As we continue to catalog negatives in the Free-Hostetler collection, we were tickled to discover that the young man in this image was born on February 14, 1897 and given the first name of “Valentine!”
Valentine was born in Lincoln Township to Gustav and Bertha Eckermann. After serving in the First World War, he worked on the family farm, as he would continue to do for the rest of his life. He married Mildred Wiese of Walcott on March 14, 1923; the couple had two children, Myrtle and Clifford. Valentine and Mildred celebrated their love for each other by hosting a dance in March 1948, on the occasion of their 25th wedding anniversary.
Valentine passed away a just a few years later. This photograph appeared with his obituary in the Daily Times for February 4, 1952.
Although she lived nearly 40 years longer than her husband, Mildred Eckermann never remarried.
Valentine Eckermann had only one contemporary with the same first name: Valentine Buchmeier (1905-1998, a barbershop owner in West Davenport, not born on February 14th), but in the previous century it was a fairly common name among German (and one French) immigrants to Scott County.
Valentine Scheiner to Catherine Bolt on April 16, 1849 is the earliest local marriage we can find of someone with that first name. They were married in St. Anthony’s Church by pioneer pastor Rev. Pelamourges and the union endured: the Scheiner’s celebrated their Golden Anniversay in 1899; Catherine died in 1910 and Valentine in 1914. Both were buried in St. Marguerite’s.
1857 is the earliest marriage date of someone with the last name “Valentine” in the area: George W. Valentine to Mary Ann Snow. George, a bricklayer and contractor, lived for many years with his family at 108 W. 18th Street in Davenport. His two sons, Lee H. and George S., carried on the heart-shaped name.
The surname “Valentine” also belonged to a well-known member of the African American community in Davenport. Jennie Valentine, born a slave, was freed from a plantation in North Carolina by northern soldiers and brought to Iowa at the conclusion of the Civil War, according to her obituary in the Daily Times for September 30, 1912. She lived in Davenport for 45 years, working as a domestic and attending Bethel A.M.E. Church. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of “Pretzel Alley” in 1904 (Democrat and Leader, 15 May) she was elected Police Matron. Jennie’s daughter Sylvia Jones (later Barnes) carried her father’s name, so “Valentine” did not continue on to the next generation. Sylvia also lived in Davenport for a time, and her daughter, Jennie’s granddaughter Florence Jones Dudley Murray Howard, spent nearly her whole life in the city. It was in Florence’s home that Jennie Valentine died; she is buried in Oakdale Cemetery.
Any “Valentine’s” in your Scott County family history? Search our Local Database to find out!
Happy Valentine’s Day from the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center of the Davenport Public Library!
Our last coloring page is a sketch of the Cresent Railroad Bridge by Mary Charlotte Aubry Costello. Mary Costello is a local author, artist, and former Davenport art teacher. She was born to John C. and Helen B. (Ashley) Aubry. She attended St. Mary’s High School in Moline and holds degrees Marycrest College in Davenport and the University of Iowa. Her father was employed for 40 years by Rock Island Lines, Silvis Shops as a boilermaker. In October 1951, Mary married Kenneth Costello at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Moline. They had six children: Barbara, Judith, Patrick, Thomas, Roger, and John.
Over a decade, Mary researched for her book, Climbing the Mississippi River Bridge by Bridge, in two volumes, by traveling the length of the mighty river (beginning in New Orleans and moving north to Itasca, Minnesota) where she took photos, made sketches, and conducted interviews. These books were conceived from her work as an art teacher at McKinley School in Davenport, where she taught a unit on bridges. Volume 1 was published in 1995, and volume 2, which was devoted to the bridges in Minnesota, in 2002. Additionally, she has exhibited her artwork, much of it river-life related, across the Quad Cities area.
In 2008, the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center received Mary’s collection of research materials and sketches of the bridges spanning the Mississippi River. These papers are related to research done for volume 1, which begins with the bridges in Louisiana and ends with the Winneshiek Slough Bridge near the Iowa/Minnesota border. There is some material related to her second volume, specifically the headwaters area in Itasca State Park in Minnesota and the swing bridge in Inver Grove, Minnesota. There are additional folders relating to riverboat tourism, gambling, and the Big River Rendezvous.
Each bridge has its own folder (or multiple folders) and the contents within the folders contain Mary’s preliminary sketches, snapshots that she took, as well as notes on the history of the bridges. The following images are scans of Mary Costello’s collection.
