for several hours, when the firing from Campbell's boat becoming less frequent, led Lieutenant Rec- tor to believe that most of Campbell's men were either killed or wounded. Riggs' boat was the best fortified, but his crew had been weakened. When Campbell's boat was stranded on the rocks he sent a ser- geant and ten men to help him off, and Camp- bell did not return the men. 20 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY Rector's boat had among its crew many of the French from (^ahokia who were experi- enced sailors. Tlip wind was still a raging tempest, and the fire of the Indians was be- coming more destructive to the boats. ''At this time." Black Hawk siiys. "I prepared my bow and arrows to throw fire to the sail, which was laying on the boat, and after two or three attempts succeeded in setting the sail on fire." Campbell's boat was soon in flames. lieu- tenant Rector could not remain inactive and witness the horrible death of Campbell and his companions. In the face of the tempest and the galling fire of the foe, he cut his an- chors, a number of his men got out into the water, keeping the boat between them and the Indians, they jnished their boat against the fire of the Indians uj) to Campbell's boat. The wounded in Campbell's boat were first transferred to Rector's boat, and then those who were unhurt; so loaded was Rector's boat that the water was nmning in at the oar holes and almost all of the provisions were thrown overboard to lighten the boat. The Indians all the time kept up a murderous fire. In taking the men from Campbell's boat the Major was shot through the body. Black Hawk in his autobiography states at this time: "We wounded the war chief." Rector's men still in the water, and keeping the boat between them and the Indians, hauled their boat out into the stream, swim- ming alongside of the boat until the channel was reached and the boat had been carried out of gunshot, when they climbed into the boat. Rector's boat was crowded, but the men took to their oars and rowed night and day until they reached St. Louis. The casualties were: killed on Campbell's boat, ten regulars, one woman and one child; on Rector's boat, one ranger, and on Riggs' boat, three rangers; a total of sixteen. Wounded on Campbell's boat, ten regulars and one woman; on Rector's boat, four rang- ers, and on Riggs' boat four rangers; also Major Campbell and Dr. Stewart, the garri- son surgeon, who was shot in the breast: a total of twenty-one. making the total casual- ties thirtj'-seven. All fought with the cour- age of heroes. Rector and his men risked their lives to save their comrades, and the battle at Campbell's Island has no equal for daring and heroism during the War of 1812 in the west. Lieutenant John Weaver, of the regulars, who was second in command on Campbell's boat acted bravely; it was largely by his exertions that the wounded were safely transferred to Rector's boat. Almost all of the ammunition for the e.xpe- dition and the supi^lies for Fort Shelby, ex- cept a box of musket balls, was on Campbell's boat and captured by Black Hawk, nothing being saved. The regulars fought with their shirts off. and saved only their arms and fatigue overalls. BL.\CK HAWK CELEBRATES. After Riggs' boat had gone. Black Hawk's warriors began to plunder Campbell's boat. The first thing that the chief did was to knock the head in of .several barrels of whis- key, which he termed, "bad medicine" and emptied their contents on the ground. He says, "I next found a box full of small bottles and packages, which appeared to be bad medicine also: such as the medicine men kill the white people with when they get sick, this I threw into the river." The re.st of the plunder, which consisted of guns, clothing, provisions, powder, etc., was loaded into their canoes and taken to the Fox village opposite the lower end of Rock Island, where Daven- port now is. Before leaving, the Indians took the scalp from Campbell's five dead reg- ulars, and as Black Hawk said when he got to the Fox village, "We commenced dancing over the scalps we had taken." Black Hawk's opinion of whiskey as a med- icine must have changed over night, because HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COU NIT Y 21!^ he does not complain at the soldiers giving his men whiskey the evening before, yet the next day he thought it "bad medicine." While Black Hawk and his Indians were dancing over their scalps, several boats passed down the river, among them a large boat, "carrying big g\ms." These boats were the "Governor Clark" and the contractor's and sutler's barges from Prairie du Chien, which garrison Campbell's expedition was intending to strengthen, but which had been attacked by the British under Colonel McKay, on the seventeenth, two days previous. Captain Yeizer and his gunboats leaving Prairie du Chien during the afternoon on the first day of the attack and started for St. Louis, lea\-ing Lieutenant Perkins and his command, which consisted of sixty men, to- gether with two women and one child, to hold the fort which surrendered July 19th, after a three day's siege. THE DERELICT. Lieutenant Campbell's boat lay for many years on the north shore of Campbell's Island, where the State Monument now stands. Benjamin Goble, an old settler often told of seeing the hull imbedded in sand. He says: "Soon after Stephens left, two men named Smith, took possession of his claim, there were two cabins on it, but neither had a floor. The river was low, so that the hull of the barge burned by the Indians at the time of Camp- bell's defeat in 1812, (a mistake, it was 1S14) was plainly visible. The Smiths got the hull ashore, found the planks in a good state of preservation and floored their cabins with them." This was in 1829. The Stephens whom he mentions was a planter from the south, who located where Walker Station, two miles east of Moline, now is." MAJOR Taylor''* battle. After the capture of Fort Shelby by the British, Colonel William McKay left for Maci- nac and Captain Thomas G. Anderson was in command. The British had great influence witli the northwest Indians, and it is not to be wondered at as they made the Indians be- lieve that the Americans would drive out the Indian, while the British wanted the Indian to retain his lands. In a letter dated August 21, 1814, Colonel R. McDonall, British com- mandant, wrote Captain Anderson: "Assure them (Sacs and Foxes') that great efforts are being made by the king in their behalf, and that the ministry are determined to make no peace till the lands plundered from the In- dians are restored. To attain this purpose, great reinforcements of troops are coming out." On August 14th, Lieutenant Duncan Gra- ham with six men and an interpreter, left Fort McKay for the Sac village near the mouth of Rock River, his mission being to enlist the Sacs in an expeditiim tn firing up an American gunboat which had been abandoned at a point a short distance above the unoccupied Fort Madison. On August 21st, the British at Fort McKay were apprised by the Fox Indians that a third American expedition was on its way up the Mississippi River from St. Louis, and Cap- tain Anderson, commanding Fort McKay, sent a dispatch to fjieutenant Graham at the Sac village on Rock River, requesting him to learn all about the Americans and to inform him. At this time there were about 800 braves at the Rock River village. Graham returned to Fort McKay, and on the 27th was again sent to the Sac village near the mouth of Rock River. This time he had with him a company of British soldiers numbering thirty men, also one brass three-pounder and two swivels, his object being to annoy and harass the American expedition and if possi- ble defeat them and drive them back to St. Louis. The American expedition was formed at Cap au Gris, and consisted of eight large for- tified keel boats, carrying a detachment of 334 soldiers, and started on August 23d. It 22 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY was commanded by Major Zachary Taylor, afterwards President of the United States. On the afternoon of September 5th, the Amer- ican fleet arrived at the mouth of Rock River. Lieutenant (jraham on his return to the Rock River village found that the Indians now numbered about fifteen hundred, several bands of Winnebagoes and Sioux having joined the Sacs and Foxes, who he said ■'would stand by us to the last man." Gra- ham wrote that he would take his position on Rock Island at the rapids, which was the best place for defense that he knew on the Miss- issippi. On September 5th the British sol- diers moved their guns and planted them on the west side of the island at the narrowed part of the channel, about where the present bridge rests on the island. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon the American fleet appeared in sight of the British. A storm of rain, thtm- der and lightning came on which compelled the American boats to land at the small Wil- low' Island, about sixty yards above Credit Island (now Suburban Island, Davenport). Here the Americans decided to pass the night. Large numbers of Indians appeared on the Illinois and Iowa shores as well as on Credit Island, but not a gtm was fired. Early the morning of the 6th the British and Indians crossed the Mississippi River to the Fox vil- lage on the west bank and went as quickly as possible through the prairie to the beach op])osite the American boats, where they had a close view of them. Lieutenant Graham selected the Sioux to guard the cannon be- cause he said "as they promised they would rather be killed to the last man than give up the guns." The British planted their guns on an elevated spot, where the}' commanded a view of the Willow Island as well as the upper part of Credit Island. This place is about where the dam commences that leads to Subiu'ban Island. The night before Gra- ham had cautioned the Indians not to fire without orders from him, but a Sauk warrior during the night shot a corporal on one of the American boats commanded by Captain Whiteside. At daj'light Major Tajdor or- dered his men to attack the Indians and drive them from the Willou- Island, where they had appeared in large numbers. The American soldiers charged the enemj', who retreated, wading to Credit Island. Major Taylor then ordered Captain Nelson Rector to drop his boat down to Credit Island and rake the island with artillery and drive the Indians off. Rector did so, the Indians re- treating unto cover. Of Rector's charge an early ^Titer said" "Captain Rector was dressed richly, with a splendid military uniform and a large red feather in his hat. Thus equipped, he drew his sword and walked deliberately on an open sand beach, a short distance from the enemy, and ordered his company to follow him. Many Indian guns were fired at him, which he disregarded as if Ihey were popguns. He escaped, but it was miraculous, as he was alone in advance of his company." Captain Nelson Rector was a brother of Lieutenant Stephen Rector, who on July 19th so heroically rescued Lieutenant Camp- bell and his ill-fated boat's crew at Camp- bell's Island. At this time, about 7 o'clock, the British guns began to play on the American boats. The first shot passed through Lieutenant Hempstead's boat. Lieutenant Graham in his report dated September 7th said: "In about three-quarters of an hour the largest of their boats, which was ahead of the others, after having about fifteen shots through her, began to push off, and dropped astern of the rest, and made her way down the ctirrent. The others soon followed her. We kept firing at them along the bank as far as the ground would permit us to drag the guns, but thej' soon got out of our reach." The engagement lasted about one hour. Major Taylor in his report said: "I was compelled to drop down about three miles before a proper place pre- sented itself for landing, as but few of the HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 23 boats had anchors sufficient to stop them in the river. Here I halted for the purpose of having the wounded attended and some of the boats repaired, as some of them had been injured by the enemy's artillery." The land- ing was on the Illinois shore. The British and Indians had no losses, while the Americans had eleven men badly wounded, three mortally. Taylor's fleet re- turned to St. Louis. An early writer said: "I saw in the harbor at St. Louis the boats that were in Taylor's battle at Rock Island, and they were riddled with the cannon iialls. 1 think the balls were made of lead — at any rate they pierced the boats considerably." This was the third American expedition up the Mississippi River in the year 1814, all ending in defeat and disaster. The British and Indians had possession of the country until December 24th, when the peace of Ghent ended the war. In his autobiography, Black Hawk says: "The Briti-sh landed a big gun and gave us three soldiers to manage it." Writers of Western History have differed regarding Taylor's engagement, some accepting Black Hawk's version, have credited the battle as solely an Indian victory, saying the Indians were re-inforced by only three British sol- diers and one cannon. Others have said that there were present a large number of British soldiers. Neither Taylor or (iraham knew who was in command of the other party. and nowhere was I able to learn the details, until during the winter of, 1906 and 1907, I found in the Canadian archives the corre- spondence between the British officers relat- ing to the part they took in this early western event. From these archives. I learned that Black Hawk had a company of British sol- diers with three cannons. That the cannon were first planted on the Island of Rock Island two years before the erection of Fort Armstrong, on ground afterwards occupied by Fort Armstrong and that Subiirban Island as early as 1S14 was known as Credit Island. FIRST SETTLERS. The first white settler in this county was CJeorge Davenport, who came to the Island of Rock Island in the spring of 1816 with Colo- nel William Lawrence and the Eighth Regi- ment of LTnited States regulars at the time Fort .Armstrong was built. In 1817 Daven- port built a double log cabin on the Island of Rock Island at the place where the "Old Dav- enport House" now stands, one part of which he used as a store in which he carried on the business of an Indian trader. The old ruin now standing on the north shore of the island was built in 1833 and was for many years the" most pretentious residence above St. Louis, the timbers in the old Trading House being used in constructing the new dwelling. In 1824 Russell Farnham came from Warsaw and entered into partnership with Davenport under the firm name of Davenport & Farn- ham. In 1826 Davenport and Farnham built the house on the main land just west of the P. L. Cable residence and afterwards occu- pied by John Barrel. This house was used for many years as the seat of justice for this county and in our coiuity records is referred to as the "House of John Barrel." In 1828 the country along Rock River had not been surveyed and consequently was not open to entry. Yet the fame of the fertility of the soil and the beauty of the coimtry had attracted the pioneer who is always in ad- vance of the settler, and who often is termed the squatter, and these people relying upon the protection of Fort Armstrong began to select homes in this valley. During the year 1828 there were eight settlers to arrive — Cap- tain B. W. Clark, an old soldier named Haney, Judge Pence, \\ho settled on Rock River, and John Kinney, Thomas Kinney, George Harlan, Conrad Leek and Archibald .Allen, the last five settling where Rapids City now is. The j-ear 1829 brought a number of new- comers — Judge John ^^'. Spencer, who had been here the year before; Louden Case, Sr., and his tlii'ee sons, Jonah, Louden, Jr., and 24 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY Charles, who settled on what is now known as the Case place on Rock River: Rinah Wells and his four sons, Rinah, Jr., Lucius, John and Samuel, who also settled on Rock River; Joel Wells, Jr., who settled near Hampton; Joel Wells, Sr., Levi and Huntington Wells, who settled at Moline; Joseph Danforth a * mile above Moline; IMichael Bartlett where Deere tV: Mansur's factor}', Moline, now is; George Goble and his son, Benjamin, about two miles above Moline; William Brashar, who settled south of the present city of Rock Island; Joshua ^'andruff and his sons, who settled on \'andruff's Island; Charles H. Case and Benjamin F. Pike. SLAVERY. At this time in the southern part of the the state negroes were held in bondage, under what was known and recognized as the inden- tured or registered servant's act. This was contrary to the ordinance of 1787 which governed the admission of Illinois into the union as a state, but our Legislature enacted laws which our courts upheld, by which slavery existed in Illinois. In May, 1829, a man named Stephens from St. Louis settled on the Mississippi where Walker Station now is, two miles east of Moline, bringing with him twenty black slaves, and built two cabins. There were but few settlers in this locality, but this new departure was not in accord with their ideas, and in October Joseph Danforth traveled to the nearest justice of the peace, who resided at Galena, and secured from him a warrant for Stephens' arrest for holding slaves. George Goble, the father of Benjamin Goble, knowing Danforth's intention, warned Stephens, who immediately started south with his slaves. Stephens' two cabins were afterwards taken by two brothers named Smith, who floored the cabins with planks taken from the hull of Major Campbell's keel boat, which had burned only to the water's edge, and which had lain imbedded in the sand on Campbell's Island where it stranded on that ill fated July 19, 1814. No one after this ever tried to own slaves in this county, although some of the officers at Fort Arm- strong had negro servants, some of whom were held as indentured blacks, a few as slaves. One of the latter afterwards gained national prominence. Dred Scott was a negro slave owned by Dr. John Emerson, a surgeon in the United States Army, and in the year 1834 came with the doctor from Missouri to Fort Armstrong on Rock Island, where the doctor was stationed. Scott remained at Fort Armstrong until May, 1836, when he went with the doctor to Fort Snelling (now Minnesota) where he married Harriet, a slave of his master, and had two children. Slavery was illegal in both places; in Illinois by our constitution; in Minnesota (Upper Louisiana Purchase) by the Missouri Compromise. In 1838 Scott was taken to Jefferson Bar- racks, a military post at St. Louis, Missouri, and here an action was brought in the cir- cuit court of the state by Scott to test the question of his freedom. The St. Louis court held that Scott's residence on free soil had made him Frp;e. The case was appealed to ths supreme court of Missouri which court reversed the decision of the St. Louis cir- cuit court and held Scott was a slave. In the meantime Dr. Emerson had sold Dred and his family to John F. A. Sanford of New York and suit was brought against Sanford in the LTnited States court for Scott's freedom. This case was tried at St. Louis on May 1 5th, before the court and a jury, and the latter found that "Dred Scott was a negro slave, the lawful property of the defendant." A new trial was refused, and Scott carried his case to the supreme court of the United States. The final decision in the Dred Scott case was the longest, and up to that period, the most interesting one ever given by the su- preme court of the United States. It is re- ported in the 19th Howard. The substance of the decision was: HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 25 "Scott was not made free by being taken to Rock Island in the State of Illinois. As Scott was a slave when taken to Fort Armstrong into the State of Illinois by his owner, and was then held as such, and brought back into Missouri in that character, his status, as free or slave, depended on the laws of Missouri, and not of Illinois, He and his family were not free, but were, by the laws of Missouri, the property of the defendant." THE SETTLEMENT OF L.VND.S. In 1828 and the early part of 1829 George Davenport and Russell Farnham entered the lands upon which the old fair grounds were located, and which extended from there about one mile east. William T. Rrashar entered the lands upon a portion of which is now located Chippianock Cemetery. Tliese and other pre-emptions were upon lauds that had for nearly a century been the village and the cornfields of the Sacs. These entries were within the letter, but contrary to the spirit of the treaty of 1804. These lands were not open to settlers, nor brought into the market until the latter part of 1829, and one authority says: "Consequently all who had settled on them previous to this were trespassers, having violated the laws of con- gress and the pre-existing treaties. The most advanced settlements at that time did not approach nearer than fifty or sixty miles of Rock Island, and the lands for even a greater distance had not been offered for sale, yet the government disposed of a few quar- ter sections at the mouth of this stream, em- bracing the site of the village and fields c\il- tivated by the inhabitants. The manifest object of this advanced movement upon the Indian settlements was to evade the provisions of the treaty, by having the governmental title to the lands pass into the hands of the individuals, and thus obtain a pretext for removing its owners west of the Mississippi. ESTABLISHMENT OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY. By an act of the Illinois Legislature en- titled "An act to establish Rock Island Coun- ty," approved and in force February 9, 1831, it was provided by Section 1 thereof what the boundaries of this county shall be. Section 2 provided that whenever it shall be made to appear to the satisfaction of the presiding judge of the circuit coiirt of Jo Daviess Coun- ty, to which this county was then attached, that the said County of Rock Island con- tains three hundred and fifty inhabitants, it shall be his duty to grant an order for the election of three commissioners, one sheriff and one coroner to serve in and for said coun- ty until they be superseded by the persons elected at the next general election, which shall take place after the special election here- in jjrovided for. The act then states that after such election the said County of Rock Island shall be considered as organized and entitled to the same rights and privileges as the other counties in this state. Owing, how- ever, to the Black Hawk War no effort was made to organize the county until 183.'^, when on Monday, July .'5, in pursuance of due notice the legal voters of this county to the number of sixty-five met at the "House of John Barrel." and elected county officers. THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLE. In the spring of 1831, when Black Hawk and his people returned from their winter hunt, they found the few white settlers whom they had left the fall before increased by naany new comers. They found the Indian homes occupied by pale faces, and among their corn hills they found the white man's wagon. But more aggravating yet, they found the bones of their ancestors disturbed and laid bare upon the ground by the white man's plow. Bhick Hawk and his people had borne much the past few years but this seemed too much. He protested, and was told the white man had bought the land from his white 26 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY father in Washington. He could not under- stand this. Judge John W. Spencer in' his "Reminiscences" says: "Black Hawk gave the settlers to understand that after this season they must go south of Rock River, or above Pleasant Valley. * * * 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." and, Judge Spencer says, "We had petitioned the governor of the state in the summer of 1829 without his taking any notice, but now we concluded to try it again. We made a statement of our grievance, and of the order of Black Hawk for our removal, anil for- warded it with all possible haste to the gov- ernor. This had the desired effect." THE ROCK ISLAND PETITION. The following is the petition sent to the governor by citizens of Rock Island: "April 30, 1831. "His Excellency, the Governor of the State of Illinois: "We, the undersigned, being citizens of Rock River and its vicinity, beg leave to state to your honor the grievances which we labor under and pray your protection against the Sac and Fox tribe of Indians who have again taken possession of our lands near the mouth of Rock River and its vicinity. They have, and now are, burning our fences, des- troying our crops of wheat now growing b}' turning in all their horses. They also threat- en our lives if we attempt to plant corn, and say they will cut it up; that we have stolen their lands from them, and they are deter- mined to exterminate us, provided we don't leave the country. Your honor, no doubt, is aware of the outrages that were committed by said Indians heretofore. Particularly last all, they almost destroj-ed all our crops, and made several attempts on the owners' lives when the}' attempted to prevent their depre- dations, and actually wounded one man by stabbing him in several places. This spring they act in a much more outrageous and menacing manner, so that we consider our- selves compelled to beg protection of you, which the agent and garrison on Rock Island refuse to give, inasmuch as they say they have no orders from government: therefore, should we not receive adequate aid from your honor, we shall be compelled to abandon our settle- ment, and the lands which we have pur- chased of the government. Therefore, we have no doubt but vour honor will better anticipate our condition than it is represented, and grant us immediate relief in the manner that to you may seem most likely to produce the desired effect. The number of Indians now among us is about six or seven hundred. They say there are more coming, and that the Pottawattomies and some of the Winnebagoes will help them in case of an irruption with the whites. "The warriors now here are the Black Hawk's party, with other chiefs, the names of whom we are not acquainted with. There- fore, looking up to you for protection, we beg leave to remain, yours, etc." (Signed) John Wells Thomas Lovitt B. F. Pike William Heans H. McNeil Charles French Albert Wells M. S. Hulls Griffith Ausbury Eli Wells Thomas Gardiner Asaph Wells J. VandrufT G. V. Miller S. A'andruff Edward Burner John L. Bain Joel Thompson Horace Cook Joel Wells, Jr. David B. Hail J. W. Spencer John Barrel ■ Joseph Danforth William Henry William Brazher Erastus Kent Jonah H. Case Levi Wells Samuel Wells Joel Wells Charles French Michael Bartlet Benjamin Goble Huntington Wells Gentry McCall Thomas Davis HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 27 THE INDIAN AGENT REPORTS. The settlers not hearing from Governor Reynolds and receiving no aid from the offi- cials at Fort Armstrong, applied to the Indian agent, and he wrote the following letter: "Rock Island, May 15, 1S31. "Respected Sir: I have again to mention to you that the Black Hawk (a Sac chief) and his party are now at their old village on Rock River. They have commenced planting corn and say they will keep possession. I have been informed that they have pulled down a house and some fences which they have burned. They have also turm^d their horses in wheat fields and say they will destroy the wheat so that the white people .shall not re- main among them. "This is what I expected from their man- ner