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Scott County History and Information

VEIW FULL SIZED D.O.T. COUNTY MAP

Scott was created on 1837 from Cook, Dubuque & Muscatine Counties. The County was named for Winfield Scott, the general and commander of the U. S. Army in the years leading up to the American Civil War. The County Seat is Davenport .

Counties adjacent to Scott County are Clinton County (north), Rock Island County, Illinois (east & south), Muscatine County (southwest), Cedar County (northwest). Cities and Towns Include Bettendorf, Blue Grass, Buffalo, Davenport, Dixon, Donahue, Eldridge, Le Claire, Long Grove, Maysville, McCausland, New Liberty, Panorama Park, Park View, Princeton, Riverdale, Walcott.

For thousands of years native Americans lived on the land which we now call Scott County. In the early 1830s non-natives of European ancestry began to arrive and settle in the area. Scott County as a political subdivision was established by an act of the territorial legislature of Wisconsin in 1837. By this time the county had been completely surveyed, and copies of the original survey are still available for study. The new county was named in honor of Major General Winfield Scott, Commander-In-Chief of the U.S. Army from 1841 until the beginning of the Civil War, and the presiding officer at the signing of the peace treaty ending the Black Hawk War. He negotiated the first treaty purchasing lands in Iowa from Indians.

Located in eastern-most Iowa, Scott County is bordered on three sides by water, the Mississippi River on two sides, and the Wapsipinicon River on the third.

The first election of county officers took place in February of 1838. Also in that election voters were charged with the responsibility of choosing a county seat and the newly incorporated city of Davenport eventually won out, but only after losing the first time to a town called Rockingham in a rigged election. Davenport maintains its original Charter City designation, meaning it was a city prior to Iowa statehood.

From 1838 until 1850 county commissioners were elected annually and in 1861 the commissioners officially became the Board of Supervisors. In 1874 the number of supervisor positions was set at five, which it still is today , almost 130 years later.

Early white settler Antoine LeClaire donated the land for the first, and subsequent, courthouses. With the addition of county treasurer, recorder, auditor, prosecuting attorney, and trial courts the courthouse building quickly became inadequate and in 1886 a magnificent stone, brick, and mortar courthouse was built at what was then an astronomical sum of $125,000. Even before the building was complete it was evident there were problems; the entire structure was sinking in the sandy soil upon which it was built. After a while even the huge dome was removed in an effort to lesson the weight of the structure. County government managed to endure in that building until finally, in 1955 a new courthouse was constructed, an aluminum-clad structure typical of government architecture at the time.

From the mid 1950s until today Scott County's population has increased by 50%, and more people means more services to the citizens. Consequently the county added an annex building which has been remodeled a couple of times, acquired a six story building called the Bicentennial Building which has been utilized by various offices over the years, and renovated the jail in 1980, something which hadn't been done since it's erection in 1897. See also County History for more details.

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Extended History

From the A.T. Andreas Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa, 1875

Scott County is situated in the river tier of counties, the fifth from the southern boundary of the state. It has a water front on the Mississippi of about thirty-five miles, that river forming the eastern and southern boundaries. The Wapsipinicon River, from a point about six miles from the northwest corner of the county, forms the boundary between Scott and Clinton Counties.

The superficial area of Scott County is about 500 square miles, or to figure more exactly the fractional townships, according to the survey completed in 1837. It contains 280,516 acres. The surface of the county is chiefly rolling prairie, of an excellent quality of soil, but in places somewhat sandy. Along the Mississippi and Wapsipinicon there are some fine groves of timber, and also a few groves bordering on the smaller streams. The different kinds of oak, black walnut, and hickory are the principal varieties.

The bottom lands along the streams are in some places quite extensive, and generally among the most productive in the county. On the Wapsipinicon and portions of the Mississippi they are subject to annual inundation, and afford excellent meadows and pasturage. The soil of the county is generally productive, yielding large returns to the agriculturist of the various grains, vegetables, and fruits common to this section of Iowa.

