Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-30
mEESE PICTURES
STATES HISTORY
Moline Attorney Delivers In.
teresting Lecture Before
County Teachers.
SHOWS SERIES OF VIEWS
Begins With Account of Black Hawk
War, Tells Of Mormon Period
and Of Lincoln.

The second lecture on Illinois his
tory by W. A. Meese of Moline was
given before the teachers of Rock
island county at the high school audi
torium last evening. In introducing
Mr.. Meese, Superintendent S. 8. Fer
guson stated that he got from the first
lecture delivered Tuesday evening an
insight into Illinois history that he
had never had before.
Mr.. Meese begun with the Black
Hawk war. He stated that the causes
OF this war which occurred in 1882
dated back to a treaty drawn up in
1877 when the Indian chiefs met at
st. Louis and while under the influ-
ence OF liquor were Influenced to sign
away 100000 acres Of land for con-
sideration Of $4,000 and an annuity of
$1,000. When Black Hawk learned of
this he refused to receive any more
money from the United States govern
ment
The Sacs and Foxes who were in
this part Of the state came here from
Canada originally, first crossing into
Michigan, then into Wisconsin and
from there migrating to Illinois,
where the less warlike Illinois tribes
were forced to give away.
VIEWS OF INDIANS.
After showing the photograph of
Black Hawk and other chiefs Mr..
Meese threw the picture of Shabona
upon the screen, who, he said was the
white mans friend. When the In.
dams tried to get him to join in the
uprising, he not only refused but went
about and warned the white people &c
be on their guard.
The picture of John Reynolds who
was governor at the time OF the wal
was shown also. Mr.. Meese said that
| politics had no small part to play in
bringing on the war. The militia was
sworn into the service of the United
States at Milan. The picture of tbs
first sheriff of Rock Island county was
shown also.
NOTED MEN PICTURED.
Photographs of a number OF meI
who were afterwards to become prom
inent in the great civil strife were
shown and their connection with thi.
war explained. Among them were Alb
raham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Rob
ert Anderson of Fort Sumter fame
Albert Sidney Johnston, Peter Cart
wright, who was not in the war of re
bellion, but who was a circuit rider il
this section of the state. and who wal
afterwards defeated for congress b!
Abraham Lincoln.
Mr.. Lincoln saw no actual service
but reenlisted three times and wa
finally given the rank of colonel Will
serving as quartermaster. Jeffer'
! Davis was on furlough at the time o
the outbreak of the war, but hastenet
back to report for duty.
Bad Axe battlefield. the place wher'
Black Hawks forces OF 1000, mel
women and children, were annihilatet
and the United States lost $50 men
was shown.
Another picture was of Rev. Georg
Davenport, storekeeper for the army
who was murdered July 4. 1s45. HI
received the title Of colonel from Gov
ernor Reynolds.
TELLS OF MORMONS.
Turning from the Black Hawk war
Mr.. Meese took up the Mormon pei
iod in Illinois, and told how that 70
political reasons the Mormons at Nau
VOC gradually gained so many favor
at the hands of politicians that the,
ran the courts and could set asid
state DEGREES. This caused lawless
ness, and Nauvoo became a render
yous for all sorts of criminals. TIL
wanton murderers of Colonel DaveT
port came from NElvoo. Thing
reached such a state that the millti
was sent there AMI after III" muldH
of Joseph Smith the Mormons wer
obliged TO leave the state. Brigham
Young then became leader.
VIEWS OF LINCOLN.
In closing MIR. Meese showed a nun
Der of views from the life OF Lincol
and touched on some phases OF n
life not usually dealt with in picture
Superin endent c. II Maxson OF M
line offered a resolution extending
vote of thanks to Mr.. Meese for con
ing before the institute and givin
the two lectures without remuner
ton. He said I'VE have here tontgi
an example OF what a man can
with an avocation."
Before the lecture began. Miss A
ma Philbrook sang, "Goodnigh
Sweet Day" Prof E. L. Philbrook a
companied her For an encore, ST
sang There's yer a Song Som
u.hare -