The Mayor is the highest elected official in Charleston, South Carolina. Since the city's incorporation in 1783, Charleston's chief executive officer has been elected directly by qualified voters, except for the years 1867–1868, when mayors were appointed by Federal officials. The position was known as intendant until 1836, and has been known as "mayor" since that time.[1]
[edit] Intendants and Mayors of Charleston, South Carolina
| # |
Mayor |
Party |
Sworn In |
Left Office |
Comments |
| 1 |
Richard Hutson |
|
1783 |
1784 |
|
| 1 |
Richard Hutson |
|
1784 |
1785 |
|
| 2 |
Arnoldus Vander Horst |
|
1785 |
1786 |
|
| 3 |
John Faucheraud Grimké |
|
1786 |
1787 |
Descendent of French Huguenots |
| 3 |
John Faucheraud Grimké |
|
1787 |
1788 |
|
| 3 |
John Faucheraud Grimké |
|
1788 |
1788[2] |
|
| 4 |
Rawlins Lowndes |
|
1788[3] |
1789 |
|
| 5 |
Thomas Jones |
|
1789 |
1790 |
|
| 2 |
Arnoldus Vander Horst |
|
1790 |
1791 |
|
| 2 |
Arnoldus Vander Horst |
|
1791 |
1792 |
|
| 6 |
John Huger |
|
1792 |
1793 |
|
| 6 |
John Huger |
|
1793 |
1794 |
|
| 7 |
John Bee Holmes |
|
1794 |
1795 |
|
| 8 |
John Edwards |
|
1795 |
1796 |
|
| 8 |
John Edwards |
|
1796 |
1797 |
|
| 9 |
Henry William De Saussure |
Federalist |
1797 |
1798 |
Descendent of French Huguenots from Lorraine
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1791
Attorney, indigo planter and slave owner[4] |
| 9 |
Henry William De Saussure |
Federalist |
1798 |
1799 |
|
| 10 |
Thomas Roper |
|
1799 |
1800 |
|
| 10 |
Thomas Roper |
|
1800 |
1801 |
|
| 11 |
John Ward |
|
1801 |
1802 |
|
| 12 |
David Deas |
|
1802 |
1803 |
|
| 13 |
John Drayton |
|
1803 |
1804 |
|
| 14 |
Thomas Winstanley |
|
1804 |
1805 |
|
| 15 |
Charles Cochran |
|
1805 |
1806 |
|
| 16 |
John Dawson, Jr. |
|
1806 |
1807 |
|
| 16 |
John Dawson, Jr. |
|
1807 |
1808[5] |
|
| 17 |
Benjamin Boyd |
|
1808[6] |
1808 |
|
| 18 |
William Rouse |
|
1808 |
1809 |
|
| 18 |
William Rouse |
|
1809 |
1810 |
|
| 19 |
Thomas H. McCalla |
|
1810 |
1811 |
|
| 19 |
Thomas H. McCalla |
|
1811 |
1812 |
|
| 20 |
Thomas Bennett, Jr. |
|
1812 |
1813 |
|
| 21 |
Thomas Rhett Smith |
|
1813 |
1814 |
|
| 21 |
Thomas Rhett Smith |
|
1814 |
1815[7] |
|
| 22 |
Elias Horry |
|
1815 |
1816 |
|
| 22 |
Elias Horry |
|
1816 |
1817 |
|
| 23 |
John Geddes |
Democratic-Republican |
1817 |
1818 |
Once a Member of the South Carolina State Legislature
Governor of South Carolina from 1818 to 1820 |
| 23 |
John Geddes |
Democratic-Republican |
1818 |
1818[8] |
|
| 24 |
Daniel Stevens |
|
1819[9] |
1819 |
|
| 24 |
Daniel Stevens |
|
1819 |
1820 |
|
| 22 |
Elias Horry |
|
1820 |
1821 |
|
| 25 |
James Hamilton, Jr. |
Democratic-Republican |
1821 |
1822 |
U.S. Representative from 1822 to 1829
Governor of South Carolina from 1830 to 1832 |
| 25 |
James Hamilton, Jr. |
Democratic-Republican |
1822 |
1822[10] |
|
| 23 |
John Geddes |
Democratic-Republican |