Crescent Railroad Bridge
Master Sgt. Stanley Talbot Memorial Bridge (Centennial Bridge)
Sylvan Slough Bridge
Books in the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center by Mary Costello:
In preparation for the festivities, we will be blogging about our resources for a different Mayflower family each month. First up is the descendants of George Soule!
George Soule was born in England in the 1590s. An exact date and place of birth has not been established. He was a signer of the Mayflower Compact on November 11, 1620, suggesting he was older than 20, and was a servant to Edward Winslow, suggesting he was younger than 25.
George was married to Mary Bucket/Beckett between 1624-1626. She arrived in Plymouth before July 31, 1623 aboard the Anne, and their first child was born by 1627.
To celebrate National Handwriting Day, we thought we would share handwriting samples from the early years of the City of Davenport.
Not only are handwritten documents from the city historically important, but we enjoy the different styles of handwriting shown through the years.
Collection 2004-42 – City Council Minutes – Council Book 1839 – 1850. This is the first page of City Council minutes for the town of Davenport.City Council Minutes – Box 1843 – 1859. Written in the 1840s, this document outlines how ordinances would be presented and voted on during city council meetings. City Council Minutes – Box 1843 – 1859. Even election results were written out. These are the official results from the city election of 1842 held on April 16th.City Council Minutes – Box 1843 – 1859. Request from Antoine LeClaire to pay the City Marshal (our records indicate Jared N. Snow was Marshal 1843 – 1844) $14.00 in April 1844.City Council Minutes – Box 1843 – 1859.Request from Mayor James Bowling to pay John Evans for work done in October and early November 1848.City Council Minutes – Box 1843 – 1859. Payments for work done for the city in October 1857. City Council Minutes – Box 1843 – 1859. The first of seven pages outlining the creation of the Davenport Fire Department. Written 1857.
We hope you enjoyed these samples from our collection. We only wish we could have handwritten this blog for you!
We are saddened to hear of the passing of long-time Davenport Public Library employee Pat Till. Ms. Till died Friday, January 10, 2020 at Genesis Medical Center in Davenport.
Patricia Emily Till was born July 22, 1949 in Davenport to Charles C. and Jane (Griffin) Miller. She married Pvt. Richard Thomas Till in 1966. Their son, Richard, was born later that year. Patricia went back to school and graduated from Davenport Central Central High School in 1968.
Pat began working at the Davenport Public Library on August 16, 1973. She spent most of her 41 years working as a clerk in the Children’s Department with Miss Rochelle Murray. She retired from the Customer Service department in September 2014. After retiring she would often stop by and visit with her best friend and fellow retired library employee Sandy.
Pat loved working with kids, and we often hear people say they have fond childhood memories of her. She always greeted them with a smile. The staff and patrons of the Davenport Public Library will miss her dearly.
Davenport Democrat and Leader, January 6, 1920, p. 1
One hundred years ago, the turn of the new year brought great excitement to the citizens of the Quad-Cities. The occasion was a visit from General John J. Pershing, commander in chief of the American Expeditionary Forces and hero of the Great War. At 9:15AM on the morning of January 6th, 1920, he stepped from his railroad car onto the station platform at 5th and Main Streets in Davenport and into a full day of activities, mostly speech-making and glad-handing in addition his official inspection of the Rock Island Arsenal.
As soon as the October 28th telegram announcing Pershing was planning a tour of the war industries in the midwest, the mayors of Rock Island and Davenport each leapt at the chance to host the General during his visit. Harry Schriver of Rock Island was miffed that Lee Dougherty’s telegram arrived before his own letter of invitation, but Pershing himself quickly put an end to the competition between the cities by requesting that all four in the region work together to receive him.
Planning for the joint reception began in earnest as Pershing confirmed his visit would take place after the first of January. The committee included Schriver, Dougherty, Mayor C.P. Skinner of Moline, as well as representatives from the Davenport Commercial Club, the Greater Davenport Committee, the Rock Island Club, the Rock Island Chamber of Commerce, and the City of East Moline.
By all accounts, Pershing’s visit was an unqualified success. Enthusiasm was high: police had to keep the block-deep throng from crowding the train platform as the General posed for photographs with the reception committee, greeted the 20 men in the American Legion attachment, and listened to the celebrated Ottumwa military band play the “General Pershing March.”
Daily Times, January 6, 1920, p. 1.
