Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-02-23

and enlo msnts. OF these primitive MONIES
one Of our own poets thus sweetiy sings, II
her "Reminiscenccs' a, the Festival Of Las
year:
| -Oft have heard the time recoun.ed o'er,
| When every cabin window wss q door,
When ground upon the lantern side
And DO ,rs by latch.strings To tn" tIfnnFr- titd
| = n II WAS the store Law e-s ~ rd (, tempt,
Ftom thieves sad robbers happily exempt.
| Ho s.'er that be. O. III s. there H. no doubt,
In those good time. the tch strings al hung ont,
| And neigh ,erins friend and .trsnger guest n,ish
share,
The roof trees shelter, and tho simple fare;
| r. nov he cabin ten by twelve Is seen
Whsre on a time lis said there lodged nfteen y
And the poet, Person, at the "Hawkeys
Festival" in Burlington. speaking Of tEs
cabins Of that day. says
=" But these we're sung; AMI of their kind complete
AMI &C ecaei our lair ones" from the cold anc
heat;
Tho rough without an not more en- ooth within,
Yet those I'd dame- did keep them at anil clean
While all sro.hd sc med ." c ~ rs you pie ,se.'
And bless the Zine ! were free rom "tuJs AMI
feas,"
But these primitive homes afforded us
not only shelter from the storm, but the
comforts Of Pioneer life, and we often look
back to the many, many happy hours spent
| in those rude huts, the home of necessity,
| and around which our thoughts often cluster
with haliowed reeollcctions
The more interesting incidents OF the early
times in Scott county, | have ne been able
to collect, in the brief space allotted me, to
prepare for this occasion.
1t was my intention, to have given briei
notice Of the first settlement OF every town
ship in the county, but it must be left for
another occasion, and to ahler hands.
Davenport ani its early settlement has
already been discussed by others, but a few
"reminiscences of the past may not be unin
terestiDg.
The first ground broken. was in 1898, by
our President, Mr.. lie Claire, on the spot
now occupied by the railroad depot. He al
80 made claim" covering the ground
where the Court House now stands, and
broke five acres, it being outside of his''re-
serve" which extended west .8ply as far a.
Harrison street.
The sth of May, 1895, DIR. Hall and his
two eldest sons, took a contract for breaking
Of Mr.. lie Claire, at So per acre, on the ere
serve" beginning near the corner of Second
and Brady streets, running up Second to
Rock Island, and as far back AS Sixth street.
They encamped where the icehouse Of Mrs.
Macklot now stands, under the shadow OF a
large oak
The Halls wishing to plant some portion
of the ground, it was agreed that they
should receive but 81 80 per acre, for seven
acres, and the rent free. They planted one
and half acres in potatoes, obtaining the
seed from Fl Armstrong, at ,25 per bush
ell. From this ground, they realized l4S
bushels, besides what was used for the fam
lily.
This first potatoe patch of Davenport,
{ except the garden of MIR. lie Claire J was
situated along Third street.upon the ground
now occupied by the residence of &. L. Da
venport, Esq, r. NJ. Prettyman, Jacoby's
drug store, and the Worden House, etc
The balance of the ground was planted
with sod corn and gathered by the Indians
that fall. The following year, the same
ground was rented to the Halls, at SO per
acre, upon which they sowed three acres of
wheat, and raised from bushel and three
pecks of seed l53 bushels of wheat, it being
tramped out by oxen: thresh.ng machines
not yet having found their way across the
Mississippi-the first being introduced be
lieve, by the father of our honorable Mayor
Cook and upon the top of it, was where
first saw my friend, the Hon. John r., dress
ed in blouse. driving the team, and sing
ing cold Zap Coon at the top of his
lungs.
These early days Of Davenport, in one
sense, were dgeary ones. There was no
business to engage the more active and will
ling hands, and all sought pleasure or pas
time in the chase or in the more common
pursuit Of ioofng.
fro al inf
est tor brief space, and sometimes intro
duce new games, rs horse or a foot race.
On one occasion, there appeared among
US a live Yankee, that promised well for
time, to 'drive dull care away" One after
noon, there being, as usual, large crowd
collected around the only grocery We had
he very pompously offered to bet 500 that
he could out run any man on the ground !!
The boys, either for want of funds, Or not
being as fast as they are now adays, seemed
to hesitate. when our worthy President
then in his prime, and never refusing ban
ter, either for himself or horse, stepped for
ward, put up the stakes. run the race, and
distarcing his competitor, pocketed the
funds of the astonished Yankee.
In 1887 much excitement prevailed among
the people of Scott county, in reference to
the location of the County Seat.
The main question lay between the two
embryo sities Of Davenport and Rocking
ham. l am well aware, that the history of
this most amusing conflict, is well known to
YOU all but as a true and faithful represen-
tative and biographer of that ancient, but
fallen city of Rockingham the place # my
first advent into Iowa. Iwish to keep alive
some faint memorial Of her greatness and
power.
Herculanium and Pompei had their day,
and still live, not only in the gilded pages
of history, but crumbling monuments still
mark the place of their glory and renown.
Rockingham, too. still lives, and is mark
ed by no monuments, for they are washcd
a,cau) but by living witnesses, that still
weep over her former greatness and down.
fall
Among the many amusing incidents OF
that day, is ore, that have seldom heard
alluded to, in which some Of our present
members were active agents. A relation of
it here this evening, may bring it fresh to
their memories.
During these exciting times, when every
one was to get rich by speculation in torn
lots and the great question that agitated
| TIE community WOS ~ lto ASuCSe RiICi, VIC
people Of Davenport, in council assembled,
concluded that something must be done at
the coming Fourrh of July, to give tume and
character to their embryo city.
The various stores of provisions we're ex-
amlned, and with the addition of such wild
game as could be procured. it was resolved
to celebrate but the great difficulty seem
ed to be the want Of guests
Rockingham, at that time. was an able
competitor; and the lines were drawn be
tween the two towns with very marked
distinction. There ,uld be NO neutrality
man from Rockingham, celebrating with
the Davenporters, would at once, have been
disiuherited; 80 that no friends could be
expected from that sourse. 1t was trying
times A committee was appointed ol
ways and means" to draw up recruits for
the celebration.
At tins early day, teams were scarce, and
| Tho ,rora easv mode Of cOnvevsnce was ra