Mayor of New Brunswick, New Jersey

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Mayor of New Brunswick
Incumbent
James M. Cahill
since 1991
Inaugural holderThomas Farmer
Formation1730
Website Mayor's Office

The Mayor of New Brunswick is head of the executive branch of the government of New Brunswick, New Jersey. The leaders of New Brunswick have not always been elected. In the early years of the city, its leaders were selected by the British monarchy.

The first four mayors are considered "colonial" in that their power stemmed from royal charters granted by the Kingdom of Great Britain. Beginning in 1784, the leaders of the city served pursuant to a charter granted by the State of New Jersey.

From 1784 to 1801, there was no mayor and New Brunswick's top official was referred to as "President of the Common Council." Subsequently, several mayors were appointed by the State Legislature of New Jersey. Beginning in the early 19th century, mayors were directly elected by voters. Initially, the term was one year and beginning in 1863, it was two years. Partisan mayor elections were held in April until 1901 when they were combined with the November general election.

Beginning in 1915, New Brunswick's form of government changed to the Walsh Act, with no direct elections for mayor. Instead, every four years, the city held a non-partisan election in May, electing five commissioners, who would then select from among themselves who would be given the title of mayor. Though not always the case, the title would often go to the candidate who received the most votes in the preceding election.

Since 1970, New Brunswick has been run under the Faulkner Act's Mayor-Council plan, with partisan mayor elections every four years. Party primary elections are held in June and the general election is held in November. Democrats have swept all but the 1974 elections, when an independent slate of candidates prevailed.

