The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-07
From the DaUenport Democrat, 18th.
EARLY HISTORY.
Concerning the First Actual 5etticc OF
Scott County.

AS time rolls onward, and once new
places push along into years-as the orig
inal habitations of the early pioneers be-
come mostly a matter of story, and the
sites which they occupied but matters of
curious remembrance, if not, indeed, of
tradition, the first things pertaining there
to become, to many, matters of curious
interest. 1t is possible that the bible it
self would be held in grave question had
not Moses told US, with careful specfica-
ton, the full name, residence, and occu-
patton OF the very first man. Iowa his
torians, antiquarians, and antedeluvians
have been racking their brains for years
to fix the name OF the first white man who
first set foot upon Iowa soil, and precisely
where he old it. Some place the respon-
sibility with Fathers Marquette aud Joliet,
who came over across from Montreal, via
the Great Lakes, and the Wisconsin river,
in 1913, and there being no proof TO the
contrary, it is best. perhaps, TO let it rest
there, without looking farther into the
antiquarian milestone, or even splitting fine
hairs of opinion as to which father first
left the landed canoe.
Our worthy citizen, Willard Barrows,
deceased, believed this theory. He had, lat
times, burrowed deeply in early history
lore, and not only cited ample evidence
that they were the first Iowa arrivals, but
believed further, and proved, circumstanti-
ally, that on the 2lst day of June, 1878,
the now Iowa soil, and the now Davenport
site, was the first earth their clumsy sa-
bots pressed after leaving Wisconsin S
mouth. True it is-for so runs the pre-
served record of their travels, that their
first hating place was four days distant
from Wisconsin S mouth-even in "a pleas
ant meadow, where they discovered foot
prints Of fellow mortals. and pretty soon
the fellow mortals" themselves in abund
ance, and were led into the village of the
Illinnies," These voyagers called the
place "Pewaria." and it is laid down an
their map as being on the west side of the
River Conception" the name they gave
to the Mississippi. As this site contained
the only considerable Indian village be
tween the mouth Of the Wisconsin and the
Lower Rapids, and as the days travel cor
respond with the distance, it is fair
enough to presume that we are now living
on the original ''Pewaria," and that this
was the first place trod by the feet of tie
white man in what is now known as Iowa.
BE that settled fact, if you will, or il
you will not. We know nottingham know
nothing to the contrary. But there are
some things that can be settled beyond
question, without the aid of theory or OF
tradition. We have been asked to write
an Early History" article touching the
question of priority Of residence in Scott
county. Some have claimed the honor for
Mr. Geo IL. DavenpOrt-though he never
claimed it for himself; some say that
Antoine LeClaire claimed the precedence,
while others positively affirm that Capt.
benjamin W. Clarke's family settled al
Buffalo before any other family had set up
home IN the country. Let us look at the
facts.
MIR. Davenport makes no claim to that
distinction. He was the first ''squatter'
on this soil-having stuck his stakes and
fenced his piece of ground right where
the Watkins farm house now stands, a
mile or so above East Davenport,
as early as Sept, q, 1882. 1t was on the
very day that Gen. SCOTS treaty broke
up. There were three camps on this side
during the treaty 1.-THE cholera having
driven all the troops from the Island. J
One of these camps was at the above
named Watkins place; another on the
now Democrat Farm; and third near
where the freight depot of the G. r. /. &
p. railroad now stands. The first two
places were selected by reason of the fine
cold springs that there gushed forth. As
the treaty drew to close, young George.
then fifteen years of age, and had an eve
to business, prepared himself with bat.
teaux of rails and some laborers from his
fathers farm on the Island, and from the
shore Of the Island opposite, impatiently
awaited the departure of the troops. AS
they embarked in their barge and drop
ped down the river, he struck out for Iowa
then Wisconsin, side, intent upon
taking possession of the ground now
known as the Watkins place. AS his
men pulled out into the stream, the
young squatter discovered a man briskly
walking up the west bank of the river
towards the coveted spot. Fearing that
the strangers mission was indentical with
his own, he urged his oarsmen to their
best, and both reached the spot abou. the
same time. But the stranger didn't want
any land; he was looking after other
piunder-the boxes or barrels that the
soldiers might have left behind. The
stranger proved to be Jonah Case. a resi-
dent OF the then upper part of
tarnamsburg-now Rock Isad city-and
afterwards was partner in Case &
SDanaario a1I,4,o., a