Scott County was organized by an Act of the Territorial Legislature of Wisconsin, which convened at Burlington in December, 1837. It was named in honor of General Winfield Scott, who in September, 1832, held an important treaty with the Indians upon its soil. By that treaty, the territory embraced in the county of Scott, together with all the country included in the Black Hawk purchase, was ceded to the United States, and opened for settlement on the 1st of June, 1833. The treaty was appointed to be held at Rock Island, but owing to the prevalence of Cholera among the soldiers at Fort Armstrong, it was deemed advisable to meet the representatives of the Sac and Fox Nation on the west side of the Mississippi. The treaty was accordingly held in Davenport, on the spot of ground now occupied by the depot of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad.

First Claim—The first "claim" made within the limits of Scott County was by George L. Davenport, Esq., in Davenport Township immediately after the treaty of September, 1832. By the terms of this treaty, no white man had a legal right to settle on the territory ceded to the United States till the expiration of the Indian title, June 1, 1833. But Mr. Davenport was an exception, because he was a favorite among the Indians, having been adopted into the Fox tribe, and grown up from boyhood among them. Hence he was allowed to go upon the lands yet in possession of the Indians, while others who attempted to settle on them were driven off by the military, till the Indian title expired on the first of June, 1833.

First Ferry. —Colonel Davenport appears to have made no actual settlement upon his claim, though he established a flat-boat ferry at this point as early as 1827, running between the island and the main shore, carrying pack-horses, cattle and goods for the Indian trade west of the Mississippi. He also, after steamboats began to run to this point, kept a wood-yard on the island, and brought wood from Maple Island and other places.

First Actual Settlement. —The first actual settler on the soil of Scott County was Capt. Benjamin W. Clark, a native of Virginia. He had been captain of a company of mounted rangers under Gen. Dodge in the Black Hawk war, and had made a settlement on the Illinois side of the river, at Andalusia. In 1833 he moved across the Mississippi and began a settlement on the site of Buffalo, which in a few years became the most important and prosperous town on the river between Burlington and Dubuque. Here Captain Clark erected the first cabin, broke the first soil, and planted and raised the first crop in Scott County. While living in Andalusia he established a ferry across the river at this point, which was known as "Clark's Ferry, and was for many years the only place of crossing for immigrants in all this region of country.

Captain Clark was a man of push and energy, and he set to work to build up a town at the western terminus of his ferry. In 1835 he brought lumber from Cincinnati, and erected a large frame hotel, which was considered a great enterprise for that day, the lumber costing him sixty dollars a thousand feet. In 1836 he bought the first saw mill in the county, at the mouth of Duck Creek. It was a small mill but for many years of great service to the early settlers.In 1836 Captain Clark laid out the Town of Buffalo, which was the first regularly laid out town in the county. Being the only avenue of immigration into this section of the Territory, which by this time had begun rapidly to set in, it grew to be a place of importance, and in a few years became one of the most flourishing villages on the Black Hawk Purchase.

Captain Clark was a great benefactor to the early settlers in this part of the country, spending much time in assisting them to locate their claims. He died at Buffalo, October 25, 1839.

Rival Towns. —Buffalo had a fair prospect of becoming the county seat; but by the rivalry of other towns, and the action of the Legislature in laying out the counties, her interests were sacrificed. Soon after a start had been made at Buffalo, Davenport and Rockingham were laid out; Antoine LeClaire established a ferry between Davenport and Rock Island, and travel was diverted to that point. This injured the prospects of Buffalo. But the crowning act of her rain was consumated by the town site speculators, who met in the Legislature at Burlington in 1837. To show how matters were there managed, we have only to explain the cause of the present shape of Scott and Muscatine counties, as they appear on their respective maps. It will be seen that Muscatine County has two townships in the northeast corner that properly belong to Scott, and that a jog is consequently made in the southwest corner of the latter county. This happened as follows; Dr. Reynolds, a member of the Legislature from Muscatine, had laid out a town which he named Geneva, some three or four miles above Bloomington, and on this all his efforts were centered as the future county seat. In order to secure his object, on the ground of the "central location" of his town, and thereby defeat Bloomington, Dr. Reynolds insisted on establishing the upper line of Muscatine County as far up the river as possible. At the same time the member from Rockingham and Davenport, Alexander McGregor, Esq., had a similar interest in regard to the lower line of Scott County, knowing that the farther it was carried up the river the more it would diminish the chances of Buffalo for becoming the county seat, and increase those of Rockingham and Davenport, on account of their more central position in the county. Accordingly these members "put their heads together" and carried their scheme through the Legislature.

