| History of Moline |
| Following is a chronological history of Moline from 1828 to 1905 |
| 1832 & 1833 - The land on which most of Moline was originally built was settled by Joel Well Sr. Sometime during the years 1832 and 1833 and occupied by him and others until 1841 for agriculural purposes. Jan. 1834 - First religious services held in Moline by Methodists in the log cabin of Joel Wells. There were five members present, with the Rev. T. McNurty serving as minister. Sept. 6, 1834 - First church in Moline organized by Methodists. Rev. T. McMurty served as first minister 1835 - First school in Moline was opened. March 1835 - Antoine LeClaire & Jonah H. Case were licensed to run the first ferry across the Mississippi. 1835 - First Methodist church was organized by Rev. Collin D. James. Members of the first congregation were: Joel Wells Sr., Joel Wells Jr., Levi Wells, Lucinda Wells (Later married to Rev. Asa McMurty), David Dawes & wife, Mrs. Reed, John Hartzell, Michael Hartzell and Catherine Hartzell. Jan 1839 - Antoine LeClaire, goverment agent and interpreter, received as a gift from the Pottawtomies land equal to one square mile lying along the river on which a part of Moline is built. 1841 - A dam was built from the Illinois shore to the Island, by David B. Sears, John W. Spencer and Spencer White for the mill company. These men also built a mill at the south end of the dam. This mill was later owned by Pitts, Gilbert & Pitts. Feb 1841 - Jonathan Huntoon settled in Moline. He was an important factor in the city's development, was a stockholder in the first street car line, was engaged in manufacturing on the Island at an early day and was identified largely with all the manufacturing and industrial enterprises of Moline. April 1843 - Joel Wells bought the land adjacent to his own, on which most of Moline was built. This included the D.B.Sears trect west of his, the Timothy Wood farm on the east and the Edwards tract of 170 acres. April 1843 - The first brick house was built in Moline, by Charles Atkinson. June 23, 1843 - D.B.Sears, Charles Atkinson, Joel Wells, and a surveyor named P.H. Ogilvie, met in Mr. Sears barn and drew up a plat for the town of Moline. Sept. 5, 1843 - The first school house in Moline was completed. The first teacher was Joseph Jackman. The second teacher was S.P. Hodgers. 1844 - By 1844 the waterpower began attracting many men who saw livelihoods in serving the needs of the settlers in Moline. Among these, was a man named DeWitt Clint Dimock. He had settled in Geneseo, Ill. in 1840 where he married Maria Hubbard. In 1843 he and his bride moved to Moline, swimming the horses across Rock River. He entered partnership with Stephen W. Palmer, making chairs for new homes springing up on the prairie and in town. Jan 5,1844 - The First Congregational Church was organized with 18 members: Charles Atkinson, Eliza Ann Atkinson, D.C. Dimock, Martha Dimock, Amy Gordon, Amos Gordon, Ann Gordon, Emma Gordon, Lydia Chamberlain, Phoebe Gordon, Betsy Skinner, Monroe Sherman, Thomas Merryman, Mary E. Merryman, Emily C. Bliss, Huldah Edwards, Mrs. Lucretia Lynde, and Sylvia Huntoon. Rev. Isaac Bliss served as paster until November 1844 when Rev. A.B. Hitchock became paster. 1844 - The first drug store was opened in Moline - David Lamberton, druggist. March 13, 1844 - Moline's first post office opened. David B. Sears served as first poetmaster. Other early postmaster included: Dr. Wells, George W. Bell, Joseph J. Jackson, Absalom B. Williams, appoined in July 1857, William Kearns, who served from 1861 - 65 and 1869 - 73;George D. Gould, 1865-69; Henry E. Wells, 1873-77; Luke E. Hemenway, 1877-86; Dan W. Gould, 1886-94; John M. Holt, 1890-94; M.J. McEniry, 1897-1906; W.F. Eastman, 1906-09; Mrs. W.F. Eastman, 1909, filling out unexpired term of her husband who died in office; A.T. Foster, 1910-14; Edward L. Coryn, 1914-18; C.V. Gould, 1918-24; George E. Carlson, 1924-33; Emil Johnson, 1933-48. 1846 - The Buffalo House opened for a public house by Wm. Paddleford. 1847 - Olaus Bengtsson settled in Moline. He was the first Swede to settle in Moline. Carl Johnsson followed in 1848. The chief cause of the Swedes to immigrate was material betterment. April 1847 - John Deere established the first plow factory in Moline. 1848 - Moline was incorporated as a town. Daniel Overmyer, George W. Bell, George P. Vesy, Horatio G. Nourse, and Thomas Merryman were elected members of the first town board. The following were first appointed officers: Daniel Gordon, Clerk; Cyrus Kinsey, Treasurer; Charles Atkinson, Assessor; A. M. Hubbard, Constable & Collector; John Patterson, Supervisor of roads. Nov 1848 - Jon Deere, R. N. Fate and John M. Gould, afterwards Judge Gould, began the manufacture of plows, the original firm of Deere Plow Works. 