List of mayors of Taunton, Massachusetts explained

This is a list of mayors of Taunton in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Taunton was led by a Board of Selectmen from 1639 until its re-incorporation as a city in 1864. The first city government was inaugurated on January 2, 1865.

width=180Mayorwidth=125Term Beganwidth=125Term EndedNotes
1stEdmund H. BennettJanuary 2, 1865June 19, 1867First mayor of Taunton; resigned June 19, 1867.[1]
2ndStephen H. RhodesJune 19, 18671870
3rdDaniel L. Mitchell18701873
4thWilliam H. Fox18731874
5thGeorge H. Babbitt18741876
6thOnias S. Paige 1877 1879 [2]
7thCharles F. Johnson18801882
8th1883
9thCharles Hanson18841885
10thRichard Henry Hall 18861886
11thEverett D. Godfrey1887
12th18881889
13th1890
14thFrancis Babbitt18911892
15thWillis Hodgman1894
16thCharles A. Reed1895
17thBenjamin Morris1896
18thNathaniel J.W. Fish18971899
19thArthur Alger 1900
20thJohn O'Hearn1901
21st1902 1905
22ndJohn H. Eldredge 19051906
23rdJohn B. Tracey 19061907
24thEdgar Crossman19081909
25th William S. Woods19101912
26thNathaniel Jarvis Wyeth Fish19121916
27thWilliam Flood19161919His son, Joseph E. Flood, Sr., was Mayor in 1970–1972
28thLeo Coughlin19191925
29thAndrew McGraw19261929
30thWllis K. Hodgman, Jr.19301932
31stAndrew McGraw19321935
32ndArthur Poole19361939
33rdJohn Fitzgerald1940February 20, 1941Died in Office
ActingHarold B. JohnstonFebruary 20, 1941April 30, 1941
34thMerrill AldrichApril 30, 1941November 25, 1946Won special election to succeed Fitzgerald.
Resigned to serve prison sentence for Cohabitation.[3]
ActingFrederick H. SmithNovember 25, 1946February 7, 1947
35thJohn F. Parker19471953Won special election to succeed Aldrich.
36thJoseph C. Chamberlain19531960
37thBernard F. Cleary19601963Died in office shortly before completing his final term.
38thBenjamin A. Friedman19631970
39thJoseph E. Flood19701972
40thRudolph H. De Silva19721974
41stTheodore J. Aleixo, Jr.19741976
42ndBenjamin A. Friedman19761978
43rdJoseph L. Amaral19781982
44thRichard Johnson19821992
45thRobert G. Nunes19921999
46thThaddeus M. Strojny20002003
47thRobert G. Nunes2004March 12, 2007Resigned to serve as Director of Municipal Affairs for Gov. Deval Patrick.[4] First mayor of Taunton to leave the office voluntarily before his term ended.
48thCharles E. CrowleyMarch 12, 2007January 2, 2012
49thThomas Hoye, Jr.January 2, 2012 November 13, 2019Resigned to become interim Register of Probate for Bristol County, appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker.[5]
ActingJeffrey PostellNovember 13, 2019November 23, 2019Taunton city council president; became acting mayor until the council voted to select one of its members as acting mayor.[6]
50thDonald ClearyNovember 23, 2019January 6, 2020City councilor, elected by a 5–4 vote of the council to serve the balance of Mayor Hoye's term.[7]

Pursuant to the City Charter, if the office of mayor becomes vacant, the city council will select one of its members by a majority vote to serve as mayor for the remainder of that term.[8]

51stShaunna O'ConnellJanuary 6, 2020IncumbentFirst elected female mayor of Taunton.[9] Former State Representative for the 3rd Bristol district, which includes most of Taunton (wards 1, 2, 5, 7, and 8, as well as precinct A of ward 3) and precinct 6 of Easton.[10]

Notes and References

  1. The City Charter, Laws and Ordinances, Rules and Orders of the City Council, and City Governments from 1865 to 1876, of the City of Taunton. Taunton: Republican Steam Printing Rooms, 1876.
  2. Municipal Register Containing the Mayor's Address and Annual Reports for 1909, with the City Officers for 1910, Taunton: 1910.
  3. Spitler, Scott. "History points to big battle". Taunton Daily Gazette. August 26, 2007
  4. Gay, Ted. "A look back at 'Kid Bob, Boy Mayor'". Taunton Daily Gazette. February 17, 2007
  5. Winokoor, Charles. "'An amazing ride' - Wednesday is Hoye's last day as Taunton mayor". Taunton Daily Gazette. November 13, 2019
  6. Winokoor, Charles. "City Council votes for Donald Cleary to serve as Taunton’s mayor". Taunton Daily Gazette. November 23, 2019
  7. Winokoor, Charles. "City Council votes for Donald Cleary to serve as Taunton’s mayor". Taunton Daily Gazette. November 23, 2019
  8. Web site: REVISED ORDINANCES CITY OF TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS Section 21.
  9. Winokoor, Charles. "City Council votes for Donald Cleary to serve as Taunton’s mayor". Taunton Daily Gazette. November 23, 2019
  10. https://statisticalatlas.com/state-lower-legislative-district/Massachusetts/3rd-Bristol-District/Overview Overview of the 3rd Bristol District, Massachusetts (Lower State Legislative District)