The beautiful eminence which contains Dickson Cemetry identifies with our region's historic significance. Rescarch unfolds an indelible relationship of geological features to the origin of civilization. A tribe of aborigines, known as the Hopewell Culture, chose this resourceful site as their northermost base 1000-4000 years ago. The terrain of projecting bluffs, the slopes and river shores are a scenic and historic heritage now preserved in Black Hawk State Park, including Dickson Cemetery. Bounded by the Mississippi and Rock rivers, the tract has an unbroken ridge or backbone extending all the way from Carbon Cliff to the park. Within its confines and outlying areas the discovered contents of numerous mounds substantiate the existence of a great tribe's habitation. Copper tools and ornaments; intricately carved stone bowls and tobacco pipes; human skeletons included, reveal the sacredness of burial grounds in past history; their reverence for preservation. Centuries elapsed and by the 1720's the shadow of the Redman appeared.
When the first white explorers, Marquette and Joliet, ventured upon the Mississippi, they found the Sauk and Fox Indians occupying the area whose features had lured the mound builders. Their warriors were brave. They had built a rich empire which embraced parts of Illinios, Wisconsin, and Missouri. They chose a site adiacent to the western boundary of what is now Black Hawk State Park as a center for their capitol village, naming it Sauk-e-nuk. Chief Black Hawk was born here in 1767. He subseqwuently reigned over his empire for most of a century.
At its peak, the population has been estimated at 7,000 - 11,000. Their existence was secured through the chase; the goverment annuities; and sale of lead from their mines above Galena, Illinois. In addition, they cultivated nearly 800 acres of fertile soil, where they grew pumpkins, melons and such amounts of corn that they were able to spare some 1,000 bushels annually which they sold to the traders and eventually the authorities at Fort Armstrong and Prairie du Chien. The fort was designed in 1815 to encourage trade with the Indians and for the protection of settlers.
Since their village was established as a sumer and pleasure resort, the occupants often used their "possessions" such as corn, horese, blankets, guns, and lead for for stakes or barter in their local ball play engaging 600 - 1,000 young men. There was also horse-racing, dancing, wrestling and foot racing. The Great Spirit was often called upon to judge fairly in these events.
Sauk-e-nuk was a forceful spiritual center. "Manitou, the Great Spirit", rested along the bluff, not far above 12th Street, protecting the Indian burial grounds. During ensuing years, the Sauk and fox had close connection with the wars between contending whites. They fought in the French and Indian Wars, on either side in the Revolutionary War, and experienced the destruction of their village by Americans in 1780 in the westernmost battle of the Revolutionary War. Eventually, in 1804, they faced the unfortunate blow of four drunken minor chiefs ceding the land where their village stood to the United States. Black Hawk refused the cessation and remained in possession until the press of the white settlers forced his followers across the Mississippi in the campaign of the Black Hawk War of 1831. The white encroachment had begun in 1827. The frontiersmen were impatient and began to claim the corn fields and occupied the homes of the Indians when they departed on hunting excursions. The most painful intrusion was the plowing of Indian burial grounds without respect to the reverence with which the Indians regarded their dead. Through the seasons of 1829, 1830 and the spring of 1831 whites and Inians quarreled over trespasses of all kinds and came to violence at times. The Illinois militia and several regiments of the regular army were sent to the scene. The ensuing Black Hawk War of 1832 culminated in Black Hawk's decisive defeat and retreat from our area. Intensified interest of mainland settlers increased when the threats of Indian raids disappeared. Land investors were attracted to our beautiful valley between two rivers. Navigable river and power rights with which to turn mill wheels were important factors. Colonel George Davenport, trader of Indian goods, became the new owner of the abandoned Sauk Village. He was an expansive speculator. In 1836 he released Sauk Village and interested some New Yorkers in purchasing additional land north of the site. An envisioned metropolis, Rock Island City, was laid out. Prominent names found on early titles registered are Colonel Davenport, Russell Farnham. Levi Turner, Caleb Cushing, Daniel Webster, and Cyrus II. McCormick. Often times initial boundaries were cloudy and resulted in a series of exchanges. One contradiction involved William C. Dickson of Cherry Valley, New York, one of the speculators. He died ahortly after his ownership and another William Dickson, represting six heirs, came west to assess the estste. He remained, setting himself up as a farmer at what is now 12th Street and 46th Avenue. In 1838, Dickson laid out a cemetery intending to give it to a Presbyterian Church. McCormick, inventor of the reaper, had sold 97 acres to David B. Sears. Sears purchased an additional parcel from Dickson. The title was contested and Mr. Sears energed as owner. Fortunately, time has not erased the pioneer cemetery, nor the land adjacent. Records, though sketchy, have been preserved and conversations with descendants in the area have provided additional information. The title name of Dickson remains. The owner, David B. Sears, "kept the plot well." In 1866, it becamepart of Sears' transaction in his purchase of Rock Island City and subsequent plotting of Sears town. On October 1, 1878, he deeded the cemetery to Rock Island County. The county built a fence around the two-acre tract bordering 14th Street and 43rd Avenue, designated the south half, "old cemetery" and used the north half for burying paupers. So many unfortunates without money were buried there that eventually new arrivals were being placed on top of old ones. When the top coffins in the doubledeck graves began to pop out of the ground, neighbors complained. In 1911, Dickson Cemetery was loced and forgotten. Sears town was annexed by the city, feeling disgraced by the neglect of the plot, took it over, but weeds and vines continued to flourish: monuments showing excellent examples of craftsmanship by piopneer stone cutters, were vandalized. (continue on next page 2 )
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