of acting last fall, and which I mentioned to you in my letter of the Sth October last. I would not be at a loss were it not for the seventh article of the treaty with the Sacs and Foxes of 3d November, 1804. "I respectfully ask, would it not be better to hold a treaty with those Indians and get them to remove peaceably, than to call on the military to force them off? None of this band has as yet called on me for information- A few ha\-e been at my agency to have work done at the smith's shops. I have the honor to be, "Your obedient servant, "Felix St. Vrain, Indian Agent. "Gen. William Clark, Supt. Ind. of St. Louis." WHISKEY THE CAUSE. One of the settlers living on what is now Vandruff's Island, kept a sort of tavern where whiskey was sold, and here the Indians came to barter for fire water. Black Hawtk saw his people bartering off their peltries and game for whiskej' and he saw the ruin that the white man's "fire water"' was creating among them. He protested and begged the white man to stop selling the Indians whiskey, but the sale went on. One day he, with some five or six of his braves, paddled in their canoes from their village to Vandruff's Island. Silently the old chief marched up to the cabin followed by his braves. They did not stop to knock, but entered the door and silently rolled the barrel of whiskey outside the cabin, knocked in the head with their tomahawks and allowed the pale faces' "fire water" to run on the ground. Then thej' rowed back to their village. This last act of the Indians greatly excited the whites and Benjamin F. Pike, a settler, afterwards our first sheriff, was sent to Belle- ville in St. Clair County to personally ask the governor for assistance. He took with him the following petition from the settlers. THE SECOND PETITION. "Farnhamburg, May 19, 1S31. "To his Excellency, the Governor of the State of Illinois: "We. the undersigned, citizens of Rock River and its vicinit}-, having previously sent a petition to your honor, praying your pro- tection against the.se Sac Indians who were at that time doing every kind of mischief as was set forth and represented to your honor; but feeling ourselves more aggrieved and our situation more precarious, we have been com- pelled to make our distress known to you by sending one of our neighbors who is well acquainted with our situation. If we do not get relief speedily we must leave our habita- tions to these savages and seek safety for our families by taking them down into the lower counties and suffer our houses and fences to be destroyed, as one of the principal war chiefs has threatened if we do not abandon our settlement his warriors should burn our houses over our heads. They were, at the time v/e sent our other petition, destroying our crops of wheat, and are still pasturing their horses in our fields, burning our fences, and have 28 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY thrown the roof off one house. They shot arrows at our cattle, killed our hogs, and every mischief. "We have tried every argument to the agent for relief, but he tells us they are a lawless band, and he has nothing to do with them until further orders, leaving us still in suspense, as the Indians say if we plant we shall not reap, a proof of which we had last fall; they almost entirely destroyed all our crops of corn, potatoes, etc. Believini; we shall receive protection from 3'our excellency we shall go on with our farms until the return of the bearer; and ever remain your humble supplicants, etc." This petition was signed by almost all the persons who signed the first petition. On his way to Belleville in St. Clair County, where Governor Reynolds lived, Mr Pike stopped over in Fulton County where he secured the following affidavit: "State of Illinois, Fulton County. "Personally appeared before me, Stephen Dewey, an acting justice of the peace in and for said County of Fulton, and State of Illi- nois, Hiram Sanders and Ammyson Chapman, of the aforesaid count}- and state, and made oath that some time in the month of April last they went to the old Indian Sac town, about thirtj' miles up Rock River, for the purpose of farming and establishing a ferry across said river, and the Indians ordered us to move awav and not to come there again and we remained there a few hours. "They then sent for their chief and he in- formed us that we might depart peaceabl}' and if we did not that he would make us go. "He therefore ordered the Indians to throw our furniture out of the house; they accordingly did so and threatened to kill us if we did not depart. We therefore discov- ered that our lives were in danger, and consequently moved back again to the above county. "We then supposed them to be principally Winnebagoes. "H. Sanders. "A. Chapmax. "Sworn and subscribed this llth day of May, 1831. "Stephen Dewey, J. P. BENJAMIN F. pike's AFFIDAVIT. Upon his arrival at Belleville Pike prepared the following statement: "State of Illinois, St. Clair County. "Present, Benjamin F. Pike, before me, a justice of the peace in and for the said countj% and made oath and deposed, that he has re- sided in the vicinitj- of Rock River, in the State of Illinois, for almost three years last past ; that he is well acquainted with the band of the Sac Indians whose chief is the Black Hawk, and who have resided and do now reside near the mouth of Rock River in this state; that he understands so much of the said Indian language as to converse with the said Indians intelligibly: that he is well satisfied that said Indians, to the amount of about three himdred warriors, are extreme- ly unfriendly to the white people; that said Indians are determined, if not prevented by force, to drive off the white people, who have some of them purchased land of the United States near said Indians, and said Indians to remain sole occupiers of the said country. "That said Indians do not onlj' make threats to this effect, but have, in various instances, done much damage to said white inhabitants, by throwing down their fences, destroying the fall grain, pulling off the roofs of houses, and positively asserting that if the whites do not go away they would kill them: that there are about forty inhabitants and heads of families in the vicinity of said Indians who are immediately affected by said band of Indians; that said Pike is certain that said forty heads of families, if not protected, will be compelled to leave their habitations and HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 29 homes from the actual injury that said Indians will commit on said inhabitants; that said band of Indians consists, as above stated, of about three hundred warriors, and that the whole band is actuated by the same hostile feelings towards the white inhab- itants; and that, if not prevented by an armed force of men, will commit on said white inhabitants. That said Indians have said that they would fis;ht for their country where they reside, and would not permit the white people to occupy it at all. That said white inhabitants are desirous to be protected, and that immediately, so that they may raise crops this sprina; and summer. "Benjamin F. Pike. "Sworn and subscribed before me, this 26th May, 1831. "John H. Dennis, J. P." GOVERNOR REYNOLDS ACTS. Pike presented his petition from the Rock River settlers and these affidavits personally to Governor Reynolds, who on the same day issued a call for seven hundred mounted militia, to move the Indians west of the Miss- issippi River. He also wrote the following letter to General Clark, Superintendent of Indian Affairs : "Belleville, 26th May, 1S31. "Sir: In order to protect the citizens of this state, who reside near Rock River, from Indian invasion and depredations, I have considered it necessary to call out a force of militia of this state of about seven hundred strong, to remove a band of the Sac Indians who are now about Rock Island. The ob- ject of the government of the state is to pro- tect those citizens by removing said Indians, peaceably if they can, but forcibly if they must. Those Indians are now, and so I have considered them, in a state of actual invasion of the state. "As you act as the piiblic agent of the United States in relation to those Indians, I considered it my duty to inform you of the above call on the militia and that in or about fifteen days a sufficient force will appear before said Indians to remove them, dead or alive, over to the west side of the Mississippi; but to save all this disagreeable business, per- haps a request from yoii to them for them to remove to the west side of the river would effect the object of procuring peace to the citizens of the state. There is no disposition on the part of the people of this state to injure those unfortunate and deluded savages if they will let us alone; but a government that does not protect its citizens deserves not the name of a government. Please correspond with me at this olace on this subject. "Your obedient servant, "John Reynolds. "Gen. Clark, Supt., etc." Felix St. Vrain, the then agent for the Sacs and Foxes, had in the meantime gone to St. Louis and in the following letter sets out the situation at Rock River: "St. Louis, May 28, 1831. "Respected Sir: Since my last of the loth inst. on the subject of the band of Sac Indians, etc., the Indian village on Rock River near Rock Island, I have heard from the Indians and some of the whites that a house had been unroofed instead of pulled down and burned, and that the fence had caught fire by acci- dent. As regards the destroying of the wheat, etc., the Indians say that a white man hauled some timber through a field and left the fence down by which means their horses got into the field. This, however, has been contradicted by the white inhabitants of that place. They say that the Indians are con- stantly troubling them by letting their horses into their fields and killing their hogs, etc. This, however, I am confident is occasioned in a great measm-e by whiskey being given to the Indians in exchange for their guns, traps, etc. "I had a talk with the principal chief and braves of that band of Indians. I spoke to 30 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY the Hlack Tlnmdor, wlio is the ]irincipal of that band. I told them that they had sold those lands to the government of the United States and that they ought to remove to their own lands. They then said that they had only sold the lands south of the river. I then produced the treaties and explained to them that they had relinquished their rights as far as the Ouisconsin. Quash-quam-me (the Jumping Fish) then said that he had only consented to the limits being Rock River, but that a Fox chief agreed (as he understands, afterwards) for the Ouisconsin; that he (Quash-quam-me) had been deceived and that he did not intend it to be so. I had consider- able talk with them on this subject, and could discover nothing hostile in their dispo- sition unless their decided conviction of their right to the place could be construed as such. I have been informed that a white man and his family had gone to an Indian village on the borders of Rock River about forty miles from Rock Island, for the purpose of estab- lishing a ferry, and that the Indians at that place had driven them away at the same time saying to them that they would not hurt them, but they should not live there. This village is occupied by a mixture of Winnebago, Sac and Fox band and headed by the Prophet, a chief. I have the honor to be "Your obedient servant, "Felix St. Vr.^in, Indian Agent. "Gen. William Clark, Supt. Indian Affairs, St. Louis." Upon receipt of Governor Reynolds' letter, General William Clark sent to General Edward P . Gaines the following letter: "Superintendency of Indian Affairs. "St. Louis, May 28, LS3L "Sir: I have the honor to inclose you a copy of a letter of '26th inst., just received from the Governor of Illinois, by which you will perceive he has thought it necessary to call out a force of about 700 militia for the jjrotoction of the citizens of that state, who reside near Rock River, and for the purpose of remoA-ing a band of Sacs which he states are now about Rock Island. "As the commanding general of this divi- sion of the army, I have thought it my duty to communicate to you the above information; and for the pm-pose of putting you in posses- sion of the views of the government in rela- tion to this subject, as well as to inform you of the means which have been heretofore employed for the removal of the Sacs now complained of, I enclose to you herewith coi)i('s of my correspondence with tlie war department and with the agent for those tribes, also extracts from such of their reports as had immediate relation to the subject. "The Sacs and Foxes have been counseled with on the subject of their removal from the lands which they had ceded to the United States. The prospect of collisions with the white settlers who were then purchasing those lands, and the interminable difficulties in which they would be involved thereby were pointed out, and had the effect of con- vincing a large majority of both tribes of the impropriety of remaining at their old village. They, therefore, acquiesced in the justice of the claim of the United States and expressed their willingness to comply with my request to remove to their new village on lowy River, west of the Mississippi, all but parts of two bands headed by two inconsiderable chiefs, who, after abandoning their old village, have, it appears, returned again, in defiance of all consequences. "Those bands are distinguished and known by the name of 'The British Party,' having been for many years in the habit of making annual visits at Maiden in Upper Canada for the purpose of receiving their presents, and it is believed to be owing in a great measure to the counsels they have there received, that so little influence has been acquired over them by the L^nited States agents. "In justice to Keokuk, Wapello the Stab- HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 31 bing Chief, and. indeed, all the other real chiefs and principal men of both tribes, it should be observed that they have constantly and zealously co-operated with the govern- ment agents in furtherance of its views, and in their endeavors to effect the removal of all their property from the ceded hinds. "Any inform.ation in my possession which you may deem necessary in relation to this subject will be promjitly afforded. With high respect, I have the honor to be "Your most oliedient servant, " WlLLT.\.\I Cl.\rk. "Major-General Edmund P. Gaines, Com- manding Western Department, U. S. \. "P. iS. The agent for the Sacs and Foxes (Mr. St. Vrain) has received his instructions and will perform any service you may require of liini with the Sacs and Foxes." General Clark the same day sent to Gov- ernor Reynolds the following communication in reply to his letter: "Superintendency of Indian Affairs, "St. Louis, May 28, 1831. "Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the '26th inst.. informing me of your having considered it necessary to call out a force of militia of about seven hundred for the protection of t he citizens of Illinois who reside near Rock Island invasion and for the purpose of remov- ing a band of Sac Indians who are now about Rock Island, etc. ' ' You intimate that to prevent the necessity of employing this force, perhaps a request from me to those Indians to remove to the west side of the Mississippi would effect the object of procuring peace to the citizens of your state. In answer of which I would beg leave to observe, that every effort on my part has been made to effect the removal of all those tribes who had ceded their lands. For the purpose of affording you a view (in part) of what has been done in this matter, I enclose you herewith extracts from the re- ports of the agents for the Sacs and Foxes, by which it will be seen that every means,- short of actual force, has been emplo\'ed to effect their rcmo-\-al. "I have communicated the contents of your letter to General fiaines, who commands the western division of the army, and who has full power to act and execute any military movement deemed necessary for the protec- tion of the frontier. I shall also furnish him with such information regarding the Sacs and Foxes as I am possessed of, and wouhl beg leave to refer you to him for any further pro- ceedings in relation to this subject. I have the honor to be, with great respect, "Your obedient servant, "Wm. Clark. "His Excellency, .John Reynolds, Governor of Illinois. " Governor Reynolds certaiidy meant lousi- ness, for on the same day he sent tlic follow- ing letter: "Belleville, May 28, 1831. "General Gaines. "Sir: I have received undoubted informa- tion that the section of this state near Rock Island is actually invaded by a-ho.stile band of the Sac Indians headed by Black Hawk; and in order to repel said invasion, and to protect the citizens of the state, I have, under the provisions of the constitution of the United States and the laws of this state, called on the militia, to the number of 700 men, who will be mounted and ready for service in a very short time. I consider it my duty to lay before you the al)ove information, so as you, commanding the military forces of the United States in this part of the Union, may adopt such measures in regard to said Indians as you deem right. "The above mentioned mounted volun- teers (because such they will be) will be in readiness immediately to move against said Indians, and, as Executive of the State of Illinois, I respectfully solicit your co-opera- 32 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY tion in this business. Please honor me with an answer to this letter. "With sincere respect to your character, "I am, your obedient servant, "John Reynolds." To which letter General Gaines replied as follows : " H. Q. Western Department, May 29, 1831. "His Excellency, Governor Reynolds. "Sir: I do myself the honor to acknowl- edge the receipt of your letter of yesterday's date, advising me of your having received undoubted information that the section of the frontier of your state near Rock Island is invaded by a hostile band of Sac Indians headed by a chief called Black Hawk. That in order to repel said invasion, and to protect the citizens of the state, you have called on the militia to the number of 700 militiamen to be in readiness immediately to move against the Indians, and you solicit my co- operation. "In reply, it is my duty to state to you that I have ordered si.x companies of the regular troops stationed at Jefferson Bar- racks to embark tomorrow morning and repair forthwith to the spot occupied by the hostile Sacs. To this detachment I shall, if necessary, add four companies. With this force I am satisfied that I shall be able to repel the invasion and give security to the frontier inhabitants of the state. But should the hostile band be sustained by the residue of the Sac, Fox and other Indians to an ex- tent requiring an augmentation of mj^ force, I will, in that event, communicate with Your Excellency by express and avail myself of the co-operation which you propose. But, under existing circumstances, and the present as- pect of our Indian relations on the Rock Island section of the frontier, I do not deem it necessary or proper to require militia, or any other description of force, other than that of the regular army at this place and Prairie du Chien. • I have the honor to be, very respectfully, "Your obedient servant, "Edmund P. G.unes, " Major-Gcneral by Brevet, Command." General Clark the following day forwarded to the War Department at Washington the following communication : "Superintendency of Indian Affairs, "St. Louis, May 30, 1831. "Sir: On the 28th inst. I had the honor of receiving a letter from the Governor of Illinois dated the 28th. informing me of the measures which he had considered it necess- ary to pursue for the protection of the citizens of his state from Indian invasion and for the purpose of removing a band of Sacs then about Rock Island. A copy of his letter and my answer herewith enclosed. "Deeming the information received from the Governor of Illinois important, I immed- iate!}^ communicated it to General Gaines W'ho happened to be in this place at the time, and shortly after was called upon by Govern- or Reynolds himself, to whom I gave such information respecting the Sacs complained of as had come to my knowledge, and also furnished him with such of the reports of the agent for those tribes as had relation to the subject. To the Commanding General I furnished similar information: and also for the purpose of possessing him of the views of the government on that subject, I gave him copies of such of my correspondence with the War Department as had any relation there- to. "I also enclose to you copies of two reports of the agent for the Sacs and Foxes of the 15th and 28th inst. By the first it will be seen that the band complained of is deter- mined to keep possession of their old village; and it is probable from a knowledge of the disposition evinced in the matter by the Sacs and for the purpose of dispossessing them, that the Commanding General has thought proper to make a display in that quarter of a HISTORIC ROCK I S L A N D COU N T Y 33 part of the force under his command, six companies of which are now leaving this place for Rock River. The exjiedition (be the result what it may) cannot fail of pvo- diicing good effects, even should the Indians be disposed to move peaceably to their own lands; and if not, their opposition should, in my opinion, be put down at once. "I have the honor to be, with high respect, "Your most obedient servant, " WlLLI.\lI Cl.vhk. "The Hon. John H. Eaton, Secretary of War." GAIXES GOES TO FORT AKMSTROXG. General Gaines immediately proceeded to Fort Armstrong and upon his arrival with his troops commenced putting the fort in condi- tion to withstand a siege if necessary. The six companies he brought with him from Jef- ferson Barracks were strengthened by four additional companies- from Fort Crawford, at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. .\11 the settlers in this vicinity were warned of im- pending danger and came to the fort with their families, bringing their horses, cattle and everything of value that could be carried. The soldiers began target practice, and morn- ing and evening guns were fired, something not heretofore done. June 5, General Gaines sent for Black Hawk, Keokuk, Wapello and other chiefs for the purpose of holding a coun- cil. Black Hawk came to the council attended by all his chiefs and many warriors, all in war paint, carrying arms, and singing war songs. None but the chiefs were allowed to enter the fort, and here in the presence of Keokuk, Wapello, and other head chiefs. General Gaines told Black Hawk that he and his band must move west of the Mississippi River, and that if they did not go, he, Gaines, would move them by force. Gaines gave the Indians until the twentieth in which to move. Pre- vious to this Black Hawk had held two inten-iews with the Prophet, a AVinnebago living at his village where Prophetstown is now located- The Prophet claimed to have had visions or dreams, and said that the white soldiers would do no one any harm; that their object was merely to frighten the Indians, and it was upon this information that Black Hawk acted. GAINES ASKS AID FROM THE GOVERNOR. After the council. General Gaines at once sent by special messenger the following letter to Governor Reynolds: "Headquarters, Rock Island, June 5, 1831. "John Reynolds, Governor of Illinois. "Sir: I do myself the honor to report to Your Excellency the result of my conference with the chiefs and braves of the band of Sac Indians settled within the limits of your state near this place. "I called their attention to the facts re- ported to me of their disorderly conduct towards the white inhabitants near them. They disavow any intention of hostility but at the same time adhere with stubborn perti- nacity to their purpose of remaining on the Rock River land in question. "I notified them of my determination to move them, peaceably if possible, but at all events to move them to their own side of the Mississippi River, pointing out to them the apparent impossibility of their living on lands purchased by the whites without con- stant disturbance. They contended that this part of their country had never been sold by them. I explained to them the different treaties of 1804, '16 and '25, and concluded with a positive assurance that they must move off, and that I must as soon as they are ready assist them with boats. "I have this morning learned that they have invited the Prophet's band of Winne- bagoes on Rock River, with some Pottawat- omies and Kickapoos, to join them. If I find this to be true, I shall gladly avail nw- self of my present visit to see them well punished; and, therefore, I deem it to be the only safe measure now to be taken to request of Your Excellency the battalion of mounted 34 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY men which you did mo the honor to .^ay would eo-operale with me. They will find at this post a supply of rations for the men. with some corn for their horses, together with a supply of powder and lead. ''I have deemed it expedient under all the circumstances of the case to invite the fron- tier inhabitants to bring their families to this post until the difference is over. "I have the honor to lie. with great resjiect, "Your obedient servant. "Edward P. 0.\iNi:.