Fifty years in Iowa: being the personal reminiscences of J.M.D. Burrows, concerning the men and events, social life, industrial interests, physical development, and commercial progress of Davenport and Scott County during the period from 1838 to 1888.

Front matter

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Chapter I

The Villages of Stephenson and Davenport in 1838; a First Glimpse of Iowa Scenery ; the Ferry Primeval and Captain John Wilson; "Citizens 25 Cents, Strangers 50 Cents;" from Cincinnati by Horse and Buggy; Hardships on the Way; Some Early Settlers 1

Chapter X

A Trip North in 1841; Trading with the Fur Company; a Perilous Journey Home with Pockets Full of Gold; Nearly Drowned in a Canoe; the Suspected Farmer and the Power of Prayer; a Stranger in the Dark; Home at Last 36

Chapter XI

Hard Times and Over-Production ; Bidding for the Government Contracts for Forts Snelling and Crawford; Timely Aid from Antoine Le Claire and Colonel Davenport; the. Atchison Brothers and Their Methods 42

Chapter XII

Orders Made and Counternianded by the Government; the Difficulty of Finding Hogs for Market; Another Deal with the Atchison Brothers; Dark Days for the Farmers; Success in the End -. 45

TABLE OF CONTENTS. vii

Chapter XIII

My Introduction to Daniel T. Newcomb; a Hurried Night Ride to Muscatine; Mr. Newcomb's Hospitality and Enterprise; Some Early Real Estate Transactions in Davenport; the Newcomb Memorial Chapel; Mrs. Newcomb 48

ClIArTER XIV.

Opening of 1848; an Unprofitable Speculation in White Beans; Low Water in the Fall; to St. Louis in a Flat-boat; a Rough Journey Back; the Mormon Prophet's Assistance 52

Retrieving the Ill-Luck of 1845; a Big Speculation in Wheat that Paid Enormous Profits; the Rockingham Corn Deal; Corn a Glut in the Market; Selling Out Cheap 66

Chapter XVIII

Advent of the Germans in Davenport; a Sturdy and Industrious Race; Outbreak of the Cholera; Many Fatal Cases; to St. Louis Overland; Hard Traveling on the Home Trip; Some Facetious Young Men, and Who Laughed Last; Seasons of Hard Work 69

Chapter XIX

Arrival of A. C. Fulton and a Remarkable Stock of Goods; Mr. Fulton's Attempts to Revolutionize Local Commerce; a Great Boom in Onions, and Why it Failed to viii TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Boom; Other Schemes Like those of Colonel Mulberry Sellers; the Glorious Conquest of Santa Anna 73

Edward Davidson's Business Venture; Trips Along the River; His Death in Trying to Cross on Moving Ice; Operations of Burrows k Prettyman; Some Successful Investments; Sale of the Pork-House 95

Chapter XXV

Once More in the Pork-Packing Line; the Greatest Packing Season on Record; Every Warehouse and Cellar Filled with Frozen Hogs; Difficulty in Obtaining Ready Money; Financial Troubles Successfully Surmounted; a Profitable Season's Business 98

Chapter XXVL

Western Flour Popular Far from Home; from the Shores of the Mississippi to the Banks of the Hudson; How

TABLE OF CONTENTS. ix

They Liked Davenport's Flour in the East; One Brand at a Premium; Cost of Shipping 102

Chapter XXVII

More About the Banking Business in Davenport; Trouble Over "Wild-Cat" Currency; Cook & Sargent's "Florence" Notes; Burrows & Pretty man Try Their Luck; All Goes Well 105

Chapter XXVIII

My First and Only Experience as a Steamboat Captain; a Late Trip Down River with the Staunch Little " Mary C.;" We Make a Safe Run, and Lots of Money out of It; Incidents Going and C6ming 108

Chapter XXIX

The Beginning of Financial Complications that Led to a Serious Crisis; Cook & Sargent's Efforts to Save Themselves from Disaster; Calling In Their Florence Currency; How They were Accommodated by Burrows & Prettyman, and Other Friends; Attacks from Macklot & Corbin, and the Press 112

Chapter XXX

Cook & Sargent Resort to Unexpected Tactics; Burrows & Pretty man's Resources Threatened; an Interview in the Bank; Cook & Sargent Force the Issue; a Run on Burrows \' Prettyman, and How it was Weathered 116

Chapter XXXI

Every Check Redeemed by Burrows & Prettyman; Difference Between that Course and the Handling of " Florence;" I Mortgage "Clifton " to Help the Cooks; an 111- Advised Step 119

Chapter XXXIL

Events Preliminary to the Cook Sz Sargent Collapse; My Milling Operations in 1852-53; Breaking Out of the Crimean War; a Great Boom in American Wheat; My Preparations to Meet It; Opening of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad 122

X TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Chapteb XXXIII.

