- List of mayors of Savannah, Georgia
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The Mayor is the highest elected official in Savannah, Georgia. Since its incorporation in 1789, the town has had 64 mayors.[1]
Savannah is a city located in the state of Georgia, United States. It is the largest city in and county seat of Chatham County. Established in 1733, Savannah was the first colonial and state capital of Georgia.[2] It is known as America's first planned city and attracts millions of visitors, who enjoy the city's architecture and historic buildings: the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low (founder of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America), the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences (one of the South's first public museums), the First African Baptist Church (one of the oldest African American Baptist congregations in the United States), Temple Mickve Israel (the third-oldest synagogue in America), and the Central of Georgia Railway roundhouse complex (the oldest standing antebellum rail facility in America).[2][3] Today, Savannah's downtown area is one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the United States (designated by the U.S. government in 1966).[2]
Mayors of Savannah, Georgia
# Name Party Sworn In Left Office Comments 1 John Houstoun 1790 1791 Governor of Georgia in 1778–79 and 1784–85 2 Thomas Gibbons 1791 1792 3 Joseph Habersham 1792 1793 Delegate to the Continental Congress in 1785
Planter (who supported the legalization of slavery in Georgia in 1749–50)[4]4 William Stephens 1793 1794 2 Thomas Gibbons 1794 1795 4 William Stephens 1795 1796 5 John Noel 1796 1797 6 John Glen 1797 1798 7 Matthew McAllister 1798 1799 2 Thomas Gibbons 1799 1800 2 Thomas Gibbons 1800 1801 8 David Mitchell Democratic-Republican 1801 1802 Scottish immigrant
Governor of Georgia in 1809–13 and 1815–17
Georgia State Representative from 1794 to 17989 Charles Harris 1802 1803 9 Charles Harris 1803 1804 5 John Noel 1804 1805 5 John Noel 1805 1806 5 John Noel 1806 1807 10 William Davies 1807 1807[5] 9 Charles Harris 1807[6] 1808 11 John Williamson 1808 1809 12 William Bulloch Democratic-Republican 1809 1810 U.S. Senator in 1813 12 William Bulloch Democratic-Republican 1810 1811 13 Thomas Mendenhall 1811 1811[7] 12 William Bulloch Democratic-Republican 1811[8] 1812 14 George Jones 1812 1813 14 George Jones 1813 1814 7 Matthew McAllister 1814 1815[9] Once was the State Attorney General of Georgia 15 Thomas Charlton 1815[10] 1815 15 Thomas Charlton 1815 1816 15 Thomas Charlton 1816 1817 16 James Wayne Democratic-Republican 1817 1818 U.S. Representative in 1829–35
Slaveholder16 James Wayne Democratic-Republican 1818 1819[11] 15 Thomas Charlton 1819[12] 1819 15 Thomas Charlton 1819 1820 15 Thomas Charlton 1820 1821[13] 17 James Morrison 1821[14] 1821 17 James Morrison 1821 1822 17 James Morrison 1822 1823 17 James Morrison 1823 1824 18 William Daniell 1824 1825 18 William Daniell 1825 1826 19 Joseph W. Jackson Democrat 1826 1827 U.S. Representative in 1850–53 19 Joseph W. Jackson Democrat 1827 1828 20 William Thorne Williams 1828 1829 20 William Thorne Williams 1829 1830 21 William Waring 1830 1831 21 William Waring 1831 1832 22 George Owens Democrat 1832 1833[15] U.S. Representative in 1835–39
Owner of the Owens-Thomas House in 1830–56[16]20 William Thorne Williams 1833[17] 1833 20 William Thorne Williams 1833 1834 23 William Gordon 1834 1835 Georgia State Representative in 1835
Georgia State Senator in 183823 William Gordon 1835 1836[18] 24 William Cuyler 1836[19] 1836 25 John Nicoll 1836 1837 26 Matthew Hall McAllister 1837 1838 26 Matthew Hall McAllister 1838 1839[20] 27 Robert Charlton Democrat 1839[21] 1839 U.S. Senator in 1852–53 27 Robert Charlton Democrat 1839 1840 27 Robert Charlton Democrat 1840 1841 20 William Thorne Williams 1841 1842 28 Dr. Richard Arnold 1842 1843 Rice producer[22]
Councilmember from 1831 to 1833 and from 1852 to 185320 William Thorne Williams 1843 1844 29 Dr. Richard Wayne Democrat 1844 1845 First elected mayor[23] 30 Henry Burroughs Whig 1845 1846 Councilmember from 1841 to 1842 30 Henry Burroughs Whig 1846 1847 30 Henry Burroughs Whig 1847 1848 29 Dr. Richard Wayne Democrat 1848 1849 29 Dr. Richard Wayne Democrat 1849 1850 29 Dr. Richard Wayne Democrat 1850 1851 28 Dr. Richard Arnold Union Party (Whig) 1851 1852 Rice producer 29 Dr. Richard Wayne Democrat 1852 1853 31 John Elliott Ward Democrat 1853 1854 32 Edward Anderson American 1854 1855 Banker, planter, factor and commission merchant[24]
