Rockingham Township is a former civil township in Iowa which was laid out in 1836 in Section 8 of Scott County, Iowa, United States, about four miles below the business section of Davenport. The first government surveyors of 1837 note the existence of a town named Rockingham. It was a rival of its eastern neighbor, Davenport, for several years and contested for the county seat.[1]
The voters of Scott County were responsible for choosing the county seat in the election of 1838. The newly incorporated city of Rockingham, along with neighboring Davenport, were the competitors. After Davenport had seemingly won, cries of fraud were raised following the election, so another election was held in August. This time Davenport, Rockingham and Winfield (Scott) were the competitors. Davenport, however, offered more land, buildings and cash donations than the other two towns and eventually won by default. [3]
The Rockingham Post Office was opened March 11, 1837 and discontinued December 16, 1847 (the same year that the town itself ceased to exist).[1][4]
In 1837, shortly after Scott County was formed Rockingham, and rival neighbor Davenport both campaigned to become the county seat. As stated by the Iowa Territory, the city with the most votes at the February 1838 election, would become the county seat.[5] On the eve of the election, Davenporters secured the temporary service of Dubuque laborers so that they could vote in the election. Davenport won the election. Rockingham supporters however, did not like this. They protested the elections to the territorial Governor. The Governor of the territory refused to certify the results of the election. A second election was scheduled for the following August. To avoid another import of voters, the Governor set a sixty-day residency requirement. Both cities proved to be corrupt as the second election drew near. Davenport, was again the victor, by only two votes.[5] A third election was set by the Territorial Legislature for the summer of 1840. As the August election drew nearer, Rockinghamers grew tired of the county seat cause. Antoine LeClaire's $3,000 contribution, and the efforts of other Davenporters were difficult to challenge. Davenport easily won the third election. To ensure the question of county seat would not arise again, Davenport built the first county courthouse.[5]
Interesting informationedit
Rockingham Township may have been annexed, but a road in Southwest Davenport (the area where the former township once was) carries its name to this day: Rockingham Road.[6]
Geographyedit
The former Township was located in what is now the far Southwestern portion of Davenport, in the "corner" of Interstate 280 and the Rock River.
^Booker, Ray. "Rockingham Road was likely named after township". Quad City Times. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
^"1854 State Census of Iowa - Scott County, All Townships". Scott County Iowa USGenWeb Project. Archived from the original on April 15, 2013. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
^Labath, Cathy. "Scott, IA 1860 Federal Census". USGenWeb Census Project. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
^Labath, Cathy. "Scott, IA 1870 Federal Census". USGenWeb Census Project. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
^Hull, John Albert Tiffin (1883). Census of Iowa for 1880. p. 682. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
^ abThe Iowa Official Register, Volume 16. 1901. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
^"CENSUS: Iowa 1895, Scott, Rockingham Twp". USGenWeb Archives Special Projects. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
^Labath, Cathy. "1905 State Census of Iowa, Scott County, Rockingham Township - Census Register". Scott County Iowa Genealogy. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
^ abTruesdell, Leon Edgar (1931). "Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930: Population". United States. Bureau of the Census. p. 383. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
^. Scott Co, Iowa USGenWeb Project. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2012.
^"1940 Census Enumeration District Descriptions - Iowa - Scott County". OPA - Online Public Access. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
Book Referencesedit
Huebinger, Melchior. Atlas of Scott County, Iowa. Davenport, Iowa: Huebinger Pub. Co, 1919. Print.
Huebinger, Melchior. Atlas of Scott County, Iowa: Containing Also Maps of the Three Cities Davenport, Rock Island, and Moline, Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island Rapids and the Hennepin Canal. Davenport, Iowa: Huebinger Pub. Co, 1894. Print.
Svendsen, Marlys, "Davenport A Pictorial History", (1987) G. Bradley Publishing, INC, ISBN0-940286-05-X
Further readingedit
Plat book of Scott County, Iowa on the "University of Iowa. Iowa Digital Library".
Rockingham Township & Additional Plats on the "University of Iowa. Iowa Digital Library".
Rockingham Township on the "University of Iowa. Iowa Digital Library".
Rockingham Township & Additional Plats on the "University of Iowa. Iowa Digital Library".
Iowa Inventors Database on the "State Library of Iowa".