# [1] Term of officeMayorBorn and diedNotes and references
621991–James M. CahillElected in November 1990, Cahill was re-elected in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022. Cahill ran as a Democrat each time. Cousin of former mayor John A. Lynch Jr. Currently in his ninth term as mayor, he has been in office for 34 years, 334 days and is the longest-serving mayor in New Brunswick's history.
611979–1991 John A. Lynch Jr. born 1938Elected in November 1978, and re-elected in 1982 and 1986. Lynch ran as a Democrat each time. He is the son of former mayor John A. Lynch, Sr. Like his father, John Lynch, Jr. also represented New Brunswick in the State Senate. Lynch, Jr. did not run for re-election in 1990, the same year that he became senate president.
601978Gilbert L. Nelson1942-2011After the resignation of Richard J. Mulligan, Nelson was appointed mayor on September 21, 1978. He finished out Mulligan's term and did not run for a full term.
591975–1978Richard J. Mulliganborn 1942Elected in November 1974. Mulligan ran as an independent candidate. Resigned during his term and moved to Jackson, Wyoming. Son of former Mayor Richard V. Mulligan. [2] [3]
581974Aldrage B. Cooper II1937-2016After the resignation of Patricia Sheehan, Cooper was appointed mayor on February 20, 1974 to finish her term. Cooper was New Brunswick's first African-American mayor. Margaret Bertalan replaced Cooper on the City Council, while Cooper unsuccessfully sought a full term as mayor in the 1974 election.
571967–1974Patricia Q. Sheehan1934-2025Elected to the City Commission in May 1967, Sheehan was selected by her commissioner colleagues to serve as mayor, becoming the city's first female mayor. She was the last mayor under the commission form of government, and the first under the new form. After voters changed to a new partisan form of government with direct mayor elections, Sheehan ran as a Democrat and won re-election in November 1970. Sheehan resigned from office to become the Commissioner of the NJ Department of Community Affairs in the administration of Governor Brendan Byrne.
561955–1967Chester W. Paulus1905-1994Paulus was again selected by his fellow commissioners to serve as mayor in 1955. He was re-elected in 1959 and 1963, and continued to serve as mayor. After 27 years in elected office, Paulus lost his 1967 re-election campaign.
551951–1954 John A. Lynch, Sr. 1908–1978Lynch was appointed to the City Commission on December 3, 1946 (replacing Harry W. Dwyer), and was first elected to body in 1947. Lynch was re-elected in 1951, and selected by his commissioner colleagues to serve as mayor. In 1955, Lynch was re-elected to the commission, but resigned to focus on his campaign for State Senate. [4]
541943–1951Chester W. Paulus1905-1994First elected to the City Commission in May 1943, Paulus was selected by his commissioner colleagues to serve as mayor. He was re-elected in 1947 and again served as mayor. After being re-elected to the commission in 1951, he was replaced as mayor. Paulus would be re-installed as mayor after Lynch left the commission in 1955.
531942–1943Harry W. Dwyer???-1965Dwyer was first elected to the City Commission in May 1939, and in 1942, he was selected by his commissioner colleagues to serve as mayor after the resignation of Richard V. Mulligan. Dwyer won re-election to the commission in 1943, but did not continue as mayor. He resigned from the commission to become City Clerk on December 3, 1946.
521939–1942Richard V. Mulligan???-1973Mulligan was appointed to the City Commission June 28, 1938 (replacing Samuel D. Hoffman), and was first elected in May 1939. Mulligan was then selected by his commissioner colleagues to serve as mayor. Mulligan resigned from elected office to take a job with Johnson & Johnson, and Harry W. Dwyer was elevated to the mayor position, while Herbert Dailey was selected to replace Mulligan on the commission March 3, 1942.
511935–1939Frederick F. Richardson1893-1981First elected to the City Commission in May 1935, and selected by his commissioner colleagues to serve as mayor. Richardson won re-election to the commission in 1939, but did not continue as mayor. In 1943, he lost his re-election bid.
repeat1918–1935John J. Morrison???-1952An elected member of the inaugural City Commission, Morrison was chosen by his colleagues to take on the position of mayor after death of Edward Farrington. Morrison had previously served as Mayor from 1910 to 1914. He was re-elected to the Commission in 1923, 1927, and 1931. In 1935, he lost his re-election bid.
501915–1918Edward Farrington1886-1918Elected to the City Commission on April 6, 1915, Farrington would become New Brunswick's first mayor under the Commission form of government. He was selected from among his fellow commissioners to serve as mayor, led the city government during World War I, but died in office during the 1918 flu epidemic.
