The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1877-02-17
NEWSPAPERS AND NEWSPAPERS
MEN IN ROCK ISLAND
COUNTY.
BY. b, DANFoRTR, JR.
No. 9.
THERANNER-IS39.

in Rock Island was by Henry y. McGrew. |
n 1889, Mr.. McGrew was an Irishman.
born in Omagh, county Tyrone, August |
18th 1918. His father, Robert McGrew.
was born in the same county, in 1896, and
came to America in 1919, being then %
years of age He brought along his little
family, aud his first stop was in Pittsburgh,
Pa. The next year he moved to Gin
cinnati, where he now lives, being 80 years
of age last October, From Cincinnati, IN
1920, he afterwards moved to Paoh, In
diana, and published a newspaper there,
called the ''Torchhght," and where. Henry
learned the printers trade. He was work
ing at bis trade in Louisville KY. in 1889,
when his father made up his mind to go
west" and invited his son, who was then
81 years of age. to join him. The family
started in June 1899, with no fixed deter
mination as to location. They went as
far north as Dubuque, but were not pleased
there. The favorable impression they
received of this point, when going up, in
duced them to return here. Mr.. H. G.
McGrew, now in Cincinnati, writes me as
follows:
I'VE returned to Rock Island, then
named Stephenson, and my father
rented house of Mr.. John Miller, on
the river bank in the lower part of the
village, for it was then nothing more,
although the county seat of Rock Island
county, and contained at that time, as
near as ! can conjecture, about 700 to
800 inhabitants. We soon became &C
quainted with the leading men of the
place, Col. John Butord, Joseph Knox,
DR., Gregg, and others, who earnestly
solicited US, Il being practical printer, }
to establish paper at that place, neutral
in politics, and devoted to the interest,
welfare, and more effectual settlement Of
the country on Rock river and the adjoin-
ing counties, as well as the country on the
opposite side of the Mississippi river 10
Iowa. We were delighted with the
country, and readily acceded to the pro-
position of our friends, and engaged in the
enterprise with energy and full OF hope
Father engaged 10 the arduous under
taking of obtaining subscribers, and went
Immediately TO Louisville, Ky. and pur-
chased the necessary material for the pub
LEGATION ofa paper at Rock Island, and
sometime in the middle Of August, 1889 the
first number of the Rock Island Banner, "
was issued from the press, and forwarded
to its numerous subsc7iberS-about 800.
This was the first paper printed in Rock
Island, or anywhere in Illinois, nearer
than Galena, Springfield and Peoria. The
nearest place we could obtain paper from
was st. Louis, where we generally pur-
chased it, with the exception of supply
purchased for US by Long John" Went
worth Of Chicago, when the Mississippi
river was frozen over, and shipped to Us
on a sledge that one of our villagers took a
load of hides on TO that great mart (Chi
cago for disposal.
I'VE continued to publish the Bdnne,
as a neutral paper until just previous tt
the election Of president in lS4O, wher
politics ran 50 high that we were driven L
take sides, which so offended the opposite
party that they refused to continue theil
patronage, when left Rock Island and
went to Galena and commenced the publ
cation of the GdLenG Sentinel
I'VE commenced the publication of the
Banner in a house rented Of Col. JOhE
Buford, who kept grocery and liquor
store on street fronting on the river. if ],
could be called street, opposite the ! y
Landing. The mode of rerr.
across the Missi'. ann; tbo, 0o woe a.,
folIow;nc II7eo by horse power, but tn
10 - a. year it was supplanted by a steau
y-boat owned by John Wilson an
its machinery was built and put in by MI
Shields, of Cincinnati That set on foot
mania for boat building and u Mr. Dot
built a small steamer on the river ban
above the town, and ran her a few trip:
but, finding it Improbable, sold out an
returned to Middletown, Ohio, a poorer
not a wiser man.
Capt. King, who commanded a sma
steamer on the upper Mississippi trie
the experiment of navigating the Roc
river. He, with few friends, assemble
that river about 80 miles. but, on return
ing, found the stream so low, to use b
own language, that he walked on shor
and commanded the crew, while his pa
sengers followed after carrying fence raj
to hoist her over the bars That was tn
first boat, and the last, so far as | know
that ever tried the experiment. tn
town did not lack for men of enterprise
but the one thing wanting was capital
THE inhabitants of the town and its CT
virons could not be surpassed, if equallet
by any city in the west for men of INTEL
gence-courteous and kind in everything
But come it Tip and go it Ty, made
great change in society. and from that OF
little town was not exempt.
Our Judiciary consisted of Judge Ston,
who was very soon SUPERB 5ded by Judg
Brown. Our Bar consisted of JOSEF
Knox, Joseph B. Wells, J, Wilson Drur,
and II. g. Reynolds. The clerk of tn
court was an old bachelor, j Joseph Conwa'
the brother of Miles Conway, who, with
Mr. Chopper, composed the magistracy
the village; whilst our medical departmel
was represented by DR.. Gregg alone,
man eminent in his profession. TheI
were three stores in the place, kept b
John Miller, Lemuel Andrews and o NJ
Kaufman. Two more came afterward
namely, Mr.. Bond and a Mr. Moor
There was one timing establishment, LIZ
Il Chamberlin' s; one saddlers shop, j.
Frizzell; one cabinet maker and one GU
smith shop; three taverns-Mr. Bentley,
the river bank; Buffum's, back of Il
court house square; and the Rock lslaI
House, on Nam St, kept by A. Vancou
q Brother. This Was the leading hotel
that day, One restaurant, and one othe
called saloon for want of more appr
pirate name. One minister Of the gosp
(Presbyterian), Rev. Mr.. Stewart, wi
preached in little school house back
DIR. Gregg residence on Main St., OF
only church, lyceum and town hall
Among the earliest pioneers was Co
Davenport. He came there, thiuk, wi
the army to Fort Armstrong as a trade
and resided on the island during the Bla
Hawk war and till he was murdered. I
was associated with q half-breed, nam,