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Tag Archives: Davenport Police Department
Davenport’s First Police Matron: Annie E. Davis
130 years ago this week, Davenport City Council hired Miss Annie E. Davis from Chicago, Illinois to be the first police matron for the city. On June 26, 1889, Miss Davis arrived in Davenport on an early morning train and … Continue reading
The Early Policewomen of Davenport
On this final day of Women’s History Month, in keeping with the National Women’s History Project’s 2016 theme, we honor Davenport women in public service. Those who worked for the Davenport Police Department over 50 years ago are in our view … Continue reading
We Mustache This Question: The 1884 Davenport Police Department
As we’ve mentioned before, this year marks the 175th anniversary of the Davenport Police Department. In previous posts, we’ve shared some of the historical information and resources in our collections about and from the Department, and even cleared up … Continue reading
A Gold Star – or Badge: The Davenport Police Department’s 175th Anniversary
We were excited to see an article in the January 16, 2014 Quad City Times about the Davenport Police Department’s 175th Anniversary. What a monumental occasion. In celebration, current officers are sporting badges reminiscent of those worn by their predecessors in the … Continue reading
Posted in Genealogy, Local History
Tagged City Marshal, Davenport Police Department, George Colt, Police Badges, W. H. Patton
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Marshal-ing our Resources
Recently, we explained how we uncovered that the man we—and everyone else—had thought was the first City Marshal of Davenport . . . wasn’t. But this had us researching what the City Marshal—a position that no longer exists—originally did, and when he stopped … Continue reading
Remembering Police Officer James W. Means
James Wilson Means was born in Pennsylvania around 1824, reared and married in Ohio, and then settled in Davenport around 1855 with his young family. By the spring of 1883, Mr. Means was a respected officer with the Davenport Police Department. … Continue reading
A Moment to Remember: Armistice Day, 1925
The ghosts and goblins were gone and local turkeys were still being fattened up in preparation for Thanksgiving dinner. But Davenporters, and most of the world, were about to pause in their holiday preparations on to remember those who fought … Continue reading
The 911 of 1889
On the afternoon of February 8, 1889, the alarm at telephone patrol box number 3 at Front Street between Main and Brady Streets was sounded by an officer on patrol. It was the first alarm sounded on the week-old system that … Continue reading
Posted in Local History
Tagged Davenport, Davenport Police Department, Patrol Wagon, Telephone, Telephone Patrol Box
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A Quiet Salute to a Friend: Officer Michael Farnsworth
On December 5, 1971, five men entered the Quality Motel on Main Street and forced their way into the room of Davenport Police Patrolman Leon Washington. The men hit Officer Washington and tied him up, then stole three automatic pistols, … Continue reading
Remembering Patrolman Emil Speth
Ninety-one years ago Davenport Police Patrolman Emil Speth walked the streets of Davenport, Iowa, wearing badge number 13. He was appointed to the department on July 13, 1911, according to an entry in the Davenport Police Roll Call Register January … Continue reading
