Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-19


F. B. Halves, one Of the Oldest OF the
native-born citizens of Rock Island. 1t
was prepared originally to be printed
In serial form in the Star, owned,
printed and circulated by John Marquis
HAYES, aged IL, nephew Of the writer
and son of Major G. w. Halves, but
upon the suggestion being made that
the historical data contained merited
a wider circulation, the author has
given The Argus permission to print
it. Mr.. Halves was born Nov. IA, 1874,
in a frame building in the eastern part
of the town of Stephenson, now Rock
Island. He writes:
1 must apologize for the omission
of dates, but, unlike most old settlers
who have or think they have dates
for every event that transpired from
the cradle to the end of their days,
am free to admit that my date mem
DRY is blank, suffice it to say that
what is contained in these articles
are facts.
My father first located in this, then
wilderness, in 1885, returning to old
Massachusetts, and coming back
again, l think, in 1881, bringing
with him his wife (my mother), and
locating in a log cabin situated on
what is now known as Second avenue
on the lot on which stands the resi-
dence of the late James NJ. Buford.
The household goods which my par
ents brought with them were few
and of the plainest kind. My mother,
nh
a small assortment of flower and 9TH
er seeds, among which were few
tomato Glove applet seed, which she
planted, raising therefrom three
plants, which she attended with
great care and success, it being the
first ever raised in this section. AT
this time mother had boarding with
her some of our early and later on
men of mark and ability, namely:
Joseph Knox, George Mixter and E.
d. Gilbert.
One day there appeared a ripe
tomato, of which mother, in her
kindness of heart proposed in her
mind to give each person in her
household a slice at dinner. In her
ecstacy over the event she told Mr..
Mixter, who went out into the little
garden, picked the tomato, and, re-
turning, asked mother for salt.
Upon receiving it, he sat down and
ate the fruit.
Begins ON Mississippi Street.
Let US continue our chronicles by
calling your attention to First ave-
ue-Mississippi street-and which
will be our line in the future, follow
W IN
der this system, 1 would call your at
tention to the first mandatory on
said street, which was located near
the present oil cloth works, it being
no less than the Rock Island distillery,
the proprietors being Mr.. Eggleston,
Mr.. Boss and John Warner, all OF
whom have passed away and each of
whom has left descendants who are
now residing in this city or Moline:
Mrs. Lottte Copp, nee Eggleston, who !
resides in Moline; Mr.. Boss, who pre-
sides at the linen counter at Young e |
McCombs' store. and my old school |
mate and friend, John r. Warner, re- |
siding on Fifth avenue, at the upper |
end of the city. The end of this dis
tillery was brought about by the hand |
of Providence, which one night sent a |
bolt of lightning which in a short time |
left nothing but heap of ashes and |
twisted pipes. From this point, going |
east, we strike the sawmill, which had |
a varied and checkered career before |
the present proprietors made a fnan- |
cial success of it. In connection with /
this sawmill, J. w. Van SAINT, father |
of Ex-Governor Van SAINT of Minnesota, |
conducted a boat yard. In after years |
he moved the same farther east, or |
where now is located the watehrworks |
engine house, and later on again NOV
ing to LeClaire, Iowa.
Coming east from the sawmill, we :
strike the old B. d. Buford & Co plow /
shops, which grew from small plant |
to the large space it now occupies. A I
few blocks east Of this was located /
the old Leas flour mill, the same in /
later years being obliterated. Contin- |
uing on east, some of the early set
tiers erected fine residences, and at /
one time it was called the best resi-
dence portion of the town. l might /
a few who erected and occu-
pied these residences until they were +
called to their last resting place. Cap |
tain T. J. Buford, ]. w. Bracket, Isaac |
Negus,, and others whom do not at !
present recall.
First watervvorIks Station.
Near the Buford pillow shops was first |