List of mayors of Savannah, Georgia

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 1798
9	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 Slaveholder
16	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 1838
23	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	Councilmember from 1831 to 1833 and from 1852 to 1853
20	William Thorne Williams		1843	1844
29	Dr. Richard Wayne	Democrat	1844	1845	First elected mayor[22]
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
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[23] Councilmember from 1870 to 1871
32	Edward Anderson	American	1855	1856
33	James Proctor Screven	Democrat	1856	1857	Alderman of Savannah (elected in 1849) Georgia State Senator in 1855[24]
29	Dr. Richard Wayne	Democrat	1857	1858[25]
34	Thomas Turner	Democrat	1858[26]	1858	Councilmember from 1846 to 1847, 1848 to 1852, 1857 to 1858 and 1862 to 1863
34	Thomas Turner	Democrat	1858	1859
28	Dr. Richard Arnold	Opposition (American)	1859	1860
35	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[27]
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 1901
42	John McDonough	Democrat	1891	1893	Irish-American mayor
42	John McDonough	Democrat	1893	1895
43	Herman Myers	Democrat	1895	1897	1st Jewish mayor[28][29] German-born from Bavaria[30] Councilmember from 1885 to 1895
44	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 1892
43	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[31]
47	Wallace Pierpont	Democrat	1915[32]	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[33]
51	Thomas Hoynes	Democrat	1927[34]	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 Judge
52	Gordon Saussy	Democrat	1931	1931[35]
51	Thomas Hoynes	Democrat	1931[36]	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[37]
55	Peter Roe Nugent	Democrat	1945[38]	1947	Son of an Australian immigrant Councilmember from 1937 to 1945
56	John Groover Kennedy	Democrat	1947	1949	Irish-American mayor Lawyer
57	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[39]
59	Malcolm Maclean	Democrat	1960[40]	1962	Scottish-American mayor Councilmember from 1957 to 1960
59	Malcolm Maclean	Democrat	1962	1966
60	Julius Curtis Lewis, Jr.	Republican	1966	1970
61	John Rousakis	Democrat	1970	1974	1st Greek-American mayor[41]
61	John Rousakis	Democrat	1974	1978
61	John Rousakis	Democrat	1978	1982
61	John Rousakis	Democrat	1982	1986
61	John Rousakis	Democrat	1986	1992[42]
62	Susan Weiner	Republican	1992	1996	1st woman to serve as Mayor of Savannah Born in Albany, New York Jewish mayor
63	Floyd Adams, Jr.	Democrat	1996	2000	1st African-American mayor 1st Catholic mayor[43] Councilmember from 1982 to 1996
63	Floyd Adams, Jr.	Democrat	2000	2004
64	Otis Johnson	Democrat	2004	2008	2nd African-American mayor Councilmember from 1982 to 1988
64	Otis Johnson	Democrat	2008	2012
65	Edna Jackson	Democrat	2012	2015	1st Female African-American mayor
66	Eddie Deloach	Republican	2015

See also

• Savannah, Georgia
• Timeline of 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

1. Savannah Morning News
2. "Savannah". New Georgia Encyclopedia. Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Press. September 11, 2006. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
3. "Savannah Information". Savannah Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
4. About North Georgia, Antebellum Georgia – 1838 to 1860
5. Davies resigned in 1807.
6. Harris served the remainder of Davies' term, which expired in 1808.
7. Mendenhall resigned in 1811.
8. Bulloch served the remainder of Mendenhall's term, which expired in 1812.
9. Matthew McAllister resigned in 1815.
10. Charlton served the remainder of Matthew McAllister's term, which expired in 1815.
11. Wayne resigned in 1819.
12. Charlton served the remainder of James Wayne's term, which expired in 1819.
13. Charlton resigned in 1821.
14. Morrison served the remainder of Thomas Charlton's term, which expired in 1821.
15. Owens resigned in 1833.
16. Telfair Museum of Arts, Owens-Thomas House
17. Williams served the remainder of Owens' term, which expired in 1833.
18. Gordon resigned in 1836.
19. Cuyler served the remainder of Owens' term, which expired in 1836.
20. Matthew Hall McAllister resigned in 1839.
21. Charlton served the remainder of Matthew Hall McAllister's term, which expired in 1839
22. 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.
23. Inventory of the George Wayne Anderson Papers, 1758–1896, Collection Number 1498, Manuscripts Department, Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
24. Arnold and Screven Family Papers, Collection Number 3419, Manuscripts Department of The Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
25. Dr. Wayne died in office in 1858.
26. Turner was appointed by the Council to serve the remainder of Wayne's term, which expired in 1858.
27. On December 21, 1864, Mayor Richard Arnold surrendered the city to Major General William Tecumseh Sherman and Brevet Brigadier General Lester Sebastian Willson.
28. Jews of Savannah, B. H. Levy and Rabbi Arnold Mark Belzer, Jewish Virtual Library
29. The Jewish Community of Savannah, Savannah Jewish Archives
30. Herman Myers (1847–1909), City of Savannah – Research Library
31. Davant died in office in October 1915.
32. Pierpont was appointed by the Council to serve the remainder of Davant's term, which expired in 1917.
33. Hull died in office in August 1927.
34. Hoynes was appointed by the Council to serve the remainder of Hull's term, which expired in 1929.
35. Saussy resigned in May 1931.
36. Hoyne was appointed by the Council to serve the remainder of Saussy's term, which expired in 1933.
37. Gamble died in office in July 1945.
38. Nugent was appointed by the Council to serve the remainder of Gamble's term, which expired in 1947.
39. Mingledorff resigned in 1960.
40. Maclean served the remainder of Mingledorff's term, which expired in 1962.
41. The History of St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church, Savannah, Georgia
42. The Georgia General Assembly extended Rousakis' fifth term by one year; it started in October 1986 and ended in January 1992.
43. Pastoral Musings...,St. Peter's in the Loop, St. Peter's Church, May 20, 2007