Reflections of Lamoni - l879 to l979
The Lamoni Chronicle; Volume 20 Special Issue.
Centennial Edition.
April, l980

No history of nation, state or city is complete without a story of its government, and its chief executive. For this reason semi-centennial stories about Lamoni must include something in the way of a biography of its first mayor, who was MOSES MCHARNESS.

In pioneer days the business of being mayor was a side line only. Men labored ten hours a day at their regular occupation to make a living, and attended to the mayor's office at odd times, or when something special arose to demand their attention. So it happened that the only picture available of Mayor MCHARNESS was one taken while he was at work as a mason, helping to build the brick church in Lamoni.

The town of Lamoni was started in l879 when the railroad was put through, the site being selected, a number of houses built and several business places erected during that year, but it remained a village until l885, when by vote of the citizens it was incorporated into a town, and a town government established. A temporary mayor and council were chosen to act until the following March, l866, when the first regular election was held.

At this election MOSES MCHARNESS was chosen from the members of the temporary council to serve as mayor of Lamoni.

MR. MCHARNESS was one of the earliest settlers in this part of Iowa. He came to Fayette Township in the fall of l876, and bought a farm of 60 acres which he tilled until the year l88l, when he moved to Lamoni, two years after it was founded.

MR. MCHARNESS was 62 years old when he took upon his shoulders the arduous task, though great honor bestowed upon him by the citizens of the new town. He had been and continued to be one of the foremost citizens in the building up of the town from both a material and a moral standpoint. He laid the first stonework in the new town and built the first chimney. In the earliest years MR. MCHARNESS owned and rented several houses, some of which are still in use as dwellings. During his administration as mayor he lent his influence to the enactment of such laws as were in keeping with the moral status of the town, and the development of a clean, prosperous community.

MR. MCHARNESS was a native of England, born in Lincolnshire, July 3l, l824. He was left to care for himself early in life and during his life followed the occupation of farming and gardening. He was married in l845 to MISS SUSANNA FOREMAN. Seven children were born to them, one son and six daughters. They also reared one grandson, ALMA DOXTATOR, whose parents died when he was about two years old. MR. DOXTATOR is still a resident of Lamoni.

MR. and MRS. MCHARNESS came to America in l856, locating at Grimes, N.Y., where he followed the stone mason trade for five years, and later moved to Van Buren County, Michigan, where he bought a farm and tilled the soil for l5 years.

During his residence in Lamoni he followed the stone mason trade and for a few years was associated with William Coons and Robert Boothe in the mercantile business.

He passed away in l90l in Lamoni.

Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
August 8, 2002

*The picture of Moses McHarness and the article printed about him were dated July 25, l929.