On January 6, 1954, Earl Cunningham, Harley Mac Needham, Charles Little, Melton Mitchell and others, appeared with their attorney, Dalton DeShazer, to present their petition to the Jasper County Court to have the town of Duenweg incorporated. The court declaration stated that it be "ordered, adjudged and decreed by the Court that the corporate powers and duties of said town so incorporated shall vest in a Board of Trustees, to consist of five members, and that Charles Little, Melton Mitchell, Lloyd Rogers, Eugene Parker and Harley Mac Needham be thereby appointed as members of the first Board of Trustees". They held their appointed offices until their successors were "duly elected and qualified as provided by law". The incorporation document was signed by Frank V. Smith, Presiding Judge; Roland Shadday, Judge of the Western District; and Walter D. Frost, Judge of the Eastern District. Duenweg’s first mayor, Eugene (Gene) Parker was appointed from that first Board of Trustees.

Only seven other men have been elected to serve as mayor of the City of Duenweg: Earl Cunningham, Portor Johnson, Kenneth Neal, Albert Wolfe, Earl Wayne Goddard, Charles Cossey and Russell Olds. Donald Johnson served as Mayor Pro-tem for a short time, following the resignation of Earl Wayne Goddard.