Rock Island

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 April 21 to June 3, 1832, when it was mustered 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 roster of the company is: Captain: Seth Pratt. Lieutenants : John M. Crabtree, Joseph Leister. Sergeants: Simpson Stewart, William B. Sisk, Elihu Sparks, Abraham Crabtree. Corporals: James Stockson, George […]

The Burning of Sac Village The Illinois militia had come to fight Indians and when they found the Native Americans 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: “And thus perished an ancient village which had

C. L. Walker’s Address May it please your Honors : My name is not mentioned in the program, nor is the subject which I wish to submit to your honors referred to therein. Yet as the matter is germane to the proceedings of the day, I have been requested by the committee in charge of the exercises to address your honors thereon, and I therefore beg a moment’s indulgence before your honors shall pass upon the motion to adjourn. Thereupon His Honor Judge J. Glenn, presiding, granted the request. What I shall say will be on behalf of the citizens’

Black Hawk’s Final Stand The volunteer army after a hard march, reached Dixon on the evening of May 10th. ahead of the regulars. Black Hawk and his Indians had in the meantime reached the Prophet’s village and had sent word to the Pottawatomies asking them to meet him in a council on Sycamore Creek, (since called Stillman’s Run.) The Pottawatomies were divided. Shaubena, their highest chief, favored the whites, but Big Foot and Mike Girty, a half-breed, were for war. When Whitesides arrived at Dixon, he found there ahead of him two independent battalions, in all three hundred and forty-one

Buffalo Prairie Township, Illinois This town, under original organization, was named Buffalo; afterward changed to Copper, and then to its present name. Its northern boundary is the Mississippi River, the southern Mercer County, eastern the Townships of Edgington and Andalusia, and west by Drury Township. John Edgington was the first settler, coming here in 1834 from Jefferson County, Ohio, with his wife, who was Miss Susan Crabs, born in the same county, just married and together they came west. John Kistler was the next to locate in the vicinity, and who became quite prominent in local affairs. Samuel Sloan came

Buford Block The old Buford Block at the northeast corner of Second Avenue and West Seventeenth Street, which has just been torn down to be replaced by a new reinforced concrete six-story modern business block, was erected in 1854. Sixty feet of this corner was purchased by Charles Buford from Charles K. Smith February 23, 1854; a little later he purchased the adjoining thirty feet east from Judge George W. Pleasants and Doctor John W. Bulkley. The old buildings on this corner were sold at auction March 11, 1854, Major Benjamin F. Barrett being the auctioneer. The excavation for the

Black Hawk Township, Illinois Derives its name from the noted chief of the Sac and Fox Indians, who for many years had his home within the present limits of South Rock Island Township. This township originally was full six miles square, with the exception of a few hundred acres cut off from the northwest corner by the Mississippi River, and with Rock River flowing from the east- nearly through its center. Afterwards the township was divided and Rock River became the northerly line of Black Hawk Township, and that part of the original township north of the river was named

The Black Hawk War Black Hawk with his band now removed to Iowa near the mouth of the Des Moines River, at the site of the abandoned Fort Madison. Neapope, second in command, took a trip to Malden, 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 Prophely $3 something yesterdaytstown, Illinois, now is, and who had great influence over Black Hawk, also sent word that the Ottawas, Chippewas, Pottawatomies and Winnebagoes would  be with him and would render

Bowling Township, Illinois Bowling Township is bounded by Rural on the east, Edgington on the west, north by Black Hawk and south by Mercer County. The country is quite rolling, with splendid farms, and plenty of timber land and prairie. The first settlers were Mr. Bowling, John Tyndall, William Tyndall and Edmond Cropper, in 1838. William Tyndall came to the county in 1835, living in Stephenson over two years. In 1841 James, David and John Clarke and John Johnston and Christopher Armstrong-all from Ireland-formed the next settlement, known as the Clarke settlement, in the southeastern part of the town-ship. Curtiss

The Black Hawk Homestead Building, Loan and Savings Association The Black Hawk Homestead Building, Loan and Savings Association, of Rock Island, Illinois, was incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois on July 25, 1887, with an authorized capital stock of $1,000,000, consisting of ten thousand shares of one hundred dollars each, to be issued in series at the discretion of the board of directors. So great was the demand for the stock, the association, at the end of two years, was compelled to increase its authorized capital stock to $10,000,000. This association has by resolution of its board