List of mayors of Fort Wayne, Indiana

This is a list of mayors of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The mayor is the chief executive of the city, charged with overseeing the operation of all local government departments. Mayoral terms are four years, with no limit on the number of terms an individual may be elected to.

Mayor of the
City of Fort Wayne
Incumbent
Karl Bandemer
since March 28, 2024
Term lengthFour years, no limit
Inaugural holderGeorge W. Wood
Formation1840
WebsiteOffice of the Mayor

List edit

 
George W. Wood, first mayor of Fort Wayne.
 
William J. Hosey is Fort Wayne's longest-serving mayor, elected to four non-consecutive terms.
No. Portrait Mayor Term start Term end   Party
1   George W. Wood
(1808–1871; aged 63)
May 1, 1840 July 5, 1841 Whig
2 Joseph Morgan

(1795-1851; aged 56)

July 5, 1841 January 1843 Whig
3 Henry Lotz
(1797–1845; aged 48)
January 1843 1845 Whig
4 John M. Wallace
(1820–1866; aged 46)
1845 1846 Whig
5   Merchant W. Huxford
(1798–1877; aged 79)
1846 1849 Democratic
6 William Stewart (1st)

(1798-1873; aged 74)

1849 1852 Democratic
7 Philip G. Jones

(1808-1859; aged 50)

1852 1853 Know Nothing
8 Charles Whitmore
(1819–1892; aged 73)
1853 1855 Democratic
9 William Stewart (2nd)

(1798-1873; aged 74)

1855 1857 Democratic
10   Samuel S. Morss
(1811–1862; aged 51)
1857 1859 Know Nothing
11   Franklin P. Randall (1st)
(1812–1892; aged 79)
1859 1865 Democratic
12 James Worden
(1819–1884; aged 65)
1865 1866 Democratic
13 Benjamin Saunders
(1810-1870; aged 60)
1866 1867 Democratic
14 Henry Sharp
(1809–1900; aged 91)
1867 1869 Republican
15   Franklin P. Randall (2nd)

(1812–1892; aged 79)

1869 1873 Democratic
16   Charles A. Zollinger (1st)
(1838–1893; aged 55)
1873 1885 Democratic
17   Charles F. Muhler
(1841–1899; aged 58)
1885 1889 Republican
18   Daniel L. Harding

(1843-1912; aged 69)

1889 May 7, 1891 Republican
19   Charles A. Zollinger (2nd)

(1838–1893; aged 55)

May 7, 1891 December 27, 1893 Democratic
20 Henry P. Scherer (1st)
(1855–1917; aged 61)
December 27, 1893 May 1894 Democratic
21   Chauncey B. Oakley
(1833–1903; aged 69)
May 1894 1896 Republican
22 Henry P. Scherer (2nd)

(1855–1917; aged 61)

1896 May 9, 1901 Democratic
23   Henry C. Berghoff
(1856–1925; aged 69)
May 9, 1901 January 10, 1906 Democratic
24   William J. Hosey (1st)
(1854–1937; aged 83)
January 10, 1906 1910 Democratic
25   Jesse Grice
(1852–1915; aged 63)
1910 January 5, 1914 Republican
26   William J. Hosey (2nd)

(1854–1937; aged 83)

January 5, 1914 1918 Democratic
27 W. Sherman Cutshall
(1868–1939; aged 71)
1918 1922 Republican
28   William J. Hosey (3rd)

(1854–1937; aged 83)

1922 January 4, 1926 Democratic
29 William C. Geake

(1874-1965; aged 90)

January 4, 1926 1930 Republican
30   William J. Hosey (4th)

(1854–1937; aged 83)

1930 1935 Democratic
31 Harry W. Baals (1st)
(1886–1954; aged 67)
1935 January 1, 1948 Republican
32 Henry E. Branning, Jr.
(1890–1970; aged 80)
January 1, 1948 1952 Democratic
33 Harry W. Baals (2nd)[a]
(1886–1954; aged 67)
1952 May 9, 1954 Republican
34 Robert Meyers
(1913–2007; aged 93)
May 9, 1954 December 31, 1959 Republican
35 Paul Mike Burns
(1917–2011; aged 93)
January 1, 1960 December 31, 1963 Democratic
36 Harold S. Zeis
(1912–1975; aged 62)
January 1, 1964 December 31, 1971 Republican
37 Ivan A. Lebamoff
(1932–2006; aged 73)
January 1, 1972 December 31, 1975 Democratic
38   Robert E. Armstrong
(1925–2008; aged 82)
January 1, 1976 December 31, 1979 Republican
39   Winfield Moses (1st)[b]
(born in 1943; age 81)
January 1, 1980 July 8, 1985 Democratic
40 Cosette Simon[c]
(born in 1953; age 70)
July 8, 1985 July 19, 1985 Democratic
41   Winfield Moses (2nd)[d]
(born in 1943; age 81)
July 20, 1985 December 31, 1987 Democratic
42   Paul Helmke
(born in 1948; age 75)
January 1, 1988 December 31, 1999 Republican
43   Graham Richard
(born in 1947; age 77)
January 1, 2000 December 31, 2007 Democratic
44   Tom Henry
(1951–2024)[e]
January 1, 2008 March 28, 2024 Democratic

Notes edit

  • a Baals died of a kidney infection during his fourth term as mayor.[1]
  • b Moses resigned from office after pleading guilty to three misdemeanor violations of campaign finance laws.[2]
  • c City Controller Cosette Simon was appointed acting mayor for eleven days following Moses' resignation. She was Fort Wayne's first female mayor.
  • d With 86 of 99 Allen County Democratic precinct committee members voting in a special caucus for his reinstatement, Moses was elected to complete his second term as mayor.[3]
  • e Henry died of stomach cancer during his fifth term as mayor.[4]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Leininger, Kevin (February 12, 2011). "Jokes aside, Harry Baals worth honoring". The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. Archived from the original on April 28, 2012. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  2. ^ Ogintz, Eileen (July 9, 1985). "Mayor of Ft. Wayne resigns in plea deal, but plans return". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  3. ^ Shipp, E. R. (July 20, 1985). "Fort Wayne mayor is out, then in". The New York Times. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  4. ^ "Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry passes away following battle with cancer". WPTA. Retrieved March 28, 2024.

External links edit