Councilmember from 1870 to 187132 Edward Anderson American 1855 1856 33 James Proctor Screven Democrat 1856 1857 Alderman of Savannah (elected in 1849)
Georgia State Senator in 1855[25]29 Dr. Richard Wayne Democrat 1857 1858[26] 34 Thomas Turner Democrat 1858[27] 1858 Councilmember from 1846 to 1847, 1848 to 1852,
1857 to 1858 and 1862 to 186334 Thomas Turner Democrat 1858 1859 28 Dr. Richard Arnold Opposition (American) 1859 1860 Born in Rhode Island
Rice producer35 Charles Jones Democrat 1860 1861 Councilmember from 1859 to 1860 36 Thomas Purse Democrat 1861 1862 Councilmember from 1832 to 1837, 1848 to 1851 and 1856 to 1857 37 Thomas Holcombe Democrat 1862 1863 Councilmember from 1841 to 1842, 1852 to 1853 and 1858 to 1859 28 Dr. Richard Arnold Democrat 1863 1864[28] Rice producer 28 Dr. Richard Arnold Democrat 1864 1865 32 Edward Anderson Democrat 1865 1866 Banker, planter, factor and commission merchant 32 Edward Anderson Democrat 1866 1867 32 Edward Anderson Democrat 1867 1868 32 Edward Anderson Democrat 1868 1869 38 John Screven Democrat 1869 1870 38 John Screven Democrat 1870 1871 38 John Screven Democrat 1871 1873 32 Edward Anderson Democrat 1873 1875 32 Edward Anderson Democrat 1875 1877 39 John Wheaton Democrat 1877 1879 39 John Wheaton Democrat 1879 1881 39 John Wheaton Democrat 1881 1883 40 Rufus Lester Democrat 1883 1885 U.S. Representative from 1889 to 1906 40 Rufus Lester Democrat 1885 1887 40 Rufus Lester Democrat 1887 1889 41 John Schwarz Democrat 1889 1891 Councilmember from 1869 to 1873, 1877 to 1883,
1887 to 1889 and 1899 to 190142 John McDonough Democrat 1891 1893 Irish-American mayor 42 John McDonough Democrat 1893 1895 43 Herman Myers Democrat 1895 1897 1st Jewish mayor[29][30]
German-born from Bavaria[31]
Councilmember from 1885 to 189544 Peter Meldrim Democrat 1897 1899 Irish-American mayor
Superior Court Judge from 1917 to 1933
President of the American Bar Association in 1915
Owner of the Green-Meldrim House by 189243 Herman Myers Democrat 1899 1901 43 Herman Myers Democrat 1901 1903 43 Herman Myers Democrat 1903 1905 43 Herman Myers Democrat 1905 1907 45 George Tiedeman Democrat 1907 1909 Councilmember from 1895 to 1897 and from 1899 to 1907 45 George Tiedeman Democrat 1909 1911 45 George Tiedeman Democrat 1911 1913 46 Richard Davant Democrat 1913 1915 46 Richard Davant Democrat 1915 1915[32] 47 Wallace Pierpont Democrat 1915[33] 1917 47 Wallace Pierpont Democrat 1917 1919 48 Murray Stewart Democrat 1919 1921 48 Murray Stewart Democrat 1921 1923 49 Paul Seabrook Democrat 1923 1925 50 Robert Hull Democrat 1925 1927 50 Robert Hull Democrat 1927 1927[34] 51 Thomas Hoynes Democrat 1927[35] 1929 52 Gordon Saussy Democrat 1929 1931 Once a Member of the Georgia General Assembly
Ordinary of Chatham County, Georgia from 1931 until his death in 1952
Judge52 Gordon Saussy Democrat 1931 1931[36] 51 Thomas Hoynes Democrat 1931[37] 1933 53 Thomas Gamble Democrat 1933 1935 Mayor of Tybee Beach, prior to 1933 53 Thomas Gamble Democrat 1935 1937 54 Robert Hitch Democrat 1937 1939 53 Thomas Gamble Democrat 1939 1941 53 Thomas Gamble Democrat 1941 1943 53 Thomas Gamble Democrat 1943 1945 53 Thomas Gamble Democrat 1945 1945[38] 55 Peter Roe Nugent Democrat 1945[39] 1947 Son of an Australian immigrant
Councilmember from 1937 to 194556 John Groover Kennedy Democrat 1947 1949 Irish-American mayor
Lawyer57 Olin Fulmer Democrat 1949 1951 57 Olin Fulmer Democrat 1951 1953 57 Olin Fulmer Democrat 1953 1955 58 Lee Mingledorff, Jr. Democrat 1955 1957 58 Lee Mingledorff, Jr. Democrat 1957 1958 58 Lee Mingledorff, Jr. Democrat 1958 1960[40] 59 Malcolm Maclean Democrat 1960[41] 1962 Scottish-American mayor
Councilmember from 1957 to 196059 Malcolm Maclean Democrat 1962 1966 60 Julius Curtis Lewis, Jr. Republican 1966 1970 61 John Rousakis Democrat 1970 1974 1st Greek-American mayor[42] 61 John Rousakis Democrat 1974 1978 61 John Rousakis Democrat 1978 1982 61 John Rousakis Democrat 1982 1986 61 John Rousakis Democrat 1986 1992[43] 62 Susan Weiner Republican 1992 1996 1st woman to serve as Mayor of Savannah
