George Davenport was born in England in 1783. He came to the United States in 1804 and, in 1816, began working as a sutler providing supplies for the army at Fort Armstrong. Later, he became a fur trader and, in 1826, with his partner Russell Farnham, joined the American Fur Company. In 1833, Davenport built a home on what is today, the Rock Island Arsenal. There, he hosted meetings where towns were planned, new businesses organized, investors recruited, and a railroad born. The Davenport House became, what one historian has called, "the cradle of the Quad Cities". Davenport was murdered by robbers at his home on July 4, 1845. The house, on the north shore of Arsenal Island, has been restored by the Col. Davenport Historical Foundation and is open for tours. On July 4th, 1845, Colonel Davenport was murdered in his home by a gang of outlaws known as the Prairie Bandits. He was buried a few feet from his home on Arsenal Island in the middle of the Mississippi River in Rock Island County; Rock Island, Illinois. Later he was moved to Chippiannock Cemetery in Rock Island, Illinois.
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July 2020 ..A new book has been written by Gena Schantz titled " The Trader At Rock Island: George Davenport and the Founding of the Quad Cities" The book gives a complete history after 40 year research by the Author.
Author states that ; " his original name was JOHN KING , for some reasons unknown , he changed it when he came to America. Later he was known as "Col. Davenport" , he was never a colonel .∼This monument covers the final resting place for Colonel George Davenport, his wife Margaret, stepdaughter Susan Lewis Goldsmith (who was the mother of his sons) and his son Bailey. The Colonel, a veteran of the War of 1812, came to Rock Island on May 10, 1816, and became a trader with local Native Americans. He was murdered in his home on what is now Arsenal Island on July 4, 1845, while his family was in Rock Island watching holiday festivities. Both the Colonel and his wife were initially buried near the family home, and the Native Americans erected a totem pole near their graves. Later Bailey Davenport had them reinterred at Chippiannock Cemetery, where the monument and stone totem pole were erected. Bailey became many times mayor of Rock Island, was owner of most of Rock Island and thousands of acres elsewhere. He also owned coal mines, stone quarries and banks, and was one of the many organizers of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. He died at his home, "Bailey's Castle," a house of 40 rooms and a block of porches, on January 10, 1890. Davenport, Iowa, across the Mississippi River from Rock Island, is named in honor of this family.
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July 2020 ..A new book has been written by Gena Schantz titled " The Trader At Rock Island: George Davenport and the Founding of the Quad Cities" The book gives a complete history after 40 year research by the Author.
Author states that ; " his original name was JOHN KING , for some reasons unknown , he changed it when he came to America. Later he was known as "Col. Davenport" , he was never a colonel .∼This monument covers the final resting place for Colonel George Davenport, his wife Margaret, stepdaughter Susan Lewis Goldsmith (who was the mother of his sons) and his son Bailey. The Colonel, a veteran of the War of 1812, came to Rock Island on May 10, 1816, and became a trader with local Native Americans. He was murdered in his home on what is now Arsenal Island on July 4, 1845, while his family was in Rock Island watching holiday festivities. Both the Colonel and his wife were initially buried near the family home, and the Native Americans erected a totem pole near their graves. Later Bailey Davenport had them reinterred at Chippiannock Cemetery, where the monument and stone totem pole were erected. Bailey became many times mayor of Rock Island, was owner of most of Rock Island and thousands of acres elsewhere. He also owned coal mines, stone quarries and banks, and was one of the many organizers of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. He died at his home, "Bailey's Castle," a house of 40 rooms and a block of porches, on January 10, 1890. Davenport, Iowa, across the Mississippi River from Rock Island, is named in honor of this family.
George Davenport was born in England in 1783. He came to the United States in 1804 and, in 1816, began working as a sutler providing supplies for the army at Fort Armstrong. Later, he became a fur trader and, in 1826, with his partner Russell Farnham, joined the American Fur Company. In 1833, Davenport built a home on what is today, the Rock Island Arsenal. There, he hosted meetings where towns were planned, new businesses organized, investors recruited, and a railroad born. The Davenport House became, what one historian has called, "the cradle of the Quad Cities". Davenport was murdered by robbers at his home on July 4, 1845. The house, on the north shore of Arsenal Island, has been restored by the Col. Davenport Historical Foundation and is open for tours. On July 4th, 1845, Colonel Davenport was murdered in his home by a gang of outlaws known as the Prairie Bandits. He was buried a few feet from his home on Arsenal Island in the middle of the Mississippi River in Rock Island County; Rock Island, Illinois. Later he was moved to Chippiannock Cemetery in Rock Island, Illinois.
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July 2020 ..A new book has been written by Gena Schantz titled " The Trader At Rock Island: George Davenport and the Founding of the Quad Cities" The book gives a complete history after 40 year research by the Author.
Author states that ; " his original name was JOHN KING , for some reasons unknown , he changed it when he came to America. Later he was known as "Col. Davenport" , he was never a colonel .∼This monument covers the final resting place for Colonel George Davenport, his wife Margaret, stepdaughter Susan Lewis Goldsmith (who was the mother of his sons) and his son Bailey. The Colonel, a veteran of the War of 1812, came to Rock Island on May 10, 1816, and became a trader with local Native Americans. He was murdered in his home on what is now Arsenal Island on July 4, 1845, while his family was in Rock Island watching holiday festivities. Both the Colonel and his wife were initially buried near the family home, and the Native Americans erected a totem pole near their graves. Later Bailey Davenport had them reinterred at Chippiannock Cemetery, where the monument and stone totem pole were erected. Bailey became many times mayor of Rock Island, was owner of most of Rock Island and thousands of acres elsewhere. He also owned coal mines, stone quarries and banks, and was one of the many organizers of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. He died at his home, "Bailey's Castle," a house of 40 rooms and a block of porches, on January 10, 1890. Davenport, Iowa, across the Mississippi River from Rock Island, is named in honor of this family.
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July 2020 ..A new book has been written by Gena Schantz titled " The Trader At Rock Island: George Davenport and the Founding of the Quad Cities" The book gives a complete history after 40 year research by the Author.
Author states that ; " his original name was JOHN KING , for some reasons unknown , he changed it when he came to America. Later he was known as "Col. Davenport" , he was never a colonel .∼This monument covers the final resting place for Colonel George Davenport, his wife Margaret, stepdaughter Susan Lewis Goldsmith (who was the mother of his sons) and his son Bailey. The Colonel, a veteran of the War of 1812, came to Rock Island on May 10, 1816, and became a trader with local Native Americans. He was murdered in his home on what is now Arsenal Island on July 4, 1845, while his family was in Rock Island watching holiday festivities. Both the Colonel and his wife were initially buried near the family home, and the Native Americans erected a totem pole near their graves. Later Bailey Davenport had them reinterred at Chippiannock Cemetery, where the monument and stone totem pole were erected. Bailey became many times mayor of Rock Island, was owner of most of Rock Island and thousands of acres elsewhere. He also owned coal mines, stone quarries and banks, and was one of the many organizers of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. He died at his home, "Bailey's Castle," a house of 40 rooms and a block of porches, on January 10, 1890. Davenport, Iowa, across the Mississippi River from Rock Island, is named in honor of this family.