An Unparalleled Wheat Crop in Iowa; Buying It All In at Seemingly Exorbitant Prices; Luck Favors the Speculator; the Investment of Sebastopol Causes Enormous Profits; ^100,000 in Sixty Days; Even Disaster Makes Money for Me; Beginning of the End 125

Chapter XXXIV.

A Sudden Taste of Adversity; Death of Nicholas, Czar of Russia, and Slump in the Wheat Market; a Loss of $200,000 in a Single Day; Distress Among Dealers All Along the Mississippi; Small Disasters Follow the Big One — the Camanche Cyclone with the Rest 129

Chapter XXXV.

Cook k Sargent in a Strait; those "Florence" Notes Cause the Trouble; History of the "Currency Riot" of 1859; Ebenezer Cook's House Smashed; the Rioters Visit " Clifton," but Think Better of Their Purpose; an Exciting Epoch 132

Chapter XXXVI.

The Storm Thickens Over Cook & Sargent; a Note Protested by Macklot & Corbin; No Funds in the Rival Bank; Unsuccessful Efforts to Stay the Impending Catastrophe; a Day of Anxiety 135

Chapter XXXVII.

The Blow Falls at Last; "Closed," at Cook & Sargent's; a Mob of Angry Depositors; Desperate Scene in the Bank; Ebenezer Cook's Frenzied Despair; the Missing Bundle of County Orders; Unwarranted Use of Them by the Ruined Bankers; a Forgotten Promise 137

Chapter XXXVIII.

Action at Law Against Cook & Sargent; the Mortgage on " Clifton ;" Victory in the Lower Court, but Reversal in the Supreme Tribunal; the Revelation of After Years; a Single Judge Casts the Die from "Sympathy;" Gross Injustice All Around 141

Chapter XXXIX.

More Reverses in Business; Mr. Prettyman Retires; the Rebellion Contributes to the Sum Total of Misfortune;

TABLE OF CONTENTS. xi

Then Came the Fire that Destroyed the Albiou Mills; Not a Dollar of Insurance 144

Chapter XL.

Once More in the Milling Line, and Once More Wiped Out by Fire; Close of My Business Career, and Beginning of Days Darkened by Poverty; Sketches of My Two Btaunchest Business Associates, Robert M. Prettyman and James E. Woodruff 148

Chapter XLI.

History of the Establishment of Oakdale Cemetery; Difficulty to Obtain Money; Present Condition of the Beautiful City of the Dead 152

Chapter XLIL A Closing Retrospection 155

Chapter II. The Murder of Colonel Davenport 175

CHAPTER L

The Villages of Stephenson and Davenport in 1838 — A First Glimpse of Iowa Scenery — The Ferry Primeval AND Captain John Wilson — "Citizens, 25 Cents; Strangers, 50 Cents" -From Cincinnati by Horse and Buggy — Hardships on the Way — Some Early Settlers.

On the 27tli clay of July, 1838, I was on board the magnificent steamer Brazil, Captain Orrin Smith, my destination being Stephenson, now Rock Island City, Illinois. When I arose in the morning, the steamer was just landing at Buffalo, Scott County, Wisconsin Territory, now Iowa. The scene upon which I gazed enchanted me. The sloping lawns and wooded bluffs, with the sea of beautiful wild flowers, were a picture of loveliness such as I never had beheld before. The remainder of the trip I spent on the guards of the boat, enraptured with the beauty of the ever-changing scenery.

We arrived early in the day at the villnge of Stephenson. Before night my business was accomplished. My landlord, of the Rock Island House, informed me thnt I would not be ah\e to get a boat until the return of tlie Brazil, some two days later. I will say here, that the Rock Island House was a credit to the town, and a mucli better hotel tlian I expected to find in this then new country.