Davenport schools were closed until 10:00am so children could join the thousands of people on the flag-lined streets cheering on the Pershing procession. Boys “…clung to [the automobile’s] sides, climbed upon the guards, and ran along beside the machine…”, slowing it down, but the General delighted in their liveliness. B.J. Palmer had one of his students block the car in the middle of Brady Street so the doctor could jump on the running board and shake the commander’s hand. Rain and cold deterred none, including Pershing: “If these good people can stand out in the weather,” he said, “I can ride in an open car…” He stopped on Pershing Avenue to salute and thank the people of Davenport for naming the former Rock Island Street in his honor.
Davenport Democrat and Leader, January 7, 1920.
After his first inspection of the Arsenal, including a 17-gun salute, General Pershing’s automobile tour continued down 5th Street in Moline and 7th Street in Rock Island to the thousands of Illinois-side “hurrah’s” on the way to Augustana College. The speech he delivered to 2000 people in the gymnasium praised the local spirit during the war: “No section of this country has shown greater patriotism and loyalty than these cities. None have gone over the top in the Liberty Loan drives, the Red Cross drives, and other war work activities with greater enthusiasm than you.” He shook hands with everyone in the audience, paying special attention to war veterans and youngsters, before heading to a 1:00PM luncheon hosted by the area Rotary Clubs at the Masonic Temple in Rock Island. There he fended off questions about a run for president and enjoyed the company of his fellow Rotarians.
Rock Island Argus, January 7, 1920, p. 5
General Pershing’s afternoon visit to the Arsenal included speeches warning against the danger of “anarchy” and the “red flag of revolution,” as well as praise for the patriotism of the workers and former military men now employed there. The tour of inspection complete, Pershing took refreshment at an afternoon tea hosted by the wife of Arsenal commander Col. Harry B. Jordan.
The evening’s highlight was an address delivered by Pershing at the banquet hall at the Hotel Blackhawk. In order to improve the nation’s military preparedness, he promoted a training program for young men as an “extension of education,” to include instruction in the English language for “foreigners.” He echoed toastmaster Joe Lane’s introductory speech decrying “those red demons, Bolshevism and Communism” by urging the people of the United States to “…not sit idly by and permit the growth of these dangerous ideas.” Despite the seriousness of the speakers’ words, the occasion itself was a merry one: The crowds pushing into the lobby and onto the balconies cheered as the Ottumwa military band struck up the popular tune “Johnny’s In Town” upon Pershing’s entrance.
Later, Harry F. Evans, post commander of the Davenport American Legion*, welcomed Pershing to the Coliseum, where more than 2500 ex-servicemen from posts around the region greeted him with an impromptu salute. His speech was short, again emphasizing preparedness in the light of the “unrest that is sweeping over the land,” but the General took the time to shake every man’s hand — and also every woman’s. Apparently he had remarked upon the beauty of the local ladies at numerous times during the day.
Departing the Davenport station at 10:00PM that night, General Pershing was released from his long day as a “prisoner of gratitude” as Mayor Dougherty had put it. And the people of the Quad-Cities had not lost their enthusiasm for celebrating “Pershing Day:” another large crowd had gathered on the platform to bid the beloved leader farewell.
(posted by Katie)
Compiled from the January 6 and 7, 1920 issues of the Daily Times (Davenport, Iowa), the Davenport Democrat and Leader, and the Rock Island Argus (Rock Island, Illinois).
*The members of American Legion Post #26, Davenport, Iowa, organized the Scott County World War I Bonus Applications that are now in the RSSC Center’s collections (Acc.# 2012-25, Don Southwood Collection). The Center also holds the records of the Post #26 Women’s Auxiliary (Acc.# 2004-07). Other WWI records we have include the Scott County Army Enlistment and Discharge Papers and the World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 for Iowa on microfilm.
For our first exhibit of the year, we are taking a look back at life in Davenport a century ago. What kinds of books were children and grown-ups checking out from the library? What were the people attending the symphony listening to? What did new construction houses look like? Where were the predominantly African-American neighborhoods located? Stop by the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center at the Davenport Public Library during the month of January 2020 to see these items in person!
Map of African-American residential patterns in 1920 compiled by Craig Klein from Accession #2004-67.
Fiction published in the 1920s from the SC Fiction Collection.
Novels by Floyd Dell published in the 1920s.
Children’s books published in the 1920s from our Childrens’ Exhibit Collection.
Bix Beiderbecke 1924 vinyl album recorded in 1924 in Richmond, IN and New York City.
John Forrest Dillon was born in Washington County, New York on December 25, 1831. His family moved to Davenport in 1838 when he was 7 years old. He attended Father Pelamourgues’ school at St. Anthony’s Church until the age of 16. At the age of 17, he studied medicine under Egbert S. Barrows, MD and graduated from Keokuk Medical College at the age of 21. After a few months in the practice, he figured out that medicine was not his calling and began to read law books.
