1870 ~ First Mason City Government Organized

MASON, LLOYD, RANDALL, VERMILYA, TUTTLE, WALLEN, BENTON, VALENTINE, KEERL, PARKER, KNAPP, HENDERSON, PRATT, DOUD, SHEPPARD, DOUGAN, GOODYKOONTZ, HARTSHORN, FRINK, HERRICK, DAKIN, MILLER, CADWELL, HAZEN, DENISON, WILBER, HOXIE, STILSON, HUDSON, GLASS, KIRK, TIFFANY, LUCAS, RULE, GRIFFIN, WARBASSE, CLIGGITT, LEE

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 11/18/2014 at 12:10:13

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Monday, June 01, 1953
Mason City Centennial, Section 3

1870: FIRST CITY GOVERNMENT ORGANIZED

[Section 3, Page 13] Mason City's municipal government dates from 1870. From that date to this the records of the decisions of the city fathers is shown in a whole shelf full of minute books at the city hall.

That year had other reasons for being significant. It brought Mason City's second railroad, the Central Railway of Iowa, making Mason City, even at that early stage, a railroad center.

Mason First Mayor

In January, 1870, the first city fathers took office with Darius B. Mason as mayor and E. R. Lloyd, Elisha Randall, George Vermilya, A. B. Tuttle and W. Wallen, as trustees. Mason had come to Iowa in 1858, settling first in Butler and later in Floyd County before coming to Mason City.

It was evident that the village government drew men who were leaders in the community.

In the regular election the next spring A. B. Tuttle was elected mayor and the following trustees: A. J. Benton, Randall, J. H. Valentine, Henry Keerl, and H. G. Parker. A year later W. W. Knapp succeeded to mayorship with E. R. Lloyd, George Henderson, Parker, E. J. Pratt and Vermilya.

Elected each year up to the time the village became a city of the second class were the following:

1872 - 1873: W. W. Knapp, mayor; trustees, E. R. Lloyd, E. D. Doud, E. J. Pratt, W. C. Sheppard, J. M. Dougan, W. C. Sheppard resigned April 8, 1872, and F. M. Goodykoontz was appointed to fill in his place.

1873 - 1874: B. F. Hartshorn, mayor; trustees, E. G. Frink, George L. Herrick, Benjamin Randall, J. B. Dakin, A. J. Miller.

1874 - 1875: B. F. Hartshorn, mayor; trustees, J. B. Dakin, E. J. Pratt, Benjamin Randall, G. S. Herrick, A. J. Miller.

Dakin Re-Elected
1875 - 1876: J. B. Dakin, mayor; trustees, E. R. Lloyd, George L. Herrick, J. H. Valentine, O. T. Denison, John Pratt.

1876 - 1877: J. B. Dakin, mayor; trustees, J. H. Valentine, L. F. Cadwell, Henry Keerl, L. S. Hazen, O. T. Denison.

1877 - 1878: R. Wilber, mayor; trustees, E. Hoxie, J. M. Dougan, W. B. Stilson, John Lee, James V. Parker. James V. Parker removed from the city and July 2, 1877, J. M. Hudson was elected to fill the vacancy.

1878 - 1879: John D. Glass, mayor; trustees, E. R. Lloyd, Henry Keerl, George L. Herrick, B. P. Kirk, D. M. Tiffany.

1879 - 1880: W. V. Lucas, mayor; trustees, Henry Keerl, James Rule, W. W. Knapp, Edward Griffin, George L. Herrick, Edward Warbasse.

1880 - 1881: John Cliggitt, mayor; trustees, O. T. Denison, John Lee, G. L. Herrick, Henry Keerl, James Rule, E. Griffin.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, November of 2014