Springfield Mayoral Trivia

The first Mayor was Samuel Potter. He served for one year before Elijah Squier took the reins the next year. Potter evidently liked the office, though, as he returned to it in 1796, 1797 and 1800.

Potter set a lot of precedents. He was the first Mayor, the first Mayor to serve multiple terms and the first to serve consecutive terms. Also, he was the first named Samuel, the most often occurring name of Springfield Mayors. Springfield Mayors include Samuel Tyler, Samuel Clark, Samuel Parkhurst, Samuel Colie, Samuel C Smith, Samuel Halsey and Samuel M Bailey, Jr.

Wilbur Selander served the most consecutive terms of any Mayor. After first taking the oath in 1935 he led the Township until 1948. He was probably following the refusal to relinquish style office of then president Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

In 1977, Joanne Rajoppi became Springfield’s first female Mayor. She served one term, and later was elected Union County Clerk, a position she holds currently. Marcia Forman became the next female Mayor in 1994 and served two terms. Clara T Harelik subsequently served as Mayor in 2000, 2004 and 2006. 

Springfield voters used to be accustomed to having Mayors with pretty bizarre names like Philemon Dickinson, Uzal Wade, Sylvanus Lyon and Cyrus Parkhurst.

Despite his name, Uzal Wade was one of seven Mayors to serve five or more terms in a row. Other half decade-spanning Mayors include Henry Morgan, Henry Graves, Abner P Stiles, F Kienle, Wilbur M Selander, Robert W Marshall and Albert C Binder.

A full list of Springfield's Mayors follows. 