In 1852 he was licensed as an attorney in Scott County and was quickly elected to be a prosecuting attorney for Scott County. In 1858 at the age of 27, he was elected judge of the 7th Judicial District of Iowa and published “A Digest of the Decisions of the Supreme Court of Iowa.” At that time he was the only judge for Scott, Clinton, Muscatine, and Jackson counties. In 1863 he was elected judge of the Iowa Supreme Court. He was re-elected in 1869 as chief justice of the Iowa Supreme Court but that same year he was appointed circuit judge of the United States for the 8th Judicial Circuit. In 1872 he published “Municipal Corporations and started the “Central Law Journal.”
In 1879 he resigned as U.S. circuit judge and moved to New York City to become the professor of equity jurisprudence of the law department of Columbia College. In 1891 and 1892 he lectured on municipal law at Yale. He was named president of the American Bar Association in 1892. He worked as general counsel for the Missouri Pacific Railway and Western Union Telegraph Co. and earned a fortune reviewing corporation matters.
Judge Dillon came back to Davenport on May 11, 1904, to deliver the address at the dedication of our Free Public Library.
… In this strenuous age, in this age of materialism, in this age of commercialism in which the pursuit of wealth is the most dominant feature, in this day of unprecendeted colossal combinations of capital in corporate form and of combinations of employers and of counter-combinations of labor, each monopolistc, each manifesting distrust or fear of the other, but with a possibility of a union of theses great forces – then what? – in this new era of territorial and consequent commercial expansion and world-wide international relations, and when as a result men become so absorbed in business that they forget or neglect their duties as citizens – when we have, moreover, the pressing and unsoved problem of educating millions of people formerly in bondage who are and must remain in our midst – in these situations so novel and so grave there is more need than ever before for the exercise of the best intelligence and of the highest sense and truest measure of justice. For at the last in our public policies everything good, everything true, everything beneficent, everything permanent rests upon the people’s collective sense of justice and right…
Address delivered at the dedication of the Free Public Library by John F. Dillon. Davenport, Iowa: May 11, 1904
Left: Portrait of Mrs Dillon, from a photograph taken at Saratoga, 1889. Right: Portrait of her husband, John F. Dillon, from a photograph taken by Prince, New York, 1899.
John Forrest Dillon married Anna Price, daughter of Iowa congressman the Hon. Hiram Price, on November 10, 1853 in Davenport. Their home called “Leafland” was located in what is now Fejervary Park. Mrs. Dillon and their daughter, Anna Dillon Oliver, died tragically in the sinking of the French steamer La Touraine on July 4, 1898. Judge Dillon erected a monument for his wife at Oakdale Cemetery and was buried beside her after his death at the age of 83 on May 5, 1914.
In 2012 a descendant of Judge & Mrs. Dillon donated these beautiful portraits to us. This year we were able to pay for restoration and reframing of the portrait of Mrs. Anna Price Dillon. In 2020 we hope to raise enough money to restore and reframe the portrait of Judge Dillon. Subscribe to our eNewsletter for more information on our fundraising efforts.
Portrait of Judge John F. Dillon in need of restoration. Donated by Elizabeth Dillon Wheeler in 2012.
(Posted by Cristina)
Sources:
“Judge John Forrest Dillon, one-time supreme court justice of Iowa, is dead in New York City.” The Daily Times, Tuesday, May 5, 1914.
History of Scott County, Iowa. (Chicago: Inter-State Publishing Co., 1882): 344-346.
Address delivered at the dedication of the Free Public Library by John F. Dillon. Davenport, Iowa: May 11, 1904.
Dillon, John F. Anna Price Dillon: Memoir and Memorials. New York: 1900.
New Year’s Eve 1919 in Davenport, Iowa was a “dry” one. Iowa passed a state prohibition law on January 1, 1916 (one of three states) that included making the production or sale of alcohol in the state illegal. Alcohol was allowed in private homes as long as it was purchased by one individual and not a group. Homeowners were also not allowed to pour drinks for their guests or stand at a bar-like structure in their home when a drink was poured.
One of the problems with stocking your home with hard-to-come-by alcohol was the occasional robbery by those who might be looking for spirited refreshments to celebrate the holiday season. Colonel G. Watson French suffered this fate, as did a few others in the area.
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, January 1, 1920. Pg. 3.
