List of mayors of Augusta, Georgia explained

This is a list of mayors of Augusta, Georgia, United States, including the former city of Augusta and 1996–present consolidated Augusta–Richmond County.

Former city of Augusta

NameSworn inLeft officeNotesReference
John Milton1792[1]
Thomas Cumming1798Father of Henry Cumming
Walter Leigh18151817[2]
Freeman Walker18181819
Nicholas Ware18191821Ware's Telfair Street home "Ware's Folly" is now the location of Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art.[3]
Freeman Walker18231823
Samuel Hale18281836
Alfred Cumming1836Appointed governor of Territory of Utah in 1858
John Phinizy1837First Italian-American mayor of any U.S. city (original spelling: Finizzi)
Dr. Daniel Hook18401841Served two terms.[4]
Martin M. Dye18411842
Dr. Daniel Hook18421843
Martin M. Dye18431846Served three 1 year terms
Dr. Lewis D. Ford18461848Served two 1 year terms
Dr. Ignatius P. Garvin18481849
James B. Bishop18491850
Thomas W. Miller18501852
Dr. William E. Dearing18521854
Abner P. Robertson18541855
Dr. William E. Dearing18551856
George W. Evans18561857
Benjamin F. Conley18571859Two terms (later a Governor of Georgia)
Foster Blodgett, Jr.18591860
Robert H. May18611866May served five 1-year terms during the period of the Civil War. In 1865, he was ordered by Georgia Governor Joseph E. Brown to burn the large amounts of cotton stored in Augusta warehouses "on the approach of the Yankees," so it would not fall into enemy's hands. As it turned out, the Union Army never came to Augusta.[5]
James T. Gardiner18668 Aug 1866Elected April 1866 and resigned 8 Aug 1866. James Gardiner was publisher of The Daily Constitutionalist a local newspaper.[6]
Abner P. Robertson8 Aug 186620 Aug 1866Pro Tem City Council
John Foster20 Aug 18661867Special Election to fill unexpired term of James T. Gardner
Foster Blodgett, Jr.18671868Military appointment; In 1867, the Southern States were divided into Military Districts and military tribunials where set-up to appoint government officials during this period[7]
Henry F. Russell18681869
Joseph V. H. Allen18691870
Charles Estes18701876Served six 1-year terms
John U. Meyer18761879
Robert H. May18791891Served Four 3-year terms. He was Coroner-Richmond County, 1900 – until his death, 7 February 1903. Buried in Magnolia Cemetery.
James H. Alexander18911894Since the 1876 election; mayors served 3-year terms
William B. Young18941897Great great great great grandfather of Buckley Campana and Stephen Campana.
Patrick Walsh1897March 19, 1899Died in office on March 19, 1899.
Jacob Phinizy22 Dec 189818 April 1899Pro Tem City Council
Charles A. Robbe18 April 18997 July 1900Died in office
Thomas Barrett, Sr.8 July 190010 July 1900Pro Tem City Council
Alfred Martin10 July 1900Jan. 1901Special Election to fill unexpired term
Jacob PhinzyJan. 19011904Once owner of "Augusta's First Skyscraper" known today as the Marion Building at 739 Broad Street[8]
Richard E. AllenJan. 19041907
William M. DunbarJan. 19071910Postmaster of the United States House of Representatives for the 62nd through 65th Congresses (1911–1919)[9]
Thomas Barrett, Sr.1910Jan. 1913Barrett Plaza, located in front of the Federal Court House & 800 block of Telfair Street, is named for Thomas Barrett, Sr.[10]
Linwood C. Hayne1913Jan. 1916
James R. Littleton1916Jan. 1919
William P. White1919Jan. 1922The Appleby Library was Wm. P. White's home until his widow sold it in 1928 to Scott B. Appleby. Mr. Appleby donated the house in 1954 to the Augusta City Council for use as a library.[11]
Julian Smith19231925The Julian Smith Casino, operated by the city recreation department, is named after Smith.
Richard Allen, Jr.1937
W.D. Jennings19511953
H. L. Hamilton19521958
Millard A. Beckum19581963
George "Buster" Albert Sancken Jr.19641970
Millard A. Beckum19701972Mayor during the Augusta race riot of May 11, 1970
Lewis "Pop" Newman19731981
Ed McIntyre19811984First African American mayor of city of Augusta
Charles DeVaney19841996Last mayor of former city of Augusta

Consolidated Augusta–Richmond County

ImageNameSworn inLeft officeNotesReference
Larry Sconyers19961999First mayor of consolidated Augusta-Richmond County, owner and operator of Sconyers Bar-B-Que
Bob Young19992005Longtime local television news anchor (WJBF-TV) before election to mayor; left mayor's office in 2005 to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development appointment by president George W. Bush.
Willie Mays20052006Commissioner chosen by city commission following Bob Young's departure to serve as interim mayor until special election. First African American to serve as mayor of consolidated Augusta-Richmond County.
Deke Copenhaver20052015
Hardie Davis20152022Second African American mayor and first African American elected mayor of consolidated Augusta-Richmond County[12]
Garnett Johnson2023IncumbentThird African American mayor of consolidated Augusta-Richmond County[13]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: City of Augusta, Georgia. Our Georgia History. Golden Ink. 2008-08-21.
  2. Edward J. Cashin, The Story of Augusta (Spartanburg, South Carolina: The Reprint Company, Publishers, 1980) Appendix A: Mayors of Augusta
  3. Web site: About the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art . 2008-12-07 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080724094445/http://www.ghia.org/tours.html . 2008-07-24 .
  4. Web site: The Life of Dr. Daniel Hook. 2010-06-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20110927135659/http://www.therestorationmovement.com/hookbiog.htm. 2011-09-27. dead.
  5. https://books.google.com/books?id=YcEHNF-Zw0AC&dq=Robert+May+mayor+of+Augusta+GA&pg=PA363 The Papers of Jefferson Davis: September 1864 – May 1865
  6. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87090234/ The Daily Constitutionalist
  7. http://www.academicamerican.com/recongildedage/topics/reconstruction/reconstruction.html The First and Second Reconstruction Acts
  8. http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2010-05-11/augustas-first-skyscraper-be-preserved 'Augusta's First Skyscraper' to be preserved
  9. [Postmaster of the United States House of Representatives]
  10. 800 Block Telfair Street Tour
  11. http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/augusta/applebylibrary.html History of Appleby Library
  12. Web site: Augusta's 84th Mayor Sworn In, One Augusta Begins. DuBose . Renetta . January 5, 2015 . . February 10, 2021 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150111061223/http://www.wjbf.com/story/27767482/augustas-84th-mayor-sworn-in-one-augusta-begins . 2015-01-11 .
  13. Web site: Augusta's next mayor, Garnett Johnson, carried to victory by south, west, downtown voters. McCord . Susan . June 22, 2022 . .