LAMONI HAS AN UNUSUAL EARLY HISTORY (Continued).

At first the settlement was referred to as "The Colony". Some wanted tocall the new town Sedgewick as that had been the name of the post office near by. The Order of Enoch first applied the term "Lamoni" to the town, which was the name of a good king in their sacred literature. Elijah Banta circulated a petition to have the names changed from Sedgewick to Lamoni and the government concurred in name and location. The first Lamoni post office stood where the Supply Store is now located. Samuel Gurley was the post master.

The town was laid out in l879 by a company under the auspices of the C.B. & Q. Railroad Company. The road was operating to Leon and this company was organized to extend the railroad to Mt. Ayr. At Bethany Junction, now known as Togo, a change of course was effected that was to mean much to the new town. In the original plan the road was to go about three miles north of the present location of Lamoni. The officers of "The Colony" induced the company to choose the present course. The platting of the town came with the railroad. This was the real beginning of growth.

The settlement was a village from l879 to December, l885, when by vote of the citizens it became an independent town. Some previous efforts had been made to take this step, but a negative vote had resulted. The difficulty appears to have been in the question of policies in local affairs. After the vote for incorporation was taken, temporary officers were elected and town government began. The first regular election was held March l, l886, with the following results: M. McHarness, Mayor; V. White, Recorder; David Dancer, W. Hudson, H.L. Tilton, S.V. Bailey, W.H. Deam, R.L. Branch, Councilmen. Seth Bass was the first Marshall.

The first business of the Council reflects the interests of the times and the nature of the people. The first ordinance passed in Lanomi was one prohibiting the existence of "beer saloons" and "gambling tables". There had been one saloon before the incorporation of the town and this seems to have been a major issue in the voting for incorporation. The second ordinance prohibited horses, cattle and hogs from running at large.

Education received attention from the first. The first school room was fitted up in a wagon shop owned by Peter Hansen, about where the Sinclair Oil Station now stands. O.B. Thomas was the teacher. In l882 a school building was erected.

The organization of church congregations preceded the laying out of the town. The first "branch" of Latter Day Saints was organized November l2, l87l, with eighteen members, with Chas. H. Jones, President. As was rather usual in those days the first meetings were held in schoolhouses. About l875 a rough church was built near the center of the township. It was never painted and after the town grew it was abandoned and torn down. In l882 the Lamoni congregation took measures to erect an adequate house of worship. The Brick Church was the eventual outcome.

The Methodist Church also has a pioneer history. The first church structure was built a mile and a half from Lamoni in l872. It was removed to the village in l88l.

The removal of the headquarters of the Reorganized Latter Day Saint Church from Plano, Illinois, to this vicinity gave an impetus to its growth. The removal began with a search for a new business center. Several places were visited and Lamoni finally selected. In the fall of l88l the printing plant was moved and the first issue of periodicals was published in Lamoni. This brought Joseph Smith and family to the new town, the workers in the printing establishment, and a gradual influx of families. The growth of the town was assurred.

In an editorial of the Saints Herald, November l5, l88l, the town is pictured. "Lamoni is a town of three to four hundred people, away from failroad centers and manufacturing districts . . . . .The idler, the lazy, and the vicious . . . . .will to well to give Lamoni a wide berth; but the industrious, frugal and exemplary we shall welcome to the band of workers."

That invitation of a half century ago holds true to these years of thesemi-centennial anniversary of the founding of Lamoni.

J.H. Hansen, mayor protem, l885. *B.M. Russel, l905.
Moses McHarness, l886. Robt. Turner, l906.
A.S. Cochran, l887. R.M. Elvin, l908.
G.W. Blair, l888. I.A. Smith, l9l0.
R.S. Salyards, l889. *F.M. Weld, l9l0.
G.E. Reynor, l890. G.W. Blair, l9l2.
*H.L. Tilton, l890. J.F. Jones, l9l6.
F.M. Weld, l89l. *C.F. Graham, l9l7.
W.W. Scott, l893. *Chas. Haskins, l9l7.
Frank Criley, l896. A.M. Carmichael, l9l8.
W.W. Scott, l897. Oscar Anderson, l920.
G.H. Derry, l897. G.W. Blair, l922.
F.D. Young, l904. Chas. Haskins, l928.

(Those starred were appointed to fill unexpired terms).

Mayor, Chas. Haskins
Clerk, Martin Hynden
Councilmen, N.R. Carmichael; A.W. Fleet; J.H. Gillaspey; David Dancer; David Vredenberg.

To Be Continued. . .

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