Iowa was soon to be joined by every state in the nation, for on January 16, 1920, the entire United States would become “dry” under the 18th Amendment.
But on December 31, 1919 many Davenport residents could still travel across the river into Illinois for some “wet” refreshments.
What might one do if you chose to stay in Davenport to celebrate New Year’s Eve 1919? There were several options.
For those looking for a more reflective evening, many churches held evening services or church socials.
Local theaters showed the latest popular movies featuring the greatest stars of the day, such as Douglas Fairbanks in “When the Clouds Roll By,” Dorothy Phillips in “The Right to Happiness,” and Wyndham Standing with Lucy Colton in “The Miracle of Love.”
If you desired live theater, you were in luck: Vaudeville acts filled local establishments such as the Columbia Theater. You could reserve your seats to see Ben Linn the singing humorist, Manning & Hall that Klever Komedy Kouple, and on New Year’s Day, Will J. Ward and his Five Symphony Girls. With only two shows on New Year’s Eve it was recommended to make reservations early.
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, December 28, 1919. Pg. 10.
And there were many choices for dancing all night to a live orchestra or band! The popular Coliseum Ball Room was open for dancing from the afternoon until 3:00 a.m. Crowds of 2000 plus people were common at this establishment.
Davenport Democrat and Leader, December 30, 1919. Pg. 10.
The Commercial Club not only had dancing, but a Vaudeville show and late dinner for those who made reservations. The private Outing Club held a banquet and dancing for members. The Turner Society held its annual Sylvester Ball at Central Turner Hall with two orchestras in two halls playing for dancers from 8:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m.
The Daily Times, December 27, 1919. Pg. 8.
The Haynes’ Dancing School was only open until 1:00 a.m., but a five-piece orchestra would provide wonderful music for those interested. You could also sign up for dance classes if you felt you must keep up with the latest dance styles.
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, December 30, 1919. Pg. 14.
For those who preferred a quiet night in, but did not have access to professionally-made alcohol (perhaps stolen as in the case of Colonel French?), there were other drink options , too. Home brews and stills were not uncommon in Iowa since prohibition had taken effect in 1916. One just had to be careful when sharing the instructions, ingredients, or final product.
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, December 30, 1919. Pg. 12.
There was even a “dry” substitute for beer you could buy from the Rock Island Brewing Company.
The Daily Times, December 27, 1919. Pg. 5.
The Davenport Democrat and Leader reported some interesting facts right before New Year’s Eve on how the citizens of Davenport were fairing under the “dry” laws:
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, December 28, 1919. Pg. 18.
If you preferred a sweeter drink on your night in, advertisements suggested you might purchase some Green River soda. Like prohibition, this drink was created in Iowa (Davenport) in 1916.
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, December 26, 1919. Pg. 2.
If January 1, 1920 found you still in the mood to celebrate, there were many options for dining out. Dempsey’s Cafe provided a holiday meal for only $1.00; there was also the Cafeteria at the Y.W.C.A.
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, December 31, 1919. Pg. 15.
On the higher end, the Hotel Black Hawk presented a special menu at $2.00 per plate. You certainly might find something to tempt your interest and fit your budget.
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, December 30, 1919. Pg. 10.
The 1910’s were filled with incredible events we still remember today, including the sinking of the Titanic, the Spanish Influenza, the First World War, and Prohibition in Iowa. One can only imagine what Davenporters were thinking at the turn of the New Year: National Prohibition was only days away, the local community was still adjusting to the return of soldiers from overseas, and the many issues that remained following the Great War had yet to be settled.
Share your stories with us! The In Your Own Words: Oral History Project seeks to involve all individuals willing to tell their own stories as well as the community’s history.
This oral history project will focus on specific and relevant historical events – past and present – and gather individual’s stories on life in the Quad Cities.
In our first few sessions, we will focus on gathering oral histories about the experiences and memories of the Mississippi Valley Fair, the Iowa Caucuses, and the Flood of 2019.
To share your story, simply register or show up at the recording sessions. Library staff members will be available to record your oral history. The audio recording will be housed in the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center and will be available for research. If you have photographs and other personal items that document what you will discuss during the interview, please bring them with you!
If you have any questions or would like to register, please contact specialcollections@davenportlibrary.com or call 563-326-7902.
Dates: Monday, December 16, 2019 // Thursday, January 23, 2020 // Wednesday, January 29, 2020 // Thursday, February 13, 2020 // Wednesday, February 26, 2020 Time: 3:00pm – 6:00pm Location: Main Street – Large Meeting Room & Small Meeting Room
