DAVENPORT PAST AND PRESENT

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CHAPTER VIII.

The celebrated "Missouri War" is ascribed to aboutthis date.  It arose from a dispute in regard to boundary - two lineshaving been run.  The northern one cut off a strip of Iowas some six oreight miles in width, and from this portion Missouri endeavored to collecttaxes.  The inhabitants refused to pay them, and the Missouri authoritiesendeavored, by sending a Sheriff, to enforce payment.  A fight ensued, andan Iowan was killed, and several taken prisoners.  The news spread alongthe River counties and created intense excitement.  War was supposed to beimpending, or to have actually begun.

Col. Dodge, an individual somewhat noted as the one who, inconnection with Theller, had been imprisoned by the Canadian authorities for aparticipation in the "Patriot War," had lately arrived here, afterbreaking jail in Canada.  His arrival was opportune - a call for volunteersto march against Missouri was circulated, and was responded to by some threehundred men, who made Davenport their rendezvous on the proposed day ofmarching.  A motley crowd was it! Arms were of very kind imaginable, frompitchforks to blunderbusses, and Queen Anne Muskets.  One of the Colonelswore a common rusty grass scythe for a sword while Capt. Higginson, of CompanyA, had been fortunate enough to find an old sword that an Indian had pawned forwhisky, which he elegantly belted around him with a heavy log chain.

The Parade ground was in front of the ground now occupied by theScott House.  Refreshments were plenty, and "steam" was beingrapidly developed for a start, when word came that peace was restored - Missourihaving resigned her claim to the disputed gournd.  The army was immediatelydisbanded, in a style that would do honor to the palmiest revels of Bacchus. Speeches were made, toasts drunk, and a host of manoeuvers, not in themilitary code, were performed, to the great amusement of all.  Some, in theexcess of patriotism and whisky, started on alone to Missouri, but lay down inthe road before traveling far, and slept away their valor.  A private,named Gunn, was found hacking a log, with his gun and sword bent nearly double,under the impression that the inanimate body was a Missourian.

Frequent allusions have been made, thus far, to the many"good times" had by the old settlers.  It will not be inferredfrom it that they were dissipated or drunkards.  Far from it.  Some ofthe brightest lights now in the Church, at the Bar, and in private life, arethose very men.  They but complied with the character of the times, whileabsent from social refinements, and the elegance of older towns; almost allstrangers to each other, and craving for that excitement, which now is indulgedin the intercourse of hosts of friends, and friendly relations of long standing,they could not well do otherwise than they did.  Mostly men from largecities, they were ennuied by the comparative quiet of a frontier life, and tovary their listless lives, resorted to stimulants, or whatever else would affordexcitement.

The following was the financial condition of Scott county at thebeginning of the year 1840.  It will show as well, or better than anythingelse, the condition and growth of the county for the year past.  As suchfacts are important, an apology is not deemed necessary for the introduction ofthe entire statement as made by the Commissioners.

RECEIPTS

EXPENDITURES

STATEMENT OF THE FINANCES OF SCOTT COUNTY, JAN. 1, 1840

By the above statement it will be seen that there is in theCounty Treasury, at this time, the sum of $856.14, and that there is yet duefrom the County to individuals, the sum of $365.80, leaving a balance in theCounty Treasury, subject to future dispositon by the Commissioners, of $490.34

JOHN WORK,

                                                          A. W. CAMPBELL,

                                                          ALFRED CARTER

Rockingham, Ja. 9,1840                               County Commissioners.

In January a call for a meeting to organize an AgriculturalSociety, was put forth by A. LeClaire, G. C. R. Mitchell, and James Hall. The call was responded to, and a Society organized by appointing A.McGregor President, G. C. R. Mitchell Vice President, John Forrest Secretary, A.LeClaire Treasurer, and C. Rowe, James Hall, E. L. Davis, J. L. B. Franks, IsaacHawley, Ira Cook, and Thomas Dillon, Directors.

The river did not close opposite Davenport until January 14th. It, however, closed above the upper rapids in December, and at BurlingtonJanuary first.

The several township elections were held in April.  John H.Thorington was elected Mayor, Frazer Wilson Recorder, and Geo. L. Davenport, S.F. Whiting, J. W. Parker, John Forrest, and William Nochols, Trustees.

The river opened March first, and emigrants began to arriveimmediately.  There were, at the time, about one hundred houses in thevillage.

In May of this year the land sales for the original Dubuquecounty were held at Dubuque.  Almost the entire Claim Confederationattended, "armed to the teeth," in order to prevent operations fromspeculators.  G. C. R. Mitchell, Esq., was appointed bidder for theConfederation, and as fast as the lots were put up they were struck off at onedallar twenty-five cents per acre.  An Adjudication Committee was appointedfrom the Confederation, before whom all disputes, in regard to claims, weresettled, and thus the matter was speedily and harmoniously settled.  TwoPatents, covering the old town limits, were given, one in 1840, and the other in1841.

In July the Supreme Court gave its decision upon the applicationof certain persons in Rockingham for a writ of mandamus against the DubuqueCommissioners, commanding them to make an entry upon their minutes to the effectthat Rockingham was the County Seat.  The following is the order of theCourt:

SUPREME COURT, IOWA TERRITORY, JULY TERM, 1840.

The United States at the relation of James H. Davenport, et al,

                                         versus

The County Commissioners of Dubuque County:

And now this day came the parties, by their Attornies, and thearguments of Council being concluded, and all the premises being fully examinedinto, and being understood by the Court:  It is ordered by the Court here,that the motion of the relators be refused, and that the defendants go hencewithout day, and recover of said relators the costs of the Court in this behalfexpended, for which execution may issue.

