Events Of Early Days
The original
proprietors of the water power, in 1841-42, laid out some lots on the
south side of Main Street, now Second Avenue, opposite the grounds now
occupied by the Plow Works, and formerly occupied in part by the old grist
mill, which was built in 1841 by David B. Sears, John W. Spencer and
Spencer H. White, as was also the dam, and named the place "Rock Island
Mills." The plat, however, was never recorded. In 1843 Charles Atkinson,
1). B. Sears and others purchased of Huntington Wells a portion of his
farm lying east of the Rock Island Mills property, and they, together with
the owners of the latter, laid out the town of Moline, the same year.
There were then but thirteen dwellings on the ground platted, and these
were owned by Huntington Wells, D. B. Sears, Charles Atkinson, Benedict
Patterson, Haskins Reynolds, Bell, Huntoon, Berham, Weis, White and
Kinzie. Subsequently Charles Atkinson laid out his first addition, which
was followed by his second addition in 1856; since which various additions
have been made from time to time, till the place has reached its present
wide corporate dimensions. It extends on the east to the city limits of
Rock Island, and west from that point about one and three quarter miles,
and is about two miles in width north and south, with plenty of room to
grow in either direction.
Moline was quite early incorporated as a town, but the records having
perished in a fire, we have no authentic information respecting the first
municipal organization and officers. It was, however, incorporated as a
city under the General Law of the State approved April 10, 1872. On the
third of that month a petition was presented to the board of trustees of
the town of Moline asking the question of the adoption of a city
government, to be submitted to the qualified voters of the town for their
decision. The petition was granted, and in pursuance thereof an election
was held on Tuesday, August 6, 1872, resulting as follows:
For city organization, 261 votes; against city organization, 22 votes; for
minority representation in the city council, 21 votes; against minority
representation in the city council, 247 votes.
On Tuesday, August 29, 1872, the election for city officers was held, and
the following named persons were elected: Mayor, Daniel L. Wheelock; city
clerk, Orrin K. Ferguson; city attorney, John T. Browning; aldermen,
George W. Vinton, Luke E. Hemenway, Jerman S. Keator, Marvil H. White,
Henry Klahn, Charles W. Lobdell, Swan Hanson, Daniel W. Dimock, Charles F.
Hemenway.
These represent the first set of city officers elected in Moline,
following the conversion of the town into a city.
In 1843 David Sears opened the first store in the house in which he lived,
which was in close proximity to the grist mill. The first hotel dates from
1843, and was conducted by Huntington Wells. In 1842 Joseph Huntoon opened
a shoe shop, and two years later Grove W. Bell was the town tailor. In
1843 Aynes Kinzie started a blacksmith shop on the ground since occupied
by Deere and Company, and in 1847 the nucleus of the world famed shops of
Deere and Company was laid. The first school house was built by private
subscription in 1843, and of brick, where religious meetings were also
held. Joseph Jackman was the first teacher, followed by S. P. Hodges, who
was afterwards county clerk. The first bank was the First National Bank,
organized in 1863.
Source: Historic Rock Island County, pub. Kramer & Company, Rock Island, Illinois, 1908