List of mayors of North Adams, Massachusetts

Summary

This is a list of mayors of North Adams, Massachusetts. North Adams became a city in 1895.

Mayors edit

# Mayor Picture Term Party Notes
1 Albert Charles Houghton   1896–1897 (April 13, 1844 – August 11, 1914) He was born April 13, 1844, in Stamford, Vermont, to James and Chloe Houghton. He was the youngest son in a family of nine children. Houghton married Cordelia J. Smith, of Stamford, Vermont, in 1866. They had four children, all of whom studied in Germany. He died on August 11, 1914.[1]
2 Hiram Torrey Cady   1898–1899 (January 17, 1843 - January 8, 1917) He was born on January 17, 1843, in North Adams, Massachusetts. He died on January 8, 1917, in Hartford, Connecticut.
3 Edward Shepard Wilkinson   1900-October 14, 1902 Republican (March 21, 1842 – October 14, 1902) He was born on March 21, 1842. He worked as a banker. He died in office on October 14, 1902, in an Albany, New York hospital as a result of an operation performed for an abscess on his kidneys.[2]
Acting mayor. Valmore Augustus Whitaker 1902–1903 Republican (March 14, 1835 - ?) He was born March 14, 1835, in North Adams, Massachusetts, to Ezra Douglas Whitaker and Amanda M. Jones.[3] In 1905 Whitaker was the Republican candidate for mayor, he lost to the incumbent, Mayor Marshall R. Ford.[4]
4 Frank Dalmon Stafford, M.D.   1903–1904 Republican (August 15, 1856 - ?) This was his first term. He was born on August 15, 1856, to Joel C. Stafford and Jane A. Stroud in Stamford, Vermont. Stafford attended the local public schools then Williamstown High School in Williamstown, Massachusetts. He studied medicine at Burlington Medical College. He represented Windham County in the Vermont legislature in 1888 and 1889, while residing in Whitingham. He married Flora A. Ballou, the daughter of Hosea B. Ballou and Adeline Murdock.[5]
5 Marshall Rufus Ford   1905–1906 Democratic
6 Frank Dalmon Stafford   1907–1908 Republican This was his second term.
7 John H. Waterhouse   1909–1910 Republican (March 1, 1870 - April 29, 1948) He was born on March 1, 1870, in Rhode Island. Waterhouse began his career in the wool industry working at a wool mill in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Waterhouse was, with Theodore Howard,[6] a member of the manufacturing firm of Waterhouse and Howard which, in 1905[6] leased the Eagle Mill[6] in North Adams and operated it as a wollen mill.[6][7] Waterhouse was the operator of Blackinton Woolen Mill in North Adams from 1910 to its liquidation in 1939.
8 Charles Lyman Frink 1911–1912 Republican (February 16, 1849 – January 1937). He served as a deputy United States Marshal.[8]
9 Wallace Everett Brown 1913–1914 Republican (June 29, 1853 – April 4, 1930) He was a physician. He died on Wallace died on April 4, 1930, in Fort Collins, Colorado of a cerebral hemorrhage.
10 John W. Gale 1915-1916 Democratic
11 Ezra Douglas Whitaker 1917–1920 Republican (December 11, 1874 – October 24, 1936) He was born on December 11, 1874, to Valmore Augustus Whitaker and Emma Louise Beckwith. Whitaker received his early education at the Worcester Academy. He receives his A.B. from Yale College in 1898.[9] After he graduated from Yale, Whitaker went to work for the North Adams Savings Bank and was a director of the Hoosac Valley Street Railway. On April 30, 1900, Whitaker married Josephine Coenen of Springfield, Massachusetts. They had three daughters, including Josephine D. Whitaker.[10] He died on October 24, 1936.[11][12]
12 Harvey Alpheus Gallup 1921–1922 Republican (October 16, 1869 - August 6, 1946) In 1891 Gallup formed the Harvey A. Gallup Agency with his brother Clarence.[13]
13 William Kirk Greer 1923–1924 Republican
14 William Henry Johnson 1925–1932 He was born in Copake, New York February 26, 1871. He served for 5 terms and owned a foundry. He was elected twice as the Exalter Ruler of the North Adams Elks lodge. He died on May 7, 1941, aged 70.[14]
15 Archie James Pratt 1933–1934 (July 13, 1880 – November 1959). Pratt was, with Ed Price, the co-owner of Rice's Drug Store on the corner of Main and Eagle streets in North Adams.[15]
16 William Johnson 1935–1936
17 Francis J. O'Hara 1937–1940 Democratic
18 Faxon Bowen 1941–1942 Independent
19 Cornelius E. O'Brien 1943–1946 Democratic
20 James A. Bowes 1947–1951 Democratic
21 Ernest Henry Rosasco 1952–1953 (August 4, 1907 – July 1985) was born in North Adams, Massachusetts, to Giovanni B. Rosasco, a police captain; and Virginia Gazzaniga. Virginia died in 1930 and Giovani died in 1949. He had four brothers, Medeo, John B, William P, and Francis W, and William, and two sisters, Mary and Margaret. His wife was Mary A. Fachini. He graduated from Williams College in 1929 and from Harvard Law school in 1932. He practiced law in North Adams for ten years, and was a member of the North Adams city council from 1938 to 1941. From 1940 to 1942, he was a member of the advisory committee of the local draft board, and in November 1942 he joined the United States Army, enlisting as a private to serve in World War II. He served in the 4th Armored division in Europe until November 1945. He was granted a battlefield commission as lieutenant during the war, and was discharged with the rank of 2nd lieutenant. He died in July 1985.
22 James M. Lilly 1954–1955 (July 17, 1891 - July 1978)
23 Julius Mark Calvi 1956–1958 (May 19, 1917 – January 22, 2009)
24 Joseph Raymond Bianco 1958–1959 (March 19, 1914 – March 3, 2000). This was his first term.
25 Louis J. Diamond 1960–1961 Last mayor elected under a Massachusetts Plan D form of government.
26 Francis Constant Florini 1962–1967 First mayor elected under a Massachusetts Plan A form of government.
27 James F. Cleary 1968–1969 Democratic
28 Joseph Raymond Bianco 1970–1977 This was his second term.
29 Richard Charles Lamb 1978–1983 In 1977 Lamb, then 28 years old, was elected mayor over Louis R. Sinclitico. On election day, November 8, 1977, Lamb received fifty seven percent of the vote against Sinclitico who received forty two percent.[16] He resigned from office in 1983.
Acting mayor. John R. Taft, Jr. 1983 Democratic (April 28, 1954 – June 3, 2007 ) He was president of the North Adams, Massachusetts, city council and, in 1983, as the acting mayor. He was born on April 28, 1954, in North Adams, Massachusetts, to Therese Judge and John R. Taft Sr. Taft graduated with honors from Drury High School. Taft was a member of the North Adams City Council from 1980 to 1985. Taft was the president of the North Adams City Council. In 1983 Taft served, for two months as the acting mayor of North Adams.[17][18] In the 1985 mayoral election Taft ran against incumbent Mayor John Barrett III.[19] Of the 4,373 votes cast in the election Barrett received 3,718 votes and Taft received 655.[20] Taft died on June 3, 2007, at the Veterans' Hospital in West Haven, Connecticut.
30 John Barrett III   1984–2009 Democratic
31 Richard J. Alcombright 2010-2018 Democratic
32 Thomas Bernard 2018-2022 Democratic
33 Jennifer Macksey 2022- Democratic First female mayor.[21]

