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The town of Atlantic was incorporated early in January, 1870. The first council met January 22, 1870, and was composed as follows: D. F. Hawks, mayor; A. S. Churchill, recorder; trustees, S. F Martin, W. W. Parker, John R. Reynolds, S. W. W. Straight, and Joseph C. Yetzer. This council chose Isaac Dickerson, treasurer; I. N. Whittam, corporation counsel; P. Carney, marshal. In February of the same year, S. S. Ford was elected marshal, to fill a vacancy occasioned by Mr. Carney's resignation. Another town election was held March 1, 1870, when the officers above named were chosen again, with the exception that S. W. W. Straight was chosen recorder, instead of Mr. Churchill, and V. O'Bryan was chosen trustee instead of Mr. Straight. Mr. Whittam was re-chosen attorney. At the January meeting, 1871, Harvey Yeaman was elected assessor. The council of 1870 gave way to the new council of 1871, March 7th of that year, but before breaking up passed a resolution of thanks to Mayor Hawks and Recorder Straight. March 1, 1871, the same officers were reelected throughout. The council selected H. T. Sharp, as town attorney; William Waddell, city engineer; S. S. Ford, marshal; H. C. Johnson, city printer; Samuel Harlan, assessor.

In March, 1872, the following officers were chosen: Charles Kelly, mayor; R. G. Phelps, recorder; trustees, A. D. Boyd, G. W. Barber, C. B Osborn, S. M. Childs and P. D. Tobie. This council elected A. G. Conley, marshal; Lafe Young, printer; C. F. Loofbourow, attorney. Mr. Conley served as marshal but a short time, and when he resigned, James Pugh was selected. I. N. Hammond was elected assessor. W. Warwick was chosen treasurer.

At the March election, 1873, the following officers were chosen: James W. Brown, mayor; C. B. 0sborn, recorder; S. M. Childs, S. J. Applegate, Byron Lamson, J. A. McWaid and R. G. Phelps, trustees. The council selected the following officers: H. E. Griswold, attorney; H. C. Johnson, printer; James Pugh, marshal. The two cisterns in the middle of Chestnut street were ordered built by this council.

In March, 1874, the following officers came into possession of the town government: G. W. Norton, mayor; I. N. Hammond, recorder; H. E. Bacon, D. Findley, J. A. McWaid, L. C. Sanborn, J. B. McGrew, trustees. The council selected the following officers: Julian Phelps, attorney; James Pugh, marshal; A. H. Copeland, assessor; W. Warwick, treasurer.

The council of that year sent a petition to the Iowa Legislature, asking that the incorporation of the town be legalized, and in accordance with that petition a legalizing act was passed by the Fifteenth General Assembly. The Cap Sheaf was selected as the official paper, the bid offered by the proprietor of that paper being lower than all others.

In March, 1875, the following officers were selected, by the sovereign voters of the town: Isaac Dickerson, mayor; J. M. Emmert, recorder; I. L. Dudley, treasurer; William Waddell, C. F. Loofbourow, S. E. Huse, H. F. White and John Moeller, trustees. This council selected J. C. Gleason, marshal, and John W. Scott, attorney.

In March, 1876, the following officers were chosen: Isaac Dickerson, mayor; J. M. Emmert, recorder; I. L. Dudley, treasurer; C. F. Loofbourow, S. E. Huse, William Waddell, John Moeller, A. D. Hill, trustees. J. C. Gleason was re-chosen marshal, and John W. Scott was re-chosen attorney. J. C. Gleason resigned the marshalship, and H. A. Smith was chosen.

At the March election, 1877, the following officers were chosen: H. T. Sharp, mayor; D. H. Stafford, recorder; W. B. Temple, treasurer; R. F. Bain, assessor; William Waddell, Charles Stier, A. D. Boyd, Frank Cox and John R. Reynolds, trustees.

In March, 1878, officers were again chosen for the government of the city. They were the following mentioned: Isaac Dickerson, mayor; W. B. Stafford, recorder; J. B. Rockafellow, solicitor; H. A. Smith, marshal and street commissioner; W. B. Temple, treasurer; John Bennett, assessor; W. W. Parker, R. M. Pearson, Thomas Archer, E. H. Buell, L. L. DeLano, N. Richards, J. B. McGrew, R. C. Love, trustees.