-i. "Major-General by I^revet, Commanding. "P. 8. Since writing the foregoing remarks. I have learned that the Winnebagoes and Pottawatomie Indians have actuallv been invited by the Sacs to join them. P>ut the former evince no disposition to comply: and it is supposed liy Colonel Gratitit, the agent, that none will join the Sacs, except, perhaps, some few of the Kickapoos. E. P. G." This letter evidently pleased Governor Rey- nolds for he said: "I was very much rejoiced on receiving this letter, as it put my whole proceedings on a legal and constitutional footing, and the responsibility of the war was removed from me to the United States." THE settlers' AFFIDAVITS. While at Fort Armstrong the settlers had prepared another petition, together with numerous affidavits, which they presented to General Gaines. The following is the sub- stance of the de])ositions of sundry citizens of the Rock River .settlement, taken before William Brasher, J. P., and Joel Wells, J. P.. on the 10th of .Tune, 1S31. "First. John Wells, John W. Spencer, Jonah H. Case, Rennah Wells, Samuel Wells, Benjamin F. Pike, Joseph Danforth and Moses Johnson, before Wm. Brazer, J. P., swear that the Sac Indians did through the last year repeatedly threaten to kill them for being on their ground, and acted in the most outrageous manner; thi-ew down their fences, burnt or destroyed their rails, turned horses into their cornfields and almost destroyed their crops, stole their potatoes, killed and ate their hogs, shot arrows into their cattle and put out their eyes, thereby rendering them useless to their ow-ners, saj-ing the land was theirs, and that they had not sold it. In April they ordered the deponents to leave their hou.ses, and turned from fifty to one hundred horses into one man's wheat field, threatening that the fields should not be reaped, although said owners had purchased the land of the United States government. The Indians also leveled deadly w^eapons at the citizens, and on some occasions hiu't some of the said citizens, for attempting to prevent the destruction of their property. Also that the Indians stole their horses, some of which were returned by the agent six or eight months after, and in a miserable condition : others were never heard of again, Xearly fifty Indians headed by their notorious war chief, all armed and equipped for war, came to the house of Rennah Wells, and ordered him to be off or they would kill him. which, for the safety of his family, he obeyed. They then went to another house, rolled out a barrel of whiskey and destroyed it, as well as committing many other outrages to the knowledge of the deponents. "Second. John Wells, before Joel Wells, J. P., swore that on the 30th day of Septem- ber, 1S30, he saw two Sac Indians throwing down his fence, who said they were doing it for the purpose of going through, in which they persisted although forbidden by the owner, and when the owner attempted to prevent them, one of them made a pass at him with his fist, and drew- his knife on him. "Third. Rennah and Samuel Wells, be- fore Joel Wells. J. P., swore that on the 29th of May a party of Sac Indians, calling them- selves chiefs, with Black Hawk at their head, came to the house of Rennah Wells, near the mouth of Rock River, and said that he must let the squaws cultivate his field, which Wells HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 35 refusing, they beciuno much displeased, and told him to go off; upon Wells' refii-sal they went away. That on the next day the same chiefs, with about fifty warriors, came, armed, and told \\'ells that he must move or they would cut the throats of himself and family, and making motions to that effect, upon which said Wells told them that he would take counsel and tell them at three o'clock the next day w-hat would be his determinaton. They consented, and went away; at the ap- pointed time they returned and told Wells that he must go off, which he accordingly did, leaving all his possessions to the Indians. "Fourth. Nancy Thompson and Nancy Wells before W. J. Brasher, swore that ■ in October, 1830. two Indians residing in the village forty or fifty miles above the mouth of Rock River, and called Sacs or Winneba- goes, came to the house of Rennah Wells and commenced chasing some sheep, as if thej' would kill them. Those Indians were ordered to desist, upon which they drew their knives and made at the woman, who being alarmed, called for assistance. Samuel Wells being sick in the house at the time, ran out with a pitchfork, and the Indians pursued no farther. London L. Case heard the alarm given, and joined. The Indians then returned to the river bank eighty or one hundred yards dis- tant; when Case, thinking they were still in pursuit of the sheep, went to ascertain the truth, and coming near the Indians they wounded him severely in three places with a knife and tomahawk. "Fifth. Joseph Danforth, before Joel Wells, J. P., swore that he saw Sacs at a fence be- longing to John Wells, who forbid them go- ing through, when they continued throwing down the fence. Wells attempted to prevent them, when one of the Indians strttck him with his fist, and drew his knife. Danforth got a stick, and. the Indians making several attempts toward Danforth, he (Danforth) knocked one of them down with his stick. The Indian rose several times and made at Danfoi'th with hi.s knife, and^finally deserted the groimd, leaving his knife." THE .\GEXT FEARS TROUBLE. June 4, General Gaines wrote to Henry Gratiot, sub-Indian agent, to investigate the situation at the Sac village at once; and on the twelfth that gentleman sent the follow- ing reply: "Rock Island, June 12, 1831. "Sir: I have the honor to report to you that, agreeably to my intimation to you I visited the village of Sac Indians near this place yesterday for the purpose of persuading off the Winnebago Prophet and some young men of his band whom I knew had previously been there and, I believe, with an intention to support the Sac Indians. I found that the Prophet had just left there for his village, which is within my agency upon Rock River, and although he had previously promised that he would retiu-n home and remain there, I have reason to believe that his object is to get as many of his band and of the other bands of the, Winnebagoes (who reside at Rock River, within my agency) as he can, for the purpose of joining the Sacs and of sup- porting them in their present pretensions. "I have recently been at some of the prin- cipal villages of Winnebagoes within my agency, and have ascertained from \mques- tionable authority that, although they had been invited to join the Sacs, they had re- fused to do so. I think it will be prudent for me to follow the Prophet, to prevent him from influencing any of the Indians up the river to join him. Should I, however, find that any of the warriors have left before my arrival amongst them, I will (if you think it best) return immediately to this place, bringing with me three or four influential chiefs, who can be relied on and who will, with my assistance, I think, be able to con- trol them. "In my opinion there are at least 400 warriors at the Sac village which I visited 36 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY yesterday, apparently determined to defend themselves in their present position. On the receipt of your letter on the 4th inst., I immediately hastened to this place with a view to give you the most satisfactory infor- mation upon the subject of it and tender my ser\'ices in anj"^ way you may think useful. "I am, respectfully yours. "Henry Gr.\tiot, Sub-Agent, etc. "Major-General Gaines." THE ROCK RIVER RANGERS. At the suggestion of General Gaines the men and larger boys of the settlement formed themselves into a compan}\ elected officers, and named themselves "Rock River Rang- ers," and tendered their ser\-ices to General Gaines, who accepted the company of fifty- eight men, and mustered them into the ser- vice. No record of this company's enroll- ment has been found, it probably never hav- ing been forwarded to Washington. Judge Spencer in his "Reminiscences," gives June 5th as the date. The following is a roster of the company: Captain: Benjamin F. Pike. First Lieutenant: John W. Spencer. Second Lieutenant: Griffith Aubury. Sergeants: James Haskill, Leonard Bryant, Edward Corbin. Corporals: Charles French, Benjamin Goble, Charles Case. Henry Benson. Allen, Archibald Noble, Amos C. Brashar, William T. Syms, Thomas Bane, John Bartlett, Michael Been, Joseph Case, Jonah H. Danforth, Joseph Davis, Thomas Dance, Russell Frith, Lsaiah Gardner, Thomas Harlan, George W. Hultz, Uriah S. Hubbard, Thomas Sj^ms, Robert Sams, William F. Smith, Martin W. Stringfield, Sevier Thompson, Joel VandrufT, Joshua Vandruff, Henry Vandruff, Samuel Vannetta, Benjamin Vannetta, Gorham Varner, Edward Wells, Levi Hubbard, Goodridge Wells, George Henderson, Cyrus Wells, Joel Sr. Johnson, Moses Wells, Joel, Jr. Ivinney, John W. Wells, Huntington Kinney, Samuel Wells, John Leek, Conrad Wells, Samuel Levitt, Thomas Wells, Rinnah McNeil, Henry Wells, Asaph Miller, George Wells, Eri McGoe, Gentrv Wells, Ira THE ILLINOIS .SOLDIERS. Governor Reynolds in defending Ixis posi- tion in calling out the militia said: "If I did not act, and the inhabitants were murdered after being informed of their situation, I would be cnndomned from Dan to Beersheba: and if I levied by raising troops, when there w£Cs no necessity for it, I would also be re- sponsible." Governor Reynolds knew that the settlers had applied to the Indian agent and the military officers of the United States and had obtained no relief, and he says: "I considered it my duty to call on the vol- unteers to move the Indians to the west side of the Mississippi." It was but seventeen years after the close of the war of 1812 and these same Sacs and Foxes had fought the Americans in that war. There were many of the old soldiers still young enough to enlist and they inflamed the young men to appear against their old foe. The governor had extracts from the petitions sent him circulated throughout the counties from which he had asked for troops. Moreover, he made, as he saj-s, "both private and pub- lic speeches to the masses," and urged the people and his friends to turn out for the defense of the frontier. He adds: "The warm feelings of the late election for govern- or had not yet died away, and my election- eering friends converted their electioneering fever into the militarj-, which was a powerful lever in the crusade for Rock Island." Although it was the most busy time in the year with the farmers some 1,600 responded HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 37 to the governor's call and appeared at Beards- town on or about the 10th of June. Some were armed with muskets, some with shot- guns and some with no firearms -whatsoever, but all were mounted. The governor man- aged to purchase enough muskets from a Beardstown merchant for the remainder of the troops. These muskets were light pieces, made with brass barrels for the South Amer- ican service, and answered the purpose. The governor appointed Joseph Duncan, then a member of Congress and afterwards governor of this state, brigadier general to take immediate command of the l)rigade, and Samuel Whiteside a major, to take com- mand of a spy battalion. This army left its encampment near Rush- ville for Rock Island June 15, the governor marching with the brigade. After a pleasant march the army encamped at Rockport, now Andalusia. Here there had been previously erected a small log cabin or stockade, which was used as headquarters. During the after- noon a steamboat arrived at the encampment, coming from Fort Armstrong, loaded with provisions. The camp at Rockport was laid out according to military practice, pickets were placed, as it was feared the Indians might make a night attack, and the utmost vigilance was observed. The night was a beautiful one and it passed off quietly without any disturbance. GENERAL GAINES MAKES A DEMONSTRATION. On the 18th of June, General Gaines sent from Fort Armstrong the steamboat Enter- prise, carrying one company of soldiers and one cannon. The boat steamed up Rock River, and passed the Indian village, the ob- ject being to overawe and intimidate the Indians. Black Hawk said: "The water being shallow, the boat got around, which gave the whites some trouble. If they had asked for assistance, there was not a brave in my bantl who would not willingly have aided them." Judge John W. Spencer who was on the boat says: "Strange to say, although a steamboat was seldom seen in those days, the Indians seemed not to take the least notice of the boat, not even looking at it, and even the women and children showed no signs of wonder or fear." PREPARE TO ATTACK. On the morning of June 20th, bright and early, General Duncan marched his army from Rockport to a position on Rock River opposite the Sac village. An attempt was made to ferry the troops across, but it proved too slow, and General Gaines being shown a ford by George S. Miller, the army marched across through the water to Vandruff's Island. General Gaines left Fort Armstrong on the steaml)oat Enterprise, which had been fortified, and which carried one company of regulars and several cannon. The Enterprise entered Rock River and steamed up stream until opposite the Sac village where it met General Duncan's army with, which it was to co-operate. The other nine companies of reg- ular, together with the Rock River Rangers, under command of Captain John Bliss, the then commandant of Fort Armstrong, marched from the fort to the Indian town. Judge Spencer in his Reminiscences says: "Major Bliss formed our company of Rock River Rangers in an extended line of a half mile in front of the regulars, with one cannon in the rear, for our march for Rock River. We marched near where the road is now traveled until we reached General Rodman's land, then turning to the left until reaching the top of the bluff, taking the direction of Black Hawk's Watch Tower. On arriving there, we planted the cannon on the brow of the bluff and then commenced throwing grape and cannister into the bushes on Van- druff's Island." Vandruff's Island at this time was covered with bushes and vines so as to be impenetrable to the sight at a distance of twenty feet. The Enterprise was run to the lower point of the island and several 3S HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY rounds of grape and cannister were shot into the bushes to see if any enemy was there. The spy battalion under Whiteside then formed a line of battle ;uul swept the island. and it was then learned that the north bank of Rock River was so near and so high that the firing had no effect. General Duncan's army followed in the wake of Whiteside's spy battalion and before thej^ got to the north side of the island the army was so jammed up and mixed together that no one knew where his company or regiment was. In the mean- time Captain Bliss with the regulars and the Rock River Rangers had learned that it was impossible from that distance to distinguish Indians from regulars or volunteers, and that their shots were as likely to kill friend as foe. The Indian village now became exposed to view but no Indians were to be seen. The river, narrow but deep, lay between the army and the village, and the main part of Duncan's army remained on the island \mtil scows were foiuid in which they were ferried across." Black Hawk says: "We crossed the river during the night and encamped some distance below Rock Island." He said he would have remained and been taken prisoner by the regulars but that he "was afraid of the multi- tude of palefaced militia, who were on horse- back, as they were under no restraint of their chiefs." THE ISUK.VIXli OF .S.AC VILL.\GE. The Illinois militia had come to fight Indians and when they fo\md the redmen gone, they became determined to be avenged upon something. Shortly after they reached the Indian village it began to rain and soon the rain descended in torrents, and early the morning of the 26th, the troops commenced setting fire to the houses. Soon the frail dwellings were wrapped in flames and in less than one hour's time almost every wigwam in the village was in ashes. Governor Ford who was present said: ".-^nd thus perished an ancient village which had once been the delightful home of six or seven thousand Indians; where generation after generation had been born, had died and been buried; where the old men had taught wisdom to the young; whence the Indian youth had often gone out in parties to hunt or to war, and • returned in triumph to dance aroimd the spoils of the forest, or the scalps of their enemies; and where the dark-eyed Indian maidens by their presence and charm.s, had made it a scene of delightful enchantment to nianj' an admh-ing warrior." THE ST.\MPKDE. The army spent the night at the Indian town, the regulars, however, going back to the fort. On the morning of .Time 26, Gener- al Duncan marched his army to the Mississ- ippi River and encamped on the exact spot where the City of Rock Island is now located, the camp extending from where the Rock Island Railway Company's freight depot is now located down to wheie the present ferry dock stands. The horses, some sixteen hundred, were pastured in the bend of the river below and a strong guard placed around them. During the second night a steamboat came up the ri\er and when opposite where the horses were kept commenced blowing its whistle. This imnatural noise at night so frightened the animals that they broke loose and stam- peded, and it was with difficulty that their guards escaped being trampled to death. The frightened animals ran out on the prairies, up and down both river banks, and it was several days before they could be recovered, some few however being lost. BLACK HAWK FORCED TO SIGX THE TKE.\TV. General Gaines on the 27th sent a notice to Black Hawk that if he did not come to Fort Armstrong he would come after him with his army, a few of the Indians appeared but not Black Hawk. Gaines then sent a peremptory order to the chief and in a few HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 39 days Black Hawk and his chiefs and head- men to the number of twenty-eight appeared at Fort Armstrong, and on June 30th, 1831, a new treaty was signed by which the British band of Sacs again agreed to make their homes on the west side of the Mississippi and never to cross such river,, except with the consent of the President of the United States or of the Governor of Illinois. Black Hawk signed this treaty and then for the first time ratified, against his will, the treaty of 1804. This treaty was signed by General Gaines and Governor Reynolds for the United States, and by Black Hawk and twenty-seven chiefs and warriors for the Sacs and Foxes. The vohniteer army was not satisfied with the result of this campaign and called the treaty a "Corn Treaty'' because General Gaines had given to the destitute Indians corn to keep them from starving. The army was dis- banded on Jul}' 2d, and the men returned to their homes. Not a man was injured or killed, either by accident or bj' the Indians: nor did any die of disease, and strange to say none ever applied for a pension. This ended the first Black Hawk campaign. For a long time after the signing of this treaty there was considerable discussion and much feeling over the question whether Generals Gaines and Duncan knew that Black Hawk and his Indians had deserted their village on the night of the 19th of June. Thomas Ford, afterwards Governor of Illinois, who was a militia volunteer and marched ahead with the spies, said: "Gaines and Duncan had reason to believe before the commencement of the march from the camp on the Mississippi, that the Indians had departed from their village; that measures had been taken to ascertain the fact before the volunteers crossed to Vandruff's Island; General Duncan, in company with the ad- vanced guard, following the spies, preceded the main army in crossing, and that this will account for the want of order and confusion in the march of the troops." When the militia arrived opposite the Sac village the greatest confusion reigned in their midst. George S. Miller, a resident of this county, acted as guide, and when it became known that the Indians were not in the village, General Duncan began to reprimand Miller for not letting him know that the main river was on the north side of Vandruff's Island. Miller cursed him to his face at the head of his troops for refusing his services as a guide when offered the night before, and also cen- sured him for not giving information which had been offered him, which inclines me to the belief that both Generals Gaines and Diuu'an knew that the Indians had departed. As witnesses to this treaty we find the names of two Rock Island settlers, Joseph Danforth and Benjamin V. I'ike. THE ULAfK HAWK WAH. Black Hawk with his l)and now removed to Iowa near the mouth of the Des Moines River, at the site of the abandoned Fort Mad- ison. Neapope, second in command, took a trip to Maiden, Canada, and upon his return in the fall of 1831, told Black Hawk that he would receive assistance from the British. The Prophet, whose village on Rock River was where Prophetstown, Illinois, now is, and who had great influence over Black Hawk, also sent word that the Ottawas, ("hippewas, Pottawatomies and Winnebagoes would be with him and would render aid. Black Hawk after receiving these messages said: "We are to be happy once more." Black Hawk now directed all his efforts to getting together his warriors in anticipation of his march to his old village and its occupa- tion, and prepared for an attack by the Amer- icans should they again undertake to drive him away. The ami}- through spies was kept informed of Black Hawk's actions, and early in April, Keokuk sent to Fort Arm- strong a warning that Black Hawk was about to commence his march to reoccupy his old village. 40 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY Again messengers were sent out from Fort Armstrong to warn the settlers of their dan- ger and advising them to seek shelter at once, either at Fort Armstrong or in the stockade which had been erected around the trading store of Davenport and Farnham. The most daring and persevering of these messen- gers was Judge John W. Spencer. On foot he traveled as far as Dixon, going from cabin to cabin somiding the alarm and advising the settlers to seek protecti(ni. We cannot realize today the wild excitement and dread despair the news of an Indian ujjrising cavised among our pioneer settlers. Few if any had horses to use in carrying their families and goods. Oxen were the beasts of burden and the settlers were obliged to take wliat little they could and carry it on their persons. John Wakefield, in his history of the Black Hawk War wi'itten in 1834, gives an amusing sketch of the excitement attendant upon the news of the expected Indian attack. He says: "In the eastern part of the state the people were as much alarmed as in the northwest. DiH-ing one of the many false alarms that ' The Indians are coming' a family was living near the Irocjuois River that had no horses l)ut a large family of small chiliiren. Tlie father and mother each took a child and the rest were directed to follow on foot as fast as possible. The eldest daughter also carried one of the children that was not able to keep up. They fled to the river where they had to cross. The father had to carry over all the children at different times as the stream was high and so rapid the mother and daughter could not stem the current with such a l.iur- den. When they all, as they thought, had got over they started when the cry of poor little Susan was heard on the opposite bank asking if they were not going to take her with them. The frightened father again prepared to plunge into the strong current for his child, when the mother, seeing it, cried out: 'Never mind Susan! We have succeeded in getting ten over which is more than we expected at first and we can better spare Susan than you, my dear.' So poor Susan, who was only about four years old, was left to the mercy of the frightful sav- ages." But little Susan came off unhurt, as one of the neighbors who was out hunting came along and took charge of her. THE TURKEY SCARE. All the settlers in this vicinity had come to Fort Armstrong and taken quarters there or in the stockade, l)oth of which were over- crowded. After the first scare, the settlers wanted to go back to their farms and do their spring planting. Captain Bliss, who commanded at the fort, yielded to their re- quest, and arranged with them a signal of alarm in case the.v or any of them should be attacked, or were in imminent danger of an attack, which signal was that they should "fire off a gun." When such gun was fired, every one should flee to the Island. .\]n-\\ 7. Joshua \'andruff and Hackley Samms, while crossing Vandruff Island, saw a flock of wild turkeys. They could not resist the temptation and, creeping within raitge. fired their guns at the flock, each man bringing down his l>ir(l. Tlie noise of the two guns c()\ild be heard all over the settlement and it caused the greatest excitement, filling the hearts of the settlers with terror. Mothers caught their children and fled towards the fort. Those who had horses and were plow- ing, hastily, unhitched the animals, loaded their families upon the horses and started to- wards the fort. It is said some of the settlers fled pell-mell, leaving their families to take care of themselves. Vandruff and Samms soon realized the mistake, especially Joshua, when he encountered his wife and their ten children, running towards the fort. When the settlers reached the Mississippi they crowded the few skiffs tied to the shore and some came near being drowned. Captain Bliss had heard the gun-shots and hastily called together a company of his regulars and HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 41 started to meet the Indians, while Captain Phil Kearney, who was left in command of the fort, began preparing it for a siege. Bliss and his men got nearly to Rock River when they met Vandruff and Samms running after the fleeing settlers trying to explain the mistake. When these two told the captain "how it happened," it is said the air became impreg- nated with sulphur, so loud and vehemently did that warrior swear. For many years after- wards, the "turkey scare" was a tender spot with Vandruff and Samms. BLACK HAWK STARTS. TIic 6th of April, 1S32. Black Hawk, with about 1,00U Indians, including warriors, women, old men and children, together with all their possessions, crossed the Mississippi at Yellow Banks (Oquawka) and leisurely pro- ceeded up the east bank of the river to Rock River and thence up that river opposite to his old village where he camped the night of April 12. The next morning he started for the Prophet's village with the intention, as he said, " to make corn." There is and always has been a question whether Black Hawk, when he crossed the Mississippi River and invaded Illinois in 1832, intended attacking the Americans, or merely again occupying his village with the intention of resisting forcible removal, or whether he intended going to the Prophet's village merely to raise a crop. If he wanted merely to raise a crop, he could have done that as easily at the mouth of the Des Moines River as at Prophetstown. From Black Hawk's biography we learn that the trip to Prophetstown was part of his plan to again' get control of the site of his ancient village and his cornfields. He tells us that while at the Des Moines "I concluded that I had better keep my band together, and re- cruit as many more as possible, so that I would be prepared to make the attempt to rescue my village in the spring." He then, as he says, "tried to recruit braves from Keokuk's band," and "requested my people to rendezvo\is at that place, and sent out sol- diers to bring in the warriors, and stationed my sentinels in a position to prevent any from moving up until all were ready." The taking with him his women, children and old men would indicate that he did not on that trip contemplate war, as no Indian war party ever carries with it the women or children. Black Hawk undoubtedly intended taking his women and children to the Pro- phet's village, there to leave them to make a crop, and during the summer continue his recruiting and possibly in the fall occupy his village. For had he intended going to war at once he would have stop])pd at his village and there made his defense. At Yellowbanks the Prophet met Black Hawk, and made a talk to his braves, telling them "that as long as they were peaceable, the Americans would not dare molest them. That we were not yet ready to act otherwise. We must wait until we ascend Rock River and receive o\u' reinforcements and we will then be able to withstand an army." GENERAL ATKINSON COMES TO FORT ARM- STRONG. On J>me 31, 1831, a war party of nearly lUO Sacs and Foxes had attacked a camp of Menominees situated about one half a mile about Fort Crawford at Prairie du Chien and killed twenty-five. Black Hawk says the killed were Sioux and Menominees. Be- tween the former and the Sacs and Foxes there had always been a bitter and hostile feeling. April 1, 1S32, General Henry Atkin- son, then commanding Jefferson Barracks at St. Louis, received orders to pro('eed up the Mississippi and demand from the Sacs and Foxes the principals engaged in the nuu-dcr of the Menominees. Atkinson left St. Jjouis April 8, with six companies of the Sixth Regi- ment. 220 men accompanying the expedition. Albert Sidney Johnson, afterwards a Confed- erate general, was a second lieutenant in this command. 