The act of the Territorial legislature of Kansas incorporating the city of Atchison was approved February 12, 1858, and it provided for the election of a mayor and councilmen. The charter was voted upon and accepted by the people at a special election held March 2, 1858, and the first mayor and council were elected at a special election March 13, 1858. The charter provided for an annual city election at that time to be held on the first Monday in September, and consequently the first mayor and councilmen of the city, elected in March, held their offices only until the following September. Samuel C. Pomeroy was the first mayor of the city, holding his office from March, 1858, until May, 1859. Pomeroy was one of the prominent Free State settlers and was one of its most popular citizens. His election as mayor was the result of the toss of a coin. A temporary truce having been effected between the Southerners and the Free State men, it was agreed that a compromise in local affairs would be beneficial to the community. By the toss of a coin the Free State men won the mayor and three councilmen, and the pro- slavery men had four councilmen. Pomeroy was named by the Free State men mayor. Pomeroy subsequently became actively identified with the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Association, in the distribution of aid to the stricken people of Kansas following the great drought of 1860, and it was largely because of his identification with this organization that he was enabled to place aid where it would do the most good, and he subsequently became one of the first United States senators from Kansas. When he was a resident of Atchison he lived at the corner of North Terrace and Santa Fe streets, but later he moved to a tract of land near Muscotah, and during the twelve years he was senator he claimed the latter place as his home. It was when he asked for a third term as United States senator that he was exposed on the floor of the State senate by Senator York, who arose in his place and, advancing to the secretary’s desk, placed $7,000.00 in cash thereon, which he alleged Pomeroy had given him to influence his vote. Many have always believed that Senator Pomeroy was greatly wronged by this act of York. Ex- Governor George W. Glick, himself a Democrat and a leading citizen of Atchison in the early days, was a very warm friend of Pomeroy and always expressed indignation when he heard Pomeroy abused, not only about his conduct in connection with the Emigrant Aid Association, but also in connection with his downfall politically. It was the contention of Governor Glick that Pomeroy’s fall was the result of a conspiracy and not because of general bribery. However, Pomeroy never rose to political prominence after this incident and ended his days in Washington, D. C., where he lived for a number of years prior to his death.