Rock Island County, Illinois Genealogy Trails

Cordova Township History
Portrait and Biographical album of Rock Island County, Illinois; 1885 Transcribed by Candi H. 2009

Cordova lies in the extreme northeast of the county. It is a fractional township. The first settlement was made in 1836 by Herdman East, who located on the site of the present village. Among those living here in 1838, as remembered by J. S. Phillips, one of the pioneers of that year, are the following named:
Nelson Tripp, Chauncy M. Tripp, Wm. Kelley, Dudy Buck, Peter Beardsley, Albram G. Adams, Wm. Armstrong, Jeremiah Rice, Robert Jenks, Wm. Jenks, John Marshall, Dr. Thomas Baker, Benoni Haskins, A. Whiting, Amazi Rathburn, Guy W. Rathburn. Each of these had families.

The Tripps were from New York. After remaining here some 15 years they moved to Iowa. Wm. Kelley moved to Rock Island and there died.
Dudy Buck moved to Albany and was among the killed in the tornado of June, 1860. The whereabouts of Peter Beardsley is not known.
A. G. Adams died here a few years ago. Wm. Armstrong moved south of the village of Port Byron, and has since died.
Jeremiah Rice died during the first decade.

In 1838 Wm. Marshall, Sr., and family, Mrs. Elizabeth Cool and family, Jerry L. Cool and family, Joseph R. Sexton and family, and J. S. Phillips in all,
20 persons moved into the township, and located near the village of Cordova. Of the 20 persons 12 are still living.

A child of Benoni Haskins is supposed to have been the first death, dying in 1838. It was buried on the hill back of the village.
Hugh Daily, who died about 1839, is supposed to have been the second.

Nathaniel Belcher and Miss Jenks and Joseph Mills and Miss Jenks were among the first married.

The first school was probably taught by D. Baker in his own house. Fidelia Rathburn was also among the early teachers.

The township is quite rough and broken, though there are some fine farms. One on the principal industries is that of the manufacture of lime, which is
carried on quite extensively, there being several large kilns owned by the Port Byron Lime Company.

For the year ending June 30, 1885, the County Superintendent of Schools reported 342 persons under 21, of whom 284 were of school age, 250 being enrolled in the public schools. There were five school districts, with one brick and four frame school-houses, valued at $1,050. The highest wages paid were $80 per month, while the lowest were $20.

From the abstract of assessments for 1885, the following facts are obtained: There were 9,616 acres of improved and 5,481 acres of unimproved
land, with a total valuation of $119,177 ; town lots, $31,219. Of houses there are 362; neat cattle, 877; mules and asses, to; sheep, 60; hogs, 589; steam engines, 2; billiard tables, 1; carriages and wagons, 157 ; watches and clocks, 150; sewing and knitting machines, 112; pianos, 14; melodeons and
organs, 29. Total value of all personal property, $45,812.

The township was organized in 1857, since which the following named have served as members of the
Board of Supervisors :
George Marshall 1857
Jacob Hoke 1858-9
James M . Cowles 1860
Jacob Hoke 1861
J Q. Wynkoop 1862-4
Jacob Hoke 1865
I. L. Perkins 1866-9
James E Abbott 1869
R. M. Grinnell 1870-6
Jonathan Cool, Jr. 1877
Daniel Zimmerman 1878-81
J. Hoke 1882
Simon Trent 1883
Chas. B. Fisk 1884


Village of Cordova.

The Village of Cordova was laid out in 1837 by John Marshall and Dr. Thomas Baker.
These gentlemen each erected a house, being the first on the village plat. Dr. Baker suggested the name given the village.
The postoffice was not established here until 1839, Marshall receiving the appointment. S. J. Whitford is the present Postmaster.

Wm. Marshall was probably the first merchant here, commencing business shortly after the laying out of the village.
John Marshall kept the first hotel in the first house erected by himself.