42 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY April 10. Atkinson's army reached the Des ^Toines Rapids, where they were informed that Black Hawk and his warriors were marching up the river. The army now has- tened to Fort Armstrong, arriving there the night of the Tith. The loth, General Atkin- son called the Indians then in that vicinity to the fort. Among those who came were Keo- kuk and Wapello. Atkinson demanded the murderers of the Menominees and these two disclaimed any part in that aflfair. General Atkinson then started for Fort Crawford and also sent out messengers to warn the settlers of Black Hawk's coming. On the 19th of the month. General Atkinson returned to Fort Armstrong. .Accompanying him was Lieu- tenant Colonel Zachary Taylor, afterwards President of the United States, and two com- panies of the First Infantry. Before leaving Fort Armstrong. General Atkinson had sent a letter to Ciovernor Reynolds asking for state aid. .A.fter Black Hawk passed his old village, General Atkinson sent Captain Phil Kearney up Rook River after him, with orders for Black Hawk to return and recross the Miss- issippi, which order Black Hawk refused to obey, claiming his mission was a peaceful one. The news that Black Hawk and his war- riors were again marching up Rock River alarmed the whole northern frontier and the Governor daily received messages asking pro- tection. George Davenport, the Indian tra- der on Rock Island, had before General Gaines' arrival written him: ''From everj' information I have received, I am of the opinion that the intention of the British band of Sac Indians is to commit depredations on the inhabitants of the frontier." THE governor's PROCLAMATION. April 16. Governor Reynolds received General Atkinson's letter, asking the assist- ance of the state militia. Promptly on the same day the Governor issued the following proclamation: "to the militia of the NORTHWESTERN SECTION OF THE STATE. '■ Fellow- Citizens: "Your country requires your services. The Indians have assumed a hostile attitude and have invaded the state in violation of the treaty of last summer. The British band of Sacs and other hostile Indians, headed by Black Hawk, are in possession of the Rock Ri\er country to the great terror of the fron- tier inhabitants. I consider the settlers on the frontier to be in imminent danger. I am in possession of the above information, from gentlemen of resjjectable standing, and also from General .Atkinson, whose character stands high with all classes. In possession of the above facts and information, I have not hesitated as to the course I should pursue. No citizen ought to remain inactive when his country is invaded, and the helpless part of the community are in danger. I have called out a strong detachment of militia to rendezvous at Beardstown on the 22d inst. Provisions for the men and food for the horses will be furnished in abundance. I hope my coimtrymen will realize my ex- pectations and offer their services, as hereto- fore, with promptitude and cheerfulness, in defence of their country." The season was wet and backward, and the farmers had lieen delayed in their work but, as in the year 1831, volunteers were eager and willing to offer their ser^-ices, many of the most influential men in the state en- listing and many who neither had horses or could procure them, marching on foot. April 27, the militia left Rushville and marched to Yellow Banks (Oquawka) from whence they marched up the Mississippi to the mouth of Rock River which they reached May 7. General Atkinson mustered the troops into the service of the United States, and May 9 they commenced their march up Rock River. Before marching Governor Rey- nolds engaged the sersdces of Thomas Ivinney, a Rock Island settler as a guide, Mr. Kinney HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 43 being able to understand a little of the Sac language. In the march up the river, Gen- eral Whiteside with the Illinois Volunteers marched on the east side. While General Atkinson, with four hundred regulars came, some on the west side and some in boats with the supplies. With Atkinson was Colnnel Zachary Taylor. A ROCK ISL.\ND CO.MP.AXY. It seems the martial spirit of the citizens of Rock Island County was not stilled or satisfied by the march of the Rock River Rangers in 1831 from Fort Armh^tronj; to the 8ac village, for in 1832 we find one company enrolled in the service where every menil>(>r save one was from Rock Island County, that one beinu- a brother of the captain, and he came from Adams County to enlist under liis brother. The following is from the rolls as corrected and now on file iia the \A ar Depart- ment at Washinjrton. They all resided in Rock Island County, with the exception of Thomas Kenney, who was from Adams County. Captain, John W. Kenney, enrolled May 20, 1832; First Lieutenant. Joseph Danforth. en- rolled May 20; Privates, Thomas Davis, en- rolled May 20; Manly Danforth, enrolled July 1; Samuel Danforth, enrolled May 20: Sam- uel Kenney, enrolled May 20, on furlough; Thomas Kenney, enrolled June 12: Gentry McGee, enrolled May 20; Henry McNeal, en- rolled May 20; Neel McNeal, enrolled July 1; James Maskal, enrolled May 20; Martin Smith, enrolled May, 20; William H. Sannns, en- rolled July 1; Joel Thompson, enrolled May 20; William Thompson, enrolled May 20; Ira Wells, enrolled May 20; Eri Wells, enrolled May 20; Asaph Wells, enrolled :\Iay 20; Nel- son Wells, enrolled May 20; Raniuih ^^'ells enrolled May 20; Jeol Wells, Jr., enrolled May 20; Joel Wells, Sr., enrolled May 20; Luke Wells, Sr., enrolled May 20. After being received into the I'nited States service at Fort Armstrong, this company was assigned to Colonel Moore's regiment and nuirched up Rock River to Dixon, where it was assigned to art odd mounted battalion, commanded by Major Samuel Bogart, and was ordered to do guard duty on the frontier. It was mustered out September 4, 1832, at Macomb, The companies composing this odd bat- talion were: Captains Peter Butter's of War- ren County, John W, Kenne}''s of Rock Island County, James White of Hancock County, John Sain's of Fulton County, William Mc- ]\Iurty's of Knox County and Asel F. Ball's of Fulton County. It is impossible to learn just what duty the battalion did to which the Rock Island ccunpany was assigned. Reynolds in "My Own Times" says: "On tlip 12th of June I ordered a battalion to be organized and to select their officers, to gviard the frontiers between the ^lississippi and Peoria on the north of Illinois River, Sam- uel Bogart was elected major of the battalion," From another attthority, I learn that the company did guard diitj- on the frontier, drew its rations daily, ate heartily, played euchre and received the remunerative sum of 86 cents per day for each man and his horse. Samuel Bogart, the major of the odd battalion to which Kenney's company was attached, was before enlistment a merchant in McDonough County, OTHER ROCK ISLAND SOLDIERS. Rock Island County fm-nished more sol- diers than those given in Captain John W. Kenney's company. Yet, I have been able to trace but few owing to the fact that the rolls are by no means complete. A large num- ber joined the state militia and were never sworn into the United States ser\ ice, conse- quently no lecord was kept and their names will rcunain forever unknown. I have fre- quently' heard certain of oiu- old citizens claim to have been in the Black Hawk War, and have made diligent search for their names, I give in this sketch only such names as ap- 44 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY pear on record in the rejiorts of the war de- partment. All enlistments were from twenty to thirty days and a great many enlisted in another company on the same day that their term of enlistment in one company expired. KOSWELL U. SPKNCER. Roswell H. Spencer was a brother of Judge John W. Spencer and was one of the very early settlers. He seems to have been an ardent patriot, having three enlistments to his credit, ser\'ing out each enlistment, and npon his term of service expiring again enlisting in a new company. He enlisted first in Captain Thomas Carlin's company which lielonged to what was known as the spy battalion. He was enrolled May 10 at Rock Island, and mustered out May 27 at the mouth of the Fox River. He again enlisted May 27, 1832, in Captain A. W. Snyder's company and was mustered out of service Juno 21, at Dixon's Ferry on Rock River. The same day we find him again enlisting in Captain Jacob M. Early's company and he was mustered out on White Water River on Rock River, July 10, 1832, by order of Brigadier General Atkinson, United States Army. This was one of the companies in which Abrah.-im Lincoln served as a private. JAMES KNETSAR. James Knetsar, who for many years lived in Moline and who died there in the eighties, was a member of Captain David Powell's company of mounted volunteers. He enlisted in White County on June 16th, and was mustered out of the service on August 2d at Dixon's Ferry (Dixon). The original records give his name as "James Netson." but they have since been corrected. Mr. Knetsar lost his horse, saddle and bridle in the sen-ice. REDDISH, THE TUNNELS AND EAMES. In Captain Thomas Carlin's company, we find enrolled \vith Roswell H. Spencer, John Reddish, who enlisted at Rock Island May 10; Luther Tunnel and William Ttmnel, who were also enrolled that day. The records show that the night of May 22, Luther Tunnel lost his horse, account "affright of horses," there being a stampede that night. This company was part of an odd battalion of spies, commanded by Major D. Henry of the brigade of mounted volunteers commanded by Brigadier General Samuel Whiteside. It w'as mustered out of the service of the United States at the mouth of Fox River on the Illinois River May 27, 1832, and as the com- pany was originally mustered in at Carrcflton, the men were discharged two himdred and thirty miles from the place of their enroll- ment. John Reddish was also in Captain Samuel Smith's compan}-, servuig from May 27 to Jime 15. Charles Eamcs, who was sheriff of this county from 1837 to 1839, was a member of Captain Enoch Dimcan's company of mounted riflemen, commanded by Colonel H. Dodge. He enlisted in company with his brother May 19, 1S32. He was mustered out of the sendee September 14. THE WELLS FAMILY. The Wells family seems to have been a family of fighters. We find eleven of them enrolled in the company of Rock River Rangers in 1831, and in 1832 we find eight of these enrolled in Captain Kinney's company. Lucius Wells and John Wells were with Spencer in Captain A. W. Snyder's company and were present and participated in the battle of Kellogg's Grove. Samuel Wells was also a member of Captain Seth Pratt's company of Illinois Volunteer Militia, sta- tioned at Fort Armstrong, in the sendee of the United States from April 21 to June 3, 1832. CAPTAIN SETH PRATT's COMPANY. I find a company of Illinois Volunteer Militia was stationed at Fort Armstrong and was in the service of the United States from HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 45 April 21 to June 3, 1832, when it was ninstored out. This company did garrison duty. The records say it was composed of men from Rock Island and adjacent counties, but I have been unable to place but one, he being Samuel Wells. The ro.ster of the company is: Captain: Seth Pratt. Lieutenants: John il. Crabtree, Joseph I.eister. Sergeants: Simpson Stewart, William B. Sisk, Elihu Sparks, .\braham Crabtree. Corporals: James Stockson, George Yates, James Keller, James Curry. Thomas Biu'ton. Fifer: James Carr. Privates: Gordon Acton, Nathan P>rad!.i\u'y, Henry Brantly, C. Girdwell, Isaac liooth, Daniel Brock, Amos Bradley, John J^radshaw, John M. Bohvare, Henry Castlebury, Stejihen L. Cooper, John Davis, Sanuiel Smith, Hem-y Ford, William Foster, Isaac GuUiher, Parnell Hamilton, Harrison Hunly, William Hopper, Alfred Jackson, Jonathan Leighton, Nicholas Long, James M. Low, Iredell Lawrence, Mar- tin Langston, Samuel Wells, Larkin B. Lang- ston, John Letcher, Henry .Melton, Francis McConnell, Frederick McDaniel, James New, Wm. C. Overstreet, John Pervine, William Pointer, Jonathan Russ, .\ndrews Smothers, Isaac Schmick. Benjamin Gobel in his reminiscenses speaks of joining a companj^ and doing guard duty at the fort, but I do not find his name on the roster. At the commencement of hostilities. Gov- ernor Reynolds of Illinois, appointed George Davenport, the Indian trader on the island, one of the quartermasters, his commission giving him the rank of colonel, by which title he was afterwards known. The volunteer army after a hard inarch, reached Dixon on the evening of i\lay lOth, ahead of the regulars. Black Hawk and his Indians had in the meantime reached the Prophet's village and had sent word to the Pot taw-atomies asking them to meet him in a council on Sycamore Creek, (since called Stillman's Run.) The Pottawatomies were divided. Shaubena, their highest chief, fav- ored the whites, but Big l''oot and Mike Girty, a half-breed, were for war. When White- sides arrived at Dixon, he fotuid there aliead of him two independent Vjattalions, in all three hundred and forty-one men. The one was commanded by Major Isaiah Stillman, the other liy Major IX'iA'id Bailey. These com- mands objected to joining the main army except as rangers, they said they had come to "fight Indians" and believed if they were allowed, they could go out and in a few days end tlie trouble. .4fter much pei-suasion. General Whitesides allowed Majors Stillman's and Bailey's battalions to go on a scouting expedition, and on the morning of May 13, they set out. In the afternoon of the 14th, they ]iitched camp al)out Ihree miles from Sycamore ('reek. Black Hawk with forty of his Indians were but three miles from the camp of the whites. The Indians were pre- paring a dog feast for the visiting Pottawat- omies. Le.arning that a body of white sol- diers were making camp. Black Hawk sent three of his young men with a white flag to talk with the w-hites, and to arrange for a council with White Beaver (.\tkinson). When the Indian party was still a mile awa3^ they were perceived by the volunteers and almost the whole cam]) rushed out and captured the Indian envoys, and hurried them into camp. Black Hawk had sent five other Indians to follow those bearing a white flag, to watch and see how the others were received. When the whites perceived the second party, about twenty of the mounted vobniteers started in pursuit and killed two of the Indians, the other three escaped and returned to where ]51ack Hawk and his thirty-five braves were in camp. When Black Hawk heard of how his flag bearers had been treated he prepared his braves to meet the whites, who were now all in hot pursuit. The Indians withdrew behind a fringe of bushes and when the vol- unteers came within close range the Indians 46 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY fired a volley. The volunteers fled, pursvied by part of the Indians. Night fall ended the phase. Stillman's and Bailey's hrisrade kept up the flight until they reached Dixon, twen- ty-five miles away. Many of them never went to Dixon, but started for their own homes. The report went out that the whites had been defeated by Black Hawk and about two thousand warriors. The number of whites killed was eleven. While the number of Indians was three. One of the latter being one of the flag bearers, the two others being of the party of five that had followed the flag bearers. It has been said that Stillman's and Bailey's men were under the influence of liquor, that they had taken with them several barrels of whiskey, and they were indulging freely in drink just before the Indian flag bearers ap- peared on the scene. The firing on the flag of truce was, to say the least, dishonorable treatment. Had the whites received tlie truce bearers in the prop- er manner, there is no donbt that such ar- rangements would have been made that hostilities would never have commenced, and Black Hawk and his Indians would have - retnrned to the west bank of the Mississippi. Black Hawk and his band were almost destitnte of provisions and ammvmition, and their capture of Stillman's stores, higlily elated them. Black Hawk now sent his women and children by waj' of the Kishwau- kee to the swamps of Lake Koshkonong near the headwaters of Rock River. The Winne- bagoes acting as guides. Here his party was recruited by Winnebagoes and Potta- watomies. On the day of Stillman's defeat. General Whiteside with fourteen hundred men pro- ceeded to the scene of battle and buried the dead. The State of Illinois has at Stillman Valley, erec+ed a monument in honor of those killed in this engagement. On the 19th, General Atkinson and the entire army moved up the Rock River, leaving Stillman and Bailey, and their brigades at Dixon. Atkin- son soon however, returned to Dixon leaving General Whiteside with his volunteers to follow Black Hawk's trail. The volunteers now began to object to going farther, claim- ing that they were not compelled t(> sen'e in Michigan territory. They also claimed to having enlisted for one month, and that their time of enlistments had expired. After sev- eral days the officers determined to abandon their search for Black Hawk and they turned abovit and marched south to Ottawa, where on the 271 h and 28th days of May, they were nmstered out of the service. On the 22d day of May, a party of thirty Pottawatomies and three Sacs, under Girty killed fifteen men, women and children at the Davis farm on Indi.an Creek, twelve miles north of Ottawa. Sylvia and Rachel, two daughters of William Hall, were taken cap- tive and carried by the Indians to their camp on Lake Koshkonong. Afterwards, White Crow, a Winnebago chief, who had been sent to their rescue by Henry Gratiot, agent for the W'innebagoes, succeeded in purchasing them and delivered the girls to their relatives. At the time of the mustering out at Ottawa, Governor Reynolds called for at least two thousand men to ser\'e during the war, and General Winfield Scott started from Fortress Monroe on the sea board with one thousand regulars. In the meantime three hundred mounted volunteers under Colonels Frj'e and Henry agreed to rem.ain in the field to pro- tect the frontier. Abraham Lincoln was among this number. He, having re-enlisted May 27, as a private. Black Hawk now divided his people into several parties and made forays against the whites. On June 14th, a partj^ of eleven Sacs killed five white men at Spafford farm on the Peck- atonica River. Colonel Dodge with twenty- nine men followed them and the ne.xt day killed eleven, although he had three killed and one wounded in his own party. On June 24th, Black Hawk in command of HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 47 a party of braves made an attack an Apple River Fort, fourteen miles east of dalena. After an hour's siege, the Indians after de- stroying the neighboring cabins, withdrew. On June 25th, the same party attacked Major Dements' spj^ battalion, a himdred and fifty strong, at Kellogg's Grove. General Posey arrived in time with a detachment of volunteers for their relief. The Indians lost fifteen. The whites' loss was five. Skir- mishes were had at Plum River Fort, Hun- Oak Grove, Sinsiniwa Mound, and Blue Mounds. On June 15th, the new troops met at Fort Wilburn at Peru, their aggregate strength was about three thousand and twenty men, making the entire army in the field about four thousand effective men. The army now under General Atkinson, marched up the east bank of Rock River. White Crow offered to conduct our army to Black H.awk's camp, and that wily savage kept the whites on a goose chase for several days trying to entrap them. Black Hawk in the meantime, had started westward to the Wisconsin River, and on the evening of July 21st, the Indians were overtaken on the bluffs of the Wisconsin where a decisive battle was fought in which General Henry commanded the American forces. This armj' charged the enemy and drove them from position after positi(>n with great loss, until sundown. This was the first important victory of the whites in this cam- paign. In the morning it was learned that the Indians were heading towards the Miss- issippi River and had left one hundred and sixty-eight dead on the field, twenty-five more being found next day along the trail. General Henry having lost but one man killed, and eight wounded. On the morning of August 2d, the army readied the bluffs of the Mississippi. The Indians had reached the river and were mak- ing active preparations to cross. At this time. Captain Throckmorton commanding the steamer Warrior, arrived at the spot. The Indians displayed a white flag. Throck- morton commanded them to come on board. They replied that they could not, because they had no boats. Upon this Throckmorton fired his six-pounder cannon loaded with canister into the Indians, killing twenty-three women and childi-en. General .\tkinson now came upon the scene, and at the mouth of the Bad .A.xe, attacked the Indian encampment. The Indians were completely routed, suffering a loss of one hiuich-ed and fifty killed, besides many drowned in their attempt to cross the river. The .\mcrican loss was l)ut seventeen. General Atkinson with the captiued Indians, and about fifty women and children, went to Prairie du Chien. There on Avigust 7th. General Scott with nine companies of infantry from Fortress Monroe, arrived and assumed command. The vohinteors now returned to Dixon and were discharged, on the 17th day of August. Black Hawk, who had started back, was cajitured by some treaclrerous Winnebagoes and on the 27th day of August was delivered a captive to the whites at Prairie du Cliien. He was kept that winter at Jefferson Barracks and in April. LSSS, was sent as a prisoner to Fortress Monroe where he was confined until June 4. when he w'as discharged. After visiting the ]3rincipal cities in the east, he returned west, locating on a small reservation on the Des Moines River in Davis County, Iowa, where he died October 3, 1S3S. The following year his remains were stolen, and in the spring of 1840 Govern- or Lucas succeeded in recovering them and caused the skeleton to be delivered at the then capitol at Burlington. When the capi- tol was removed to Iowa City, the remains were taken there. January 16, 1S55, they were destroyed by fire. The final treaty was concluded September 21, 1832. The treaty says: "Concluded at Fort Armstrong." but in consequence of cholera then raging at the fort, the treaty was held on the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi now the State of Iowa. 48 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY Among the witnesses to this treaty were Antoine LeChiire, interpreter, Benjamin F. Pike, John W. .Spencer and George Davenport. assistant quarter master general Illinois Militia. Governor Reynolds in referring to this final engagement says: ".Although the war- riors fought with the courage and valor of desperation, yet the conflict resembled more a carnage than a regular battle." Another noted authority calls it "a di.-honorable chapter in the history of the borders.'' Out of the band of nearly one thousand Indians men, women and children who crossed the Mississippi at Yellow Banks in April, not more than one hundred and fifty lived to tell the story. The American loss in this war was about two hundred and fifty. The financial cost to the government- and the State of Illi- nois was nearly S2,000,000. ROCK ISL.\ND SETTLERS IN 1832. The following is a list of settlers of this county, as complete as I have been able to make from the data that I have found, in the spring of 1S32. Just previous to tbe break- ing out of the war in 1832, there was quite an increase of settlers, many of whom left. Some stayed during the war and then left and I have not been able to learn their names. Anbury, GriflSth Kinney, Samuel Allen, Archibald Kinney, Thomas Bain, John L. Kent, Erastus Barrel, John Lovitt, Thomas Bartlett, Michael McCoy, Joseph Burner, Edward McNeil, Henry Brasher, William T. Miller, George V. Benson, Henry McGee, Gentry Been, Joseph McNeil, Neel Bryant, Leonard Maskal, James Case, Jonah H. Noble, Ames C. Case, Louden, Sr. Pence, Judge Case, Louden, Jr. Pike, Benjamin Case, Charles H. Reddish, John Cook, Horace Syms, Thomas Clark, B. W. Syms, Robert Corbin, Edward Carr, William (yulver, Martin Danforth, Manly Danforth, Josejth Davis, Thomas Dance, Russel Sains, William F. Smith. Martin W. Stringfield, Sevier Smart, Josiah Sampson, H. Spencer, John W. Spencer, Roswell H. Davenport, George Thompson, William Davidson, Thomas Thompson, Joel Frith, Isaiah Tunnell, Luther French, Charles Timnell, William Farnham. Russel Vandruff, Joshua Gardiner, Thomas \'andruff, Henn' Goble, Benjamin Vandruff, Samuel Gouquy, Aiitoine ^^1netta, Benjamin Graft, John ^'anetta, Gorham Hnskill, James Vomer, Edward Harlan, George W. Wells, Levi Hultz, Uriah S. Wells, George Hubbard, Thomas Wells, Joel, Sr. Hubbard, Goodridge Wells, Joel. Jr. Henderson, Cyrus Wells, Huntington Hail, David B. Wells, John Henry, William Wells, Samuel Heans, William Wells, Rinn.ah Hulls, M. S. Wells, Asaph Haney, Wells, Eri Johnson, Moses Wells, Ira Kinney, John W. Wells, Nelson Wells, Lucius The Kinneys above mentioned are the same whose names in the roster of the war depart- ment are given as Kenney. INCIDENTS CONCERNING FORT ARMSTRONG. About the time the fort was completed the Indians began crossing to the island and woiild watch the soldiers in its construction. They would often sing and go through some of their dances to amuse the soldiers, and the latter began to think that the Indians were peaceful. The Hon. Bailey Davenport de- scribed an incident during this time that shows that the Indians had not become reconciled to the erecting of the fort. He said: "One day a small party came over to HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 49 dance, and after the dance the colonel in command gave them presents. In a few days after, and while a large number of soldiers were out cutting timber, a large party of warriors, headed by the Ne-ka-!e-quat, came over in canoes and landed on the north side of the island, and danced up to the entrance of the encampment, and wanted to enter and dance in front of the commander's tent. About the same time a large party of warriors was discovered approaching over the ridge from the south side of the island, headed by Keokuk. The colonel immediately ordered the bugle sounded to recall the soldiers from the woods, and had all imder arms (about six hundred) and the cannon run ovil in front of the entrance, ready to fire. The Indians were ordered not to approach any nearer. The colonel, taking the alarm be- fore Keokuk's party got near enough to rush in, saved the encampment from surprise and massacre." THE POWDER PLOT. Be it truth or fiction there is connected with the history of Fort Armstrong an inci- dent that to my mind possesses more reasons in favor of its being fact than fiction. After the Black Hawk War, some soldiers happening to enter the cave in "Rock Island Arsenal," found three kegs of powder each attached to a fuse. No one seemed to know how these things had come 'there, but after the war some Indians had said that Black Hawk when he marched up Rock River in April, 1832, stopped overnight at his old village, and during the night of April 12 he, with over two hundred braves, had gone to the island, crossing at the ford between Rock Island and Moline, remaining there nearly all night. It was said his intention was to see if he could not capture the fort. Black Hawk, in his autobiography, does not mention this incident, the reason being that his at- tempt to blow up the fort proved a failure. It is a fact that Black Hawk was on the island that night. Benjamin