Rock Island

Sac and Fox Treaties The first recognition by our government of the Sacs and Foxes was in the treaty made at Ft. Harmar, January 9, 1789, which guaranteed: “The individuals of said nations shall be at liberty to hunt 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 annoyance to any of the subjects or citizens of the said United States.” In 1804 William Henry Harrison, governor of Indiana Territory, and afterwards President of the United States, was instructed by President Jefferson to institute negotiations … Read more

Rural Township, Illinois The first settlers of Rural, which formerly formed part of Coal Valley Township, were Thomas and Davis Goodlow, brothers, who built the first house on section 29. John Farlow being. the second, who came from Pre-emption Township, at which place he was the first settler. He built the small house on section 30 of this township. The first child born was a son of John Farlow, in 1839. The first marriage was that of David Good-low and Nancy Farlow. Before the year 1840 the following persons came -to this township: A. L. and A. N. Sayre, J. … Read more

Sac and Fox Customs The Sacs and Foxes had many peculiar customs, one being that each male child was marked at birth with either white or black color, the Indian mother alternating the colors so that the nation was evenly divided between black and white. This distinction was kept alive during life, the object being to create rivalry and a spirit of emulation between the members of the tribe. Thus black was the competitor of white in their games and social customs, and each side tried to outdo the other, and in war to take more scalps. Black Hawk belonged … Read more

The Rock River Village The chief Sac village was located on the north bank of Rock River about two miles from its mouth. It was built about 1730, 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 tribal burying ground, a spot more revered by an Indian than … Read more

Roster At Fort Armstrong The officers and troops stationed at Fort Armstrong from August, 1819 (first return on file), until abandoned May 4, 1836, were as follows:Commanding officers: Lieutenant Colonel Willoughby Morgan, from 1819; Captain M. Marston, from August 1819 to June 1821, of Company F, Fifth Infantry; Captain S. Burbank, from June, 1821 to June, 1823, of Company 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 Companies D and F, Fifth Infantry; Major J. … Read more

The Rock River Rangers At the suggestion of General Gaines the men and larger boys of the settlement formed themselves into a company, elected officers, and named themselves “Rock River Rangers,” and tendered their services to General Gaines, who accepted the company of fifty-eight men, and mustered them into the service. No record of this company’s enrollment has been found, it probably never having 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. … Read more

Rock Island Waterworks System August 14, 1871, the city council passed an ordinance authorizing the location of a pumping station near the Rock Island Plow factory, at the west end of the city and the installing of water mains along the business streets, bonds to the amount of $75,000 being issued to meet the cost. In a few years there began to be complaints that the water was bad, especially after a system of sewers had been built in 1878. The city was divided into two sewer districts, with Seventeenth Street as the dividing line, and the waste of the … Read more

Rock Island’s Second Petition “Farnhamburg, May 19, 1831. “To his Excellency, the Governor of the State of Illinois: “We, the undersigned, citizens of Rock River and its vicinity, having previously sent a petition to your honor, praying your protection against these 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 compelled to make our distress known to you by sending one of our neighbors who ,is well acquainted with our situation. If we do not … Read more

Rock Island Public Schools The citizens of Rock Island at an early day evinced a great interest in education. Prior to 1857, the schools of Rock Island existed under the sub-district form of organization. At this time, however, the attendance became so large and the schools were growing so rapidly that a different organization became necessary in order that the pupils of the district might enjoy better facilities for securing a common school education. Through a united effort a law was enacted to incorporate the “Rock Island School District,” and a charter obtained February 18, 1857, for the establishment of … Read more

Rock Island 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 1832. Just previous to the breaking 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. Allen, Archibald Aubury, Griffith Bain, John L. Barrel, John Bartlett, Michael Been, Joseph Benson, Henry Brasher, William T. Bryant, Leonard Burner, Edward Case, Charles … Read more