I do hereby certify, that the above is a true copy of an ordermade in the above entitled cause, as appears on the records of the said SupremeCourt.

              In witness whereof I have hereunto set myhand                                                          [Seal.]        and affixed the temporary sealofsaid                                                                                     Supreme Court, this tenth day of July,1840.                                                                          THORNTON BAYLESS,Clerk,                                                                                                                   Supreme Court, Iowa Territory

The Court stated, in its opinion, that "we are clearly ofopinion that we have no jurisdiction over the matter, and the motion for aperemptory mandamus will, of course, be denied."

A petition signed by three hundred and twenty-six inhabitants ofScott county, was immediately sent to the Legislature.  It prayed for a newelection.  An Act was passed, in which was provided, that an election forCounty Seat of Scott county should be held on the fourth Monday in August, andthat the electors should vote for Davenport or Rockingham, or the north-westfractional quarter of section number thirty-four, township number seventy-eight,north of range four, east of the fifth principal meridian.  This latterpoint was at the mouth of Duck creek, and was an unimproved portion of land ofsome ninety acres, which was to be donated, if it were decided that this shouldbe the County Seat.

A bond was entered into, by many of our citizens, agreeing togive certain lots, or monies, if Davenport should be selected.  Mr.LeClaire agrees in it to give certain specified lots, or three thousand dollarsin money - G. Davenport certain lots, or twelve hundred dollars.  A veryliberal subscription of sums ranging from five to five hundred dollars, was madeover to the County Treasurer in the form of a bond.  To make the matterdoubly sure, a bond was entered into with the County by Messrs. A. LeClaire,Geo. Davenport, A. W. McGregor, J. H. Thorington, John Owens, Harvey Leonard,James Hall, R. McIntosh, Jr., and Wm. Nichols, in which they agreed to erect theCourt House and Jail free of expense to the County, upon condition that theother bond should be made over to them.

On the twenty-fourth of August the election  was held. Davenport received three hundred and eighteen votes, and the point at themouth of Duck Creek two hundred and twenty-one, giving the former a majority ofninety-seven.  Rockingham voted against Davenport, with the exception ofsixteen votes.  This vote put a quietus on the matter, and terminated thelong and spirited contest which had raged for over two years.  It was notwithout usefulness, for it developed the public-spiritedness of both places, andgave to all engaged in it a very memorable lesson on the philosophy of Expenditures. It would be a heavy sum that would give the total of monies expended,liquor drank, and finesse wasted in the conflict.

Party lines began to be drawn somewhat at the local election ofOctober.  A. C. Dodge, Democratic Delegate election of October.  A. C.Dodge, Democratic Delegate to Congress, received at the same election twohundred and sixty-two votes; Rich, the Whig candidate, received one hundred andseventy-two in the County.  J. W. Parker was elected to the Council overJames Grant, by a majority of four.  Laurel Summers and J. M. Robertson,Representatives; A. H. Davenport, Sheriff; J. D. Evans, Recorder; Ira Cook,Treasurer; Ebenezer Cook, Judge of Probate, and E. Parkhurst, PublicAdministrator.  It was not, however, until 1842 that separate Whig and LocoFoco tickets were put in nomination, and party lines distictly drawn.

The subject of a Western Armory was much talked of at this time. Among other points Rock Island was prominent, as one affording facilitiesfor the establishment of such an institution.  Fuel in abundance - immensewater-power, facilities for shipment of materials, the healthfulness of thelocation, its connection, by the Mississippi, with important places, and theseaboard, were reasons justly urged for the selection of this point. Meetings were held, the usual preamble and resolutions were passed, in allplaces in the West.  A committee from Washington made an examination ofRock Island, and other places, but nothing ever resulted from it.

The subject of a Bank in Davenport was also much agitated, butnothing ever came of it more than speeches, memorials and resolutions.

A prominent institution of these times was the Davenport Lyceum. Every week they discussed this thing or that - including questions of verynature, social, political or moral.  It was doubtless the origin of muchgood.  It is to be inferred, however, that in course of time they descendedfrom the high plane of purpose which they originally stood upon, for, thefollowing notice appears in the December number of the Sun:

"Our Lyceum is becoming the subject of ridicule to manypersons in our village.  No subject, they say, can be discussed, but suchas will tickle the fancy of weak females.  Our Lyceum, it is true, convertswhat should be a hall of science, into a room to panegyrize the ladies; and,indeed, we have heard the most fulsome eulogies passed upon their character, inorder to acquire the approving smiles of those present.  If courtship is ascience, then indeed is our Lyceum a most excellent school."

The records of all time, from the case of Adam to that ofCleopatra, and down to the Davenport Lyceum, are instinct with precedent andexamples of men who have sacrificed upon the altar of feminity.

From the report of the County Commissioners, at the close of1840, we learn that the receipts of the County were one thousand six hundredthirty-five dollars and six cents, and its expenditures two thousand one hundredtwenty-one dollars and thirty-seven cents.  Davenport possessed at the timea population of about six hundred.  LeClaire House was finished at anexpense of thirty-five thousand dollars, and was by far the finest hotel on theUpper Mississippi.  Beneath it was a Reading Room, which, under theenterprise of Mr. Eldredge, afforded some thirty or forty leading papers; and aBarber Shop and Post Office.  It was the grand center of attraction foreverybody, and did more, perhaps, to promote the growth of intellectualintercourse than any other influence.  Its capacious parlors, readingrooms, its superiority in the elegancies of life to anything else in the West,made it deservedly attractive, and highly beneficial in its influences. Mr. LeClaire deserves no little honor for the liberal plan upon which heconceived and executed LeClaire House - for its completion done more to build upthe place than anything else of the day.