Mayors of the City of Watertown

The City of Watertown was incorporated in 1869, and the City's first governing body consisted of a Mayor and two Aldermen from each Ward. The position of Mayor was at first a one-year term, later becoming a two-year term. The Alderman system was then replaced in 1920, when the City of Watertown changed to a City Manager form of government. At that time, the governing body converted to a Mayor and four Council Members and the Mayor’s term became four years. In the past 154 years, there have only been 36 different individuals serving as Mayor. Contained within this timeline are many interesting facts about the people who have served our City. For more information about each Mayor and to see their picture, click on their name.

Mayors of the City of Watertown, New York

1869,1870, 1871George W. Flower
1872Gilderoy Lord
1873, 1874Wilbur F. Porter
1875Bradley Winslow  
1876Levi H. Brown
1877Wilbur F. Porter
1878John C. Streeter
1879Dennis O'Brien
1880, 1881Byron B. Taggart
1882, 1883Nelson Burdick
1884, 1885Dewitt C. Middleton
1886Henry M. Allen
1887, 1888William E. Hart 
1889John Nill 
1890, 1891Wilbur F. Porter 
1892Florentine D. Roth
1893, 1894Hiram F. Inglehart
1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899James B. Wise
1900-May 21,1901 (Died in Office)Wilbur F. Porter 
May-December 1901, 1902-1903James F. Pappa
1904-1905Charles D. Bingham
1906-May 1906 (Resigned)Daniel W. Cahill
May 1906-1907, 1908-1909, 1910-1911, 1912-1913Francis M. Hugo
1914-1915, 1916-1917,1918-1919Isaac R. Breen
1920-1923Robert E. Cahill
1924-1927, 1928-1931, 1932-1935John B. Harris
1936-1939David D. Kieff
1940-1943, 1944-1947Charles A. Winslow 
1948-1951Henry A. Hudson
1952-1955John H. Newman 
1956-1959, 1960-1963William G. Lachenauer
1964-November 1,1966 (Resigned)John H. Galvin
November 1966-1967, 1968-1971, 1972-1975Theodore J. Rand 
1976-1979, 1980-1983Karl R. Burns
1984-1987, 1988-1991T. Urling Walker
1992-1995, 1996-1999Jeffrey E. Graham
2000-2003Joseph M. Butler, Sr.  
2004-2007, 2008-2011, 2012-2015Jeffrey E. Graham
2016-2019Joseph M. Butler, Jr.
2020-2023Jeffrey M. Smith
2024-2027Sarah V.C. Pierce



General Information
Phone Numbers
(315) 785-7780
Fax: (315) 785-7796
Emergencies: Dial 911
Location
245 Washington St.
Watertown,
NY
13601