References edit

  1. ^ Davis, William T. (1897). The New England States (Vol 1 ed.). Boston: D.H. Hurd & Co. pp. 175–176. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  2. ^ "Death List of The Week", The New York Times, p. 9., October 15, 1902
  3. ^ Cooke, Rollin Hillyer (1906), Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Volume I, The Lewis Historical Publishing Co., p. 413
  4. ^ "North Adams Democrats Re-elect Mayor", The Hartford Courant, p. 1, December 20, 1905
  5. ^ Cooke, Rollin Hillyer (1906), Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Volume II, New York, NY: The Lewis Historical Publishing Co., pp. 246–247
  6. ^ a b c d Campanile, Robert (2007), North Adams, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, p. 31.
  7. ^ Arnold, N. H. (May 1908), T. R. MacMechen (ed.), The American Aeronaut and Aerostatist, Vol. I, No 5, A Balloon Christening, Saint Louis, Missouri: Greeley Printery, p. 171.
  8. ^ New York Times (January 27, 1937), "Charles L. Frink. Ex-Mayor of North Adams, Mass., Deputy Sheriff 50 Years", The New York Times, New York, NY, p. 21
  9. ^ Wright, Henry B. (July 1902), Triennial Record of the Class of 1898. Yale College., New Haven, Connecticut: Yale College, Class of 1898., p. 86.
  10. ^ "Miss Whitaker a Bride. Daughter of North Adams's Late Mayor Wed to Hans Meissner", The New York Times, New York City, p. 2, June 13, 1937
  11. ^ Wright, Henry B. (July 1902), Triennial Record of the Class of 1898. Yale College., New Haven, Connecticut: Yale College, Class of 1898., pp. 86–87.
  12. ^ "Ezra D. Whitaker". New York Times. October 26, 1936. Retrieved 2018-02-27.
  13. ^ Dobrowolski, Tony (June 7, 2007), Merger helps agency expand, Pittsfield, Mass: The Berkshire Eagle
  14. ^ "William Johnson. Elected Mayor of North Adams Five Times.- Dies at Age of 70". New York Times. May 8, 1941. Retrieved 2018-02-27.
  15. ^ Rivers, Roger (November 17, 2009), Drug stores were all in the family, North Adams, Massachusetts: The North Adams Transcript
  16. ^ North Adams Transcript (June 9, 2009), "Mystery photo solved", The North Adams Transcript, North Adams, Massachusetts
  17. ^ Obituaries (June 5, 2007), John R. Taft Jr., 53, N.A. veterans' agent, North Adams, Massachusetts: The North Adams Transcript
  18. ^ Mandell, Hinda (November 19, 2004), The IRS wants you ... to get your refund check, North Adams, Massachusetts: The North Adams Transcript
  19. ^ METRO (October 10, 1985), MAYORAL NOMINEES IN MASSACHUSETTS; THE FOLLOWING IS THE LIST OF MAYORAL NOMINEES FOR THE NOV. 5; FINAL MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN MASSACHUSETTS:, Boston, Massachusetts: The Boston Globe, p. 37.
  20. ^ METRO (November 7, 1985), NORTH ADAMS, Boston, Massachusetts: The Boston Globe, p. 40.
  21. ^ "With historic vote, Macksey to become first female mayor of North Adams". WAMC. 2021-11-03. Retrieved 2021-12-05.