491914–1915 Austin Scott 1848–1922Elected in November 1913. Scott ran as a Democrat and defeated Republican Elmer E. Wyckoff in a close race. Scott was a former Rutgers University president. [5] He was New Brunswick's last mayor under aldermanic form of government, and his term was cut short when voters approved a change to a different form of government.
481910–1913John J. Morrison???-1952Elected in November 1909, and re-elected in 1911. Morrison ran as a Republican and defeated Democrat Grover T. Applegate both times in close races. Morrison later served as mayor under the commission form of government from 1918-1935.
471908–1909W. Edwin Florance1865-1943Elected in November 1907. Florance ran as a Democrat and defeated Republican Theodore Whitlock in a close race.
461906–1907Drury W. Cooper1872-1957Elected in November 1905. Cooper ran as a Republican and defeated Democrat John Lawrence.
451904–1905William S. Meyers1866-1945Elected in November 1903. Meyers ran as a Republican and defeated Democrat Charles Deshler in a close race.
441902–1903George A. Viehmann1868-1918Elected in November 1901 after a state law abolished spring municipal elections. Viehmann ran as a Democrat and defeated the incumbent mayor, Republican Nicholas Williamson, in a close race.
431895–1901Nicholas Williamson1845-1902Elected in April 1895, and re-elected in 1897 and 1899. Williamson ran as a Republican each time, defeating Democrats named Atkinson (1895) and Hoagland (1897). He ran unopposed for re-election in 1899 and his final term was extended until December 31, 1901 by a state law that moved local elections from April to November. In 1901, Williamson lost his re-election bid.
421889–1895James H. Van Cleef1841-1917Elected in April 1889, and re-elected in 1891 and 1893. Van Cleef ran as a Democrat each time, defeating a Republican named Fisher in 1889. He ran unopposed for re-election in 1891 and 1893.
411881–1889William S. Strong1831-1903Elected in April 1881, re-elected in 1883, 1885, and 1887. Strong ran as a Democrat each time, defeating Republicans named McIntosh (1881), Resnick (1883), and Morris (1885), and a Progressive candidate named Janeway (1887).
401879–1881DeWitt Ten Broeck Reilly1837-1900Elected in April 1879. Reilly ran as a Republican, narrowly defeating a Democrat named Waker.
repeat1877–1879Lyle Van Nuis1813-1883Elected in April 1877. Van Nuis ran as a Democrat, and defeated a Republican named Williamson. Van Nuis previously served as mayor from 1856-1857 and 1861-1863.
391875–1877Isaiah Rolfe1809-1892Elected in April 1875. Rolfe ran as a Republican, and defeated a Democrat named Conover.
381873–1875Thomas M. DeRussyElected in April 1873. DeRussy ran as a Democrat, and defeated a Republican named Cook.
371871–1873Garret Conover1817–???Elected in 1871.
361869–1871George J. Janeway1806-1889Elected in 1869.
351867–1869 Miles Ross 1828–1903Elected in 1867.
341865–1867John T. Jenkins???-1873He resigned from office.
331865Augustus T. Stout1816-1865Elected in 1865. He died in office shortly after being elected.
321863–1865Richard McDonald1803-1894He was the first mayor to serve under the charter of 1863, which extended the mayoral term of office from one year to two years.
repeat1861–1863Lyle van Nuis1813-1883Elected in 1861 and re-elected in 1862. Previously served as mayor 1856-1857. Would go on to serve as mayor again from 1877-1879.
311860–1861Ezekiel M. PattersonElected in 1860.
301859–1860Peter Conover Onderdonk1811-1894Elected in 1859.
291858–1859Tunis Van Doren Hoagland1813-1872Hoagland was elected to fill vacancy created by John Bayard Kirkpatrick's resignation.
281857–1858John Bayard Kirkpatrick1795-1864Elected in 1857. Brother of former New Brunswick Mayor Littleton Kirkpatrick and grandson of former New Brunswick President John Bubenheim Bayard. Resigned from office November 29, 1858.
271856–1857Lyle van Nuis1813-1883Elected in 1856. Returned as mayor for two more non-consecutive terms, from 1861-1863 and 1877-1879.
261855–1856 Abraham Voorhees Schenk 1821-1902Elected in 1855. Schenck went on to serve as State Senator, where he was Senate President in 1885.
251853–1855John B. HillElected in 1853 and re-elected in 1854.
repeat1852–1853 John Van Dyke 1807–1878Elected in 1852. Previously served as Mayor 1846–1847.
241851–1852Peter N. WyckoffAlso spelled "Wycoff." Elected in 1851.
231849–1851David Fitz RandolphElected in 1849 and re-elected in 1850.
221848–1849Augustus F. Taylor1809-1889Elected in 1848. He was a physician, and son of previous Mayor Augustus R. Taylor.
211847–1848Martin A. HowellElected in 1847.
201846–1847 John Van Dyke 1807–1878Elected in 1846. He returned for another term in 1852-1853
191845–1846William H. Leupp1801-1871Elected in 1845 and re-elected in 1846.
