Rock Island

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The Young Men’s Christian Association

The Young Men’s Christian Association Nearly thirty years ago the first Association was formed in Rock Island, with the same general objects as the present institution. It was engendered by a great religious revival, and E. W. Spencer, one of the originators of the idea, was elected the first president. Rooms were opened in the post office block, and Sunday afternoons religious meetings for young men were held. At the end of two years Mr. Spencer was called to other fields, necessitating his resignation, and the work was allowed to lapse. The present Y. M. C. A. had its origin […]

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Zuma Township, Illinois

Zuma Township, Illinois The first white child born in what is now Zuma Township was Mary Ann Sturdivan; the first white boy was L. W. Beal, long afterwards colonel in the army. The first school house was built in 1854. It is known as the Wake school house and is where all the elections are held. The first frame house built was by Mr. Center on what is known as the John Moody place. The houses in those days were small, rude and inconvenient. If they had floors they were usually of good solid oak, an inch and a quarter

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Woman’s Club Of Moline

Woman’s Club Of Moline The Woman’s Club of Moline was founded May 23, 1903, by Mrs. Frank Gates Allen, of Moline, who called the first meeting, secured the place and speakers and presented a plan of organization which was adopted. The Club’s membership grew rapidly, outgrowing the capacity of successive meeting places, until it has five hundred and twenty-five members and holds its regular meetings in one of the largest church buildings in Moline -the First Congregational. The object of the Club, as stated by its constitution, “shall be to foster the interest of its members in literary, scientific, musical,

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The Wright Carriage Body Company

The Wright Carriage Body Company The Wright Carriage Body Company was organized in 1902 with a capital of $50,000; securing its charter in November, 1902, as a stock company, its first officers being T. M. Sechler, president; C. W. Wright, vice-president and manager; E. H. Wilson, secretary and treasurer. Its first board of directors were T. M. Sechler, W. L. Velie, H. C. First, C. W. Wright, Fred Peters, F. H. Wilson of Moline, and C. H. Dooley of Rock Island. A two-story factory building, one hundred and fifty by sixty feet with sixty by sixty-five feet wing for engine,

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The Villa De Chantal

The Villa De Chantal This institution (Home school for girls) was formerly known as Francis de Sales Academy, and was founded in 1864 at Maysville, Kentucky. In August, 1899, the academy was removed to Rock Island. The Villa de Chantal is located on one of the most beautiful bluffs overlooking the Mississippi, and commanding a superb view of the surrounding country. The institution was first incorporated in 1866, under the title of “The Sisters of the Visitation,” Maysville, Kentucky, and after its removal to Rock Island it was re-incorporated under the laws of the State of . Illinois, with the

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The War Of 1812

The War 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 until Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike under orders from our government 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

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Tri-City Manufacturers’ Association

Tri-City Manufacturers’ Association Tri-City Manufacturers’ Association Of The Cities Of Davenport, Rock Island And Moline. The Tri-City Manufacturers’ Association was organized in the year 1900, with C. H. Deere of Moline as president, and E. H. Sleight of Moline as secretary. The general object at that time was the promotion of the interests of the three cities along manufacturing lines. Although started with some enthusiasm, it soon languished and practically ceased to exist until two years later. When the machinists through-out. the country struck for a shorter work-day, the Tri-City Manufacturers’ Association awoke to life again, and practically reorganized as

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Tri-City Press Club

Tri-City Press Club The Tri-City Press Club is an organization representing some sixty odd working news-paper men of the Cities of Rock Island, Moline and Davenport. The condition of active membership is identical with the editorial or business departments of the papers and other reputable journals of the three cities. Two other classes of membership are honorary and non-resident. The Club was organized at a banquet tendered representatives of the press of the three cities at Black Hawk Inn by Charles McHugh and J. F. Lardner, in September, 1898. The Club at its first meeting elected Mr. McHugh and Mr.

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The Turkey Scare

The Turkey Scare All the settlers in this vicinity had come to Fort Armstrong and taken quarters there or in the stockade, both 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 request, and arranged with them a signal of alarm in case they 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, everyone should flee

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The Velie Carriage Company

The Velie Carriage Company The Velie Carriage Company plant situated in Moline, Illinois, was established in 1902 by gentlemen of widely known reputations in the middle west and who had been affiliated with manufacturing industries in that city for many years. Foreseeing a future scarcity of land for desirable factory sites, a tract of six and a half acres in extent was purchased, from which a strip four hundred and fifty feet long and one hundred and twenty feet wide was set aside for building purposes. A factory building was erected and completed in the Fall of 1902, consisting of

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