Captain+John+Litch

Original Author: Rick Wenzel, ENG340, FL2011
 * Captain John Litch **

Captain John Litch was an important part of the success of early Davenport, Ia. Many undocumented people walked through the early Quad City area and it may be said that the most famous for the establishment of Davenport, Iowa are Antoine LeClaire and Col. George Davenport. LeClaire is known for many things, but mostly for selling his claim, which eventually became a city, and Col. George Davenport is most known for whom this city was named after. (Downer) These pioneers became Davenport, Iowa's most well known first settlers, but amongst the pioneers present another man stands out in history. The year was 1836, the month was June, and with the summer, “. . .a very important personage arrived. . .” (Downer) That personage being one Capt. John Litch . It could be said humans possess two outlooks on life, that of the pioneer and that of the settler. The settler may see see life as a possession to be carefully guarded. The pioneer may see life as an exciting, explosive, exploration. Many pioneers made their way west and many of them settled in the now Quad City area. The early area was very pleasing to early pioneers. The land looked robust and healthy, full of promise and opportunity. It had a great variety of wood, stone, and soil of richness and plenitude. Good clean, water was in abundance, game was plenty, and the air was pure. This corner of the earth has passed through a most remarkable experience, and became a favorite for those early pioneers and settlers. (Downer) These people did not think of how often it had been under the ice, nor that it had been under the sea. They did not worry that it had been traversed by great rivers, by strange tropical forests, and had many, varied animals of form and size roam over it.

John Litch was an aging sea captain, well on in his years and looking for a place to retire. He hailed from Newburyport, New Hampshire. He came to Davenport “. . .bringing with him all the ingredients of a pioneer whiskey shop, the first introduced upon the soil of Scott county.” (Downer) The more famous men mentioned above may have struck the site for the city, but Capt. Litch brought the comfort of a sought after commodity. He was described as having “. . . been a sea-faring man. . . far advanced in life, [with] a jovial disposition, [being] full of anecdotes and ever ready to toss off a glass of grog with anyone who desired to join him.” (Downer)

He brought with him comfort, and normalcy. He built a log shanty on Front Street, planting the first whiskey shop of Scott county. It became a popular place to quench a thirst. Not only a thirst of whiskey, but of social needs. His saloon was the only place in town for goods and supplies, as well as entertainment and news. Word spread and people visited his log shanty, turned saloon, quite often. The visitations were not only to buy the “. . . necessaries of life, but the professional man, the politician, the claim speculator, the old discharged soldier and the Indian, all met here upon one common level, and talked over all matters of interest, under the balmy influence of the captain's good cheer.” (Hair) For him to meet that social need was more valuable than is given credit for.

Townsfolk thought him eccentric, where he was actually innovative and opportunistic in an entrepreneurial sense. Capt. Litch dealt in “. . .almost anything and everything that came along. . .” (Downer) For example, he would sell many furs such as beaver, otter, wolf, and polecat. His store supplies were such that “. . .he kept everything that could be had from pork and flour down to pumpkins and turnips. . .” (Downer) The greatest attraction, though, was whiskey. The lubricant of conversation, the philosophy generator, putting song in hearts and laughter on lips and contentment warming the eyes. A treasure on the pioneer front, liquid gold. It was a trade good that many sought, helping them cope with the harshness of the new world, helping to forget if only for a small while the tragedies, heartaches, and sorrows that life threw at them. It was sold, drank, and cooked with at his saloon. It was said that Capt. Litch “. . . had such a nice, peculiar way of making the "critter" palatable by various other ingredients that his punches, cobblers, juleps and cocktails, all made from whiskey were much sought after. . .” (Downer)

 It eventually became a favorite place of respite for the politicians and other members of the settlement and those who felt that it was a necessity to use a “. . . little wine for the stomach's sake and their often infirmities.” (Downer) His business was booming and his popularity was high, even if it was said that Capt. Litch did not always live up or uphold the letter of the law. He was taken in hand on more than one occasion by the Board of County Commissioners and for the most part it was because “. . . the matter of license was probably contrary to his convictions of right. . .” (Hair)