On the next day, after partaking of a good breakfast, I decided to cross the river and examine the lovely little hamlet of about a dozen houses, which looked so cosy, nestled under the bluff. At that time, the ferry was run by that veteran. Captain John Wilson, and consisted of two steamboat yawls and a flat-boat. There were several passengers besides myself, and, as soon as we left the shore, the old gentleman began to collect his fares. I noticed that each passenger paid twenty -five cents. I tendered my quarter, when I was informed my fare was fiff/j cents. I demurred, of course, and was surprised, as well as somewhat amused, to be told that for "citizens" the fare was twenty-five cents, but for strangers it was fifty cents. I replied, "Oh! that is the way you do here, is it? Where I came from, they treat strangers the best."

On landing, I found a beautiful little hamlet of fifteen houses, with a population of about one hundred and fifty persons. I did not expect to see any one that I had ever seen before, but I soon met a man whom I had known well in Cincinnati — a carpenter — B. F. Coates. He received me warmly, and introduced me to D. C. Eldridge and several more Cincinnatians. The little town was settled mostly by people from Cincinnati. Tliey all insisted that I should close up my business in Stephenson, and wait in Davenport until my boat returned, and they would spend the time in showing me the most beautiful country the sun ever shone upon. I consented, and Mr. Coates took a horse and buggy, and drove witli me out some five or six miles in different directions.

It was just the time of year when the country showed to best advantage. The prairies were covered with wild flowers, and the beautiful landscape was unsurpassed. I said to myself, " This shall be my home."

On the return of the Brazil, I left, with the intention, if I possibly could, to emigrate. As soon as I returned to Cincinnati, I advertised my place for sale, and, in a few weeks, found a purchaser. I then determined to return immediately, and to make a more thorough examination of the country before taking such an important step.

Both the Ohio and Mississippi rivers were, at that time (October), very low, and navigation tedious. I decided to make the trip by land, so purchased a horse and buggy, and was making arrangements for the journey, when I was called upon by John Owens, whom I had never seen before. After introducing himself, he said he understood I intended to make a trip to Wisconsin Territory, and he wanted to go along:. He offered to take a half interest in the outfit. He was not quite ready to go, and I agreed to wait ten days for him.

At last the day arrived, and lo! it was a Friday. Owens said he would not begin such an important enterprise on Friday, and insisted that we should wait until Saturday, which I opposed, on the ground that it was too late in the week. AVe were both anxious to be off, so we agreed to start on Thursday evening, and go two or three miles, which we did, setting out about sundown, and driving some three miles.

We found the roads through Indiana very rough and tedious, a great share of them being what was called "corduroy;" but through Illinois they were excellent, although there was a great want of bridges, and in fording some streams we found it quite dangerous.

The great prairies of Illinois were a magnificent sight — one vast sea of grass and flowers, and most of them as level as a floor. We passed very few farms. Fifty years ago there were not many settlements in Illinois. We crossed a number of prairies, where, as might be said, we were out of sight of land — not a house or a tree to be seen. There was a ijreat deal of sickness on our route. We had to attend our own horse, and, most of the time, sleep on the floor, with a blanket and a pillow for our bed.

Ten days and a half from the time we left Cincinnati, we forded Rock River, and soon reached our future home. At that time, Stephenson, on the Illinois side of the Mississippi, was a considerable town, and a much older and more important place than Davenport Rock Island contained no inhabitants except Colonel George Davenport and his family. Old Fort Armstrong, with its block-houses, occupied the west end of the Island.

Mr. Owens and myself spent some three weeks in thoroughly examining the country. One of the best settlements was in Pleasant Valley. The Hydes, Captain Hawley, Moss <fe Bradley, Sam. Hedges, 0. Rowe, Adam Donaldson, the Henleys and Fennos were there. There was a small saw-mill on Duck Creek, and a grist-mill, contaiuiDg one small run of stone, on Crow Creek. Both these streams contained twice as much water then as now.

We drove back to Allen's Grove; also to Walnut and Hickory Groves, where we found John Dunn, L. Lathrop, Dennis JX. Fuller, and the Carters, all of whom were hard at work making themselves homes. Below Rockingham, Enoch Mead, David Sullivan, Captain James Murray, Foster Campbell, James E. Burnsides, Lewis W. Clark, and others, were busily engaged in laying the foundation of Scott County's future prosperity.

CHAPTER II.

Buying a Squatter's Claim in Scott County — Cuts Drawn FOR Choice of Halves — The Difficulties of House - Building — Down River in a Yawl— Trials of Early Navigation — An Honest Landlady — A Railroad Journey TO New Jersey.

