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Senator Charles E. Grassley
Washington, D.C.
February 25th, 2009
Sesquicentennial Committee
Attn: Connie Kelly
37 Oxford Junction Road
Clarence, IA 52216
Dear Mrs. Kelly:
Congratulations on your 150th Anniversary! I’m proud to add my congratulations to the great town of Clarence, and I look forward to a wonderful celebration. I have many fond memories of your community, and you are well-known for your beautiful parks and the Statue of Liberty. As you know, Clarence also has a proud history, and the small-town spirit and work ethic represents what I like best about Iowa. I applaud the hard work of your committee to put together events for the Sesquicentennial, and am confident it will be a great event. Please pass on my warmest regards to your residents, and please feel free to call on me or my staff if we can assist you in any way. Again, congratulations, and best wishes!
Your Senator,
/s/ Chuck
Chuck Grassley
United States Senate
NOT PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE
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Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515-1502
March 30, 2009
City of Clarence
411 Lombard St.
Clarence, IA 52216
Dear Citizens of Clarence,
Congratulations on your Sesquicentennial! For such a small town, Clarence has an abundance of charm and character for such a small town. Since 1959, the citizens of Clarence have felt a strong sense of community and cooperation. Clarence is a town filled with people proud of their community, state and country.
I join all citizens and friends of Clarence in congratulating you on your Sesquicentennial celebration. I wish you the best of luck in maintain the rich traditions of your community for many years to come.
Sincerely
/s/ Dave Loebsack
Dave Loebsack
Member of Congress
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Certificate of recognition
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Certificate of recognition
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House of Representatives
State of Iowa
Eighty-Third General Assembly
Statehouse
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Clarence community:
Congratulations on your sesquicentennial celebration! What a great milestone for such a wonderful community.
From your roots in Onion Grove to your growth as a railroad town to an anticipated stop along the Lincoln Highway, your community heritage is indeed a proud one.
The history of Clarence and Dayton Township is an important part of the history of Cedar County. As an historian and 7th generation Cedar County citizen, I am proud of you. Long after my career in politics has ended, I will continue to enjoy your hospitality. You are an important part of our county.
As your Representative in the Iowa House, I am proud to follow in the footsteps of Clarence legislators that came before me: Gordon Smith, Edwin Schluter, Earl Elijah, and Merlin Hulse. I will do my best to model their integrity, and I will do my best to ensure that Clarence voices are heard.
Once again, Clarence, congratulations. Your community which is an oasis in Cedar’s rich soil, indeed has a bright future. Your citizens have the spirit of progress.
Sincerely
/s/ Jeffrey A. Kaufmann
Jeffrey A. Kaufmann
Iowa House of Representatives
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Certificate of Recognition
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Town Council
The village of Clarence was incorporated under the general laws of the State in the early part of 1886. The first meeting of the Town Board was held on the 8th of May, 1866. The first Mayor was James DeWolf.
One of the first projects of the municipal government was the purchase of 8 acres north of town and laying out the Clarence cemetery in 1868.
Town Councils change as membership and mayors come and go. However, for many, many years the council meeting was held on the second Tuesday of each month. This changed to the second Monday in January of 1970.
The goals for the present council include the construction of a new water tower. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2009 and should be completed in 2010. Old water and sewer mains throughout the city should be replaced as soon as funds are available.
Future plans also include working on problems with inflow and infiltration in the city sewer system. This may involve inspecting individual drainage systems to assure that storm water is not being diverted into the sanitary sewer.
The council supports the park board’s efforts to develop plans for utilizing the land that was donated by Charles F. Youngker to the city. The addition doubled the size of the park.
The members would also like to encourage the housing development planned just east of Tenth Avenue as well as more businesses in the town.
Picture:
2009 Town Council: L to R: Mayor, Mike Blake, Karen Dennis, Levi VanOort, Bonnie Hunwardsen, Jeric Armstrong, Larry Havel
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Clarence Mayors
| 1866-1867 | James DeWolf |
| 1868 | Norman Eldridge |
| 1869 | M.K.H. Reed |
| 1870-1873 | Joe McMillen |
| 1874 | Seth Sylvester |
| 1874-1875 | J. P. Ferguson |
| 1876 | Norman Eldridge |
| 1877-1879 | T.M. Johnson |
| 1880’s | M.B.Cottrell* |
| | J. P. Ferguson* |
| | Thomas Elijah* |
| 1890’s | J.W. Greig* |
| | F.V. Lord* |
| | A.C. Cartwright* |
| Early 1900’s | Carl Mather* |
| | J.H. Van Wormer* |
| 1903-1910 | J. W. Greig |
| 1910-1912 | S.S. Crittenden |
| 1914-1917 | Hosea Ballou |
| 1918-1924 | Wesley Brink |
| 1924-1930 | Harry Freeman |
| 1930-1938 | Hans J. Klatt |
| 1938-1946 | C.E. Martzahn |
| 1946-1948 | Gordon Smith |
| 1948-1951 | Paul Lohman |
| 1941-Sept. 1959 | Henry Dircks |
| Oct.-Dec. 1959 | Paul Busching |
| 1960-1964 | Henry Von Muenster |
| 1964-1974 | Paul Busching |
| 1974-1986 | Ralph McIntosh |
| 1986-2006 | B. Michael Ellingson |
| 2006-Present | Michael L. Blake |
*The exact dates for terms of office for these mayors could not be determined. Records show these individuals served as mayor during the years listed.