1823[11] |
1823 |
|
| 23 |
John Geddes |
Democratic-Republican |
1823 |
1824 |
|
| 26 |
Samuel Prioleau |
|
1824 |
1825 |
Huguenot |
| 27 |
Joseph Johnson |
|
1825 |
1826 |
|
| 27 |
Joseph Johnson |
|
1826 |
1827 |
|
| 28 |
John Gadsden |
|
1827 |
1828 |
Once a Member of the South Carolina State Legislature |
| 28 |
John Gadsden |
|
1828 |
1829 |
|
| 29 |
Henry Laurens Pinckney |
Democrat |
1829 |
1830 |
|
| 30 |
James R. Pringle |
|
1830 |
1831 |
|
| 29 |
Henry Laurens Pinckney |
Democrat |
1831 |
1832 |
|
| 29 |
Henry Laurens Pinckney |
Democrat |
1832 |
1833 |
|
| 31 |
Edward W. North |
|
1833 |
1834 |
|
| 31 |
Edward W. North |
|
1834 |
1835 |
|
| 31 |
Edward W. North |
|
1835 |
1836 |
|
| 32 |
Robert Young Hayne |
Democrat (Nullifier) |
1836 |
1837 |
U.S. Senator from 1823 to 1832
Governor of South Carolina from 1832 to 1834
First Charleston's chief executive officer known as Mayor of Charleston |
| 29 |
Henry Laurens Pinckney |
Democrat (Nullifier) |
1837 |
1838 |
|
| 29 |
Henry Laurens Pinckney |
Democrat (Nullifier) |
1838 |
1839 |
|
| 29 |
Henry Laurens Pinckney |
Democrat (Nullifier) |
1839 |
1840 |
|
| 33 |
Jacob F. Mintzing |
Unionist Democrat |
1840 |
1841 |
Once a Member of the South Carolina State Legislature |
| 33 |
Jacob F. Mintzing |
Unionist Democrat |
1841 |
1842[12] |
|
| 34 |
John Schnierle |
Democrat |
1842[13] |
1842 |
2nd German-American mayor
Attorney
Major General with the 16th Regiment of South Carolina Militia |
| 34 |
John Schnierle |
Democrat |
1842 |
1843 |
|
| 34 |
John Schnierle |
Democrat |
1843 |
1844 |
|
| 34 |
John Schnierle |
Democrat |
1844 |
1845 |
|
| 34 |
John Schnierle |
Democrat |
1845 |
1846 |
|
| 35
Thomas Leger Hutchinson
|
Democrat |
1846 |
1847 |
|
| 35 |
T. Leger Hutchinson |
Democrat |
1847 |
1848 |
|
| 35 |
T. Leger Hutchinson |
Democrat |
1848 |
1849 |
|
| 35 |
T. Leger Hutchinson |
Democrat |
1849 |
1850 |
|
| 34 |
John Schnierle |
Democrat |
1850 |
1851 |
|
| 34 |
John Schnierle |
Democrat |
1851 |
1852 |
|
| 35 |
T. Leger Hutchinson |
Democrat |
1852 |
1853 |
|
| 35 |
T. Leger Hutchinson |
Democrat |
1853 |
1855 |
|
| 36 |
William Porcher Miles |
Democrat |
1855 |
1857 |
|
| 37 |
Charles Macbeth |
Democrat |
1857 |
1859 |
|
| 37 |
Charles Macbeth |
Democrat |
1859 |
1861 |
|
| 37 |
Charles Macbeth |
Democrat |
1861 |
1863 |
|
| 37 |
Charles Macbeth |
Democrat |
1863 |
1865[14] |
|
| 38 |
Peter Charles Gaillard |
Democrat |
1865 |
1868 |
Huguenot
Gaillard was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Confederate Army.
He was removed from office by Federal authorities. |
| 39 |
Gen. W.W. Burns |
Military Appointment |
1868 |
1868 |
|
| 40 |
Col. Milton Cogswell |
Military Appointment |
1868 |
1868 |
|
| 41 |
G.W. Clark |
Military Appointment |
1868 |
1868 |
|
| 42 |
Gilbert Pillsbury |
Republican |
1868 |
1871 |
Pillsbury was Charleston's Reconstruction mayor.