Samuel Potter Samuel Potter 1794 Elijah Squier Elijah Squier 1795 Samuel Potter Samuel Potter 1796 Samuel Potter Samuel Potter 1797 Samuel Tyler Samuel Tyler 1798 Samuel Tyler Samuel Tyler 1799 Samuel Potter Samuel Potter 1800 John C Crane John C Crane 1801 Abraham Woolley Abraham Woolley 1802 Abner Ball Abner Ball 1803 John C Crane John C Crane 1804 Caleb Woodruff Caleb Woodruff 1805 William Brown William Brown 1806 Caleb Meeker Caleb Meeker 1807 Samuel Clark Samuel Clark 1808 Samuel Clark Samuel Clark 1809 Samuel Parkhurst Samuel Parkhurst 1810 Uzal Wade Uzal Wade 1811 Joseph T Hardy Joseph T Hardy 1812 Samuel Parkhurst Samuel Parkhurst 1813 Uzal Wade Uzal Wade 1814 William Brown William Brown 1815 Stephen Baldwin Stephen Baldwin 1816 Uzal Wade Uzal Wade 1817 Uzal Wade Uzal Wade 1818 Uzal Wade Uzal Wade 1819 Uzal Wade Uzal Wade 1820 Uzal Wade Uzal Wade 1821 Uzal Wade Uzal Wade 1822 Daniel S Briant Daniel S Briant 1823 Daniel S Briant Daniel S Briant 1824 Daniel S Briant Daniel S Briant 1825 Stephen Baldwin Stephen Baldwin 1826 John Wade John Wade 1827 Stephen Baldwin Stephen Baldwin 1828 Stephen Baldwin Stephen Baldwin 1829 Stephen Baldwin Stephen Baldwin 1830 Stephen Baldwin Stephen Baldwin 1831 Philemon Dickinson Philemon Dickinson 1832 Samuel Colie Samuel Colie 1833 Issac B Smith Issac B Smith 1834 Philemon Dickinson Philemon Dickinson 1835 Samuel C Smith Samuel C Smith 1836 Philemon Dickinson Philemon Dickinson 1837 Philemon Dickinson Philemon Dickinson 1838 Noah Clark Noah Clark 1839 Noah Clark Noah Clark 1840 Noah Clark Noah Clark 1841 Samuel Halsey Samuel Halsey 1842 Samuel Halsey Samuel Halsey 1843 Samuel Halsey Samuel Halsey 1844 Samuel Halsey Samuel Halsey 1845 Richard Tuers Richard Tuers 1846 Richard Tuers Richard Tuers 1847 John Carter John Carter 1847 Richard Tuers Richard Tuers 1848 Aaron H Burnett Aaron H Burnett 1849 Cyrus Parkhurst Cyrus Parkhurst 1850 Abner D Reeve Abner D Reeve 1851 Samuel C Smith Samuel C Smith 1852 Samuel M Bailey, Jr Samuel M Bailey Jr. 1853 Edward S Clayton Edward S Clayton 1854 Theodore Pierson Theodore Pierson 1855 Samuel M Bailey, Jr Samuel M Bailey Jr. 1856 UNKNOWN 1857 Benjamin Dean Benjamin Dean 1858 Jacob French Jacob French 1859 John C Sickley John C Sickley 1860 Benjamin Dean Benjamin Dean 1861 Benjamin Dean Benjamin Dean 1862 George Brown George Brown 1863 George Brown George Brown 1864 Henry Morgan Henry Morgan 1865 Henry Morgan Henry Morgan 1866 Henry Morgan Henry Morgan 1867 Henry Morgan Henry Morgan 1868 Henry Morgan Henry Morgan 1869 Cyrus Parkhurst Cyrus Parkhurst 1870 William Hastings William Hastings 1871 Henry M Graves Henry M Graves 1872 William Hastings William Hastings 1873 Sylvanus Lyon Sylvanus Lyon 1874 Andrew W Brown Andrew W Brown 1875 Sylvanus Lyon Sylvanus Lyon 1876 Sylvanus Lyon Sylvanus Lyon 1877 Sylvanus Lyon Sylvanus Lyon 1878 J Martin Roll J Martin Roll 1879 J Edgar Meeker J Edgar Meeker 1880 J Edgar Meeker J Edgar Meeker 1881 J Edgar Meeker J Edgar Meeker 1882 J Edgar Meeker J Edgar Meeker 1883 Henry M Graves Henry M Graves 1884 Henry M Graves Henry M Graves 1885 Henry M Graves Henry M Graves 1886 Henry M Graves Henry M Graves 1887 Henry M Graves Henry M Graves 1888 Henry M Graves Henry M Graves 1889 James Farrow James Farrow 1890 William Hastings William Hastings 1890 Henry M Graves Henry M Graves 1890 Abner P Stiles Abner P Stiles 1891 Abner P Stiles Abner P Stiles 1892 Abner P Stiles Abner P Stiles 1893 Abner P Stiles Abner P Stiles 1894 Abner P Stiles Abner P Stiles 1895 Abner P Stiles Abner P Stiles 1896 Abner P Stiles Abner P Stiles 1897 Abner P Stiles Abner P Stiles 1898 G W Goff G W Goff 1899 Lewis T Terry Lewis T Terry 1900 Lewis T Terry Lewis T Terry 1901 Lewis T Terry Lewis T Terry 1902 John L Denman John L Denman 1903 John L Denman John L Denman 1904 John L Denman John L Denman 1905 Richard Trivett Richard Trivett 1906 Richard