After a thorough examination of the county, and making Mie acquaintance of many of the settlers, we both determined to emigrate, and purchased the eighty-acre tract west of and adjoining the town. It was a squatter's claim. We paid four hundred and fifty dollars for it, and each wanted it, so we agreed to divide it, and to draw cuts for the first choice. I won, and chose the half next to the town, for wliicli I paid two hundred and fifty dollars, Mr. Owens taking the other half at two hundred dollars. We then concluded to lay claim to a section of land, and selected Section 17. AVe divided it, north and south, and, each again wanting the half adjoining the town, we drew cuts, as before. I won, and took the part I wanted.

Fearing we would have trouble to dnd our claim, we hired Strong Burnell, who was breaking prairie in the vicinity, to plow three furrows around the whole section, for which we paid thirty dollars — ten dollars a furrow. We proposed to plant this strip of plowed ground with locust trees.

The next thing I did, was to make arrangements to build a house on my forty acres. I found a man in Davenport, a settler of that year, who had bought a lot and erected a frame on it, but who had become discouraged, and wished to return East. I bought the frame standing, paying one hundred and twenty-five dollars for it, and engaged B. F. Coates to take it to pieces and put it up on my land, leaving money with him with which to buy weather -boarding, sheathing, etc., and it was agreed that I should bring the shingles, flooring, doors and windows with me in the spring, from Cincinnati, which would be much cheaper and better.

We had now spent three weeks here, by which time we both had become homesick, and began to look around for a way to return, as we did not wish to return by land. I paid Mr. Owens for his interest

FIFTY YEARS TN TOWA. 7

in the horse and ])nggy, and let a man have the use of it for keeping it until spring.

The river was so low and the season so late that we could not get a boat, so we bought a yawl of the ferryman, paying thirty dollars for it. Before we started. William Collins and a Mr. Gait, of Moline, applied to us for passage. They were carpenters, and eaclv had a large tool-chest. Our craft was a large steamboat yawl, but four men and two heavy tool-chests made it draw nearly as much as a steamboat. A number of times we grounded, not being good pilots.

Of our crew of four, two are dead. John Owens died many years ago. William Collins died in Davenport, last summer. Mr. Gait still lives in Moline, and has been in feeble health for some years. Neither liP nor the writer can last much longer. Fifty years after a man has reached twenty-four does not leave him much vitality.

At eleven o'clock a. m., we ])ushed off, and set our faces homeward. W^e took turns at rowing, and, by dusk, saw a nice log cabin on the bank of the river, on the Iowa side, at the head of a slough. We landed and engaged accommodation for the night. Our landlord was a Mr. Cloud, the sheriff of Muscatine County. We were as hungry as wolves, and such a supppr! Fried squirrels, hot biscuit, pure white honey, hot coffee, et cciern. As we had eaten nothing since morning, we did full justice to the princely meal.

The next morning at daylight, telling our host we would not wait for breakfast, we pulled out for what was then Bloomington, now Muscatine, and soon after sunrise found a little cluster of houses in the woods, one of which was a tavern. Getting our breakfast there, we again pulled out. At about nine o'clock that night, we landed at Oquawka, Illinois, in a cold, driving rain. It was as dark as pitch, and we were met at the landing by about fifty drunken Indians, with firebrands and lanterns, which they waved, yelling and shouting. We thought our scalps in danger; but our dusky escort piloted us to a tavern in safety.

In the morning, the weather was blustering and threatening more rain, but we pushed out once more. The river was rougher than we expected, and, in attempting to cross to the Iowa side, we were nearly swamped. We could make neither shore; but, finding a willow island near by, we hauled our craft up in the willows, and stayed there from sunrise until sunset, when, the wind falling, we started out and went as far as Burlington, where we stayed all night and found good accommodations.

About sunrise, the next day, after a good breakfast, we again put our faces southward. When about a mile below the town, in the middle of tlie river, I accidentally put my hand into my pocket, and discovered that my pocket-book was missing. On reflection, I remembered putting it under my bolster the night before, and, as it contained all my money, some two hundred and eighty dollars, I told the boys to put me ashore as soon as possible. I made double-quick time for the house, and went directly to the bedroom. The bed had been made, but I soon tore it to pieces. Just then the lady of the house appeared.

"Are you looking for your pocket-book?" she asked. "Here it is; I found it when I made your bed." The woman was honest — no one to blame but myself.

