List of mayors of Lawrence, Massachusetts explained

Post:Mayor
Body:Lawrence
Flag:Flag of Lawrence, Massachusetts.svg
Flagcaption:Flag of Lawrence
Insigniacaption:Seal of Lawrence
Incumbent:Brian De Peña
Acting:no
Incumbentsince:November 12, 2021
Type:Chief executive
Style:His/Her Honor
Member Of:School Committee
Residence:None official
Seat:Lawrence City Hall
Nominator:Non-partisan nominating petition
Appointer:Popular vote
Termlength:Four years
Constituting Instrument:Lawrence City Charter
Precursor:Lawrence Board of Selectmen
(1847-1853)
Formation:1853
First:Charles Storer Storrow

The Mayor of Lawrence is the head of the municipal government in Lawrence, Massachusetts. There was no Mayor of Lawrence from April 14, 1847 until March 21, 1853, because up to that point Lawrence was still incorporated as a town. The Town of Lawrence was administered by the Board of Selectmen.

List of mayors

Mayor Picture Term Party Notes
1stCharles Storer Storrow1853–1854WhigFirst mayor under the original city charter.
2ndEnoch Bartlett1854–1855
3rd1855–1857 Native American Party
4thJohn R. Rollins 1857–1859Whig
5thHenry K. Oliver1859–1860Republican
6thDaniel Saunders, Jr.1860–1861DemocraticSaunders was the founder of Lawrence.
7thJames K. Barker1861–1862Republican
8thWilliam H. P. Wright1862–1864Republican
9thAlfred J. French1864–1865Republican
10thMilton Bonney1865–January 1, 1866Republican
11thPardon ArmingtonJanuary 1, 1866–1867Republican
12thNathaniel P. H. Melvin1867–1869
13thFrank Davis1869–January 3, 1870
14thNathaniel P. H. MelvinJanuary 3, 1870–1871
15thS. B. W. Davis1871–1872
16thJohn K. Tarbox1873–January 4, 1875
17thRobert H. TewksburyJanuary 4, 1875–January 3, 1876
18thEdmund R. HaydenJanuary 3, 1876–1876
19thCaleb SaundersJanuary 1, 1877–1877
20thJames R. Simpson1878–1880
21stHenry Kingman Webster1881–1881
22ndJohn Breen1882–1884First Irish born or Roman Catholic Mayor in New England.
23rdJames R. Simpson1885–1885
24thAlexander B. Bruce1886–1887
25th Alvin E. Mack1888–1889
26th John W. Crawford1890–1890
27thLewis P. Collins1891–1891
28thHenry P. Doe1892–1892
29thAlvin E. Mack1893–1893Republican
30thCharles G. Rutter1894–1895
31stGeorge S. Junkins1896–1897Republican
32nd James H. Eaton1898–1899Republican
33rdJames F. Leonard1900–1902
34thAlexander F. Grany1903–January 4, 1904
35thCornelius F. LynchJanuary 4, 1904–1905
36thJohn P. Kane1906–1908
37thWilliam P. White1909–July 25, 1910Resigned after he was convicted on bribery charges and sentenced to three years in the house of correction.
White's resignation was effective when accepted by both branches of the city council on July 25, 1910.
ActingThomas M. JordanJuly 25, 1910–August 29, 1910Served as acting mayor in his role as chairman of the board of aldermen.
38thJohn T. CahillAugust 29, 1910–January 1, 1912DemocraticElected by a joint session of the city council to fill the vacancy caused by White's resignation.
39thMichael A. ScanlonJanuary 1, 1912–August 16, 1914A new city charter went into effect on January 1, 1912, creating a commission form of government and giving the mayor a two-year term beginning with Scanlon. On January 15, 1912, Scanlon requested the state militia to suppress the 'Bread and Roses strike', resulting in the death of a striker. On February 24, 1912, Scanlon ordered police to prevent striking workers' children from traveling to Washington, D.C., for a protest march. The mothers and children were beaten as they gathered at the train station. Scanlon died in office.
40th1914–1915To fill vacancy
41stJohn J. Hurley1916–1919
42ndWilliam P. White1920–1921
43rdDaniel W. Mahoney1922–1923
44thWalter T. Rochefort1924–1928
45thMichael A. Landers 1928–1931
46thWilliam P. White1932–1933
47thWalter A. Griffin1934–1942
48thJames P. Meehan1942–1951
49thJohn J. Buckley1952–1965
50thDaniel P. Kiley, Jr.1966–1971
51stJohn J. Buckley1972–1977
52ndLawrence P. LeFebre1978–1983
53rdJohn J. Buckley1984-January 2, 1986
54thKevin J. SullivanJanuary 2, 1986–1991DemocraticSwitched from Democrat to Republican[1]
1991–1993RepublicanResigned to accept an appointment as head of State Transportation
ActingGeorge Miller1993
ActingLeonard J. Degnan1993Democratic
55thMary Claire Kennedy1993–1998Republican
56thPatricia Dowling1998–2001 DemocraticResigned to accept an appointment as a state district court judge.
ActingMarcos DeversSeptember 2001 – November, 2001DemocraticFirst Hispanic mayor of Lawrence.
57thMichael J. SullivanNovember 2001 - January 4, 2010Republican
58thWilliam LantiguaJanuary 4, 2010 – January 4, 2014Democratic
59thDan RiveraJanuary 4, 2014 - January 9, 2021Democratic
ActingKendrys VasquezJanuary 9, 2021 – November 12, 2021 Democratic
60thBrian De PeñaNovember 12, 2021 - Democratic

References

Notes and References

  1. News: Zitner. Aaron. Democratic state party members caucus for open committee slot. Boston Globe. June 9, 1991.