Directory of the Leading Farmers of Scott County, Iowa-1905 - Rockingham Township Scott Co, Iowa USGenWeb Project
Davenport Library blog with Rockingham Township tagged Davenport Public Library Special Collections blog
January 01, 1970
rockingham, township, scott, county, iowa, rockingham, township, former, civil, township, iowa, which, laid, 1836, section, scott, county, iowa, united, states, about, four, miles, below, business, section, davenport, first, government, surveyors, 1837, note, . Rockingham Township is a former civil township in Iowa which was laid out in 1836 in Section 8 of Scott County Iowa United States about four miles below the business section of Davenport The first government surveyors of 1837 note the existence of a town named Rockingham It was a rival of its eastern neighbor Davenport for several years and contested for the county seat 1 Rockingham TownshipTownshipMap of the old Town of Rockingham laid out by Adrian H Davenport amp J H Sullivan in 1835Coordinates 41 28 57 N 090 38 00 W 41 48250 N 90 63333 W 41 48250 90 63333Country United StatesState IowaCountyScottElevation168 m 551 ft The 11 sq mi 28 km2 of the Township were annexed by and became a part of the City of Davenport on January 22 1958 2 Contents 1 History 1 1 County seat dilemma 1 2 Interesting information 2 Geography 3 Demographics 4 See also 5 Notes 6 Book References 7 Further readingHistory editThe voters of Scott County were responsible for choosing the county seat in the election of 1838 The newly incorporated city of Rockingham along with neighboring Davenport were the competitors After Davenport had seemingly won cries of fraud were raised following the election so another election was held in August This time Davenport Rockingham and Winfield Scott were the competitors Davenport however offered more land buildings and cash donations than the other two towns and eventually won by default 3 The Rockingham Post Office was opened March 11 1837 and discontinued December 16 1847 the same year that the town itself ceased to exist 1 4 County seat dilemma edit Main article History of Davenport Iowa County seat dilemma In 1837 shortly after Scott County was formed Rockingham and rival neighbor Davenport both campaigned to become the county seat As stated by the Iowa Territory the city with the most votes at the February 1838 election would become the county seat 5 On the eve of the election Davenporters secured the temporary service of Dubuque laborers so that they could vote in the election Davenport won the election Rockingham supporters however did not like this They protested the elections to the territorial Governor The Governor of the territory refused to certify the results of the election A second election was scheduled for the following August To avoid another import of voters the Governor set a sixty day residency requirement Both cities proved to be corrupt as the second election drew near Davenport was again the victor by only two votes 5 A third election was set by the Territorial Legislature for the summer of 1840 As the August election drew nearer Rockinghamers grew tired of the county seat cause Antoine LeClaire s 3 000 contribution and the efforts of other Davenporters were difficult to challenge Davenport easily won the third election To ensure the question of county seat would not arise again Davenport built the first county courthouse 5 Interesting information edit Rockingham Township may have been annexed but a road in Southwest Davenport the area where the former township once was carries its name to this day Rockingham Road 6 Geography editThe former Township was located in what is now the far Southwestern portion of Davenport in the corner of Interstate 280 and the Rock River Demographics editHistorical populationsYearPop 1854250 1860204 18 4 1870281 37 7 1880369 31 3 1890201 45 5 1895350 74 1 1900403 15 1 1905527 30 8 1910833 58 1 19201 416 70 0 1930343 75 8 1940620 80 8 Source 7 8 9 10 11 11 12 13 14 14 15 16 See also edit nbsp Iowa portalNotes edit a b Abandoned Towns Villages and Post Offices in Scott County Iowa Scott County History Archived from the original on August 23 2013 Retrieved October 10 2012 The Annexation Vote of 1957 Richardson Sloane Special Collections Retrieved November 6 2012 Scott County History SCOTT COUNTY GOVERNMENT Retrieved September 24 2012 Feature Detail Report for Rockingham Post Office historical USGS Geographic Names Information System GNIS a b c Svendsen p 19 Booker Ray Rockingham Road was likely named after township Quad City Times Retrieved December 13 2013 1854 State Census of Iowa Scott County All Townships Scott County Iowa USGenWeb Project Archived from the original on April 15 2013 Retrieved October 31 2012 Labath Cathy Scott IA 1860 Federal Census USGenWeb Census Project Retrieved October 31 2012 Labath Cathy Scott IA 1870 Federal Census USGenWeb Census Project Retrieved October 31 2012 Hull John Albert Tiffin 1883 Census of Iowa for 1880 p 682 Retrieved August 7 2013 a b The Iowa Official Register Volume 16 1901 Retrieved December 13 2013 CENSUS Iowa 1895 Scott Rockingham Twp USGenWeb Archives Special Projects Retrieved October 2 2012 Labath Cathy 1905 State Census of Iowa Scott County Rockingham Township Census Register Scott County Iowa Genealogy Retrieved October 3 2012 a b Truesdell Leon Edgar 1931 Fifteenth Census of the United States 1930 Population United States Bureau of the Census p 383 Retrieved August 7 2013 Scott IA 1930 Federal Census Extended Index Scott Co Iowa USGenWeb Project Archived from the original on December 13 2013 Retrieved September 24 2012 1940 Census Enumeration District Descriptions Iowa Scott County OPA Online Public Access Retrieved October 30 2012 Book References editHuebinger Melchior Atlas of Scott County Iowa Davenport Iowa Huebinger Pub Co 1919 Print Huebinger Melchior Atlas of Scott County Iowa Containing Also Maps of the Three Cities Davenport Rock Island and Moline Rock Island Arsenal Rock Island Rapids and the Hennepin Canal Davenport Iowa Huebinger Pub Co 1894 Print Svendsen Marlys Davenport A Pictorial History 1987 G Bradley Publishing INC ISBN 0 940286 05 XFurther reading editPlat book of Scott County Iowa on the University of Iowa Iowa Digital Library Rockingham Township amp Additional Plats on the University of Iowa Iowa Digital Library Rockingham Township on the University of Iowa Iowa Digital Library Rockingham Township amp Additional Plats on the University of Iowa Iowa Digital Library Iowa Inventors Database on the State Library of Iowa Directory of the Leading Farmers of Scott County Iowa 1905 Rockingham Township Scott Co Iowa USGenWeb Project Davenport Library blog with Rockingham Township tagged Davenport Public Library Special Collections blog Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rockingham Township Scott County Iowa amp oldid 1190261986, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