Our next stopping-place was Nauvoo, where we stayed all night. When we started in the morning, the people informed us that our yawl drew too much water to cross the rapids, and we would likely be wrecked; but we pulled out about sunrise, hoping, some time during the night, to reach (^uincy, where we expected to get a steamboat, as w6 had been told there were two boats running between that place and St. Louis. After working hard all day to reach Quincy, we made a mistake, just before dark, by running into a slough about fifteen miles above the town. After following the slough for a mile, the water failed, and we ran high and dry on a sand-bar, some four hundred feet from the shore. We worked faithfully until midnight, when, tired and discouraged, we concluded to leave the boat there until morning, and waded ashore in water about two feet deep, and, in some places, deeper. We hoped to find a house or cabin, but, after exploring half an hour and yelling until we were hoarse, we ascertained that we were on au uninhabited island, so had to pass the night under a big oak tree, with no blankets, wet and hungry, having had nothing to eat since morning. The weather was very cold, it being about the 15th of November. We were a sorry set. We gathered leaves for our bed, limbs and brush to protect us from the sharp wind, and a large pile of stumps and chunks for a fire. We divided ourselves into two w^atches; one to keep up fires for three hours, while the other slept, and then changed watches.

In the morning, as soon as we could see, we succeeded in getting our craft afloat, and towed her up the river about a mile, where we struck the main stream, and had no further trouble in reaching Quincy. We arrived there about twelve o'clock, noon, nearly starved, having had nothing to eat since sunrise the day before. We ordered our dinner prepared as soon as possible, and were told that the regular dinner would be ready in half an hour. It was a sumptuous dinner, and we did it full justice.

About two o'clock p. m., the steamer Burlington, Captain Throckmorton, arrived. The Captain said the boat would return to St. Louis at four r. M. We put our yawl in charge of a warehouse man, to keep until spring. He put it in his warehouse, and during the winter he was burned out, and we lost our boat.

On reaching St. Louis, we found a steamer just ready to start for Cincinnati, and, securing passage, we had no further trouble. I reached home on Saturday morning. On Monday evening, I started

East, with my wife and child, to spend the winter in NeAv York and New Jersey, where I was born and spent the days of my childhood. I never spent a happier winter.

In making my trip East, I took a steamer to Wheeling, and thence by stage to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Avhere I struck the first railroad I ever saw, by which I went to Philadelphia — and such a trip!

There were no separate accommodaticms for ladies. There were rough bunks for sleeping, which we did not avail ourselves of. Men were drinking, smoking, playing cards, and cursing and swearing. You would have thought you were in a saloon. Such was my first experience in railroad travel, fifty years ago.

Chapter III

Scarcity of Houses in Davenpokt in 1839 — Two Small Rooms a Mansion— Outbreak of the Rockingham and Missouri Wars — Marsh alliIng the Davenport Patriots

— Revolt Led by the Knight of the Sheet-Iron Sword

— Judge Grant and the Horse-Thief.

About the 1st of March, 1839, I received letters saying the Mississippi was about to break up, and at once I commenced making arrangements to return. Being anxious to add to the population of the little settlement in Iowa, I persuaded two brothers-in-law, Wheeler Crane, a carriage-maker, and Joseph Beach, a painter, also my two brothers, Lewis and David, stout lads in those days, to accompany me. Our journey was without incident until we reached the hjwer rapids, where we had a tedious time, getting fast on the rocks, and being nearly a week getting over.

At last, on the 4tli day of April, we reached our future home, being put ashore on the bank of the river, about half way between Perry and Rock Island streets. I remember the day well. It was a gloomy day, the wind blew a perfect gale, and everything looked cheerless.

I found that the man whom I had engaged to put up my house had betrayed me. The money I had left with him to purchase lumber, he had applied to his own use, and there was nothing on the ground but the naked frame which I had purchased in the fall.

The first thing to be done was to find shelter for my wife and child. I succeeded in renting two small rooms, just finished, about twelve feet square, at the corner of Third and Ditch (now Harrison) streets. The rooms were very small and inconvenient for a family of seven persons. We were obliged to go out of doors from one room, to get into the other. They had been built for offices, but in those days we had to do the best we could.

In about two weeks, I had my house weatherboarded and shingled; and, putting down loose boards for a floor, moved in at once, and then finished it, a room at a time. I found the little town a busy place, every one anxious to secure a home. Some settlers, besides myself, came in that spring, and a number of houses had been commenced, and the inhabitants of the little town were as active as a swarm of bees.

