In 1838, an election was held in order to decide the Scott County seat, which was a political entity before the City of Davenport was actually incorporated in 1839. Both Davenport and Rockingham vied for the honor. Duncan ELDRIDGE, Antoine LeCLAIRE, George DAVENPORT, and other prominent citizens waged a fierce campaign on behalf of Davenport. Both cities imported "legal residents" from surrounding territories.

Duncan and his cronies brought in 6 wagon loads of Dubuque coal miners - Cornish, Welsh, Irish, and German, with the promise of food, whiskey, and a dollar a day.. These were undesirables in character, dress and language. This deal with money and food was more than they were getting.

Each group had it's prejudices against each other and English was not the common language.

On the west side of Rockingham Township were several successful coal mines. The miners often loaded coal in their wagons to sell to Davenporters. [The mines are now filled with successive land owner's garbage]. That part of Scott County was called Jamestown or "Jimtown" and there is still a road with the current county designation and the original Jamestown Road.

Money was still territorial. Blackhawk was anti-white and hated the idea of settlement in his Saukenuk, a well-established village with longhouses, this territory stretching as far north as Wisconsin - this was all part of Wisconsin Territory. Blackhawk was over 6 ft and 240 lbs. Chief Keokuk was pro-white and a highly intelligent individual.

Governor Dodge annulled the elections twice due to "stupendous frauds". The third time . Davenport won.- Rockingham Township was becoming down-in-the-heels. Many people were leaving to make their homes in Davenport because it had become much more enterprising.

By 1860, Davenport's population had grown to 20,000.
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