Thus Buffalo was sacrificed and gradually "died out" by being placed in the lower end of the county. Dr. Reynolds, however, failed to secure the county seat of Muscatine at Geneva, that honor being given by a vote of the people to Bloomington. Davenport and Rockingham combined to defeat Buffalo, and finally, after a long and spirited contest, Davenport carried off the prize.

The act of the territorial legislature organizing the county, provided for an election of officers, to be held on the third Monday in February, 1848. At this election Benjamin F. Pike, Andrew W. Campbell and Alfred Carter, were elected County Commissioners. Major Frazer Wilson, received the appointment of Sheriff from the Territorial Governor of Wisconsin.

On the 4th of July,1848, Iowa was separated by an act of Congress from the Territory of Wisconsin, and organized into a separate Territory. Governor Lucas made the following appointments for Scott County; Willard Barrows, Notary Public; Ebenezer Cook, Judge of Probate; Adrian H. Davenport, Sheriff; Isaac A. Hedges and John Porter, Justices of the Peace. D. C. Eldridge received the appointment of Postmaster.

At the first election under the new territorial law, William W. Chapman was elected delegate to Congress, Jonathan W. Parker, member of the Council, and Laurel Summers, member of the House of Representatives. Clinton County was at that time attached to Scott for judicial purposes. The first term of the District Court met at Davenport in October, 1838. Hon. Thomas S. Wilson presiding. Little business was done at that term. Several attorneys were admitted to the bar.

Surveys. —The surveys of the public lands in Iowa began in the Autumn of 1836. The Scott County survey was made by A. Bent & Son, from Michigan, United States Deputies from the Surveyor General's office at Cincinnati, and were completed in March, 1837.

Growth and Progress. —From the first opening of the territory west of the Mississippi for settlement in the Summer of 1833, immigration began to set in; settlements were built up along the Mississippi and on Cedar River, and increased rapidly at Burlington, Dubuque, and in the vicinity of Davenport, Rockingham and Buffalo. Within the limits of Scott County a considerable population soon settled. From the Spring of 1840 the county was rapidly settled, and Davenport grew in population, so that in 1853 it numbered 3,000 inhabitants. The policy of the proprietors of the town was liberal in the encouragement of settlement and the erection of public buildings. The citizens took hold in earnest and subscribed large sums for the promotion of business enterprises.

First Railroad. —The Mississippi & Missouri Railroad Company was organized in 1853, with a capital stock of $600,000, the corporation to continue fifty years from date. On the 1st of September the ceremonies of breaking ground took place. It was a day full of interest to the people of Davenport. The Rock Island and Pacific road was near completion, and the first locomotive was soon expected to stand upon the banks of the Mississippi River, sending its shrill whistle across the mighty stream as the precursor of its westward flight across the prairies of Iowa.

The claim on which Davenport now stands was made in the Summer of 1833, by R. H. Spencer and a man by the name of McCloud. A quarrel arose between these men respecting the claim, whereupon Antoine Le Claire purchased their interest for one hundred dollars. In the Fall of 1835, a movement was made to have a town laid out upon this claim, and with that end in view, Antoine LeClaire, Major Thomas Smith, Major William Gordon, Phillip Hambaugh, Alexander W. McGregor, Levi Colton, Captain James May and Colonel George Davenport, held a meeting at the house of the latter, on Rock Island, to consider the subject. The result arrived at was that a town should be started. In pursuance of this the company purchased of Mr. LeClaire all that portion of his claim west of Harrison Street, running along the bluff as far west as Warren Street, and thence south to the river, for two thousand dollars.The town was laid out in the Spring of 1836, and named after Colonel George Davenport, the survey being made by Major William Gordon.

Besides the claim on which the original town plat was laid out, Mr. LeClaire owned an entire section (640 acres) a portion of which is included in the present city limits. This was LeClaire's Reserve," made to him by the Sac and Fox Indians, in the treaty of 1832. As Mr. LeClaire figures so prominently in all important matters connected with the early history of Davenport, it will be well to give here a brief sketch of his life.

