On a recent trip through Burlington to Wapello, I spotted a road sign which pointed to "Tama Beach" along Route 99, not far north of US 34. Perhaps that was the site of the original settlement.

Also, I received the following through an email from Lynn Kopatich -

"I found several references to Tamatown in the Dan Dustman 1978 (or so ) book, Times to Remember, Benton Twp. Rural.

There is a story about an 1894 triple drowning in the Mississippi of 3 men from Tamatown, telling that all were members of the M.E. Church at Tama. The names of those who drowned were Silas Walker, Martin Walker, son of Silas, and Thomas H. Walker.

There are also several references to Tamatown men playing baseball against Oquawka men, as well as going through Tamatown, then Stony Hollow to go fishing.

According to the book, Benton township was originally named Tama and changed to Benton in 1842. "The township was divided by the bluff into what was called Lower and Upper Tama Town Prairie. It is said that Lower Tama Town was located on the east side of Route 99 or toward the river. Upper Tama town was later known as the Walker settlement. The story being that the people flooded out of Lower Tama moved up to the high bluffs and called it Upper Tama Town."

"South of the (Yellow Spring) creek was called Tamatown or the Walker settlement, West of the Walker area was Latty."

"A territorial road ran in a northwesterly direction from Tamatown. Along it the early settlers made their homes. Among them were names of Latty, Cornic, Eads, Penny, Pool, Howard, Jackson, Steinrod and a Walker family from Virginia."

As I read this, it is in Benton Twp. where the Walker settlement is today. Looks like Sections 21, 22, 27, 28 area."