History of Rock Island, (Rock Island County) Illinois United States of America

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Biographies:

Toovay Nelsson Hasselquist, clergyman, was born in Hasslared, Sweden, March 2, 1816; the son of peasants. He was graduated from the College of Kristianstad in 1835, and was a student of theology at the University of Lund. In 1839 he was ordained to the Lutheran ministry and after filling various assistant pastorates he emigrated to the United States in 1852, settling in Galesburg, Ill. In 1863 he became president of the Swedish seminary at Paxton, Ill., and continued in charge of that institution, which, in 1875, was removed to Rock Island under the name of Augustana college and theological seminary. He assisted in founding the Scandinavian Augustana synod and was its president, 1860-70. He travelled extensively in the United States in the interest of Swedish immigrants and in 1870 returned to Sweden for the same purpose. The honorary degree of D.D. was given him by Muhlenberg college, Allentown, Pa., in 1870. He established at Chicago in 1855 and edited Hemlandet det Gamla och det Nya, and in 1856 became editor of Ratta Hemlandet, afterward Augustana och Missionareu, published at Rock Island. He died at Rock Island, Ill., Feb. 4, 1898.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Thomas Jefferson Rodman, ordnance officer, was born in Salem, Ind., July 30, 1815. He was graduated from the U.S. Military academy in 1841 and was breveted 2d lieutenant, and assigned to the ordnance department July 1, 1841. He served at the Allegheny, Pa., arsenal, 1841?48; was promoted 1st lieutenant, March 8, 1847, and supervised the manufacture of cannon at Fort Pitt foundry, Pittsburg, Pa., in 1847. He was ordnance officer stationed at the depots at Camargo and Point Isabel, Mexico, 1847; at Allegheny arsenal, 1848?54; was in command of the Allegheny arsenal, 1854?55; of Baton Rouge arsenal, La., 1855?56, and was promoted captain July 1, 1855, for fourteen years continuous service. He was stationed at Allegheny arsenal, 1857?59; commanded the Watertown arsenal, Mass., 1859?65; superintended the casting of the first 15?inch Columbiad, the 12?inch rifled Rodman gun, and the 20?inch smooth bore, and supervised the casting of all projectiles and ordnance, after an invention of his own, 1864?65. He was promoted major, June 1, 1863, and brevetted lieutenant-colonel, colonel and brigadier general, U.S.A., March 13, 1865, for faithful, meritorious and distinguished services in the ordnance department. He was in command of Rock Island arsenal, Ill., of which he superintended the construction, 1865?71; was promoted lieutenant-colonel, May 7, 1867, and was a member of ordnance and artillery boards, 1865?67. He died in Rock Island, Ill., June 7, 1871.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Adelbert Rinaldo Buffington, soldier, was born at Wheeling, Va., Nov. 22, 1837. He was graduated at the United States military academy in 1861, and was assigned to duty as drill master of volunteers at Washington, D. C. He was on duty at the St. Louis arsenal as assistant ordnance officer and in mustering volunteers in Illinois and Missouri. He defended Pilot Knob, Mo.; was assistant adjutant-general of the 5th division, army of the west; organized a Missouri regiment from the men in the arsenal, of which he was made colonel, and afterwards had charge of the ordnance depot at Wheeling, W. Va. From September, 1863, to July, 1864, he was inspector of rifling seacoast cannon, and from July, 1864, to September, 1865, was in command of the New York arsenal. After the close of the war he was on leave of absence inspecting arms for the Egyptian government until April, 1866, when he was in charge of the ordnance depot at Baton Rouge, La., and then became chief of ordnance, department of the Gulf. After March, 1867, he was in command of the 5th military district, Texas and Louisiana, until 1868, when he commanded the Watertown arsenal. He was at the Detroit arsenal from December, 1870, to February, 1872; was superintendent of southern forts, February, 1872, to May, 1873; in charge at Indianapolis arsenal, 1878 to '75; promoted major of ordnance June 23, 1874, after which he had charge of the Allegheny and Watervliet arsenals until 1881, when he was promoted lieutenant-colonel and placed in charge of the national armory Oct. 3, 1882. He was in command at the Rock Island, Ill., arsenal in 1896. Colonel Buffington made numerous inventions in the line of ordnance attachments and improvements, including a magazine firearm, a rod bayonet, a rear sight with adjustment for fine shooting for military firearms, and carriages for light and heavy guns. He was the first to use gas furnaces for drop forging. He became chief of the ordnance department with the rank of brigadier-general, April 15, 1899, and resigned in 1901.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor