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         The first organization and incorporation of Tipton took place in 1852. It must have been under special charter, although no records of this incorporation are to be found, from the fact that the councilmen never met to organize.

         The Advertiser of July 22, 1854, says:

         We are now on the second year of our town incorporation, and as yet, nothing has been done by the councilmen, not even as much as to organize themselves to do business. We suffered the incumbency of one set of town officers for about fourteen long months without even organizing. At our last town election, we changed hands on our Board of Town Supervisors, and hope we have profited by the bargain, but as yet we have no assurance that they will do any better than the old ones as they have not organized.

         From the Advertiser of Wednesday, Aug. 15, 1855, the following is taken:

         At the first meeting of the new Town Council of Tipton, held last Monday, J. W. Cattell was elected President, and George Bagley, Clerk. At a meeting on Saturday evening, Messrs. S. S. Daniels and Spicer were appointed a Committee to prepare a revised charter.

         This was probably Tipton’s first active Council.

         In November, 1855, the people voted against the adoption of a city charter, for Tipton, but voted favorably two years later.

         The town of Tipton was incorporated January 27, 1857, subject to an act of the General Assembly, approved January 27, 1857. An election was held February 28, 1857, to determine whether the voters would accept and act under the special charter as before stated. Joseph K. Snyder was appointed Judge of said election, and Geo. Bagley, Clerk. The record does not show whether the election resulted in the adoption of the charter or not, but several citizens are inclined to the opinion that it was adopted, as town officers were elected the following April.

         In 1865, the old charter was abandoned and Tipton was incorporated under the general law of the State relating to incorporations.

         The following quotations are made from the Council records of May 5, 1865:

         On motion, a Committee of two were appointed to circulate a petition for signatures of those in favor of abandonment of the present charter, and an organization under the general incorporation law. Committee, Messrs. Parsons and Smith.

         At the next meeting, May 9th, 1865, a petition signed by fifty-six legal voters of Tipton was presented and read, requesting the abandonment of the present charter and coming under the “Act for the Incorporation of Cities and Towns.” It was therefore:

         Resolved, And directed, that a special election be held at the Court House in said town of Tipton on the 2d day of June, 1865, between the hours of 1 o’clock P.M. and 5 o’clock P.M., at which election the question of abandoning the charter of said town and coming under the general law for the incorporation of cities and towns, should be decided.

         At the council meeting, June 5, 1865, the returns of the election held on the 2d inst. were presented and after being canvassed by the Council, the following resolution was adopted:

         WHEREAS, We have this day canvassed the votes cast at the election held on the 2d day of June, 1865, and find that thirty-seven votes were cast, of which thirty-six were “in favor of abandonment,” and one vote “against abandonment.” Therefore,

         Resolved, That we do hereby declare that the original charter of the town of Tipton is abandoned, and order that the returns of the election be entered on the journal.

         Incorporation under the general law probably followed immediately, although the records fail to indicate any such action.

         Below are given the officers of Tipton, commencing with the first election:

         For 1857, Mayor, George Schmucher; Councilmen, S. J. Crew, Mustoe Chambers, Henry Bagley, N. C. Millhouse, Joshua Maynard and Joseph K. Snyder; Recorder, Davis McCarn.

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         For 1858, Mayor, C. Curtis; Councilmen, S. E. Gunsalos, J. Maynard, Henry Reichert, S. J. Crew, S. W. Young and William Elliott; Treasurer, A. Shaw; Marshal, Jos. Walters; Assessor, A. Piatt; Recorder W. H. Tulloss.

         For 1859, Mayor, W. Hammond; Councilmen, B. F. Pawling, H. G. Coe, Wm. Fraseur, Wm. Haskins, William Elliott, Wm. P. Cowan; Marshal, William Fraseur; Recorder, J. W. Casad.

         For 1860, Mayor, S. P. Daniels; Councilmen, B. F. Pawling, H. C. Piatt, P. D. Turner, S. W. Young, Geo. Schumacker, N. C. Millhouse; Treasurer, John Culbertson; Recorder, John S. Tuthill; Marshal, E. W. Neiman; Assessor, P. W. Neiman.

         For 1861, Mayor, S. P. Daniels, councilmen, B. F. Pawling, W. Hammond, J. G. Schumucker, H. V. Smith, N. C. Millhouse, A. C. Parsons; Marshal; O. W. Porter; Recorder, G. P. Ingman; Treasurer, S. W. Young; Assessor, John Whan.

         For 1862, Mayor, J. K. Snyder; Councilmen, W. P. McNamara, S. Long, Jr., J. F. Muzzy, H. V. Smith, R. Swartzlander; Recorder, E. W. Clark; Treasurer, S. W. Young.

         For 1863, same as 1862.

         For 1864, Mayor, William Elliott; Councilmen, W. S. Childs, S. P. Daniels, David Platner, O. H. Perry, J. T. Taylor; Recorder, S. Yates; Treasurer, John S. Tuthill; Marshall, Thomas Godden.

         For 1865, Mayor, S. S. Daniels; Councilmen, H. C. Piatt, L. D. Ingman, H. V. Smith, Jas. L. Rowell, Wm. H. Hammond, Austin Parsons; Recorder, John S. Tuthill; Treasurer, J. K. Snyder; Assessor , Henry Reigart; Marshal, Thomas Godden.

         For 1866, Mayor, John S. Tuthill; Councilmen, W. H. Alden, Wm. Dean, Samuel Wirick, Wm. Elliott, J. T. Taylor; Recorder, Henry Reigart; Assessor, B. Wilhelm; Marshal, Nelson Orton.

         For 1867, Mayor, William Elliott; Councilmen, J. E. Boynton, J. Focht, L. L. Sweet, Wm. Dean, J. W. Bull; Recorder, S. L. Smith; Assessor, Wm. H. Hammond; Marshal, ___________.

         For 1868, Mayor, George W. Smith; Councilmen, W. H. Hammond, Henry Reigart, Joshua Spence, Alvin Thayer, O. P. Lineweaver; Recorder, S. S. Daniels; Assessor, O. P. Lineweaver; Marshal, Nelson Orton.

         For 1869, Mayor, H. C. Carr; Councilmen, S. V. Landt, J. H. Ripley, J. H. Reichert, W. H. Morrow, ______ Bayler; Recorder, Charles Longley; Assessor, J. W. Boyd; Marshal, Patrick Carlin.

         For 1870, Mayor, J. W. Bull; Councilmen, G. W. Geller, Samuel Wampler, R. Swartzlander, O. W. Porter, Jesse James; Recorder, R. W. Starr; Assessor, J. W. Boyd; Marshal, Amos Wisener.

         For 1871, Mayor, O. W. Porter; Councilmen, W. H. Hammond, George W. Geller, R. Swartzlander, E. H. Pound, Jas. L. Rowell; Recorder, Ralph J. Kirk; Assessor, George W. Smith; Marshal, Capt. J. F. Sanford.

         For 1872, Mayor, O. W. Porter; Councilmen, R. Swartzlander, James Rowell, Samuel E. Wetzel, A. Shaw, H. C. Carr; Recorder, R. W. Starr; Treasurer, S. E. Wetzel; Marshal, Capt. J. F. Sanford.

         For 1873, Mayor, S. Yates; Councilmen, J. H. Reichert, L. D. Ingman, R. Swartzlander, Jas. L. Rowell, Chas. Millhouse; Recorder, Chas. L. Longley; Assessor, Alonzo Holtslander; Marshal, Capt. J. F. Sanford.

         For 1874, Mayor, S. Yates; Councilmen, L. D. Ingman, J. H. Reichert, A. Holtslander, George W. Geller; Recorder, Chas L. Longley; Assessor, J. O. Wescott; Treasurer, L. D. Ingman; Marshal, Capt. J. F. Sanford.

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         For 1875, Mayor, S. Yates; Councilmen, H. C. Piatt, Chas. Hammond, A. Bagley, W. Shearer, J. D. Shearer; Recorder, R. H. Kirk; Assessor, A. P. Fleming; Treasurer, R. Pritchard; Weigh Master, Geo. W. Geller.

         For 1876, Mayor, S. V. Landt; Councilmen, R. Pritchard, H. C. Carr, H. C. Piatt, H. W. Fields, J. F. Sanford; Recorder, S. Y. Yates; Assessor, J. D. Shearer; Treasurer, Chas. Hammond; Marshal, N. C. Millhouse.

         For 1877, Mayor, S. V. Landt; Councilmen, J. D. Shearer, R. Swartzlander, H. C. Carr, H. W. Fields, W. H. Van Ness; Recorder, S. Y. Yates; Assessor, Adney Langham; Treasurer, Chas. Hammond; Marshal, N. C. Millhouse.

         For 1878, Mayor, S. V. Landt; Councilmen, W. Gilmore, C. W. Hawley, H. Sherwood, Chas. Hammond, H. C. Piatt; Recorder, H. R. Porter; Assessor, A. Langham; Marshal, A. B. Oleson.

         In 1877, the City Council caused to be built a two-story brick building, the second story of which is used as the Council Chamber, while the first story contains the fire engine. It is located on the corner of Fifth and Linn streets.

FIRE DEPARTMENT.

         At the session of the City Council, December 7, 1874, a petition was presented, signed by a large number of citizens, praying that the City Council make some arrangements for procuring fire engines to protect life and property in case of fire. Accordingly, the Council purchased one of the Champion Fire Extinguisher Company’s chemical fire engines. The engine was a No. 3 Champion, costing $2,000. The trial of the engine took place in March, 1875, proved satisfactory, and was accepted. H. C. Piatt, Chairman of the committee appointed to secure a building in which to keep the engine and apparatus, reported that the Committee had rented the Taylor building (now Van Pelt’s barber shop). William Dean was appointed Chief of the Fire Department for one year.

         The west twenty-six feet of lots 7 and 8, block 10, were purchased for $300, of Smith Bros., on which to build an engine house. August 10, 1877, the Committee on Public Lands and Property were instructed to proceed to the erection of an engine house according to the plans of A. C. Allen.

         H. W. Field, J. D. Shearer and R. Swartzlander constituted the committee. The building was accepted March 2, 1878. The present officers and members are: Foreman, William Dean; Assistant Foreman, James Ripley; Secretary, Charles L. Longley; Treasurer, Henry Sherwood; G. S. Fleming, Demus Welch, Ed. Collins, S. D. Casad, Alonzo Stafford, William Hamm, John Fergusson and John Pritchard.