Sunday, February 8, 2 p.m.
German American Heritage Center, 712 West Second Street, Davenport IA
Davenport, Iowa, boasts a surprisingly scandalous past, and on February 8, author D. Ezra Sidran, PhD, will reveal the city’s hidden history at the German American Heritage Center. The presentation, part of the venue’s “Kaffee und Kuchen” series, stems from Sidran’s recently published book, My Wicked Hometown: The Hidden History of Davenport, Iowa, and promises to challenge everything you thought you knew about the town.
A Colonel’s Dubious Legacy
Discover the surprising and often unsettling truth behind the founding of Davenport, Iowa, and the man for whom it’s named.
- The man known as Colonel George Davenport was likely born John King and may have only achieved the rank of sergeant.
- He married a widow with children and subsequently fathered children with his stepdaughter.
- Allegations include relationships with his cook and “a number of Indian children.”
- Colonel Davenport was murdered in 1845, and three men were publicly hanged for the crime.
Sidran begins his book with a provocative statement: “Any citizen of Davenport can tell you that our town was named after Colonel George Davenport. They might not know much else of the city’s history, but that they are pretty sure of. Unfortunately, much of what they think they know is wrong.” The truth, as Sidran uncovers, is far more complex and unsettling.
The celebrated “Colonel” was, in fact, born John King in Lincolnshire, England. He changed his name after arriving in America, before appearing at Fort Armstrong (now the location of the Rock Island Arsenal, situated between Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island, Illinois). He married Margaret Lewis, a widow 17 years his senior, who already had two children, William and Susan. The narrative takes a dark turn as Sidran details Davenport’s relationship with his stepdaughter, Susan, resulting in the birth of George L’Oste Davenport in 1817 and Bailey Davenport in 1823.
The alleged improprieties didn’t end there. Sidran’s research suggests Davenport also fathered a child with his cook, Mathilda Barrett, described as “mulatto,” who grew up in the household. Furthermore, he is presumed to have fathered “a number of Indian children as well.” Despite these scandalous relationships, the Davenport family lived together on an island in the Mississippi River until the Colonel’s violent end.
On July 4, 1845, Colonel Davenport was murdered by a group of men. John Long, Aaron Long, and Granville Young were convicted and publicly hanged in Rock Island, Illinois, before an estimated crowd of 4,000 people.
Sidran characterizes Davenport not as the idyllic “River City” of The Music Man fame, but as a “hardscrabble river town where fleecing the rubes was business as usual.” His wife, Kelly, aptly describes it as “River City funky—a special kind of funky.”
How Davenport Became the Wickedest City in America will be presented at the German American Heritage Center on February 8. Refreshments will be served at 1:30 p.m., with the program beginning at 2 p.m. Admission is free for Heritage Center members and $8 for non-members. More information is available by calling (563)322-8844 or visiting GAHC.org.