Following Capt. Litch's saloon, a tavern/hotel was built, a mill, a general store of sorts in a log cabin with a small stock of goods for sale, and a ferry across the Mississippi. Davenport, Iowa kept growing and in the winter of 1838, it was incorporated by the Legislature. The following spring, April 1, 1839 the first election for township officers was held. Even with Capt. Litch being at odds with the Board of County Commissioners and not meeting every letter of the law, he was elected as one of Davenport's first Trustees. (Hair) To further the growth and progress of Davenport, some of the more notable and influential men of the time gave up certain land lots they owned. One of these notable men was Capt. John Fitch and recorded was the following: “I,. John Litch, agree to give one good, handsome lot in the lower part of Davenport, (in Powers' addition) as soon as Davenport shall be made the county seat.” (Downer)

His log cabin was eventually tore down to make room for more permanent, substantial building so it does not stand today. (Downer) Captain Fitch was a great boon to early Davenport and a great help along the road to its incorporation. His saloon was important and cherished by the early pioneers and settlers. His early foray into the log shanty saloon was an invaluable place where the community could unwind from the stresses of daily life and many people could bond with others they would otherwise never meet or talk to. Many people's lives were made easier, burdens were shed or forgotten in his saloon, conversations flourished there, news traveled to and from there, all from Davenport's first whiskey shop from Captain John Fitch.

The following is a list of interest for the cost to build a new log shanty saloon in 1839 excerpted from his captains log. “His cabin was about 16x20 feet. It was afterwards enlarged.” (Downer) : Cost of the first whiskey shop $386.00 June 30, 1836. Paid Hampton for logs, &c $112.00 Paid for nails and sundries 5.00 For raising 8 logs. 6 beams and sleepers 24.50 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Lime and hauling rock 12.00 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Lumber of Shoals & Eldridge Capt. Shoals and D. C. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Eldridge 14-44 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Lumber of Capt. Qark 24.93 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Carpenters and joiners 63.50 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Nails and liquor 10.00 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Shingles, glass, sash and clear stuff 29.47 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Underpinning and painting, whitewashing, &c 11. 00 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Locks, butts and screws 3. 11 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Horse rack and sawing corners of cabin 6.00 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Digging cellar, planking and timber 1905 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Nov. 16. R. H. Dr. to 4 glasses of whiskey, 25 cents, 4 lbs. salt, 12 cents $ .-yj <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">To 2 glasses whiskey, 12 cents, crackers and herring, 13,. .25 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Dec. 3. To 2 mackerel, 25 cents, i pt. whiskey, 123/2 cents 373 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">To 1qt. whiskey, 25 cents, tobacco, 123/2 cents, 37 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">J. M. Cr. by 1 bbl. flour 13.00 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">By 3 days work, $1 per day, $ 3.00 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Dr. to 4 bbls. of lime, $1.50 per bbl 6.00 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">June 3, 157. Mr. E. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">To 73 muskrats at 22 cents, 4 minks, 25 cents, 16.06 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">To 1 fisher skin, 1 wolf, 1 badger, and 1 coon skin, 22 cents each, <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">88 Cr. by 2 bush, com, at $1.25 per bush 2.50 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">But flour sold as high as $16 per barrel this year; pork 16 cents a pound and <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">corn $2 a bushel. (Downer)


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Works Cited **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Downer, Harry E. “HISTORY OF DAVENPORT AND SCOTT COUNTY IOWA,ILLUSTRATED,VOLUME I.” CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1910 Internet Archive. Web. 11 November 2011. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">HAIR, JAMES T., Ed “Iowa State Gazetteer, Shippers' Guide and Business Directory.” Chicago: Bailey & Hair, 1865. Iowa History Project. Web. 11 November 2011. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">[]

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