181843–1845John AckenElected in 1843 and re-elected in 1844.
171842–1843Fitz-Randolph Smith1786-1865Elected in 1842.
161841–1842 Littleton Kirkpatrick 1797–1859Elected in 1841. A former surrogate Middlesex County, Kirkpatrick defeated incumbent Mayor David W. Vail at the annual town meeting by a vote of 358-304. [6] Kirkpatrick was the grandson of John Bubenheim Bayard, former president of New Brunswick, and went on to be elected to the US Congress, where he served from 1843-1845. His brother John Bayard Kirkpatrick would serve as mayor from 1857-1858.
151840–1841David W. Vail1796-1842Elected in 1840.
141838–1840Augustus R. Taylor1782-1840Elected in 1838 and re-elected in 1839. Previously served as Mayor from 1824 to 1829. He was the first mayor to serve after the term was changed from five years to one year.
131829–1838Cornelius Low Hardenbergh1790–1860
121824–1829Augustus R. Taylor1782-1840Taylor was a physician [7] who took over as acting mayor after the death of James Schureman. He was officially appointed on November 19, 1824.
repeat1821–1824 James Schureman 1756–1824Schureman was appointed to return to the city's top position following the death of James Bennett. Previously served as mayor from 1801-1813. Schureman died in office on January 22, 1824.
111813–1821James Bennett1749-1821James Bennett had a tavern on Queen Street, and was appointed to replace James Schureman after his resignation. Bennett died in office on January 21, 1821.
101801–1813 James Schureman 1756–1824Son of former council president of New Brunswick, John Schureman. James Schureman was appointed to serve as mayor by the New Jersey Legislature under the 1801 charter. Schureman resigned on November 12, 1813, but would again return to the mayor role from 1821-1824.
91796–1801Abraham Schuyler1741-1815
repeat1794–1796 John Bubenheim Bayard 1738–1807Previously served as council president of New Brunswick 1790-1792. Bayard returned for another two-year term as the city's leader in 1794. [8] He went on to become a judge in the Court of Common Pleas.
81793–1794Lewis Ford Dunham1754-1821The son of former mayor Azariah Dunham, Dr. Lewis Ford Dunham was a surgeon in the American Army and went on to be lead the State Medical Society from 1791-1816.
71792–1793John Schureman1778-1818
61790–1792 John Bubenheim Bayard 1738–1807Served as a Colonel in Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Bayard was also a member of the Continental Congress and Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly before relocating to New Brunswick in 1788. In 1790, he was elected to replace Azariah Dunham as the president of New Brunswick Common Council. He would return for another term as president of New Brunswick from 1794-1796, and later became a judge.
51784–1790Azariah Dunham1719–1790Formerly a member of the Continental Congress and the General Assembly, Dunham became the first president of New Brunswick Common Council under the state charter. Died in office January 22, 1790.
41778–1784William HarrisonHarrison took over as mayor after the death of William Ouke, and was the last colonial mayor of New Brunswick. His term ended when New Jersey granted New Brunswick's state charter on September 30, 1784.
31762–1778William OukeAs the city's recorder, Ouke took over as mayor after the death of James Hude, and was installed as mayor under the city's second royal charter, which was dated February 12, 1763. Ouke died in office after a combined 42 years as alderman, recorder, or mayor.
21747–1762James HudeAfter more than 16 years as the city's recorder, James Hude was appointed the mayor by order of the colonial governor of New Jersey, Jonathan Belcher, in August 1747. He died in office in November 1762.
11730–1747Thomas Farmer1675-1752Thomas Farmer was the first mayor of New Brunswick, appointed under the royal charter granted December 30, 1730 by Colonel John Montgomerie, the colonial governor of New York and New Jersey. Farmer served for over 16 years, until mid-1747.

References

  1. ↑ Non consecutive terms are not counted as a new mayoral number
  2. ↑ "RICHARD MULLIGAN OF SURGICAL FIRM". NYT Obituaries. October 10, 1973.
  3. ↑ "Richard Mulligan Attorney at Law".
  4. ↑ "John A. Lynch, Senator in Jersey. Mayor of New Brunswick, 1951-55". New York Times . March 4, 1978. Retrieved May 3, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Austin Scott (1891-1906)". Rutgers University . Retrieved December 21, 2010.
  6. ↑ Benedict, William (1925). New Brunswick in History.
  7. ↑ "Augustus R. Taylor". Journal of the Medical Society of New Jersey. Medical Society of New Jersey. September 1, 1916. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Mayors of New Brunswick, New Jersey". Political Graveyard . Retrieved August 20, 2023.
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