The officers chosen at the annual election, in 1879, were the following: J. R. Morris, mayor; W. B. Stafford, recorder; W. B. Temple, treasurer; L. Anderson, assessor; H. A. Smith, marshal and street commissioner; Samuel Harlan, surveyor; R. M. Pearson, E. H. Buell, J. P. Gerberich, L. L. Alexander, Thomas Archer, W. W. Parker, J. B. McGrew, L. L, De Lano, trustees.

In 1880, the officers were: J. R. Morris, mayor; W. B. Stafford, recorder; L. C. Chapman, solicitor; W. B. Temple, treasurer; L. Anderson, assessor; I. L. Dudley, surveyor; John Tharnish, marshal; W. W. Parker, Thomas Archer, D. Bridenstine, G. S. Wedgewood, R. C. Love, E. H. Buell and John P. Gerberich, trustees.

In March, 1881, the following were elected and appointed to fill the various city offices: R. G. Phelps, mayor; W. B. Stafford, recorder; W. B. Temple, treasurer; L. Anderson, assessor; T. J. Townsend, surveyor; John Tharnish, marshal; Jesse Hansen, Henry Braasch, Theodore G. Steinke, R. C. Love, W. W. Parker, Thomas Archer, D. Bridenstine and G. S. Wedgewood, trustees.

The officers for the year of 1882 were: R. G. Phelps, mayor; W. B. Stafford, recorder, W. B. Temple, treasurer; L. Anderson, assessor; John W. Scott, solicitor; John Tharnish, marshal; T. J. Townsend, surveyor; W. W. Parker, J. Nichols, T. R. Wallace, Isaac Dickerson, Jesse Hansen, Henry Braasch and R. C. Love, trustees.

In 1883, the following were the city officers: James Pugh, mayor; W. A. Wilken, recorder; W. B. Temple, treasurer; Robert Bain, assessor; John H. Scott, solicitor; John Tharnish, marshal; A. D. Boyd, Henry Braasch, Edward Hammond, W. H. Kerrick, W. W. Parker, J. Nichols, Isaac Dickerson, members of the council.

The present officers of the city of Atlantic are as follows: John H. Scott, mayor; W. A. Wilken, recorder; James W. Brown, solicitor; Charles A. Tubbs, treasurer; L. Anderson, assessor; John Tharnish, marshal; and Paul White, J. A. McWaid, Henry Braasch, R. D. Wilkin, T. R. Wallace, E. Hammond, J. H. Wood and W. H. Kerrick, councilmen.

John H. Scott came to Atlantic in 1877 from Anita. He was born in Watertown, New York, November 3, 1852, his early life being spent upon a farm in Jefferson county, near Watertown, owned by his father, Sherman W. Scott, now a resident of Dakota. His mother's maiden name was Sarah A. Porter, who was a native of New York. The subject of this sketch came West when about twenty years of age, but was educated at Hungerford's institute, situated in Jefferson county, New York. He settled at Anita, in this State and county, where he was engaged for three years in a lumber office as bookkeeper and salesman, after which he came to Atlantic, and entered the private office of Phelps and DeLano, where he studied law about one year and a half, when he was admitted to the bar, in February, 1879, under Judge C. F. Loofbourow. He remained with Phelps and DeLano a year and a half, when he was appointed city justice, to fill a vacancy, and has twice been re- elected to that office. In March, 1884, he was elected mayor of the city of Atlantic. He was married, June 30, 1883, to Edna Young, daughter of William Young. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Masonic Chapter, and Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In politics he is Republican. Mr. Scott is a promising and self-made young man, who has had but few advantages, but through his characteristic pluck and energy, he has attained a place in the foremost ranks of Cass county citizenship.

Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass, March, 2022 from: "History of Cass County, Together with Sketches of Its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens", published in 1884, Springfield, Ill: Continental Historical Co., pp. 855-857.