This ancient town is, next to Delhi, the oldest town in the county.  It is located about in the center of Section 24, on the west bank of the North Fork of the Maquoketa. The town plat, containing forty-six acres, was laid out in 1845 by Oliver A. Olmstead.
     The first settlers were Lucius Kibbee in 1837, and Gilbert D. Dillon in 1839. James Cavanaugh, a blacksmith, settled here about 1843,-and established the second blacksmith shop in the county.  About 1842, Oliver A. Olmstead built a saw-mill on the Maquoketa. In 1843, a log school house was built about a mile east of Olmstead's on the edge of Dubuque County, where the few children in the Kibbee settlement went to school.  In this house the first school was taught in the Winter of 1843-4 by John Keeler.  This was the Rockville school house for some years.  In 1846, the post office of Rockville was established.  It was on the stage road from Dubuque via Delhi to Quasqueton and Independence.  About this time, Mr. Olmstead built a small grist-mill with one run of stones, made of what is termed " lost rock," designed for grinding corn.  During this year, in the Spring, Cyrus Keeler died at Rockville from the effects of taking a dose of saltpeter by mistake, supposing he was taking epsom salts.
     In 1846 or '47, probably the former, John Brown, a brother of Daniel Brown, who settled at Eads' Grove in 1839—40, and a United Brethren preacher, built the first hotel. Prior to this time, Mr. Olmstead had "accommodated" the traveling public in the old log house built by Kibbee.  Mr. Brown's wife died in 1847, and his son and daughter afterward carried on the house. Subsequently _____ Froom built another hotel on the other side of the street, and later Geo. W. Ashburn opened a hotel at Rockville.
     When and by whom the first stock of goods was brought to Rockville cannot now be definitely determined.  It is said that Mr. Olmstead, who owned the mill, also kept a few goods for the accommodation of the settlers.  About the time the town was laid out or soon after, J. M. Custer had a small log store and kept a few goods.  Calvin Sawyer went there at a comparatively early day, and was a trader for a number of years, keeping, it is said, the largest stock and best assortment of goods then in the village. Charles W. Hobbs, from Delhi, removed to Rockville in 1850, and opened a well-stocked store, then the best in town.
     About 1846—7, Rockville began to increase pretty rapidly in importance and population.  It was located on the main traveled road from Dubuque westward, and was one of the stations of the Western Stage Company.  It apparently had a promising future, and was headquarters for balls and parties for the young people of Delaware and the western part of Dubuque Counties.  Late in 1847, Mr. Olmstead, the founder of the town, sold the mills and his other property to Philip Hogan, who in 1848 built an excellent flouring-mill, and from that time until about 1855-6, the town of Rockville was on the top wave of prosperity. 
     The first sermon preached is lost in the obscurity of years.  John Brown preached the first sermon of his denomination here about 1846, and he preached Cyrus Keeler's funeral sermon.  The Methodists probably held religious ser-

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vices prior to that time, and among the earliest were Rev. Mr. Briar and Rev. Mr. Farlow.  The Methodists built a fine church here and occupied it several years, but it was finally taken down, removed and re-erected on Plum Creek.  The removal of this house was the occasion of considerable excitement, and not a little ill feeling.  A brick school house was erected about 1852-3, which still remains.
     In the great flood of 1851, a large portion of the town was submerged.  In this freshet the mills were swept away, but were immediately rebuilt.  About 1851, Judge Dyer started the town of Dyersville, a few miles north of Rockville, on the edge of Dubuque County, and for several years the people of that infant town obtained their mail at Rockville. Delhi also took a start about the same time, and the people of Rockville became exceedingly jealous of these rivals.  It was then a thriving town, had several stores, three hotels, a church, a school house, a number of mechanics, and it did not like to see its prestige threatened.  But when the Dubuque & Pacific Railroad was completed to Dyersville in 1856—7, the stages were taken off, the immense stream of travel that since 1847 had flowed through the town was diverted into another channel.  Rockville suddenly collapsed, and received its final blow when the Dubuque & Southwestern Railroad passed by it on the other side, and the town of Worthington sprang up within three miles of it.
     But little now remains to attest to its former prosperity, except a new stone flouring-mill built several years ago by Mr. Ruddlesdin and now operated by Mr. Georgean.

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