The first ferry was run by Israel Atherton. The first steam ferry was run by John Walker.
In 1853 Brigham & Marshall erected the first grist-mill in the place.
Cordova was most prosperous the five years preceding the war, at which time quite an extensive business was done here. Like all river towns that
have not become manufacturing points, the railroad has been no advantage to it. At the present time its business is limited, though almost all branches are well represented. There are four general stores, one grocery store, two drug stores, one restaurant, two blacksmith shops, two shoe shops, two wagon
shops, one meat market, two grain-buyers, two stock buyers, with occasionally others, two physicians and one lawyer.

The first school in the village is said to have been taught by Dr. Thomas Baker in his own house. At present there is a good school-house, a thoroughly graded school with three departments. Prof. Vandusen is Principal, with Miss Phillips in the intermediate and Miss Grinnell in the primary department.
The school-house was built in 1863, at which time the schools were conducted under the common school laws of the State. They were so conducted
until Feb. 16, 1865, when a special charter was obtained, placing the control of the schools in the hands of a board of education, composed of six
members, two of whom were elected each year to serve three years. The school has been conducted under this charter till the present time.

The Baptist Church of Cordova was organized Dec. 28, 1843, under the supervision of Rev. J. N. Seeley, with a membership of 16, among whom were J. R. Sexton, Mahala Sexton, J. L and Margaret Cool, A. S. and Mary A. Ege. A small church building was erected in 1844, which served its purpose until 1858, when a more pretentious building was erected, at a cost of $8,000. The Church has been quite prosperous, is the parent of two other organizations, and has given several persons to the ministry.

Cordova Lodge, No. 543, A. F. & A. M., was chartered Oct. 1, 1867, with 17 members — D. H. Mattice, W. M. ; John K. Glasscock, S. W. ; Orville N. Whitford, J. W. The lodge has been fairly prosperous, and is in good working condition. The present membership is 30, with the following-named officers : W. R. Freek, W. M. ; W. D. Webster, S. W. ; J. M.
Heany,  J. W. ; R. C. Cool, Treasurer ; William Cool, Secretary; C. B. Marshall, S. D. ; W. E. Heany, J. D. ; C. A. Phillips, Tyler. There has been but one death among its membership.

Cordova Lodge, No. 79, A. O. U. W., was organized May 11, 1877, with 28 charter members: Jere Bryan, P. M. W. ; Robert Johnson, M. W. ; F. A. Hall, G. F. ; Henry W. Rathbun, O.; William D. Webster, Recorder; Howard Myers, Financial Secretary ; A. Bolinger, Receiver; Daniel T. Pinneo, G. ; Charles E. Bell, I. W. ; Samuel Slocum, O. W. The present membership is 33. One has died, William G. Wendt. The present officers are : C. B. Marshall, M. W. ; John F. Simpson, G. F. ; D. J. Durbin, O.; R. C. Cobb, Receiver; W. D. Webster, Financial Secretary ; D. T. Pinneo, Recorder.

Burr Oak Camp, No. 33, was organized in the spring of 1884. with 62 charter members. Its first officers were W. R. Freek, Consul; C. A. Phillips,
Adviser; S. J. Whitford, Banker; George B. Spoor, Clerk. Meetings are held fortnightly. The camp now numbers 65. with the following-named officers: W. R. Freek, Consul; L. H. Gardner, Adviser; S. J. Whitford, Banker; George B. Spoor, Clerk. The The camp have about $300 in the treasury, and a nicely furnished hall.

A petition for incorporation was filed March 16, 1867, and an election was held to vote upon the question. It was voted down; but in 1877 the
question was again submitted and adopted. The first Board of Trustees were elected in April, and on the 23d day of the same month it was duly organized.
The following named composed the first Board:
Daniel Zimmerman, President;
Thomas Karr, J. B. Vandeburgh, W. D. Webster, A. Bolinger, F. A. Hall,  Trustees;
Theodore Abbott, Clerk.
The following named have served as President of the Board :
William Johnson, 1878
William Shew, 1879-81
John B. Vandenburg, 1882-84
Edgar Humphrey, 1885.
 

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