F. Pike, the captain of the Rock River Rangers in 1831, and afterwards sheriff to this county, together with two companions, had been selected to do picket and scout duty that night. They took their place ne.ar the ford, and some time near midnight saw Black Hawk and his braves cross the slough to the island. They at once ran to the fort and to the stockade and gave the warning. The garrison at this time was commanded by Captain Bliss who had with him only two companies of infantry, partly full, not over eighty men. The stockade around Colonel Davenport's store was filled with settlers and their families and was crowded to its ut- most capacity. By an oversight the only well on the premises had not been enclosed in the stockade. Dreading fire from the Indians' fire arrows, every bucket, tul) and barrel was hastily filled with water and the anxious settlers momentarily awaited the attack. An old swivel had been brought up from the fort and this was loaded to the brim and placed in front of the gate, where Ser- geant Hanchett of the garrison, with a smol- dering fire by his side, stood ready to fire it off at the first approach of the enemy. The night was one of terror to the settlers; a drifting rain and pelting hail storm had set in, and the occasional claps of thunder and flashes of lightning but added new alarm to the already frightened women and children. At about 2 o'clock in the morning the firing of cannon was heard from the direction of the fort and those in the stockade believed the attack had commenced, but they were soon apprized that the firing was from the cannon on board the steamer Chieftain, which brought General Atkinson and his regulars from St. LouLs. It is said that when the people at the stock- ade heard the firing of cannon and the shouts of the garrison welcoming the reinforcement, they believed it the shouts of triumph of the Indians at the capture of the fort, and Elder Kinney of Rapids City, a devout Presbyterian oO HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY advised IIkmh all to "iinito in an appeal to God as their only hope of safety:" whereupon Antoine Gouqiiy, Colonel Davenjiort's French Servant, said, "Ze prayer he be good for ze vimmin an ze childer. hut he be not wort one cent to fight ze Injins. Wattair, he be bet- tair zan ze prayer." Black Hawk had been with the British so much that he well knew the use of gunpowder. He was in the attack on the fort at Detroit and undoubtedly believed he could with a few kegs of powder blow up the fort at its gate and the rock embankment upon which it stood, and then with his braves rush in oij the weak garrison. The Sac chief knew also that the fort was but weakly garrisoned. The Prophet had several times attempted to enter its gate, but had been kept out on the orders of Major Bliss, who suspected treachery. The last attempt of the Prophet to enter the fort was but a few days before Black Hawk's attempt to capture it. THE BURNIXG OF THE FORT. For thirt}--nine years the fort stood as first constructed, and though evacuated and no longer the abode of the soldier since 1836, it was used as a Government warehouse and was a picturesque sight, being an object of interest to all travelers up and down the river as well a,s to visitors to this locality. On Sunday afternoon, October 7, 1855. some vandal set fire to the historic buildings. J. B. Danforth, .Jr.. agent of the quartermas- ters department of the army, in charge at that time, in a letter WTitten on the 9tl^ of the month to Major D. H. Vinton, quartermaster United States Army at St. Louis, said, "Sir: The barracks and one block fort "at this place were destroyed bj' fire yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. I was in the city at church at the time the fire originated. I immediately rallied abotit a hundred men with buckets, and endeavored to quell the flames, but to no pm-pose. We had no fire engine, and it was impossible to stay the progress of the con- flagration. The buildings were fired by some persons to me vuiknown, and in the following manner: About thirty kegs of powder had been stored in the magazine by the contract- ors for the improvement of the rapids, by permission of the secretary of war. The magazine had several times been broken open and powder stolen. It was then stored in a safe room, or what was believed to be safe in the barracks. It had all been taken away, except one keg and one or two parts of kegs. Some persons, while I was at church, had broken open a window and ignited a part of a keg of powder, thus causing the loss of the buildings. I have published an adver- tisement (at my o\\-n expense) to endeavor to find out the perpetrators of the outrage, which I hope will meet your approval. I send you a copy of my paper, containing the advertisement and an editorial notice of the fire." When the United States government (under the act of 1862) commenced the construction of Rock Island Arsenal in 1863, all that re- mained of Fort Armstrong was removed. The first building erected stands nearly on the site of tlie old fort, and the window frames of the basement of this building are made of oak obtained from the old fort. ROSTER AT THE FORT. The officers and troops stationed at Fort Armstrong from August, ISIO (first return on file), until abandoned May 4, 1836, were as follows: Commanding officers: Lieutenant Colonel Willoughbv ilorgan, from 1819: Captain M. Marston, from August 1819 to June 1821, of Company F, Fifth Infantry; Captain S. Bur- bank, from June, 1821 to Jime, 1823, of Com- pany D, Fifth Infantry; Major J. H. Vose, from June, 1823 to June 4, 1825, of Companies D and F, Fifth Infantry; Captain S. Burbank, from June 4, 1825 to May 21, 1826. of Com- panies D and F, Fifth Infantry; Major J. H. Vose, from May 21, 1826 to October 9, 1827, HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND C U N T Y 51 of Companies E and H, Fifth Infantry; Captain J. Plympton, from October 9, 1827 to April 28, 1828, of Companies E and H, Fifth Infantry; Major S. Burbank, from April 28, 1828 to April 30, 1828, of Companies E and H, Fifth Infantry; Captain J. Cireen, from April 30, 1828 to June, 1828, of Companies C and G. Third Infantry; Captain J. S. Nelson, from June, 1828 to August 13, 1828, of Com- panies C and G, Third Infantry; Captain J. Green, from August 13, 1828 to July 27, 1830, of Companies C and G, Third Infantry; Cap- tain John Bliss, July 27, 1830 to July 26, 1831, Companies D and H, Third Infantr}'; Cap- tain T. J. Beall, from. July 26, 1831 to Sep- tember 2, 1831, of Companies C and K, First Infantry; Major John Rliss, from September 2, 1S31 to May 4, 1832, of Companies C and K, First Infantry; Captain T. J. Beall, from May 4, 1832 to October 26, 1832, of Companies C and K, First Infantry; Lieutenant A. S. Miller, from October 26, 1832 to December 2, 1832, of Companies C and K, First Infantry; Captain T. F. Smith, from December 2, 1832 to June 8, 1833, of Companies G and K, First Infantry; Lieutenant Colonel W. Davenport, from June 8, 1833 to May 4, 1836, of Com- panies G and K, First Infantry. POLITICAL DIVISIONS The fortunes of Rock Island County have been those of the State of Illinois. In 1541, Ferdinand De Soto discovered the ^lississippi River, crossing it somewhere near Memphis; and upon this discovery rested Spain's claim and title to the "far west." The country now known as the State of Illinois is shown on the very early Spanish maps as a part of Florida. Spain made no attempt, however, to plant her settlements in the "Illinois." In 1763, at the close of the French and Indian Wars, Illinois became British territory, and so remained imtil July 4, 1778, when Colonel George Rogers Clark and his Virgin- ians captured the British forts and settle- ments. In October of that year, Illinois was by act of the General Assembly of Virginia created the "County of Illinois," and became a part of the commonwealth of Virginia. During the Revolutionary War, Illinois and what is now the states of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin, was claimed by each of the states of New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Virginia. In 1785 these states surrendered their claim to the General Government, and then Congress passed ap act for the government of this country, which was designated "Western Territory." but nothing was done towards organizing a form of government. On July 13, 17S7, Congress passed the celebrated ordinance known ,as the "Ordinance of 1787," for the government of this country, then called the "Northwest Territory." In 1788 the first officers were appointed. In 1790 the country now Illinois, was established as St. Clair County, named after General Arthur St. Clair, the first gover- nor of the Northwest Territory. In this year Illinois County became part of Indiana Territory, and in 1809 the country west of the Wabash, north of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi, was erected into Illinois Territory, which was divided into two counties — Randolph and St, Clair — the territory now Rock Island County forming part of St. Clair County. On September 14, 1812, our county became a part of Madison County, and on January 31, 1821, we were made a part of Pike County. This was the first county erected by the State of Illinois. January 28, 1823, Fulton County was erected from Pike County, and we became a 52 ' HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY part of the former, and so remained until January 13, 1825. when we became a part of Peoria County. On February 17, 1827, Jo Daviess County was erected from Peoria County, and Galena became our coimty seat. We remained part of Jo Daviess County until 1833, when Rock Island County was organ- ized, with the boundaries as thej' exist today. The ordinance of 1787 provided for the forming of one or two states out of the terri- tory now the states of Wisconsin and Illinois. The ordinance provided that the northern boundary of the territory now Illinois should be an east and west line drawm through the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan. Had this provision been carried out when Illinois was erected into a state in 1818, that part of Rock Island County east of Moline would now^ be in Wisconsin. When the bill to admit Illinois as a state was presented to Congress and referred to the committee, our northern boundary was as defined in the ordinance of 1787, which would have left out of our state the counties of Lake, McHenry, Boone, Winnebago. Steph- enson, Jo Daviess, Carroll, Ogle, DeKalb, Kane, De Page, Cook, Lee, Whiteside, and also a portion of Kendall, Will. La Salle and Rock Island Counties. In 1816 the United States made a treaty with the Ottawa, Chippewa and Pottawat- omie Indians and it became necessary to establish the point where a line "due west from the southern extremity of Lake Michi- gan" would strike the Mississippi River. Such a line was siu^^eyed by John Sullivan in 1818, and a monument was erected at its terminus, "on the bank of the Mississippi River near the head of Rock Island." This place is between Seventeenth and Eighteenth streets in the City of Moline, and is now occupied by the Moline City Waterworks. Alexander Pope, the representative from Illinois in Congress, was fully alive to the in- terests of his constituency. Mr. Pope asked to strike out of the bill the description which bounded Illinois on the north b\' a line drawn directly west from the southerly boundary of Lake Michigan, and insert the following: ■"Beginning at the mouth of the Wabash River, thence up the same and with the line of Indiana to the northwest corner of said state; thence east with the line of the same state to the middle of Lake Michigan; thence north along the middle of said lake to north latitude 42 degrees 30 minutes; thence west to the middle of the Mississippi River, and thence down along the middle of that river to its confluence with the Ohio River, and_ thence up the river along its northwest shore to the beginning." This carried. The northern boundary of Illinois was thus fixed, and was made to include a strip of land sixty-one miles nineteen chains and thirteen links wide, extending from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River, embracing a sm-face of 8,500 square miles. The line siu-veyed by Sullivan in 1818 was accepted as a true line until 1833, when Captain Talcott. while making the siun^ey of the Ohio-Michi- gan boundary, was instructed to ascertain the exact point on the Mississippi River which is due west from the southern extremity of Lake Michigan. He established this point as being "about seven miles north of the fort (Armstrong) on Rock Island." From 1829 to 1848 the question of adding these fourteen northern and a portion of the four other Illinois counties to Wisconsin was a prominent one in the northern part of the state. Strange to s.ay, for many years most of the people living in the northern part of the state were in favor of being added to Wisconsin; but when Wisconsin was admitted as a state in 1848 its southern boundary line was fixed at the heretofore established north- ern bovmdary of the State of Illinois, and thus was forever settled what for many years was a subject of much dispute. HISTORIC ROC K I S L A N D COUNT Y 53 ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL (Originally named Island of Rock Island) COLONEL STANHOPE E. BLUNT Summing up the history pertainina; to the Rock Island Arsenal, located upon the Islaiul of Rock Island, and lying conjointly, one might say, between the cities of Moline, Rock Island and Davenport, is no light task. In the data which contributes to the construc- tion of this history, some of which has been incorporated verbatim, there are numerous dates and incidents which give rise to con- flicting thoughts and deductions and the writer has been compelled, in some instances, to resort to comparisons upon which to base his judgments. Since the advent of Colonel George Daven- port, May 10, 1816, several histories of the Arsenal have been written, and a number of personal memoirs of well known pioneers have been printed. Of these latter, the reminiscences of the late Judge J. W. Spencer probablj' afford the most authentic report, and it is to be deplored that he did not pursue his work to the end that would dispel all doubts as to many transformations and con- ditions throtigh which the Arsenal passed during the days of the early pioneers and the settlement of Rock Island County. Starting at the beginning, the pm-poses and anticipations relative to old Fort Arm- strong naturally present- themselves; and as this celebrated fort was l)uilt on the Island of Rock Island, acquired through a treaty with the Indians in the year 1804, it will be proper to precede our account of it by a Ijrief de- scription of the island itself. Rock Island is situated on the Mississippi River, opposite the upper end of the City of Rock Island, and between it and Davenport on the Iowa side. It is about two and three quarters miles long by three-fourths of a mile wide, and contains an area of nearly a thousand acres. The base of this island is a mass of limestone, of the Hamilton group, which underlies this section of coimtrv. At its lower extremity this rocky exposure rises in an almost perpendicular wall to a considerable height above the water, and was the cause of its being called by its appropriate name — Rock Island. This mass of light grey or whitish limestone, rising in the broad channel of the Mississippi, and crowned with its luxuriant covering of natural forest trees, was an object of great interest to the early explorers in this region, and its effect was greatly enhanced by com- ing in view of it unexpectedly, as the traveler was sure to do, in passing the bend in the river a short distance below. After Fort Armstrong was built on the lower point of this island, the view on ascending the river became still more picturesque, and it has been described as one of the most romantic and beautiful scenes in the whole western coim- try. Mr. Henry C. McGrew, who published the first newspaper in Rock Island, and of whom mention is made elsewhere, wrote a letter in 1870, in which he said: "Although thirty-eight years have passed since I first landed at Rock Island, I shall never forget my first impressions of the place. It was a beautiful moonlight night in Jime; 54 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY and, as I stood upon the deck of the steamer, as we rounded the bend below the village, and beheld old Fort Armstrong on the island in the river, with its whitewashed walls, pretty gardens and officers' houses, the scene was charming, presenting the appearance of some ancient castle. Then there was the village of Davenport on the opposite bank, with its white painted cottages, and on the east, Rock Island, encircled by the bluffs. The panorama inspired me with a feeling of happiness I shall never forget; and, coupled with the idea that I was on the outskirts of civilization, gave the whole scene an air of romance." Governor Ford, in his History of Illinois, speaking of the arrival of the soldiers here dur- ing the first Black Hawk disturbance, in 1831, says : "The volunteers marched to Rock Island the next morning, and here they encamped for several days, precisely where the town of Rock Island is situated. It was then in a complete state of nature, a romantic wilder- ness. Fort Armstrong was built on a rocky cliff at the lower point of an island, near the center of the river, a little way above; the shores on each side formed of gentle slopes of prairie extending back to bluffs of considerable height, made it one of the most picturesque scenes in the western country. The river here is a beautiful sheet of clear, swift-running water, about three-quarters of a mile wide. Its banks on both sides were inhabited only by Indians, from the Lower Rapids to the fort; and the voyage up stream, after several days progress through a wilderness country, brought the traveler suddenly in sight of the fort, perched upon a rock, surrounded by the grandeur of Nature, which, at a distance, gave it the appearance of one of those en- chanted castles in an uninhabited desert, so well described in the Arabian Night's Enter- tainments". The island was the favorite resort of the Indians long before it had ever been visited by the white man. "Here they loved to assemble for their summer pastimes, and to indulge in the simple amusements of their race; along these rocky shores was their fa- vorite fishing-ground; the swift current which here pours down over successive chains of rapids, was the scene of many a dash and frolic in their light canoes; and here dwelt the kindly spirit who.se protecting power pre- served the red man, and over whose subter- rean abode none dared to walk but with the silent step of supreme reverence and awe." The estimation in which the Srx and 'Fox Indians held this island is well described by Black Hawk in the following language: ' ' This was the best island in the Mississippi, and had long been the resort of our young people during the summer. It was our gar- den, which furnished us with strawberries, blackberries, plums, apples, and nuts of vari- ous kinds, and its waters supplied us with pure fish, being situated in the rapids of the river. In my early life I spent many happy days on this island. A good spirit had care of it, who lived in a cave in the rocks inamediately under the place where the fort now stands, and has often been seen by our people. He was white, with large wings like a swan's, but ten times larger. We were particular not to make a noise in that part of the island, for fear of disturbing him. But the noise of the fort has since driven him away, and no doubt a bad spirit has taken his place." The events which led to the building of Fort Armstrong on Rock Island are elsewhere fully described. The British band of Sacs and Foxes had been troublesome in this re- gion all through the latter part of the War of 1812-14. The British had captured the fort at Prairie du Chien, and had not only pro- vided the Indians of this locality with artil- lery, munitions of war, and men, but had left them at the close of the war with feelings of strong and bitter hostility to the Government. From Jefferson Barracks, below St. Louis, to the mouth of the Wisconsin, the Government HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COU XT Y 55 had practically no established militaiy post by which to enforce its authority or to afford protection to its citizens, whose duties might call them into this jjortion of the ITnited States. The river was, moreover, a highway of the nation, which must be kept guarded by suitable, military stations along its banks. The situation at Rock Island was central, accessible, and in near proximity to the most dangerous body of Indians on the river: it was also nearly centrally located on the west- ern border of that great tract of country which these Indians had ceded to the United States in the treaty of 1804, and which would soon be opened for actual settlement. At the time the fort was built, there were at least 4,000 Indians living on the main shores and adjacent to the island. All those On the east side 'were the wards of the Gov- ernment, living on Government lands, which I 'mm were nllov.-ed by the terms of the treaty t'l iiceiipy so long as these lands belonged to the United States. BUILDING OF THE FORT. In 1816 Fort Armstrong was built on the lower point of Rock Island. The force of regulars under Colonel William Lawrence who came up the river for the purpose of lo- cating and erecting the fort, arrived at the mouth of Rock River and examined the coun- try for a suitable site. They decided on the above location. On the 10th of May, 1816, they landed on the island, and as soon as they had completed their encampment. Colonel Lawrence employed the soldiers to cut logs and build storehouses for their provisions. He also had a bakehouse and oven erected, whicli was the first building finished on the island. The erection of the fort and its accompanying buildings soon followed, and was named Fort Armstrong, in honor of the secretary of war. It was a substantial structure of hewed logs, built in the form of a square, the sides of which were four hundred feet in length. A blockhouse was built at each of the four angles, and embrazures for cannon and loop- holes for musketry were provided. A maga- zine, store-house, barracks, and officers' quarters were erected within the enclosure, and sections of heavy stone work built for protection against fire. Colonel George Davenport came with the troops as contractor for the Commissary De- partment. On the 10th of August, 1816, Mrs. Davenport and Mrs. Lewis, afterward Mrs. Goldsmith, reached the island. They were the first American ladies who ever ascended the river to this place. Mrs. Davenport died in 1847, aged 72 years. Mrs. Goldsmith, a venerable relic of the ]K)st. died in the 76th year of her age. In 1823, the Virginia, laden with iHdvisions for the garrison at Prairie du Chein, touched the fort. This is said to have been the first steamboat that landetl on the island. In 1831 , the old Fort on the island was the scene of a council with the Sac and Fox Indians, with a view to persuading them to retire peaceably to the west side of the Mississippi River. Aljout thirty chiefs were present. This council was held by General Gaines, who came from Jefferson Barracks in the steamer Enterprise with a force of regular troops. It resulted in convincing General Gaines that the Indians were determined to fight rather than give up their possessions. 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 the war, Fort Armstrong was the rendezvous for the soldiers assembled in this qtiarter. On the 7th day of August, 1832, five days after the battle of Bad Axe, General Winfield Scott ar- rived from Fortress Monroe with a force of Uni- ted States regulars to assist in putting down the Black Hawk disturbance. He was, as we know, 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 2Lst of September, for the strip 56 HISTORIC ROCK I S^L AlN D COUNTY of land known as the "Black Hawk Pur- chase," in Iowa. This treaty was not held at Fort Armstrong, as was contemplated, owing to existence of cholera among the sol- diers, which then prevailed, but was held on the opposite side of the river, on the grounds formerly occupied by the Chicago, Rock Is- land A: Pacific Depot, and now by the Kimball House. At that time, there were about 1,500 soldiers at the fort. 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 du Chien, who, by order of the Government, established the Indian Agency on the island soon after the withdrawal of the troops. In the spring of 1838, the Indian Agency was removed to Agency City, Iowa, on the Des Moines River, and General Street was succeeded by Colonel George Davenport, who had charge of the island until the spring of 1840. Fort Arm- strong was then a depot for arms. Captain Shoemaker was placed in charge, and re- mained vmtil the spring of 1845, when the arms, being required for the Mexican War, 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 ap- pointed, and on his declination, Colonel J. B. Danforth, Jr., was appointed, January 20, 1854. In 1857, H. Y. Slaymaker, of Daven- port, was appointed. In May, 1861, T. J. Pickett succeeded Mr. Slaymaker, and held the position until the island was again oc- cupied for arsenal piu-poses. ROCK ISLAND ARMORY AND ARSENAL. The movement for the establishment of a Western Arsenal on Rock Island was begun as earlv as 1839, in which year it was made the object of a special survey and the subject of a report to the War Department by Major Bell, of the Ordnance Department, as a feasible and desirable location. In 1843 its advan- tages for that purpose was reported to Con- gress by a commissioner appointed by the President, under the provisions of an act of Congre.ss approved September 9, 1841. At a later date it was also the subject of a recom- mendation to the Government for the same public use. It was not until the summer of 1861 that the initial step was taken by the citizens of Rock Island looking to the accomplishment of this object. On the first day of July, of that year, a petition addressed to the senators and representatives in Congress was drawn up by the following committee of citizens of Rock Island, viz: N. B. Buford, J. Wilson Drury, Ira O. Wilkinson, Ben Harper, Reu- ben Hatch, George Mixter, J. B. Danforth, Jr., and P. L. Cable, asking Congress to estab- lish a national armory and arsenal on Rock Island, and setting forth the special advan- tages of the site for such an establishment. By the action of these gentlemen another committee of leading citizens of the three cities — Rock Island, Moline and Davenport — was appointed, consisting of the following named persons: Ira O. Wilkinson, N. B. Bu- ford, H. C. Connelly, J. Wilson Drury and Bailey Davenport, of Rock Island; W. H. F. Gurley, George L. Davenport, and G. M. French of Davenport, and C. ,\tkinson and P. R. Reed, of Moline. These gentlemen memorialized Congress in an ably prepared pamphlet, with a map of this locality, upon the claims and advantages of Rock Island as the site for the proposed Western Arsenal and Armory. This memorial sets forth that a new Ar- mory and Arsenal, for the manufacture, safe- keeping and distribution of arms and muni- tions of war, are of pressing national necessity demanded alike by the present wants and fu- tiue requirements of the Government , and that the preponderating growth of the northwest, HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 57 as well as the absence of any such estab- lishment within its limits, indicate that such an armory should be located upon the upper Mississippi. Coming directly to the claims of Rock Island, the memorialists say: "Be- lieving that Rock Island, in the State of Illi- nois, in the eentrality and safety of its geo- graphical position, the facilities it affords for transportation to and from other parts of the country, the cheapness and abundance of its motive power and the materials used in the manufacture of arms, in the supply and cheapness of labor and food, in the health- fulness, spaciousness and general eligibilitv of the site, and the possession and ownership thereof by the Government free of cost or expense — enjoys advantages equal, if not superior, to those possessed by any other place in the northwest for the location of such an establishment — j-our memorialists would respectfully ask your attention to a brief notice of these advantages." The ad\-an- tages are set forth in the ten or twelve pages which follow with great force and cogency of argument. In this document we find a re- port of the action of the Iowa Legislature and of the authorities of Illinois on the subject, and a certificate of the government agent in charge of the Island. JOINT RESOLUTIONS OF THE IOWA LEGISLATURE. "Be It Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Iowa, That the senators in Congress from this State be requested to use their utmost exertions to procure the establishment, at the earliest possible time, by the Government of the United States, of an Arsenal and Armory, for the distribution of arms to the states of the northwest, on the Island of Rock Island, in the State of Illinois. "Resolved That the Secretary of State be requested to forward to each of the Sena- tors and representatives in Congress a copy of these resolutions." 