Our first burying place was in a corner of a field on the Cook farm, on the north side of the Rockingham road, nearly opposite the west end of the present Davenport City cemetery.  This was used but a short time.  The next burying place was at the corner of Sixth and LeClaire streets.  It was a miserable section and was soon abandoned.  I officiated as pallbearer on two occasions while we buried there.  The first was the burial of Judge Mitchell's father.  It being early spring, we found the grave half full of water and had to wait until it was bailed out.  But the water came in so fast that the coffin was nearly covered before we could fill the grave.  The other was a Dr. Emerson, who died in the LeClaire House, and was the owner of the celebrated slave, Dred Scott. Our next burial place was the present Davenport City cemetery.  The writer and a few other gentlemen, not considering this location desirable (it being too near the rapidly growing city), nor the extent of the grounds sufficient for the purpose, and seeing the need of a city for the dead, combined to secure one that would be a credit to the city when we were dead and gone.  It resulted in Oakdale, particulars of which will be given hereafter. About this time, the first newspaper was established in Davenport.  It was called the Iowa Sun.  Andrew Logan was editor and proprietor.  He worked hard to bring the town into notice, with his puffs and marvelous stories of our prolific soil.  On my claim was a little piece of ground, some four or five acres, which had been broken up and fenced before I bought.  That I immediately planted and raised the best garden in the county.  The two lads, my brothers, Lewis and David, seeing the wonderful accounts in the Iowa Sun of the productions of other parts of the county, determined to outdo them.  We raised in those days that king of potatoes, the Neshenocks.  It was a large potato, with numerous prongs.  Selecting some half dozen of the largest, the boys fastened them together with dowels, or wooden pins.  When I came home at night they brought it to me. "See what we dug today!" they said.  "Don't that beat anything the Iowa Sun has published?" I replied, "I think it does.  What a monster!" I was completely "sold."  I said I would take it up in the morning and give it to Mr. Logan.  The next issue of the Iowa Sun did full justice to the wonderful production, defying any other soil to produce its equal.  The editor said if any one thought it an exaggeration, the skeptic could call and see the monster, as it was hanging up in his office, where he should keep it a few weeks on exhibition, after which he proposed to try its eating qualities.  About two weeks later, during which time the prize potato had been examined by hundreds, our fellow citizen, John Forrest, took hold of it, and noticed that one prong was wrong end foremost.  So he pulled it apart and the trick was exposed.  Had the boys not made that mistake the potato would doubtless have been cooked before the joke was discovered.  It created a vast amount of fun and a big laugh at the expense of the Iowa Sun.  It is said that Mr. Logan abstained from eating potatoes for over a month. After the discovery, Mr. Forrest hastened up town to my store.  He said:  "Burrows, they have a big joke on you down town about that big potato."  He then told me what had occurred.  I told him I was "sold" with the rest, for I knew nothing about it.  He advised me to keep away from Logan for a few days, or I would lose my scalp. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Debbie Clough G-erischer G-erischer Family Web Site http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/ Assistant CC, Iowa Gen Web, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ List Manager for: IASCOTT-L * G-erischer-L * D-encker-L Fitzpatirck-L * V-lerebome-L * Huntington-L * Otis-L * Algar-L EIGS-L * Pickens-L * McNab-L * Patris-L - Rankin-L