NEWHALL'S DESCRIPTION Newhall, in 1841, thus writes in regard to Davenport: "This town was laid out in 1835-6, on a reserve belonging to Antoine LeClaire, Esq.  It is the seat of justice for Scott county, and is situated nearly opposite to the lower end of Rock island, on a handsome elevation, with a beautiful range of sloping hills in its rear.  It is about 350 miles above St. Louis, by water, eighty miles above Burlington, and ninety-five below Dubuque.  The town of Stephenson, on the opposite shore, with the glittering dome of its courthouse, the mouth of Rock river a few miles below, the picturesque and antiquated fortifications on Rock island, with its beautiful villa, the charming residence of LeClaire, the magnificent hotel overlooking the white cottages of Davenport, and the adjacent village of Rockingham-all form a combination of picturesque beauty seldom if ever surpassed.  I have approached this point from all its bearings, and whether viewed from river or bluff, it is like a beauteous picture varied in all its lights and shades.  I well remember the first and lasting impression it produced upon my feelings; it was on a bright, sunny morning in August, in the year 1836; the sun was fast dispelling the glittering dews, and every drooping flower was lifting its smiling crest; on the Iowa shore might be seen occasionally a faily painted warrior of the Sacs and Foxes riding along the heights, his painted form partially exposed to view as his scarlet blanket waved to the breeze, his light feathers and gaudy trappings being in admirable contrast with the verdure-clad hills; then did I feel the utter incompetency to describe so beautiful a scene; then could I have invoked the pencil of the painter, or the pen of the poet. "The distant reader may be skeptical concerning this high-wrought description.  At this I marvel not.  The author is aware of the difficulty of conveying entirely correct ideas of a region to those who have never traveled beyond the threshold of home; especially, in delineating this (in common parlance) land of the 'squatters;' as if, forsooth, the land of song, of Arcadian groves and shady bowers, must needs be in sunny Italy, or classic Greece.  I will, however, add the corroborating testimony of one or two graphic writers, to convince the reader that nature here has been lavish of her beauties as well as her bounties. 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