'Approved March 24, 1S61." No session of the legislature of Illinois had been held immediately prior to this action, but Governor Yates and the other state officers, both civil and military, ad- dressed a letter to the Secretary of War, urging the location of the Armory upon Rock Island. CERTIFICATE FROM THE GOVERNMENT AGENT. "I, T. ,1. Pickett, Government Agent for the Island of Rock Island, hereby certify that the lands owned by the Government on said island are free from the claims of squatters, and that the only occupants thereon are eight in number, who hold leases under and acknowledge themselves tenants of said Government, in which lease it is specifically agreed that the lessors are to vacate the premises in thirty days from the date of receiving notice requiring them to leave T. J. Pickett, Government Agent. Rock Island. 111., Oct. 2.5, 1861." Copies of the above memorial were freely distributed among the members of Congress and laid on the desk of every senator and representative. An act of Congress pro- viding for the Arsenal and Armory, and mak- ing an appropriation of $100,000, was passed July 11, 1S62. In May of the following year a commission, composed of Major F. D. Call- ander, Major C. P. Kingsbury and Captain F. J. Treadwell, was sent by the Ordnance Department to locate the proposed Arsenal building on Rock Island. Sites also for mag- azines on the island were recommended by the commission. The report was adopted and Major Kingsbury was ordered to take charge of the work of construction. He arrived in August, 1863, and on the 3d day of vSeptem- ber broke ground for the government build- ing at the lower end of the island. From an article prepared by Captain L. M. Haverstiek, and published in the Chicago Inter-Ocean at the time we quote the follow- ing, with a few changes adapting it to our purpose : 58 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY "An arsenal merely for the storage and repair of arms was not what the Ordnance Department contemplated, nor what the country needed at Rock Island. Therefore in August, 1865, General T. J. Rodman was assigned to the command of the island, with instructions to prepare plans for an armory and arsenal combined, where small arms and other munitions of war could be manufactured as well as repaired and stored. The great scientific knowledge and long experience of General Rodman peculiarly fitted him for this work, and the result was an elaborate plan, equal to the wants and interests of the country.'" GENERAL RODMAN'S PLANS. General Rodman's plans were submitted to Congress during the session of 1865 and ap- proved. An appropriation was made to be- gin work on the new buildings; and from thiat time forward steady progress has been made until now Rock Island Arsenal is the fore- most in the United States. A portion of the Island had been sold under a special act of Congress. The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company had located their track across the island and built upon its banks the abutments for their bridges. When the Government decided to utilize the island for a permanent and ex- tensive manufacturing depot, it was found necessar}- to buy out the interests of the pri- vate parties and of the railroad company. A commission consisting of General J. M. Scofield, Selden JI. Church and James Barnes. was appointeii to appraise the lands on the island owned by individuals. An act of Congress, approved June 27, 1866. appropriated the money necessary to buy out their claims, authorized the reloca. tion of the railroad bridge, and provided for compensating the railroad companj- for changing its route across the island. The same act made an appropriation to begin work on the development of the waterpower. Under this and subsequent acts the Govern- ment united with the railroad company in the erection of the iron bridge, which served the general purposes until the constitution of the present magnificent bridge, sharing in the expense and securing a free wagon way in addition to the railroad tracks. By order of the War Department, in July, 1863, Rock Island was made a military prison for the confinement of Confederate prisoners. During the same month, Captain Charles A. Reynolds, Assistant Quarter- master United States Army, arrived, and commenced building a prison and barracks. The first soldiers for guard duty arrived November 2, 1863. Lieutenant Colonel Schaff- ner arrived on the 19th of November and took command. On the 22d, Colonel Richard Henry Rush arrived and took command of the post, and Colonel A. J. Johnson was ap- pointed in charge of the prisoners. The first installment of prisoners, taken at the battle of Lookout Mountain, arrived from Chatta- nooga, December 3, 1863; and from that time until the close of the war a large number of prisoners were kept under a strong guard upon the island. The whole number of prisoners confined here was 12,215; the num- ber of deaths was 1,960. About 500 died of small-pox, many of scurvy, and others of various diseases, chiefly pneumonia. They were put into rough boxes and buried in trenches. The corner-posts of the cemetery where their ashes repose, are composed of cannon taken from the Confederates, planted with their muzzles in the grotmd, and strung around with chains. Within this enclosure sleep nearly 2,000 Confederate dead. At a few of the graves, friends of the deceased have erected plain headstones, and placed on them a few simple inscriptions. There is also near the head of the island, a Union soldiers' cemetery where 310 graves are en- closed by a neat fence. On July 11, 1862. Congress passed the act authorizing the establishment of the Arsenal HISTORIC ROCK IS L A N D C U N T Y 59 and providing the first funds for beginning the necessary buildings. Major C. P. Kingsbury, a well known and competent oflicer of the Ordnance Depart- ment, was assigned as the first commandant and under his direction, a year later, a store- house was erected at the lower or extreme western end of the Arsenal, which, with its tower and clock, has since been a landmark and an object of interest, not merely to the inhabitants of the three cities, but also to all travelers on the main line of the Rock Island road. In 1S65 General Thomas .T. Rodman was assigned to the command, and followed in 1871 by General D. W. Flagler, who remained commandant until 1SS6. To these two of- ficers is mainly due the general plan of the Arsenal as it exists today, with nearly all its principal buildings; their conception of the disposition and arrangement of the ten great shops, with the various subsidiary buildings, was an immense advance over the stereo- typed plan of all arsenal construction of pre- ceding years, and in subsequent developments, in response to great demands upon the Ar- senal's resources, has proved most admirably adapted for the purpose for which designed. These plans as first prepared by Rodman, developed by Flagler, and followed with onl^- slight modifications by their successors, have resulted in the erection, principally of Joliet stone, of a magnificent equipment of shops, storehouses, barracks, quarters and numerous subsidiary buildings. The shops comprise ten stone buildings sixty feet wide, built around three sides of a rectangular central court, with fronts two hundred and ten feet and wings three hun- dred feet long: eight of the shops are of four stories, the other two of only one, but pro- viding in all over thirty acres of floor space. Seven of these buildings are now occupied by machinery, the other three by the raw mater- ial for manufacture and by finished stores. There are also two large storehouses and numerous other ,,inall buildings for boilers for the heating plant and for lumber, coal. oil. etc., for officer's quarters, soldiers' barracks and for the many other necessities of a large government manufacturing establislmient. One of these storehouses replaced an earlier structure destroyed by fire with its contents \ras only completed in the spring of 190.5. It is most recently erected of all the main buildings of the Arsenal. For many years the commandant's quar- ters and three others of stone have provided accommodations for the assistant officers, but within the last few years two attractive biuldings of more modern design, one frame and the other of yellow Ijrick. have been erected at the eastern end of Terrace Road, forming a most attractive addition to the residential district of the Arsenal, and diu'lim- the present year, the old buildings, relics of the Civil War. used for many years as a hospital and as stables, have been replaced by attractive and convenient modern struc- tures. In May. 1886, Colonel T. G. Baylor. Ord- nance Department, succeeded General Flagler as commandant. He was followed three years later by Colonel J. M. Whitte more and he, in 1892. by General A. R. Buffington. who con- tinued in command for five years. Under these officers the main Iniildings were carried to completion, manufactures prosecuted at a moderate scale, and under the latter, the present magnificent bridge from the Arsenal to Davenport erected. The island is connected with the three neighboring cities by bridges built and owned by the Government and maintained and guarded by the Arsenal, and by its own track with the railways that reach them. The bridge from the .Arsenal to the City of Daven- port is the third bridge provided for railway and subsequently for general traffic. Of the first nothing now remains but a vine-covered stone pier about a quarter of a mile above the present structure. It was the pioneer bridge 60 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY across the Mississippi river from its iiidutli to its source and was completed fifty-two years ago, being used by the Rock Ishind railroad until October, 1872, when a bridge upon the present location was finished. Twenty-four years later this latter bridge, having proved insufficient for the traffic to which it was sub- jected, the present magnificent structure was finished. Its total length is 1 ,550 feet, divided into five spans and one draw. It is double decked, with a double railroad track above and double street car track and wagon bridge be- low. The traffic across this bridge is now tuuch greater than formerly and is an indication of the growth of population in the cities of Rock Island and Davenport, which it connects. Now it is at the rate of about 40,000 engines annually, over 80,000 passenger cars, and 340,000 freight cars. In addition over 450,000 teams and nearly 1,000,000 pedestrians. Only about 1,000 steamboats passed up and the same n\imber down and the traffic through the draw of barges and rafts has decreased year by year. A trolley line also crosses the bridge and is traversed during the year by over 100,000 street cars. A branch of this line was some years ago extended from Fort Armstrong Avenue, crossing the western end of the is- land, for about a mile up to the shops and extending beyond across the branch of the river at the south of the island to the neigh- boring City of Rock Island. It was built in response to petitions from Arsenal workmen for their accommodation and tinder a special revocable license granted bj' the Secretary of War for that purpose. It is not available for general traffic from Davenport to Rock Island, nor from either city to the Ar- senal, being reserveil solely for use of the employes. In March, 1897, Captain Stanhope E. Blunt, Ordnance Department, was appointed commandant and through successive pro- motions to Major, Lieutenant-Colonel and Colonel, the latter grade being given in June, 1906, has through more than ten years' con- tinued in command. Colonel Blunt's administration has been marked by great expansion in the Arsenal's facilities for manufacturing war material; over $1,200,000 worth of modern machinery being installed in the shops, and the power transmission system changed from the anti- quated wire rope transmission of the water power to a modern hydro-electric plant of amply capacity for the Arsenal's needs. The island, containing nearly 1,000 acres, is irregular in shape, about two and one-half miles long and three-fourths of a mile across at its widest part. The main channel of the Mississippi ri\'('r passes between the island and the Iowa shore, a much narrower branch separating it from the Illinois bank. Across this smaller stream, a short distance above the shops, a masonry dam has been constructed producing, in con- sequence of the reach of rapids opposite and above the island, a water power of ample capacity; having a head of from seven and one-half to eleven feet, according to the stage of the river, and on the dam, operated by twenty turbines, have been installed three alternating current generators of 1,650 kilowat total capacity, with the accompanying exciters, switchboard, etc., required for their operation. The building housing this installation, with generators, shafting and all other incidental machinery, has licen completed, not only in a substantial but in a highly ornamental man- ner, rendering the power house not only one of the most interesting objects for visitors to the Arsenal, but also from its appearance one of the most attractive. At present nearly 3,000 horse-power is thus provided, which can be increased, if it should ever prove necessary, by utilizing pen- stocks on the dam now occupied, and installing the corresponding additional elec- trical machinery. None of the navy yards or other arsenals possess this combination of ample water HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 61 power and electrical transmission, and the de- velopment of the power plant to its present really magnificent condition, permitting the greatest economy, with also the greatest facility and convenience of operation, is one of the pruicipal distinguishing features of the Rock Island Arsenal. Several years ago Congress made a prelimi- nary appropriation for the necessary machin- ery for manufacture of small arms at the Ar- senal, following it at the next session with a sufficient sum to permit the installation of a plant that should turn out about two hundred and fifty finished rifles per day. The complete establishment of the plant required a material increase in the power pro- vided and also its transmission to the new armory: it also included the completion of three of the large shops, with elevators, a steam heating plant, lavatory conveniences, work benches for employes, rooms for fore- men and in.spectors, and the introduction of the many minor but essential appliances requisite for economical and efficient opera- tion, including even tunnels connecting the basement floors of the different shops, which afford passage for the heating pipes, fuel oil pipes, electric power and lighting wires, and for small trolley cars for transportation Ise- tween biuldings of the various components of of the rifles in the different stages of their manufacture. In this small-arms plant and in the shops of the southern row over 2,400 machines of a great variety are disposed, with the shaft- ing for their operation and the necessary benches, and the other numerous appliances requisite for their occupancy by workmen. Operation of the shops upon the scale now required for the manufacture of gun carriages, equipments, small arms, etc., employs at present about 2,000 men, at a monthly charge for wages of from $125,000 to $130,000. If compared with its operation ten years ago it will be observed that four times as many men are now employed as at the earlier date and that the monthly wages are about five times greater. The annual tonnage of re- ceipts and issues is also five times greater than in 1897. The total expenditures at the Arsenal in the fiscal year 1897 for all purposes amounted to $68,'?, 000; while for the last three fiscal years it has averaged nearly $4,000,000 annually The Arsenal upon the scale now operated provides the soldiers' ordnance equipment for an army of 60,000 men, and is besides constantly adding to the reserve supply. By merely taking on additional employes it could, without delay, increase its output to meet the demands of an army of half a mil- li(m men, and by adding additional machin- ery, for which necessary space and power has been provided and its disposition arranged for, and also the employes for its operation, this output could be still further immensely increased. Besides the saddle in all its parts, beginning with the lumber used in the saddletree, the bridle, saddlebags, rifle scabbard, halter, horse-brush, cartridge box, saber belt, and many other articles included under the gener- al designation of infantry, cavalry and horse equipment, are also made. The haversack, canteen, cup, meat can, knife, fork and spoon ^ of duck and other material, which constitute the soldiers' more personal equipment, and of metal the bits, spurs, picket pin, etc., which he also uses, are included in the manu- factures. Many sets of artillery harness are annually made and also the numerous parts and gen- eral supplies pertaining thereto. Also pack outfits for mountain artillery by means of which gims, their carriages and ammunition are carried on mule back. The Arsenal has recently completed some six-inch barbette carriages for seacoast forts and for four years past has been regularly engaged in the manufacttn-e of a large number of the new three-inch field gim carriages, model of 1902, with the accompanying 62 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY limbers, caissons, battery wagons, and tbcir tools, implements, etc. This is of itself a most important work, requiring the services of a number of the best mechanics, and would alone be deemed elsewhere a sufficient task for many an establishment, though at Rock Island it comprises as stated only a portion of the maniifacturing work. In order that the field artillery carriages manufactured at the Arsenal may be tested before issue to develop any unknown defects if they should exist, all such material is proof fired at grounds specially laid out for that purpose at the upper or eastern end of the island. This included a large timber and sand butt into which the projectiles are shot, and which is of such dimensions that they cannot emerge therefrom. The many addi- tional instruments for determining the veloc- ity of the projectile, velocity of recoil of parts of the carriage, or pressure of the powder charge in the bore, and other features neces- sary to give the constructing officer of ord- nance the information which he needs in de- signing other material, or in verifying the correctness of the design undergoing proof, are also installed in special structures erected at the proving ground for their reception. With these buildings is included an obsen-a- tion tower permitting by its use a river range for firing up the river of approximatel.y 6.500 yards and enabling these carriages to be tested and proof fired under an elevation. The Arsenal also makes the wooden targets of different designs and all the paper targets, steel silhouette frames, and pasters used in target practice, as well as the insignia indi- cating the soldiers' classification in markman- ship, and the various insignia on saddle cloths, rosettes on bridles, and similar orna- mental jewelers' work. In its armory shops the daily output for several years past has been from one hundred to one hundred and twenty-five finished mag- azine rifles per daj', an industry in itself of greater magnitude than that of the army's other .'^mall arm factory until within very recent years. Besides its manufactures the Arsenal is also the distributing point to all parts in the middle west for the product of other arsenals and of the private establishments from which the government purchases. The total cost of the Arsenal from its es- tablishment to July 1, 1907, including the erection of the permanent buildings, the ac- quisition, development and later improve- ment of the water power, the large bridge across the Mississippi, and the smaller ones to the Illinois shore, and the purchase and installation of the machinery in the shops, under the different commandants is as follows: Major C. P. Kingsbury, 1863-6.5. S231,3S4.- 72; General T. J. Rodman, 1S65-71. S2,302,- 626.30; General D. W. Flagler. 1871-86, $4,982,481.45; Colonel T. G. Baylor, 1886-89, $663,450.00; Colonel J. M. Whittemore, 1889- 92, $377,318.48; General A. R. Buffington. 1892-97, $477,375.50: Colonel S. E. Blunt, 1897-07, $2,051,198.88; total, $11,085,835.33. The total disbursement for labor has been $17,213,056.90 since the establishment of the Arsenal to .July 1. 1907. During the first twenty-five years, or up to the conclusion of General Flagler's administration, construction of buildings, bridges, roads, etc., and the earlier steps in development of water power formed the principal work, the very limited amount of machinery which had been installed, being operated to only a moderate extent and the disbursements, including wages, being mainly in connection w'ith building construction. In the second period, continuing until about the time of the Spanish War, construc- tion except for the rebuilding of the bridge from the Arsenal to Davenport, nearly ceased, while the manufacturing operations of the Arsenal continued at a slightly increas- ing but still very moderate extent. The third period embraces the great in- crease in amount and variety of manufacture, HISTORIC ROCK I S L A X D C o JJ y T Y 63 inchiding that of small arms, and accompany- ing expansion of plant, with some inciden- tal building operations, commencing in the latter part of 1897, during the first year of the administration of Colonel Blunt, slightly before the earlier days of the Spanish War, and continuing to the present date. Senator Allison, to whose faith and interest in the Arsenal must be largely ascribed the generous appropriations granted during many years past for its construction and develop- ment, is quoted as saying that "Rock Island Arsenal, during the few months of the late Spanish War, more than returned in advan- tage to the country the great cost of its con- struction; and unquestionably in a war of any magnitude and diu-ation this cost would again be repaid many fold. The Arsenal from March, 1897 to August, 1907, was commanded by Colonel Stanhope E. Blunt, Ordnance Department. The other officers are now Majors Babbitt, Thompson and Burr; Captains Gallup and Hillman and Contract Surgeon Craig. The garrison is a detachment of one hundred soldiers of the Ordnance Department, Commencing .in the spring of 1907, the superstructure of the old truss bridge, over Sylvan Water, connecting the Island with the Illinois shore, was removed, for the prepa- ration of the new viaduct concrete bridge. The old four stone piers, with two abutments, were used in the new substructure, and owing to the girder stvle of construction of the new bridge, fo\ir new concrete piers were built. The new viaduct bridge was designed by Ralph Modjeski, the noted architectural engineer, and built under the supervision of the war department ; the contractors being Bayne and Hewett of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its construction represents an expenditure by the government of $12.5,000, with S1600 additional, for widening the causeway, be- tween the bridge and Fort Armstrong Avenue, and bridge sidewalks. The Tri-City Railway Company, assiiming the cost of the brick cemented driveway, trolley poles, and new tracks, amounting to $10,000; making a total cost of .SI 36,600. The new bridge was opened for street car and passenger traffic December 12. 1907; opened for general traffic, December 18, 1907, and was accepted by the government, January 16, 1908. The width of the structure is twenty feet between curbs, with two sidewalks, each six feet. The incline approach from the City of Rock Island side consists of the original stone wall one hundred and twenty-four feet long; the new concrete wall, .joining same, extending to railroad track abutment, is one hundred and seventy feet long. The bridge proper consists of eleven spans, making a length of 801.1 feet, and total length with approach approximately 1096 feet. The solidity of the entire structure is evident in every detail. The present commandant of the Island, is Colonel S. E. Hobbs. 