"OLD SETTLERS."

Our sketch of Scott County would be incomplete without some record of the early pioneers who endured the perils and hardships of frontier life in establishing civilization on our western borders. They were a hardy and enterprising race, and generally speaking, those of Scott County were as noble a class of men as can be found in any country. We have already spoken of Captain Benjamin W. Clark, the original founder of the Town of Buffalo. For many years he spent much of his time in assisting immigrants to make selection of lands, and probably no man who ever lived in Iowa did more to aid and encourage the early settlement of the county.

James M. Bowling, from Virginia, settled in Buffalo Township in 1835. After commencing his farm he went to Virginia and was married, and returned in 1836. In 1837 he had the prospect of a fine crop, his corn in June being about six inches high, but several hundred Indians, living in the vicinity, wantonly set fire to the prairies surrounding his cornfields and burnt up his crop and his fences. These Indians were a constant annoyance while they remained in the neighborhood.

Among the early settlers was Leroy Dodge, who immigrated to Iowa from the State of New York in 1836. He was for many years a pilot on the Mississippi, and then commanded a steamboat. He purchased four hundred acres along the river bluff above Buffalo and built him a cottage on the bank of the river. He turned his attention to farming, principally to stock-raising and introduced many fine specimens of improved stock. In 1852 he represented Scott County in the State Legislature, being an earnest democrat, and a lover of the cause of human rights.

Among others who settled at an early day in this part of the county, were Joseph and Matthias Mounts, Elias Moore, Mr. Andrew W. Campbell. Mr. Campbell was one of the most enterprising of the pioneers. He operated a large farm on the river bottom, sold to Henry C. Morehead at an early day, and moved to Blue Grass Prairie, where he opened another large farm. He was one of the first County Commissioners, elected in 1838. He made several trips to California, and died in the Great Basin of the Rocky Mountains in 1851.

The following old settlers lived in Rockingham prior to the Fall of 1836. Colonel John Sullivan, Adrian H. and James Davenport, Millington and Franklin Easly, Captain John Coleman and his brothers, William Lingo, John Willis, S. S. Brown, Henry C. Morehead, David Sullivan, Etheral and J. M. Camp, Willliam White, William Dutro, H. W. Higgins, Cornelius Harrold, Richard Harrison, Willard Barrows, James B. McCoy, and E. H. Shepherd.

A large hotel erected by the proprietor in Rockingham in 1836, was kept by H. W. Higgins, and was one of the best public houses west of the Mississippi. John S. Sheller was a merchant in the place in 1837.Among those who made claims back from the river were David Sullivan and Rufus Ricker in 1835. Hon. James Grant opened a large farm upon the edge of the prairie at "Pickayune Grove" in 1838, enclosing 320 acres, much of which he put under cultivation. He introduced the first blooded stock into the county, if not into the state, the fruits of which may be seen in the herds of some of the farmers of to-day.

Among those who settled on the bluffs, and the edge of the prairie were Lewis Ringlesby, Esq., E. W. H. Winfield, John Wilson, familiarly known as "Wildcat Wilson", from having often, as he said, "whipt his weight in wildcats," and John Friday, noted for having broken the first ground upon the bluffs. John W. Brown, William Vantuyl, and John Burnside were also settlers as early as 1836.

The beginnings in agriculture in this section may be well illustrated by the fact that John Wilson, in the Fall of 1836, bought two bushels of seed wheat of John Dunn, who settled at Allen's Grove, which the latter had brought with him from Ohio. Mr. Winfield sowed the wheat that Fall and cut the crop the following year with a sickle.

Of the early settlers in Davenport we shall speak more particularly under the head of that city; her LeClaire, Col. Davenport and his sons, Judge Mitchell, James McIntosh and his brothers, D. C. Eldridge, John Owens, Major Thomas Smith, Major William Gordon, Philip Hambaugh, Alexander W. McGregor, Levi S. Colton, Captain James May, and others—all men of talent, means and influence. Those of a little later date were Rodolphus Bennett, Frazier Wilson, Dr. A. C. Donaldson, John Forest, William Nichols, Capt. John Litch, Thomas Dillon, William H. Patton, Isaac Hodges, John Porter, Andrew Logan, and Ebenezer and William L. Cook.