He made career with the Freedmen’s Bureau. |
| 43 |
Johann Andreas Wagener |
Democrat |
1871 |
1873 |
German-American and Lutheran mayor[15]
Wagener had been a Confederate General. He founded St. Matthew's German Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1840 and is buried in its Bethany Cemetery. |
| 44 |
G.I. Cunningham |
Republican |
1873 |
1875 |
|
| 44 |
G.I. Cunningham |
Republican |
1875 |
1877 |
|
| 45 |
William W. Sale |
Democrat |
1877 |
1879 |
|
| 46 |
William Ashmead Courtenay |
Democrat |
1879 |
1883 |
|
| 46 |
William Ashmead Courtenay |
Democrat |
1883 |
1887 |
|
| 47 |
George D. Bryan |
Democrat |
1887 |
1891 |
|
| 48 |
John F. Ficken |
Democrat |
1891 |
1895 |
|
| 49 |
J. Adger Smyth |
Democrat |
1895 |
1899 |
|
| 49 |
J. Adger Smyth |
Democrat |
1899 |
1903 |
|
| 50 |
R, Goodwyn Rhett |
Democrat |
1903 |
1907 |
|
| 50 |
R, Goodwyn Rhett |
Democrat |
1907 |
1911 |
|
| 51 |
John P. Grace |
Democrat |
1911 |
1915 |
1st Irish-American and Catholic mayor
The John P. Grace Memorial Bridge was named to honor him. |
| 52 |
Tristram T. Hyde |
Democrat |
1915 |
1919 |
|
| 51 |
John P. Grace |
Democrat |
1919 |
1923 |
|
| 53 |
Thomas Porcher Stoney |
Democrat |
1923 |
1927 |
|
| 53 |
Thomas Porcher Stoney |
Democrat |
1927 |
1931 |
|
| 54 |
Burnett Rhett Maybank |
Democrat |
1931 |
1935 |
|
| 54 |
Burnett Rhett Maybank |
Democrat |
1935 |
1938[16] |
Governor of South Carolina from 1939 to 1941
U.S. Senator from 1941 to 1954 |
| 55 |
Henry Whilden Lockwood |
Democrat |
1938[17] |
1939 |
|
| 55 |
Henry Whilden Lockwood |
Democrat |
1939 |
1943 |
|
| 55 |
Henry Whilden Lockwood |
Democrat |
1943 |
1944[18] |
|
| 56 |
E. Edward Wehman, Jr. |
Democrat |
1944[19] |
1947 |
|
| 57 |
William McGillivray Morrison |
Democrat |
1947 |
1951 |
|
| 57 |
William McGillivray Morrison |
Democrat |
1951 |
1955 |
|
| 57 |
William McGillivray Morrison |
Democrat |
1955 |
1959 |
|
| 58 |
J. Palmer Gaillard, Jr. |
Democrat |
1959 |
1963 |
Huguenot |
| 58 |
J. Palmer Gaillard, Jr. |
Democrat |
1963 |
1967 |
|
| 58 |
J. Palmer Gaillard, Jr. |
Democrat |
1967 |
1971 |
|
| 58 |
J. Palmer Gaillard, Jr. |
Democrat |
1971 |
1975[20] |
|
| 59 |
Arthur B. Schirmer, Jr. |
Democrat |
1975[21] |
1975 |
|
| 60 |
Joseph P. Riley, Jr. |
Democrat |
1975 |
1979 |
2nd Irish-American mayor |
| 60 |
Joseph P. Riley, Jr. |
Democrat |
1979 |
1983 |
|
| 60 |
Joseph P. Riley, Jr. |
Democrat |
1983 |
1987 |
|
| 60 |
Joseph P. Riley, Jr. |
Democrat |
1987 |
1991 |
|
| 60 |
Joseph P. Riley, Jr. |
Democrat |
1991 |
1995 |
|
| 60 |
Joseph P. Riley, Jr. |
Democrat |
1995 |
1999 |
|
| 60 |
Joseph P. Riley, Jr. |
Democrat |
1999 |
2003 |
|
| 60 |
Joseph P. Riley, Jr. |
Democrat |
2003 |
2007 |
|
| 60 |
Joseph P. Riley, Jr. |
Democrat |
2007 |
2011 |
|
- ^ Charleston's Intendants and Mayors.
- ^ Grimké resigned on September 15, 1788.
- ^ Rawlins Lowndes succeeded Grimké on September 29, 1788 and served the remainder of his term, which expired in 1789.
- ^ DeSaussure and Ford: A Charleston Law Firm of the 1790s, Sally Hadden, Florida State University
- ^ Dawson resigned in July 1808.
- ^ Benjamin Boyd succeeded Dawson on July 22, 1808 and served the remainder of his term, which expired in the same year.
- ^ Smith resigned in March 1815. Elias Horry succeeded him on March 30 of the same year.
- ^ Geddes resigned in December 1818.
- ^ Daniel Steven succeeded Geddes on January 11, 1819 and served the remainder of his term, which expired in the same year.
- ^ Hamilton resigned in December 1822.
- ^ John Geddes succeeded Hamilton on January 6, 1823 and served the remainder of his term, which expired in the same year.
- ^ Mintzing died in office on March 15, 1842.
- ^ John Schnierle succeeded Mintzing on April 4, 1842 and served the remainder of his term, which expired in the same year.
- ^ On February 18, 1865, Mayor Charles MacBeth surrendered Charleston to Lieutenant Colonel A.G. Bennett of the 21st US Colored Troops.
- ^ A Brief History, Pastor Cam Keyser, St Matthews Lutheran Church, Charleston, SC, June 5, 2007
- ^ Maybank resigned on December 27, 1938.
- ^ Henry Whilden Lockwood succeeded Maybank on December 27, 1938 and served the remainder of his term, which expired in 1939.
- ^ Lockwood died in office on June 5, 1944.
- ^ E. Edward Wehman, Jr. was appointed by the City Council to succeed Lockwood in 1944 and served the remainder of his term, which expired in 1947.
- ^ Gaillard resigned in 1975.
- ^ Arthur B. Schirmer, Jr. succeeded Gaillard on August 19, 1975 and served the remainder of his term, which expired in the same year.