64 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY TOPOGRAPHY OF ROCK ISLAND COUNTY Rock Island County lies upon the western boundarj' of the great agricultiiral prairie state of Illinois. This boundary, the majes- tic Mississippi River, is bordered by bluffs that give a rugged and diversified surface to this river county. Rock Island County is notpbly a river county, for it stretches for almost sixty miles in an irregular strip along the Father of Waters. It bIso has for its boundary line (for the upper half of the comity) upon the southeast another famous stream, Rock River. The third natural boundary is Meredosia Slough or creek which separates Rock Island from Whiteside County for some miles on the comity's northeastern portion. The county is separated into two somewhat compact sections or portions by the Rock River which crosses the county on its way to union with the Mississijjpi. The northern section of the county has unusual topographical interest, being almost entirely upland of an elevation of fifty to one hundred feet above the general level of the rivers on either side. This wall of bluffs varies greatly in outline and picturesqueness. It is of gentle declivity at times and at others of rugged abruptness. The bluffs along the Mississippi follow the river in general and for the most part rise from the water's edge. A few miles above the present locations of Moline and Rock Island the bhiff line recedes from the river, and an alluvial plain of rich- ness and gentle slope is formed. The bluffs which form the other side of this plateau of the upper county section are manifest in rugged beauty along the north bank of the Rock River near the location of Milan. The lines of bluff and stream diverge not far east of Milan, leaving a broad stretch of alluvial acres. The same relative location of bluff and stream and plain is maintained after the Meredosia Slough is reached. From this creek the bluffs turn west and reach the Mississippi near Cordova. Men of research say that it is altogether probable that in the early days of the great river its path lay, through the Meredosia Slough and the bed and valley of Rock River. If so, the portion of Rock Island County under consideration, at one time was upon the western or Iowa side of the Father of Waters. This elevated tract of the upper county was originally well covered with undergrow'th and scattering timber. Its surface is fairly rough but is generally continuous except where a depres- sion called Pleasant Valley cuts across the upland region from Hampton on the Mississ- ippi to Carbon Cliff on Rock River. The farms in Pleasant Valley are considered among the best of the upper county. The elevated region has been farmed many years and has been made to jdeld productively, especially in cereals and fruits. The bottom lands are of surpassing fertility. Along the rivers there are some sandy tracts that are unfitted for tillage, but in the main the farmers of this portion of the county have greatly prospered. The southern portion of Rock Island County is a fairly symmetrical rectangle thirty-three miles from east to west. It has for its northern boundary the Mississippi and Rock Rivers. Its western boundary is HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 65 also the Mississippi wliicli tiiriistothesouthwanl at Muscatine on the Iowa shore or just west of Dnir3''s landing; on the Illinois side. Merner County lies to the south and Henry County to the east of this' portion of Rock Island County. This section comprises the greater part of the excellent farming lands of the county. There are alluvial bottom lands, rolling up- land prairies and bluff lands of less agricul- tural value. The prairies responded most quickly to the efforts of the early settler and have for many years shown the most beautiful farms in the county. The alluvial lands were some what swampy or boggy in part and did not yield well until modern methods of drain- age were employed. Along the south side of the Rock River bottom bluffs appear, the range rising abruptly in places to an average height of more than one hundred feet. At Andalusia the bluffs approach the Mississippi River which washes tlieir base almost to the southern line of the county, except in a few places where an uncultivated low bottom intervenes, seamed with sloughs. This range of bluffs is cut up with hollows and ravines and is covered with a moderate growth of timber, principally oak. The rough land extending back into the highland for several miles is tlie least vahiable portion of the county for agriculture. Rock River is the principal stream within the borders of the county and furnishes a water power second only to the Mississippi. It rises in Wisconsin about midway between the Wisconsin River and Lake Michigan. Its course in Illinois is almost one hundred and eighty miles long. Its chief tributary, the Pecatonica, discharges its waters below the northern boundary of the state. The valley of the Rock River is one of the most healthful and wealthy sections of Illinois. After form- ing a portion of the boundary between Henry and Rock Island Counties it di\ides the latter into its northern and southern portions and empties into the Mississippi about three miles below the Citv of Rock Island. In the last few miles of the stream there is a sharp fall in level, and as a result a series of beautiful rapids. GEOLOGY. The soil of the Rock River and Meredosia bottoms is the rich alluvial deposit that is found in the neighborhood of all streams in this part of the Mississippi basin. The small portion of the county lying north of the bluff line is level sand prairie. This level stretch assists the imagination in calling up a vision of a mightier Mississippi than the one with which the earliest inhabitants of the valley were acquainted. In those earlier ages of the earth's history when the river divided at this ]3oint with its main channel in the slouffh and Rock River bed it was miles in width. This prairie was a broad hearlland and bar. The bluff buttressed upland of the northern cotmty was a noble island rising from the waters of the swiftly rolling, magnificent river. The sand brought down by the cur- rent lodged against the head of this great island and the sand plain was slowly formed, just as the bars are now being formed against every obstruction in the river in these days. This great stream which has left its history written on bluff and bar and pictured in sculptured bedrock and drifted cairn has no more perfect record than its old shore line marked high along its bluffs. The town of Cordova is built almost entirely upon a terrace which was once the bed of the river. This terrace is fifty feet above the present low water mark of the Mississippi. This reminder and ev- idence of the ancient river's majesty can be traced along the slough and Rock River bluffs until that river empties into the Mississippi. Evidences of glacial drift are almost absent in this county. Genuine drift gravel and boulders are scarce. The soil of the bluffs and hills is a marly deposit kncjwn as ''loe.ss" which overlies blue clays and sands. Farther from the river the "loess" gives place to fine luminated drift clays such as cover most Illinois high prairies and upland barrens. 66 HISTORIC ROC K ISLAND COUNTY The surface soil is underlaid by founda- tions of stone nf successive geologic ages. At the eastern end of the county near Hamil- ton the upper and more shaley beds of the Hamilton limestone first appear in outcrop- pines along the Mississippi bank. Still heavier outcrops show near Moline. Here the stratum is thicker, is brown in color, and is fossil bearing. Farther west near Rock Island and Milan the Hamilton is thicker, bedded with more irregular stratification, the color bluish white or brown on recent fracture, and the rock of firm texture and density. The island in the Mississippi known as Rock Island is a great mass of this Hamilton limestone, chiseled into shape by the water. covered with eomparativelv thin soil and splendidly wooded. This island is rich in indications of primitive conditions in this section as it has stretche? of forest that have been allowed to retain their natural beauty and charm. The Devonian limestone of this county have been divided by scientists for litho- logical reasons into three divisions namely: the upper, the middle and the lower; each marked by its distinguishing character- istics. The upper-most division is limestone of gray or brown color, is rough and coarse- grained, and filled with the shells and corals that mark the Hamilton beds. The deposit is from thirty to forty feet in thickness. The middle division is made up of argillaceous and calcareous shales of equal thickness, this rock being filled with characteristic Hamilton fossils. The most easily noted outcropping of this division is between Rock Island and Moline where in quarrying a perpendicular space of thirty feet has been exposed. Under this division lies the third division which consists of a fine grained compact stone, of gray or dove color. This extends below the river level and is of an unknown thickness. It has been penetrated by borings to the depth of one hundred and seventy-five feet. This Devonian limestone of the third division forms the bed of Mississippi and Rock Rivers in this region. Rock River from Milan almost to the Mississippi is paved with what seem to be massive blocks of this com- pact stone irregular in size and contour and worn to smoothness by the ceaseless flow of the rapid current. The depth of this lithic stream bed has not been determined. At Sears' mill which formerly stood below Black Hawk's Watch Tower, rock was quarried from the stone floor of the channel to the depth of twenty feet, and it is probable that they were only upon the upper surface of the formation. .\t Cleveland near the eastern line of the county this same rock appears in the bed of the stream, so that it is probable that the bed of Rock River in its course along and through Rock Island Coimty is formed of the Hamilton limestone at times obscured and overlaid by a mud deposit made possible by irregularities in the formation and moder-- ate river fall. The limestone of the Rock River bed shows few fossils. It is this same division of the Hamilton limestone that forms the bed of the Mississippi throughout the sixty miles that this stream washes the shores of Rock Island County on the north and west. It created the terrors for the early navigators by its "hog-backs" and rocky chains thrown across the rapids in their sixteen miles of declivity and rapid rush of the mighty current. From the City of Rock Island to the western border of the county there are but few places where the bed of the stream is so near the surface of the water as to cause trouble to the rivermen. It is an alternation of stretches of sand, mud and rockj' bottom. At Andalusia excellent building stone has been quarried from this lowest member of the Hamilton group. The layers are com- paratively thin. The stone is fossiliferous and of a dove or light blue color. Another limestone formation appearing locally that has added to the wealth of Rock HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND CO U N T Y 67 Island County is the Xiapiara deposit which outcrops heavily from Cordova to Port Byron. A little south of Hampton it disappears l)e- neath the outliers of the coal measures. At Cordova this limestone has a tough consisten- cy and hornstone appearance, differing in these respects from the same formation as it appears farther north along the river bank. All the upland region of the upper county lying above Pleasant Valley is underlaid by this Niagara limestone. The upper soil and upland clay is cut thro^igh by the streams and in the beds of these small waterways the limestone appears. This Niagara limestone has been commer- cially valuable through its burning into excellent quicklime which is strong, white and ]nire. At Cordova and Port Byron there have been for many years extensive works for the manufacture of lime and this has found its way on its merits into the markets of this country The Hamilton limestone has also been found very available for lime- burning and great quantities of this raw material have been converted into merchant- able lime. The limestone deposits of Rock Island County have furnished inexhaustible quantities of building stone to the quarryman and builder. Another lithic mine of wealth to the settlers of Rock Island County has been the deposit of sandstone which outcrops in the lower part of the county. For a half century a quarry in a ravine midway between Millan and .Anda- lusia has furnished building stone or rock for heavy masonry. The stone is dark colored and iron stained and comes from a stratum about ten feet thick. This deposit seems to be available by removing the soil deposit at any point along the bluffs to the west line of the county. Near Copper Creek in Drury Township there is a quarry which has supplied the demand for this material for walls which has proved durable and reliable where it has been \ised. After many years of use it seems to be unaffected by the elements. The clays of the upper part of the coimty have been used for commercial purposes. There are unlimited deposits of material for the manufacture of drain tile and this has become an important industry at various points, the most important point for manu- facturing and shipping being Carbon Cliff on account of excellence of clay and convenience to railroads. The vein of potter's clay which also appears in this section of Rock Island County has been worked to advantage. There has been a pottery in successful oper- ation at Hampton for many years. In this series of geological notes naturally belongs reference to a remarkable group of mineral springs known as the "Rinnah Wells" springs. They have been known from Indian days to have medicinal proper- ties and some of them were long ago improved by stone curbs and facilities for obtaining the water in perfect purity. The sediment of the water caused liy natural or artificial evaporation is a whitish mineral salt of pro- nounced and rather agreeable soda taste. These springs have also been called the "White Sulphur Springs", also the "Soda Springs" and through the similarity of the waters to those famous ones of Saratoga and their marked "medicinal value it was prophecied years ago that a great resort would some day be built uj) near Andalusia. These expectations have so far been unreal- ized, the use of the w-aters having been limited to local converts to their good qualities. It may yet be that Andalusia with its romantic name and waters of healing may yet attract the attention of the world and that this beautifully located village may be the mecca of tourists and healthseekers. NATUR.^L SCENIC BEAtJTY. The variety in the topography of Rock Island County has made possible scenery of commanding beaut}^ Early voyagers were impressed with the charm of situation of Rock Island, the splendid island surrounded by the 68 // / N T O h' I (■ HOC K I S L A N D CO U \ T Y bright waters of the Mississippi and bounded by the outlying bluffs like unto a spacious amphitheatre changing with the seasons from the charm of green clad eminence to russet autumn foliage splashed with vermilion tints and then to sno>v-elad winter hills. Many chapters have been written of this section. One extract will be sulficient to give an idea of all. Governor Reynolds in his "Life and Times" has this paragraph: "The scenery about Rock Island is not surpassed by any in the whole length of the Mississippi. It seems as though Nature had made an effort in forming this beautiful and picturesque country. Rock Island itself presents a grand and imposing appearance, rising out of the waters of the Mississippi a solid rock with many feet elevation. It is several miles long, and three-fourths of a mile wide. The rocks are covered with a fertile soil. The river washes around its base with a rapid cm-rent of pure and limpid water and Rock River, a few miles south, is seen in the dis- tance, forcing its way with great rapidity over the rocky rapids into the Father of Waters. The countrj' around it is interspersed with beautiful groves of timber, which give to the scene a sweetness and a beauty rarely equaled. The blue hills in the distance, directing the course of the river, are seen on the north and the south to rise with gentle slopes from the water to considerable elevations, and the valley between, embracing the river is some miles in extent, presenting a variety of surface and a beauty of landscape never surpassed." This scenic beauty Rock Island County naturally shares with the part of Iowa lying on the opposite bank of the Mississippi- There is however one location of great natural beauty soleh^ within the boundaries of this county. It is the rugged upland formed on one hand by the bluffs of the Mississippi and on the other by the precipitous bluffs of the Rock River. From countless elevations on this tract there are views of surpassing beauty. The eye is challenged by striking declivities of solid rock; rests admiringly upon stretches of woods that border winding streams of bright and limpid water and rests peacefully upon widely stretching farmlands marked by hedgerows and clumps of trees. Rising abruptly for a height of two hundred feet above the water level is the eminence known as Black Hawk's Watch Tower. From the crest of this noble hill a panorama of striking beauty is unrolled before the eye of the visitor. To the west stretches the line of bluffs that overlooks the confluence of the waters of the Mississippi and Rock Rivers. To the southwest one can see the location of Black Hawk's village. To the south in the foregroimd lies the town of Milan to which the elevation and distance give picturesquene.ss. In the immediate foreground are the four channels of Rock River spanned by railroad and wagon bridges, the intervening islands covered with groves of stately elms and be- tween the shimmering and gliincins: waters hurry over rocky rapids. The neighborhood of the Watch Tower, as it is familiarly known, is rich in Indian legends through its having been the location of one of the largest Intlian settlements of the continent frotn the time when tradition begins. Black Hawk's Watch Tower takes its name from this Indian chief and great Sac warrior; he having watched from its siunmit the approach of the troops sent against him by Governor Reynolds at the beginning of the short, sharp and decisive conflict known in history as Black Hawk's War. The Watch Tower is easily accessible from Rock Island, Moline, Davenport and Milan by electric lines and is visited annually by many thousand tourists and residents of this locality. A handsome inn crowns the elevation and the various attractions of a modern amusement park furnish recreation for the multitude. COAL ME.ASURES. In that portion of the county Ij'ing west of Rock Island the coal measures are found as HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 69 "outliers", overlaying; and resting uncon- formably upon the Devonia and Upper Silurian limestone, as far north as the vicinity of Port Bvron, where it finally terminates. The most northerly point where a workable bed of coal has been found on this side of the river, is at Rapids City, where the seam is from four to five feet thick, and OA-erlies the Niagara limestone, with only a few feet of thickness of -shales and fire clay between. Two miles east of Hampton, where coal shafts ha\-e been sunk, are good seams from four to five feet thick. The Carbon Cliff mines were the earliest XAorked on the west side of Rock River. For many years exten- sive coal operations were carried on at this point but the limited supply of coal finally became so nearly e.xhausted that mining here was discontinued. The triangular piece of elevated land east of the City of Rock Island, bounded by I'leasant "\'alley, Rock River and the Mississ- ippi, is a mass of coal materials, resting upon a Devonian or Upper Silurian formation of imderlying limestone. .\11 that part of tb.e county, south and east of the Mississippi and the Rock River ranges of bluffs, is imderlaid by the coal measures. In every part of the county the coal measures are covered with a deep deposit of drift-clays. At ;\Iilan, Carbon Cliff, and east of the City of Rock Island, this drift clay is from forty to seventy-five feet in thickness. South of Rock River the coal measures are more regular and more extensively developed than in the northern part of the county. The coal mining industry in this county has become most important. The thickness of the coal seems to vary from three and a half to five and a half feet and is reached at a depth of from forty to one hundred and twenty feet. Coal is raised at the principal mines by steam power. The active operations in mining have greatly enhanced the value of contiguous lands, and led to the introduction of railroads as a special means of transportation. 70 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY In the early historv of the State of Illinois, all the territory lying north and west of the Illinois River formed one county, under the name of Pike County. Prior to the organ- ization of Rock Island County, it was at- tached to Jo Daviess County. By an act of the legislature, approved February 9, 1831, which after fixing the boundaries, and naming the county, provided for the election of certain count\- officers, whenever it should contain three hundred and fifty inhabitants; and that after such election, said County of Rock Island, should be considered as organized. Said boimdaries were as follows: 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 eastwardly 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 Marais d'Osier Slough; thence along the middle of said slough to the middle of the channel of the Mississippi River; thence down along the middle of said channel to the place of beginning. On the first daj' of March, 1833, a further act was passed, and three commissioners were appointed to select and locate a permanent seat of justice for Rock Island County; and when selected to be called Stephenson, in commemoration of Colonel Benjamin Stephenson; also by said act the citizens of Rock Island County were authorized to elect on the first Monday of July, 1833. three county commissioners, one sheriff, three justices of the peace (to reside in separate districts), three constables, and one coroner. An election was held July 5, 1833, at the house of John Barrel, in Farnhamsburg, near the point where the south end of the present south bridge of the Rock Island Railroad is now located. At this meeting, which was duly held at the time and place appointed, sixty-five citizens were present and took part. Joseph Danforth, Joel Wells, Sr.. and William H. Simms served as judges, and Joseph Conway and W. Thompson as clerks. Those honored by election to the county commissionership were: George W. Harlan, John W. Spencer and Colonel George Davenport. Benjamin F. Pike was made sheriff; Levi Wells, coroner; George W. Harlan, J. B. Patterson, and Joe Wells. Jr.. justices of the peace; George V. Miller, Huntington Wells, and Edward Cor- bin. constables. These were the pioneer office-holders of Rock Island County. The covmty commissioners met at John Barrel's and organized three days later. Joseph Conway was made clerk and Joseph Wells. Sr., treasurer and assessor. As there was neither count}- seat or am- count}' build- ing, the commissioners ordered that sessions of court and general elections be held at the house of John Barrel in Farnhamsburg. Asaph Wells and Joel Wells. Jr., were ap- pointed supervisors of roads at the March term, 1834. HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND CO U N T Y 71 At this time the settlers had to depend upon Fort Armstrong for mail facilities. The matter of going to the postoffice became burdensome, as it included ferriage to the island. This expense added to the postage of twenty-five cents on each letter became grievous and the settlers petitioned the postmaster-general for a postoffice to be established at the convenient and useful home of John Barrel. This was done in 1834 and Josej)h Conway made postmaster. In June, 1834, the county was divided for convenience into rwo voting precincts, these being denominated the "Upper" and the "Lower." The boundaries of the Upper Precinct commenced at the mouth of the Marai.s d 'Osier Slough and continued as far west as Henry McNeal's house. The voters in this territory assembled at the home of \\'alter Phillips. The remainder of the county formed the Lower Precinct and the voting place was fixed at the house owned by Daven- port and Farnham in Farnhamsburg. The first judges appointed in the Upper Precinct were Asaph Wells. James Haskell and Thomas L. Galpin; in the I,o\ver, Joel Wells, Sr., William Brashar and William Tarr. February 12, 183.5, the legislature passed an act to establish the county seat of Rock Island County. The con.missioners ap))ointed under this law, on the 8th daj- of June 1835, located and established the town of Stephen- son, and the county seatof Rock Island Comity. The commissioners were George Davenport, John W. Spencer, and John Vanatta. B}- order of the county commissioners court, in November, 1835, the records and courts of the county were removed from Farnhamsburg to Stephenson. The report of the commissioners was made June 8, 1835. This document ordered "that Charles R. Bennet be appointed to survey the town of Stephenson, in Rock Island County, as soon as practible." A further provision of the report was to the effect that "one-third of the town lots be offered for sale on the 11th of July next, and that the same be published three times in the St. Louis Republican, the .'Vlton Spectator, the Northwestern Gazette and the Galena Advertiser." The town of Stephenson was therefore laid out by Charles R. Bennet and the plat recorded July 10, 1835. This recorded plat bears the certificate of Joseph Conway, clerk to the county couunissioners. The town comprised within its modest limits twenty blocks in addition to the one set aside for a public square upon which the county buildings were to be erected and upon which the handsome modern court house now stands. The lots were most generous, as befitted a time when land was cheap. They measured eighty feet front and had a depth of one hundred and fifty feet. Colonel George Davenport, John W. Spen- cer and John Vanatta, the county com- missioners, entered the town site of Stephen- son for the purposes of a county seat, Maj' 11, 1836. Its description was "the north- west fractional quarter of Section 35, con- taining 61.95 acres." This entry was made in the land office of this district at Galena. To add to the official dignity of the local courts, the commissioners ordered September 7, 1835, "that Joseph Conway be authorized to get two seals, one for the circuit court of Rock Island County and one for the county commissioners' court of Rock Island County, the device to be a sheaf of wheat and a plow." These courts were removed from Farnhams- burg to the new county seat, Stephenson, in November, 1835. One incident of these early days, having peculiar interest through later national legis- lation and civil war was the onlering of the court that a tax of one-half per cent be levied "on slaves or indentured negro or mulatto servants, pleasure carriages, dis- tilleries, horses, nuiles, cattle, watches and their appendages, household furniture, clocks, wagons, carts, sheep and town lots." HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY By this listing of slaves among real and personal property with a recognized cash value to be the basis of a percentum tax the ownership of slaves was recognized in this section which later took important and active part in the war which destroyed and discoimtenanced the entire system of slave ownership. The occasion of the tax levy upon "indentured negro servants" was the holding of slaves by some of the officers at the Fort Armstrong garrison. When these officers were transferred to this post they brought with them these "indentured negro servants." This practice though not sanc- tioned by the constitution and laws of the State of Illinois was possible under the old territorial laws, enacted when Illinois was a part of the Territory of Indiana. Under these territorial provisions permitting slaves to be introduced into this free soil as "inden- tured servants," many lived in Illinois. In 1810 there were one hundred and sixty-eight slaves in this state. Ten years later the number had increased to nine hundred and seventeen. Ten years later in 1830 there were seven hundred and forty-six slaves within the borders of Illinois. It was about this time that Dr. Emerson, the surgeon of the post, brought to this section as his ser- vant, the famous negro, Dred Scott. When Fort Armstrong was evacuated in 1836, Scott went with his master to Fort Snelling in .Minnesota and there proceedings were commenced which culminated in the Dred Scott decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, one of the history making incidents of ante-bellum times. Dr. Emer- son afterwards made Davenport his home, erecting a handsome residence on East Second