The Pioneer Settlers' Association of Scott County was organized in January, 1858. Its first "festival" was held at the Burtis House, on the 22d of February, and was decidedly the greatest occasion of the season. In December, 1857, a call had been made through the city papers for all the old settlers of Scott County who had become residents prior to December 31, 1840, to meet at Le Claire Hall on the 2d of January, 1858. In answer to this call about sixty were present. The meeting was called to order by D. C. Eldridge, Esq. Ebenezer Cook, Esq. was elected chairman, and John L. Offin secretary of the meeting. At this meeting an association was formed and Antoine Le Claire elected president. At a meeting on the 30th of January a constitution and by-laws were adopted. The constitution provides for an annual festival of the society, to be held on the 22d of February—Washington's birth day.

CITY OF DAVENPORT.

DAVENPORT, the county seat, is situated on the right bank of the Mississippi, just below the upper rapids, and opposite Rock Island, Illinois. It is 200 miles by river above St. Louis, and 160 by railroad southwest from Chicago.

COLONEL GEORGE DAVENPORT.

In this connection a brief notice is also necessary of Colonel George Davenport, as a part of the history of the city which bears his name.Colonel Davenport was a native of England, and removed to the United States in 1804. From 1805 to 1815 he was attached to the army. He was with General Wilkinson at the Sabine during the trouble with Aaron Burr, and in the war of 1812, in the defense of Fort Eric and at the battle of Lundy's Lane. He accompanied the first expedition (1805) which ascended the Mississippi to pacificate the hostile Indians, and assisted in founding Fort Armstrong on Rock Island. In 1818 he settled upon the island, where he resided till his death.He was a partner in the American Fur Company till its withdrawal from the Mississippi, after which, till he retired from business, he carried on the trade alone with the Indians. He was a man of excellent character, generous and whole-souled, and had an eventful experience in frontier life.

On the 4th of July, 1845, he was murdered by desperadoes at his home on Rock Island. The tragic event threw the community into wild excitement, and spread fear and apprehension throughout the border settlements. For several weeks no trace could be found of the murderers. At length Edward Bonney, of Lee County, undertook to ferret out their place of concealment. Starting in August he proceeded to Nauvoo, where he first got trace of them by representing himself as one of the gang. On the 8th of September he arrested Fox at Centreville, Iowa, where he committed him to jail. On the 19th, he arrested Birch and John Long at Sandusky, Ohio and brought them to Rock Island. These men were all well known in the west as leaders of a band of desperadoes. Richard Baxter and Aaron Long, brother of John, were soon after arrested as accessories to the murder, at Galena, and Granville Young at Nauvoo.

On the 6th of October, 1845, bills of indictment were found by the grand jury of Rock Island County against all of the parties except Fox, who had escaped from jail in Indiana on the 17th of September. On the 14th of October, the two Longs and Young were put upon trial, a change of venue being denied. They were found guilty and sentenced to be hung on the 29th. Birch turned state's evidence. Baxter was tried separately, and sentenced to be hung on the 18th of November, but on a writ of error granting a new trial, he was sentenced to the penitentiary for life. He died there in about two years. Birch took a change of venue to Knox County, and while awaiting trial broke jail and escaped. John Long confessed all upon the gallows, although he died without any signs of penitence or remorse.

Scott County Courthouse

Davenport was named as the county seat in 1838. Rockingham and Winfield unsuccessfully challenged Davenport for years for the location as the county seat. The first courthouse was built in 1842. By 1886, it needed to be replaced. A huge Bedford stone building was constructed at a cost of $125,000.

Around 1930, termites destroyed the supporting wood beams and the building began to sink into the sandy soil on which it sat. Major repairs were constantly being done on the courthouse.

The present courthouse, with its all aluminum exterior, was built in 1955 at a cost of $1,480,000.

Scott County History and Information

Records at the Scott County Courthouse

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Scott County Vital Records

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Scott County Census Records

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Scott County Maps & Atlases

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Scott County Military Records

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Scott County Tax Records

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Scott County Church & Cemeteries

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Extended History