Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-08-06
BLACK HAWKS BONES.
A New Version as TO Where Thev
Repese.
DO the Great Shieftain's Integral Re.
mains Rest in Potter's field-
A Pioneers Statement.
Where was Black Hawk hnried2

lookout of the famous old warrior south
of Rock Island, and after him named as
Black Hawks tower. Sill how different
are the replies that have been given to
this question for information and how
seldom has there been anything like
correct statement. This is not strange,
either, ;nasmuch as there has been such
q conflict of opinion as to the last resting
place Of the noted Indian chief. But
here is the latest from the Burlington
Gazette:
The Sac war chief, Black Hawk, has
been dead for more than half century,
his body buried, resurrecttd, stolen and
recovered, his bones boiled, vanished,
and the property successfully of Cover
nor, doctor and the la-ter's surviving
partner. Two or three stories of the fate
of Black Hawks bones have been told,
but the one most generally accredited has
consigned the relics 10 the flames that
consumed the quarters of the Des Moines
County Historical society, in 1858, on the
site Of the present store o. Charley Bosch,
on North Main street. cd residents,
pered pantaloOn' of their declining years,
delight 10 weave the romance of local
history, are familiar with the tales of
Black Hawk and his bones, but a white
haired ard well known citizen today gave
a new version.
In 1889 Black Hawks grave in Davis
county was ECGoed .aG lis body Ja&en
! by DR.. Turner to Quincy, IL where
! the remains were recovered by special
police sent by Gov. Lucas, and were
brought to Burlington to De identified and
/ turned over 10 the old chiefs people.
! The bones had been cleaned snd varnish-
| ed ready for wiring. and were laid ont 10
| the old Presbyterian church on Fourth
! street, where Mrs. Black Hawk inspected
them and recognized them by the teeth.
The Indians "eIe 50 well pleased with the
| polished condition OF the bones that they
! told Gov. Lucas to keep them, and the
! executive turner them over TO DR.. Enos
Lowe, an early practitioner Of Burling
ton, WHO afterwards died and LETT
the bones 10 his partner. DR.. Nc
! l. .urens. The latter physician resided
/ on Third street IN house upon the site
| OF the present Hulstein cigar factory, and
had his Office in a little building the first
door north. When the rooms of the
! County Historical society on Main street
were burned tie story was told ard gen.
orally believed that The bones were
! mingled with the ashes Of the burned
| building which was also the property of
| DR.. McLaurens J. B Patterson's BIZ
| ography of Black Hawk makes that dis
position of the old chiefs bones and
concluding and truthful eaf of history is
thereby omitted.
The fact Is that Black Hawks bones
! lie in an unmarked grave in the potter's
! field in Aspen Grove. This statement is
made at present with probable insult
! tiCienCy of the authenticity required for
| history, but were time ard tact devoted
! 10 tue accumulation Of evidence tie
statement could undou btediy be verified,
! though TIE exact location OF the bones is
| lost and they could not be identified al
This late day.
! The story of their fate is an interesting
/ though simple one Tiey remained in
| DR.. McLturen's pos=essio fo- about five
| years, resting uudsturbei il a box in the
! physicians private office. IL the mean
| time DR.. MoLauren had aiken in part
ner, who continued in practice with him
until 1857 and removed to Chicago.
! About this time DR.. McLsuren missed
| Black Hawks bones. The old box in his
back room had grown to be familiar
sight, and though he hsc no use for the
bones he felt that in faith to their former
aid illLs.r.ous weaver he DENLY should
be preserved. He had not, since
the Historical society fire, corrected
t. any extent the story hat they wera
burned, and but few knew that ne mad
! been their custodian thereafter. Among
these few nr MoLau-ecs instituted quiet
| Inquiry, thinking that perhaps some one
| had borrowed the bones for anatomical
study. II was ascertaiDed that there had
been set Of bones in use by class under
the tuition of transient medical lecturer
! in tne basement Of the old Presbyterian
! church, but search OF the premises re-
vesled no sign of Black Hawks integral
and vanished remains. Fifteen years
| passed, and DR.. McLaurens had removed
to California, when one day workmen
who were tearing down the old church
found dusty box of vanished bones
under the stairway leading into the bases
ment. The discovery WAS conveyed TO
the Office of George II, me, and parties
who were acquainted with the incident of
the disappearance of Black Hawks bones
Immediately set up theory that these
were the bones No one connected with
either the disappearance from DR.. Nc
| Laurens' Office or the medical lectures in
the church basement could be found to
substantiate the theory. and Mr.. Lane
| deputized a man to consign the bones to
q grave at Aspen grove. The man buried
them in the potters field and left the
grave unmarked. Itwss sfterward sseer-
tanned that DR.. McLlurens' partner, who
went to Chicago. had nothing to do with
the disappearance of the bones, as was for
a time suspected, and though the story
has never before been published. the
belief has always existed among a few
old time inhabitants thai the dust of the
! mississippi valleys most illus .rious Iei