Street. There he died and wa"s buried at an early cemetery, now the crossing of Sixth and LeClaire Streets. In 1829, it is a matter of history that a number of slaves were held for a short time in Rock Island County on a farm just above :Moline. Their owner, a southern man, brought them with him when he moved to this section. He brought his holding to the number of seventy-five expecting to give them their freedom and place them tipon lands entered in this section, but the colored people preferred to return to their "sunny" southern home, and were allowed to do so after experiencing the rigors of one northern winter. COUNTY COURT HOUSE. As attractive, perhaps, as any court house in the states and more remarkable in archi- tecture bjf far than many, is the handsome county building of Rock Island. Stately and inviting for business, this edifice stands a monument to the progressive spirit of the people, who, keeping pace with the advance- ment of the times, put it there. Way back in 1826 a sijiall but well designed liuilding known as "John Barrel's house," enclosed within its walls the first gathering of men to transact Rock Island County business. That house stood in Farnhams- burg and besides being the first county court house, served as postofTice and hotel. The first jail was built in 1836— then the city was the town of Stephenson. John W. Spencer in October, 1835, was awarded the contract to build this jail, which was origi- nally a hewed log building, two stories high HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COU N TIY 73 and twenty-two feet square. The brick portion of the structure, afterward added, was built by Daniel Doty in 1839. It stood on lot No. 5 in block No. 15 in the old town until it was sold to a German, who converted the brick portion into a residence. It was in this building that the nnu'derers of Colonel Davenport were confined, and from which they were led forth to expiate their crimes upon the gallows on the morning of October ^Oth, 1S45. Birch and Baxter were also confined there: the former took a change of venue to Warren Covuity where he broke jail and escaped. Baxter escaped the gallows on the grounds of liaving no willful intention to take the life of his l)enefactor; for wliile he laid the plot for the robbery of Colonel Davenport's house, and jjlanned with the robbers to be ready to enter it on that memorable Fourth of July, he did it thinking that the house would be unoccupied. But in that he was disappointed: all the family had gone to the celebration excepting the colonel. When the robbers entered, they unexpectedly foimd him in the house and to make sin-e of escaping with their phmder, murdered him. Baxter was sen- tenced to the penitentiarj- for life but was afterwards parolled on the pn.mise that he would leave this part of the country. The present jail was built in 1857 at an initial cost of $60,000. Additions of note have since been added. Until this date, 18-57, the jail building contained besides the sheriff's office and residence, the offices of circuit clerk, recorder, and the county clerk. A contact with >Ionah H. Case to furnish 200,000 bricks at eight dollars a thousand, was the first step toward the erection of the then, new court house. That was in April, 1836. In June the contract for the building was let to Samuel Smith for $10,500, to be completed December 1, 1837. The building, a square brick structure, was of two stories with a central cupola. It stood on the square reserved for that purpose when the town was mapped out and on the land of the present temple of justice. Immediately after the jail fire in 1882, the people began to agitate a new court house. In January 1883, the board of supervisors decided to erect an office building of sufficient capacity for the offices of county judge, cir- cuit clerk, and county clerk: consequently, a contract was made with S. J. Collins for a one-story brick building, situate on the south- east corner of court house square, at a cost of aljout S13,00(), the building being com- pleted during the year. Diu'ing the time of its construction, office room was obtained in the old court house, and improvised space in the jail building. As Rock Island County grew it was soon apparent that extensive improvements and additions to the court house would be neces- sary. This rehabilitation would have cost the county so mucli money that it seemed to the wise men quite the wTong thing to do, but rather appeal to the people to decide at the polls whether or not it was their desire to bear the expense of a new and modern building. Supervisor Joseph Fitzpatrick of Milan championed the movement. He intro- duced a resolution at the April term, 1893, calling for a committee to investigate the needs of the county and the probable cost of a new court house, to report to the board at the July meeting, with recommendations as to the time and money necessary to erect such a court house as would compare with the wealth and progress of the county. This committee composed of Supervisor Joseph Fitzpatrick, A. F. Vinton, James (i. Britton and Conrad Schneider made a favor- able report and thought $125,000 would be about the right amount. An election was held November 6, 1894, and the proposition to issue bonds to the amount of $125,000 was carried by the following vote: For the proposition to issue bonds, 3,913; against proposition, 2,174; 74 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY majority for said proposition, 1 ,789 Accord- ingly the contract was let, Charles J. Larkin winning. Work on the founrlation com- menced June 26, 1895, and October 1, 1896 the corner stone was laid. The arrangements being in charge of the Old Settlers' Asso- ciation. The following men constituted the Court House Committee: Charles L. Walker, chair- man; Phil .Mitchell, Hon. William Jackson, John Ohiweiler. T. S. Silvis, (deceased), Hon. Charles J. Searle, H. P. Simpson, William McEniry, J. F. Robinson, (deceased), C. F. Lynde, S. J. Collins, S. S. Hull, Hon E. E. Parmenter, (deceased), W. P. Quajde, (de- ceased). After the formal notice was made, the following orations were delivered by Edward D. Sweeney. C. J. Searle and Judge J. M. Gould at the laying of the corner stone of the new court house, October 1, 1896. THE ORATIONS. (Orations printed in part.) Edw.\rd D. Sweexky. Mr. Chairman and Fellow Citizens: We celebrate today the laying of the corner stone for the new court house, and the occa- sion is an event which awakens in us emotions of the deepest interest. While it is true that this vast assemblage of citizens are of divers nationalities, of varied political faiths, and of many religious beliefs, we all stand before this mute block of granite as before the throne of the Eternal on equal footing, no s])ecial privilege of nobility or preference places one before the other. The significance of this great gathering is a tribute of respect to the grand temple of jus- tice planned to rise from this corner stone; and an acknowledgement of homage to the fair Goddess of Justice, who, with sightless e3'es and extended hand under the law, holds the balances in which causes between man and man are weighed without partiality or favor, and determined. The law-abiding people of this great county as by one common impulse, from the various pursuits of life, the farmers from their fields, the merchants from their counters, the mechanics from their shops, the bankers from their desks, and the hum- blest toilers from their work, have come to witness the simple act of the laying of this stone. It must be that in this there is much that ought to challenge our thoughtful con- sideration and engage our earnest contempla- tion for the hour which we are permitted to spend togetheron thisevent. It is the transition moment from the old to the new; it is the passing of a great milestone in the career of our county. More than fiftj' years of history is about to close its record today, and a new book presents itself in which we are to record events, yet in the bosom of the future; to be born each day and each month in the coming years. The thought which occupies every- one here assembled must be in reference to the old court house, its associations of law- yers, and judges, of law suits, of law and its administration, and of officers — and this is mj' theme. The early beginnings of all communities are remembered with the greatest of interest and cherished in the fond recollections of those who have participated therein. The County of Rock Island was organized on the 8th day of July, 1833, it having been formerly a part of Jo Daviess County, and the first term of the circuit coiu-t was held at the house of John Barrel, beginning on the 28th day of April, 1834. This house stood on the banks of the Sylvan Waters, just west of the Cable residence, and was chosen by the county commissioners as the tem])orary place of holding the court and the village was called Farnhamsburg. In this house was held the covirt until abandoned at the Sep- tember term, 1837; in all six terms of court. At each of these terms there was a grand jury selected and chosen, and in looking over the list of names which compose these grand HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 75 juries, I find that Benjamin Ggble, the old settler who lays the corner stone today, was a grand juror at three of these terms. It is very evident that they in those days had as good an opinion of Mr. Goble as we of the present day, while we think he is a little too old to do heavy mason work, yet, if called upon, that he would be as willing to serve as a grand juror to punish wrong doers as he was in those early times. I also find the name of ou.r venerable and worthy friend, Michael Ilartzell, that he served two terms as a grantl juror in vindicating the law in this new-forming comnuniity. I also find that John Tindall, the sturdy and prosperous farmer of Bowling Township, and Charles Tilterington, the leading farmer of Edging- ton, the father of our present county treasurer, each served a term as a grand juror in the house of John Barrel; all of these ionr are now present on this glad day to witness the laying of the corner stone of the new court house, which to them must be an event of inore than usual interest. I also find that \Mlliam Bell was a grand juror at the house of John Barrel at the April term. 1837. This gentleman, who alwaj-s took such an interest in the affairs of our county and City of Hock Island, and always had a pleasant word and smile for everybody, is absent in body, but we know must be present in mind. He is living with his daughter, Rosa, at Toledo, Ohio, and in a ripe old age. This was the beginning of our long coiu't dockets of hundreds of cases and terms of court dragging through tedious months, to which has been added the county court, now given common law jurisdiction with a civil and criminal docket, ami with its long [jrobate docket ui)on which are the estates and through which already has passed nearly all the titles to real estate within the limits of the county. The population of the county has grown from 350 to about 45,000; at the time of the organi- zation there was one straggling village on the site of the City of Rock Island and here and there a settler throughout the county. Now there are six incorporate towns and villages, fviU of activity and business, and two large com- mercial cities, teeming with industry, thrift and enterprise, growing in importance and multiplying in wealth; then the taxable pro- perty of the county was a few hundred dollars, now it is over eight millions. For a few years there were only two terms of court in each year, but very soon the legislature gave this county three terms of the circuit court, with a probate court in session sub- stantially all the year round. The number of criminals which come before the courts of our coimty for correction are surprisingly small. Few comities in the state send a less number to the penitentiary, schools, and the jails for punishment, in accordance with their jiopulation than the Count}- of Rock Island. As evidence of how carefully the legal limits are observed among us stands forth the fact that in the affairs of our county, transacted by our honorable board of supervisors, every step of the way in which they proceed being regulated and determined by law, not a legal contest is raised or issue made concerning the new court house, the greatest building ever yet erected in the county, which is rising to is comple- tion and will be bviilt from foimdation to dome without the circuit coiu't having taken cognizance of it in any manner whatever except to hear the hammers of the workmen and to finally obey the summons to quarter itself in the magnificent court room; as grand as the old hall of William Rufus, the pride of England for a thousand years; which is Ijeing provided for it in accordance with law, there to administer the law for the people "with malice towards none and witii charity for all". .\mong the names of those who have served their day and stamped upon the events of the times in which they lived, the imjiress of their character and have gone to their reward, and are in your memories while I speak, are; 76 HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY Joseph Knox, Ira 0. Wilkinson, E. R. Bean, John B. Haw ley, Alfred Webster. J. J. Beardsle}-. Robert W. Sniitli ant! Patrick O'Mara. ' The oratory of Joseph Knox will always be remembered by those who have heard him. The iiaipression that his oratory made upon my mind when a young man, was that it was close akin to that of Demosthenes. History records that when the issue was before the Athenians whether thej' would submit to Phillip of Macedoa, or resist him with arms, that Demosthenes espoused the cause of war; in this he was opposed by the accomplished orator. Aschines. When Aschines addressed the people they woidd say, what wonderful eloquence, what a great orator; when Demos- thenes would speak thej' wotdd leap and shout, "let us go and fight Phillip." ilr. Knox was often greeted with similar responses. Judge Wilkinson was a slave to his profession; he never allowed his mind to be occupied bj- anything which wotild draw him away from the pure pursuit and practice of the law. He was for many years the mentor of our bar and no young lawyer struggling with legal difficulties ever went to him but he received him kindly and furnished material help with- out claim of compensation. He did not lay down his work until the hand of disease arrested his powers, and like "Nicanor" he "lay dead in his harness." General Hawley will be remembered as the impetuous, vigi- lant and aggressive advocate. He was like the plumed knight of Ivry, always to the front in the thickest of the contest, pushing every advantage tmtil victory crowned efforts. Patrick O'Mara was the silver- tongued orator of the bar, young, promising and brilliant; he was a shining mark for tlie shafts of death, which too soon claimed hira for a prey. Time forbids further mention of the merits of the dead, btit the best and the highest efforts of those who have gone and those who remain are to be found in the records of the courts, published in the 58 volumes of .the Appellate and in the 15.5 volumes of the Supreme Court reports. It is in this work the real test comes of the law- yer's knowledge of the law and his merits as a lawyer, who has within his grasp and com- prehension the highe.st elements of law. There have been nineteen different judges who have held court in our count}^ Rich- ard M. Young was the first judge who ever held court in otu- county. He came from Galena and was succeeded by Daniel Stone, who came from the same place. Sidney Breese held the second term. He afterwards became a member of the supreme court and served a number of years; was elected to the United States Senate where he served a term, after which he went to the supreme bench again, where he remained until his death in 1S78, full of years, honors and good deeds. Benjamin R. Sheldon held the May term. 1849; He afterwards went on the supreme bench, where he remained until his death, a good man and a strong judge. Thomas Ford held tlie April term of our court in 1836; he afterwards became governor of the state and in his declining days wrote Ford's History of Illinois, the best yet written of tlie state. Of those who are not now in office, I know of only two who are living — the Honorable J. W. Drury, who was circuit judge from 1856 until 1859 or '60, and the Honorable Arthur A. Smith, who first held court here in 1879 and resigned on account of ill health in I he fall of 1894. Thus far I have said nothing about the offices of county judge and county clerk. The county clerk's office is the great work- shop of the county; in that office all the taxes are levied and extended, the judgment for tax sales entered and the record of the sales made and kept. In that office all the busi- ness done by the board of supervisors is written up and recorded; aside from this is the probate business of the cotmty, which has grown to be of immense magnitude, and to which is added the records of the HISTORIC ROCK ISLAND COUNTY 77 county court, civil and criminal proceedings; within the last few years has passed through the county clerk's office the proceedings for the paving assessments, which has been a stupendous work in itself. To appreciate the volume of the work which is done iu this office you must be acquainted with its vast- ness and its importance. I would be pleased on this occasion to speak of the men who have acted as county clerks, and who have been responsible for and so ably and faith- fully discharged their obligations, but time forbids any lengthv notice. Of the ex- county clerks who are s+ill with us, Joseph Conet is the oldest. He will be remembered by all as long as we can remember anybody, as being the most accommodating, courteous and willing public servant that ever served in the court ho\ise. The readiness to serve anij aid anyone who had business in his office came natural to him; what he did was disrobed of every semblance of affectation or effort. Mr. Conet was succeeded by Major Beardsley, who came into office in the latter part of the war and performed herculean labors in the interests of the widows and orphans of the soldiers who died or had fallen in battle during the Rebellion, whom he e'.er carried on his heart. The accounts kept in the book of remembrance bj^ Him, "who neither slumbers or sleeps" will show a great credit to the major's account for the disinterested and patriotic work of these years. John V. Cook succeeded the major and his memory is embalmed in the hearts of all who knew him; he was succeeded by Mr. Donaldson, whose efficiency and relia- bility were not excelled by anj' one. Colonel Hjalmar Kohler, the present incumbent needs no commendation from me, his work shows for itself and his manner and demeanor in office are su.fficient to win for him the highest respect and regard. Of the e.x-probate justices and county judges there are only two living today, Captain T.J. Robinson, who acted as associate justice, with John W. Spencer as judge in 1849. and J. M. (umld who takes part in the exercises of this occasion, who was county judge in 1854 to 18.57. There has been no more responsible position in our comily than that of lookinji' after the trusts in the hands of executors, administrators and guardians, and faithfully have these trtist estates l)een guarded and protected by our county judges. The present incumbent, the Honorable l.ucian .\dams, has grown gray in the service of these trusts and no one has ever been allowed to suffer in his hands. Three members of Congress have been sent from our Coimty. The Honorable John B. Hawley, the Honorable William H. G est and the Honorable Benjamin Cable. AVe are indebted to these gentlemen for a:reat services in seeming ap])ropriations for the National armory on the Island, for the great bridge across the Mississippi River, the Moline daiu, the viaduct, the new go^•ernluent build- ing now being erected, and the Hennejiin Ca'^nal. The soldiers of Illinois were foremost at Donaldson, Shiloh, A'icksburg, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain and in Sherman's march to the sea. General Sherman was their great leader in that famous march, but it is said if the old hero had fallen by the way, the boys would have gone right on to the sea. The Illinois soldiers l:)rought home from the fields of the south three hundred battle flags taken from the enemy, and it was an Illinois flag that floated over the advance guard of the soldiers who first marched into Richmond with President Lincoln at their head, in April, 186.5. All honor to the old soldiers and love and charity to all their kith and kin. Solomon's Temple surpassed all former ones in its glory and grandeur, but in follow- ing years there was erected a second temple, and the glory of the latter house exceeded the former. The days of the early pioneers were full of noble deeds, efforts and struggles, around which a halo of heroism lingers, while HISTORIC ROCK ISLANE COUNTY the names of the men and women who took part in the stirring events of those days are held in tender remembrance by tlieir descend- ants and the peojile of today. No state in the I'ninn excels Illinois in the race of noble pioneers who wrought out of the broad untracked and uniilled prairies the beginnings of the greatest agricultural state of the Mississippi valley, and which laid the foun- dations of greatest and grandest common- wealth of the Union, and no county in all of the one hundred and two in the state can boast of a nobler band of early settlers than can our County. The limit line of pioneer and old settlers' life is drawn at the vear 18-50 and all time subsequent is counted out. I-et due honor and credit be given to the early settlers and old pioneers and to all who have heljied in the early efforts to lay the base of the institutions of which we are so proud today and to which we can point with becoming pride; but no one will think of comparing what has been accomplished in the advancements of civilization since the date of the limit with what has gone before. In 1850 the City of Rock Island had been organized only one year and was a mimicipal infant, and Moline, now the proud city of factories, schools and churches, was still a village, and ouside of these there was not an organized town or village in the county; the iron horse had never sounded his sonorous tones on the shores of the Father of Waters: the great plow factories of the Twin Cities were only in the prophecies of the dim future; the magnificent water works, now sending flowing water through every street and into every house, were unthought of; paved streets, which have come to us within the last eight years, and which make our cities the rivals of those in the old world of a cen- tury's growth, were not even in the dreams of the oldest inhabitant; while every man was his own letter carrier, express messenger and "telephone girl." Never since the days when Adam and Eve went forth from the Garden of Eden, unsandaled and uncovered, was human nature so well clothed, so well fed, so well housed and surrounded with the conveniences and luxuries of life, as today; we are all pleased to hear the old settlers talk of the "good old times," and never tire of hearing rehearsed the events of early pioneer life: but we who did not live in these "good old times" may be excused for speaking of the "good new times." Today the forces of the "good old times." and the forces of the "good new times" meet on this common platform to lay the corner stone of the new court house and blend without rivalry in a united effort for the common weal. At the April term, A. D., 1893, of the board of supervisors. F. M. Sinnet, Esq., was elected chairman, and in his address to the board, returning thanks for his election, among other things he said that the necessity existed for the erection of a new court house, and he believed that the times were propi- tious for its erection. During this session of the board, Joseph Fitzpatrick. Esq., then su.pervisor from Black Hawk, came to the f)ffice of Sweeney tt Walker and talked to the same effect, and Jlr. C. L. Walker prepared resolutions setting forth that the necessity existed for a new court house and that the times were propitious for the build- ing of the same. The resolutions were delivered to Mr. Fitzpatrick who introduced them in the board then in session and they were adopted. The resolutions, among other things, provided for the appointment of a committee to report on the feasibility of the project at the next meeting in Jul}-. In the meantime Charles J. Searle. our young and vigorous state's attorney, with his accustomed zeal and enthusiasm, took hold of the work and put the report of the committee in shape, which was presented at the next session of the board and adopted, and the cause of the new court house vs'as sqiiarely before the people. The press, which HISTORIC ROCK I S L AN E COUNTY 79 has always been a great factor in the pushing forward of the welfare of the county in all channels, took hold and advocated the enter- prise, the people with great unanimity seconded the move and the board of super- visors, pushed on until the building of the new court house became a fixed fact. Messrs. Larkin and Collins and the Rock Island mechanics have completed a credit- able foundation — one strong enough to sus- tain the National Capitol — from which will rise a building worthy of our county and the times in which we live. Ch.^rles J. Searle. Mr. President, Citizens of Rock Island County , Ladies and Gentlemen: I feel highly flattered at being accorded the privilege of taking part in the important ceremony of laying the corner stone of your new "Temple of .Tustice," and while the nature of a statistical paper for permanent preservation, requires me to indulge in a greater use of statistics than is conducive to present any temporory interest, I have striven, in the very limited time I have had to bestow upon the task, to cull out of the records and traditions of the county such statistical information as in my opinion would most interest those present, jis well as future inhabitants of the county, to whose curious gaze the contents of this corner stone will be revealed, perhaps a century from now. My endeavor shall be to confine myself almost exclusively to matters of local interest, but no historical or other information con- cerning Rock Island County would be complete without takingsomewhat into consideration the history and growth of our country as a whole. The records of the world's history disclose the rise and fall of many jireat and prosperous nations, but history never recorded such great, rapid, and, we hope, enduring, progress of a people as has been witnessed in the United States since its formation. Pre- eminently a peaceful nation, our area has grown from ,S27.844 square miles in 1789, to 3,603.844 square miles in 1S95, and that too, mostly by peaceful conquest. Our popu- lation has grown from 3,929,214 in 1790. to 62,622,2.50 in 1.S90. Under the benign influ- ,ence of the free institutions handed flown to us by our illustrious forefathers, from a few scattered settlements, skirting along the Atlantic seaboard, we have developed into a mighty nation. A nation whose institu- tions are not beyond improvement, but in the main, filled with a happy, prosperous people. A nation of inestimable wealth. A highly civilized nation, filled with chtuxhes. schools and libraries. A nati(m makinp; unprece- dented strides in industry, art, science and education. A nation that is indeed the "land of the free an