But the (j7-cat excitement was the Kockingham War, and, a few weeks later, the Missouri War. I served in both, like a true soldier and patriot. The Rockingham War was tedious, lasting about two years, and four pitched battles were fought, with varying success. The contest was for the county-seat, which Rockingham had and was loth to give up. She had been the emporium of Scott County, outnumbering Davenport in population and business. But two years made a change. Davenport had grown materially, both in population and capital, while poor Rockingham had reached her growth, some of her citizens deserting to the enemy, and, at the last election, sixteen of her people voted for Davenport. As an inducement for the people of Scott County to vote for Davenport, the citizens offered to build the court-house, and present it to the county, free of all expense, promising it should be equal to the court-house across the river, at Stephenson, Illinois ; and it was a few simile.

In the early summer we were called upon by the Governor to volufiteer to march to the Missouri line, and drive the Missourians from our sacred soil. There was no necessity to repeat the order. We were all fighting men in those days. The war between Rockingham and Davenport was suspended for a short time, and we all united to resist this invasion of our territory by the miserable Missouri - ans. Davenport was selected as headquarters for Scott County. The day appointed for us to meet was a lovely, spring-like morning. Nearly every man in the county was present to be enrolled. Our Colonel, Sam. Hedges, made us a patriotic speech; but what a sorry lot of soldiers he had to drill! Not having any guns, many came with pitchforks, scythes, hoes, and clubs. One man had a sheet-iron sword, six or seven feet long. Many were drunk, and all were noisy and disposed to jeer and make fun of our officers. Our Colonel could stand this no longer. All who were drunk, and those improperly armed, were ordered out of the ranks. We who remained were getting hungry, as it was then dinner time, and asked for rations, when we were informed that we would have to furnish our own blankets, whiskey, and hard-tack, which the government would refund at some future day. This we objected to. We were willing to shed our blood for our beloved Territory, and, if necessary, to kill a few hundred Missourians, but we were not going to do that and board ourselves.

At this juncture, we saw approaching, in solemn column, our fellow-soldiers who had been discharged. They were led by the man with the long sheet-iron sword. They charged on us, and it makes me blush to say, that, notwithstanding we were three to their one, we were badly defeated and scattered in every direction. The Knight of the Sheet-Iron Sword made for our Colonel, and nothing but the ColonePs superior tieetness sav.ed him. As he ran he informed us that we could go home; nothing more would be done until he received further orders.

At this time Congress was in session, and, becoming alarmed at the civil war impending, interfered. The poor barbarians of Missouri, hearing of the hostile demonstrations being made in Davenport and other river towns, withdrew from our Territory. A few months later the Supreme Court met and decided in our favor, and all was peace.

Meanwhile, our little village was growing, and the contest between it and Rockingham for tlie supremacy had been resumed. During February, this year (1839), the first Protestant church was organized — the Presbyterians. During the summer, the Congregationalists and Baptists organized. Neither of these congregations had any church building, but held services in carpenter shops and warehouses. The Catholics had organized in 1838, and erected the first church building in the town.

In May, 1839, hearing that it was court week, and as it was raining hard and I could do no business, I thought 1 would attend court. There was a small frame building on Ripley street, at the corner of the alley behind Lalirmann's Hall. It had been built for a carpenter shop, and was used by the Presbyterians for church purposes, and there court was held. I found the little room crowded, and Judge Grant, then '"Squire" Grant, just arranging to defend a horse-thief. The Judge worked cheap in those days. I overheard him whisper to his client: "If you don't give me five dollars before I commence, I won't defend you."

Chapter IV

" Brimstone Coener " in Davenport — Some Early Burying- Grounds —Coffins that Floated — Establishment of the First Newspaper, the "Iowa Sun" — A Remarkable Prize Potato, and How It was Made — Editor Logan's Righteous Indignation.

Nearly the whole little settlement, at that time, was about the foot of Ripley street, which was called "Brimstone Corner" — I suppose on account of the hot style of preaching indulged in there, in those days.

I found a number of the little band which I had left there in the fall in perfect health, had gone "to that bourne from which no traveler returns." The first ten years I passed in Davenport, there was much more sickness than now. Ten per cent of our population died some years, which was attributed to the breaking up of such large tracts of prairie, producing a miasma which caused fevers, etc.