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         The neighborhood of Clarence was first known as Onion Grove, under which name the first post office was established, with Thomas Robinson as Postmaster. The office was first kept at the house of Mr. Robinson, at the grove two miles north of the present village of Clarence, and was supplied by the Tipton, Dubuque and Iowa City mail route. When the first settlers came, there were large quantities of wild onions growing along the banks of Mill Creek and in the timber, from which circumstance was derived the name of Onion Grove, as applied to the timber in that part of Dayton Township.

         In the Fall of 1858, the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad, now known as the Chicago & North-Western Railway, was completed to a point just east of the village, where it stopped for a time. When the road was extended farther west, and the company established a station here, they called it Onion Grove Station. The post office was removed from the grove soon after. Thomas Worden was Postmaster at the time of removal. The first Postmaster after the establishment of Onion Grove Station and the removal of the post office from Worden’s to the station, was J. W. Bonesteel; the second one was Dan. Kinniston; third, L. B. Gere; fourth, G. O. Button. The present incumbent is J. P. Ferguson, who has held the office about seven years.

         When the cars commenced to make regular trips to Onion Grove Station in 1858, an old car, switched off on a side track, was used as a freight and ticket office. William M. Hoey was the first agent. This “make shift” was located east of town, near the McNeil place.

         While the railroad was building, the Iowa Land Company was organized. The purpose of the company was to control the location of stations along the line of the road. When the line of the road was established, Joseph Ball was the owner of the northeast quarter of Section 27, and the entire south half of the same section. About the time the station was established, the Iowa Land Company bought from Mr. Ball the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 27, 40 acres, for town purposes. That forty acres was south of Lombard street. James Laughrey owned the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 22, and Daniel Lesley owned the west half of the southwest quarter of Section 23. These tracts extended north from Lombard street across the railroad track, and were also purchased by the Iowa Land Company. The forty acres above referred to, as purchased from Ball, was subdivided into town lots by the Land Company, as was also a part of the eighty acres purchased from Laughrey. This survey covered the original plat of Clarence.

         In 1865, Fred. Hecht, M.K.H. Reed and A. Piatt bought the balance of the northeast quarter of Section 27, and all of the south half of the same section, and laid off what was known as Hecht’s Addition to the town of Clarence. In 1867, Charles M. Gilbert made an addition to the east side of Clarence, which is known as Gilbert’s Addition. In 1868, L. Phelps also made an addition, which is known as Phelps’ Addition. Besides the above named additions, there are these several others: Huff’s Addition on the northwest; Baumann’s, on the northeast; Phelps’ Triangular Addition, which lies between Lombard street and the railroad track, and Hecht’s Second Addition.

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         The lots laid off on the Laughrey track north of the railroad were never improved. In 1865, L. Phelps contracted with the Iowa Land Company for that part of the three eighty acre tracts lying north of the railroad. Before the deeds were executed, he contracted the west eighty to James Huff, and the deeds were made to Mrs. Huff. The east eighty, with the exception of the part of it south of the railroad, and known as the Phelps’ Triangular Addition, was deeded to George Bauman, leaving Mr. Phelps in possession of all that part of the middle eighty north of the railroad. After the title was confirmed in him, Mr. Phelps petitioned to have that part of it included in the original town plat vacated, which petition was granted, and the land is now used for farming purposes.

         Clarence was named in honor of Clarence, New York, at the suggestion of L. B. Gere, one of the early business men of Onion Grove Station.

         The population is estimated at 800.

VILLAGE GOVERNMENT.

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         The village of Clarence was incorporated under the general laws of the State in the early part of 1866. The first meeting of the Town Board was held on the 8th of May, 1866. The first Mayor was James De Wolf. Since then, the Mayors in succession have been as follows:

         1867, James De Wolf; 1868, Norman Eldridge; 1869, M. K. H. Reed; 1870, J. McMillon, who served three years; 1873, Seth Sylvester; 1874, J. F. Ferguson, who served two years; 1876, Norman Eldredge; 1877, L. M. Johnson, who is now (1878) serving a second term.

         First Board of Aldermen—C. M. Gilbert, E. B. Simmonds, A. W. Bloomburg, B. A. Mink and J. Stone; Geo. McLeod, Recorder; L. H. Knapp, Treasurer; J. P. Ferguson, Marshal.

         Present Board of Aldermen—Thomas Elijah, H. G. Coe, C. F. Warner, George Smith and James Beattie. E. J. Moriarty is City Marshal.

         Since the village was incorporated, there has been a continued struggle between the license and anti-license parties for supremacy in the management of village affairs. The license party have, in a majority of instances, proved successful. The present Board is anti-license.