Trivett Richard Trivett 1907 F Kienle F Kienle 1908 F Kienle F Kienle 1909 F Kienle F Kienle 1910 F Kienle F Kienle 1911 F Kienle F Kienle 1912 F Kienle F Kienle 1913 Richard Trivett Richard Trivett 1914 Richard Trivett Richard Trivett 1915 Richard Trivett Richard Trivett 1916 Richard Trivett Richard Trivett 1917 Charles H Ruby Charles H Ruby 1918 Charles H Ruby Charles H Ruby 1919 Charles H Ruby Charles H Ruby 1920 Charles H Ruby Charles H Ruby 1921 Charles H Ruby Charles H Ruby 1922 David S Jeakens David S Jeakens 1923 David S Jeakens David S Jeakens 1924 David S Jeakens David S Jeakens 1925 Charles S Quinzel Charles S Quinzel 1926 David S Jeakens David S Jeakens 1927 David S Jeakens David S Jeakens 1928 David S Jeakens David S Jeakens 1929 Gabriel Larsen Gabriel Larsen 1930 Gabriel Larsen Gabriel Larsen 1931 Charles S Cannon Charles S Cannon 1932 Charles S Cannon Charles S Cannon 1933 Charles S Cannon Charles S Cannon 1934 Wilbur M Selander Wilbur M Selander 1935 Wilbur M Selander Wilbur M Selander 1936 Wilbur M Selander Wilbur M Selander 1937 Wilbur M Selander Wilbur M Selander 1938 Wilbur M Selander Wilbur M Selander 1939 Wilbur M Selander Wilbur M Selander 1940 Wilbur M Selander Wilbur M Selander 1941 Wilbur M Selander Wilbur M Selander 1942 Wilbur M Selander Wilbur M Selander 1943 Wilbur M Selander Wilbur M Selander 1944 Wilbur M Selander Wilbur M Selander 1945 Wilbur M Selander Wilbur M Selander 1946 Wilbur M Selander Wilbur M Selander 1947 Wilbur M Selander Wilbur M Selander 1948 Robert W Marshall Robert W Marshall 1949 Robert W Marshall Robert W Marshall 1950 Robert W Marshall Robert W Marshall 1951 Robert W Marshall Robert W Marshall 1952 Robert W Marshall Robert W Marshall 1953 Albert C Binder Albert C Binder 1954 Albert C Binder Albert C Binder 1955 Albert C Binder Albert C Binder 1956 Albert C Binder Albert C Binder 1957 Albert C Binder Albert C Binder 1958 Vincent J Bonadies Vincent J Bonadies 1959 Vincent J Bonadies Vincent J Bonadies 1960 Vincent J Bonadies Vincent J Bonadies 1961 Philip Del Vecchio Philip Del Vecchio 1962 Arthur M Falkin Arthur M Falkin 1963 Robert Hardgrove Robert Hardgrove 1964 William F Koonz William F Koonz 1965 Robert G Planer Robert G Planer 1966 Arthur M Falkin Arthur M Falkin 1967 Robert D Hardgrove Robert D Hardgrove 1968 Philip Del Vecchio Philip Del Vecchio 1969 Henry J Boltman, Jr Henry J Boltman Jr 1970 Nathan Stokes Nathan Stokes 1971 Robert T Weltchek Robert T Weltchek 1972 William A Ruocco William A Ruocco 1973 Edward N Stiso, Jr Edward N Stiso Jr 1974 Nathan Stokes Nathan Stokes 1975 Robert T Weltchek Robert T Weltchek 1976 Joanne Rajoppi Joanne Rajoppi 1977 William Cieri William Cieri 1978 Stanley Kaish Stanley Kaish 1979 Robert T Weltchek Robert T Weltchek 1980 William Cieri William Cieri 1981 Stanley Kaish Stanley Kaish 1982 William A Ruocco William A Ruocco 1983 Philip Feintuch Philip Feintuch 1984 Edward J Fanning Edward J Fanning 1985 William Cieri William Cieri 1986 Edward J Fanning Edward J Fanning 1987 Jeffrey H Katz Jeffrey H Katz 1988 Jeffrey H Katz Jeffrey H Katz 1989 Philip Kurnos Philip Kurnos 1990 Marc I Marshall Marc I Marshall 1991 Philip Kurnos Philip Kurnos 1992 Philip Kurnos Philip Kurnos 1993 Marcia Forman Marcia Forman 1994 Marcia Forman Marcia Forman 1995 Gregory Clarke Gregory Clarke 1996 Roy A Hirschfeld Roy A Hirschfeld 1997 Sy Mullman Sy Mullman 1998 Gregory Clarke Gregory Clarke 1999 Clara T Harelik Clara T Harelik 2000 Sy Mullman Sy Mullman 2001 Steven Goldstein Steven Goldstein 2002 Gregory Clarke Gregory Clarke 2003 Clara T Harelik Clara T Harelik 2004 Sy Mullman Sy Mullman 2005 Clara T Harelik Clara T Harelik 2006 Kenneth Faigenbaum Kenneth Faigenbaum 2007 Bart Fraenkel Bart Fraenkel 2008 Bart Fraenkel Bart Fraenkel 2009 Ziad Andrew Shehady Ziad Andrew Shehady 2010 Hugh Keffer Hugh Keffer 2011 Ziad Andrew Shehady Ziad Andrew Shehady