Born in Albany, New York
Jewish mayor63 Floyd Adams, Jr. Democrat 1996 2000 1st African-American mayor
1st Catholic mayor[44]
Councilmember from 1982 to 199663 Floyd Adams, Jr. Democrat 2000 2004 64 Otis Johnson Democrat 2004 2008 2nd African-American mayor
Councilmember from 1982 to 198864 Otis Johnson Democrat 2008 See also
- Savannah, Georgia
- Garden City, Georgia
- List of mayors of Garden City, Georgia
- List of mayors of Atlanta
- List of mayors of Augusta, Georgia
- List of mayors of Columbus, Georgia
- List of mayors of Macon, Georgia
Footnotes
- ^ Savannah Morning News
- ^ a b c "Savannah". New Georgia Encyclopedia. Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Press. September 11, 2006. http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-1056&hl=y. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
- ^ "Savannah Information". Savannah Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. http://www.savannah-visit.com/info.asp. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
- ^ About North Georgia, Antebellum Georgia – 1838 to 1860
- ^ Davies resigned in 1807.
- ^ Harris served the remainder of Davies' term, which expired in 1808.
- ^ Mendenhall resigned in 1811.
- ^ Bulloch served the remainder of Mendenhall's term, which expired in 1812.
- ^ Matthew McAllister resigned in 1815.
- ^ Charlton served the remainder of Matthew McAllister's term, which expired in 1815.
- ^ Wayne resigned in 1819.
- ^ Charlton served the remainder of James Wayne's term, which expired in 1819.
- ^ Charlton resigned in 1821.
- ^ Morrison served the remainder of Thomas Charlton's term, which expired in 1821.
- ^ Owens resigned in 1833.
- ^ Telfair Museum of Arts, Owens-Thomas House
- ^ Williams served the remainder of Owens' term, which expired in 1833.
- ^ Gordon resigned in 1836.
- ^ Cuyler served the remainder of Owens' term, which expired in 1836.
- ^ Matthew Hall McAllister resigned in 1839.
- ^ Charlton served the remainder of Matthew Hall McAllister's term, which expired in 1839
- ^ New Georgia Encyclopedia, Cities and Counties, Bryan County
- ^ In 1844, Wayne became the first mayor of Savannah who was elected directly by the citizens. Prior to his election, mayors were appointed by the city aldermen.
- ^ Inventory of the George Wayne Anderson Papers, 1758–1896, Collection Number 1498, Manuscripts Department, Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- ^ Arnold and Screven Family Papers, Collection Number 3419, Manuscripts Department of The Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- ^ Dr. Wayne died in office in 1858.
- ^ Turner was appointed by the Council to serve the remainder of Wayne's term, which expired in 1858.
- ^ On December 21, 1864, Mayor Richard Arnold surrendered the city to Major General William Tecumseh Sherman and Brevet Brigadier General Lester Sebastian Willson.
- ^ Jews of Savannah, B. H. Levy and Rabbi Arnold Mark Belzer, Jewish Virtual Library
- ^ The Jewish Community of Savannah, Savannah Jewish Archives
- ^ Herman Myers (1847–1909), City of Savannah – Research Library
- ^ Davant died in office in October 1915.
- ^ Pierpont was appointed by the Council to serve the remainder of Davant's term, which expired in 1917.
- ^ Hull died in office in August 1927.
- ^ Hoynes was appointed by the Council to serve the remainder of Hull's term, which expired in 1929.
- ^ Saussy resigned in May 1931.
- ^ Hoyne was appointed by the Council to serve the remainder of Saussy's term, which expired in 1933.
- ^ Gamble died in office in July 1945.
- ^ Nugent was appointed by the Council to serve the remainder of Gamble's term, which expired in 1947.
- ^ Mingledorff resigned in 1960.
- ^ Maclean served the remainder of Mingledorff's term, which expired in 1962.
- ^ The History of St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church, Savannah, Georgia
- ^ The Georgia General Assembly extended Rousakis' fifth term by one year; it started in October 1986 and ended in January 1992.
- ^ Pastoral Musings...,St. Peter's in the Loop, St. Peter's Church, May 20, 2007
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