Blackhawk Township got it’s name from the chief of the Sac and Fox Indians. For many years Blackhawk made his home within the limits of the township.

 The township was originally six square miles with the exception of a few hundred acres cut off from the northwest corner by the mighty Mississippi .   The Rock River ran almost directly through the center of the township. Later the township was divided and the Rock River became the northern border of Blackhawk township and that part of the original township north of the river was named South Rock Island Township .

The first marriage license in the township was issued to Benjamin Goble and Barbara Vandruff on August 22, 1833 . They lived in Black Hawk township for many years.

Joshua Vandruff was an early settler and lived on what was then called Lowell Island later called Vandruff Island . His sons Joshua jr., James, Jacob Henry and John all had farms on the Big Island . Other early settlers included William Dickson and Col. John Dickson. John Dickson was the Justice of the Peace for many years. Others were: James Johnston, G. W. Heflin, James Dickson, Ira Whitehead, N.D. Bradley, Wm Young, Daniel Pinkley, David Brownlee, Garret Davis, John Bulley, Morgan Ferguson, A.L. Buck and N. Bruner.

The township had an abundant supply of coal and wood and was also traversed by the Chicago , Rock Island and Pacific to Peoria and the Cable and Mercer County Branch railroads. It also had an electric car line, connecting Milan , Black Hawk’s WatchTower, Rock Island , Moline and Davenport . The celebrated Hennepin Canal , connecting the Great Lakes and the Mississippi runs through the township.

At one time there three paper mills on the Rock River and two large flouring mills, one was owned by James Johnston and the other owned by the Saers company. Both had burned down.

Blackhawk township was a very prosperous farming township and noted for it’s rich bottom land. It produced very large amounts of corn, hay, apples, grapes, peaches, potatoes and small grains. Farms in that township were very prosperous and considered very valuable.

The south side of the township is made up of beautiful river bluffs and contained underlying veins of coal.

From: Historic Rock Island County

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Illinois Ancestors

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