1849 - The Swedish Methodist Church was organized. First members included Mr. and Mrs. Olaus Bengston, Rev. Jonas Hedstrom, B.P. Oakleaf, Maria Oakleaf, Benjamin Bengston, Nellie Bengston, Nellie Thompson, Sabina Thompson, Mrs. Bodinson, Mrs. Westburg, T.J. Johnson, Hall and Louisa Hill. June 1849 - Epidemic of Cholera. Jan 1852 - Dimock and Gould establised a factory for the manufacture of woodenware and lumber. Jan 17, 1854 - Work was begun on the first bridge across the Mississippi from the north shore of the Island to Davenport. Wm. A. Nourse was one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the project. Feb 1854- Chciago, Rock Island and Pacific R.R. secured by Charles Atkinson for Moline, ran its first train through Moline to Rock Island. The original survey located the track through Milan. Aug 21, 1854 - Moline's 1st newspaper, "The Moline Workman" was published by Amos. Smith. Smith came to Moline from Lambertsille, New Jersey. June 17, 1872 - Rock River bridge was destroyed by a tornado. 1873 - One of the first official acts of Moline's first mayor and city council after its incorporation in 1872 was to take steps to purchase a municipal burial ground. A years later, in 1873, 83 acres of land, then known as the Bell farm, was bought for $15,000 and became Moline's beautiful Riverside Cemetery. March 10, 1873 - S. W. Wheelock and his wife, Lydia Wheelock , gave a builing for use as a free public library. Jan 9, 1874 - Moline City Council granted a franchise to William Kerns for lighting the city with gas. First used in September 1874. Oct 11, 1877 - Work was begun on the Soldiers monument in Riverside cemetery. Mrs. Helen A. Reed's name was placed on it, as a tribute to her services for the soldiers during the war of the rebellion. Oct 27, 1881 - The Jennie Gilchrist wrecked against the Mississippi bridge at 10:10 p.m. in a heavy strom and went down with 15 passengers aboard. Ten passengers drowned. June 11, 1886 - Francis Jeffrey Dickens, fourth son of the famous novelist, died at the home of Samson Kennedy. July 2, 1886 - Cyrus Kinsey, died in South Dakota, he made the first plow made in Moline in 1843. Aug 1889 - William Fisk Eastman, one of the most widely known newspaper men in the state, settled in Moline. He belonged to the celebrated Fisk family of authors, was a writer of ability, and for nearly 20 years was editor of the Moline Dispatch. He was postmaster of Moline at the time of his death in 1907. |
| Moline was organized as a town in 1843 and incorporated under a general act of the legislature in 1848. In 1872 Moline was incorported as a city. Although isolated settlers had located on the future site of Moline as early as 1828 the town was not surveyed and platted until 1843. In 1841 David B. Sears, John W. Spencer and Spencer H. White, seeing the water power potential of this particular site, put in a water power saw and grist mill. These three, with Governor W. Lynde, laid out a town and called it Rock Island Mills, but never put their plat on record. In the spring of 1843, Sears, Spencer, White and three other local business men, Huntington Wells, Charles Atkinson, and Joel Wells met in Mr. Sears barn with a surveyor named P. H. Ogilvie and accepted a plat drawn by Mr. Ogilvie. They named the town "Moulin", (Moline) the french word for mill, but afterward changed the spelling to Moline. In 1843 there were thirteen houses in Moline, occupied by the following: Charles Atkinson, Huntington Wells, David Sears, Joseph Huntoon, Spencer White, Cyrus Kinzie, George W. Bell, Benedict, Patterson, Hoskins, Weir, Reynolds and Benham. In 1848 Moline was incorported as a town. The following were elected members of the first town board: Daniel Overmyer, George W. Bell, George P. Vesy, Horatio G. Nourse and Thomas Merryman. Overmyer was selected president; Daniel Gordon was named town clerk, and John Patterson town constable & street superintendent. In July 1872 Moline was incorporated as a city under the general laws of the state. On Tuesday, August 29, 1872 the first election was held for city officers and the following were elected; Mayor, Daniel L. Wheelock; City Clerk, Orrin K. Ferguson; City Attorney, John T. Browing; Aldermen George W. Vinton, Luke E. Hemenway, J. S. Keator, Marvel H. White, Henry Klahn, Chas W. Lobdell, Swan Hanson, Daniel W. Dimock, and Chas F. Hemenway. |