Mayors of Little Rock

Town of Little Rock [1]

1. Dr. Matthew Cunningham	January 1832 – January 1833
2. Rev. W. W. Stevenson	January 1833 – January 1834
3. Elijah A. More	January 1834 – January 1835
4. David Fulton	January 1835 – November 1835[2]

City of Little Rock

5. James Pitcher	November 1835 – December 1837
6. Jesse Brown	January 1838 – January 1841[3]
7. Dr. Samuel H. Webb	January 1841– January 1842
8. John Widgery	January 1842 – May 1842
9. Samuel G. Trowbridge	May 1842 – January 1843[4],[5]
10. Thomas S. Reynolds	January 1843 – September 1843 [4]
11. Eli Colby	September 1843 – January 1844 [4]
12. William Brown, Sr.	January 1844 – January 1845
13. Lambert J. Reardon	January 1845 – January 1847
14. Dr. Roderick Lathrop “R. L.” Dodge	January 1847 – January 1848
15. Dr. Samuel H. Webb	January 1848 – April 1849
16. Roswell Beebe	April 1849 – February 1850 [4]
17. D. J. Baldwin	February 1850 – January 1851 [4]
18. John Elliot Knight	January 1851 – January 1852
19. Andre J. Hutt	January 1852 – January 1854
20. Thomas D. Merrick	January 1854 – January 1855
21. Charles “C. P.” Bertrand	January 1855 – January 1857[6]
22. William E. Ashley	January 1857 – January 1859
23. Gordon N. Peay	January 1859 – January 1861[7]
24. William E. Ashley	January 1861 – September 1863[8]
No Little Rock City Government from	September 1863 until December 1865 due to Civil War.
25. Dr. J. J. McAlmont	January 1866 – January 1867
26. J. W. Hopkins	January 1867 – February 1868
27. John Wassell February	1868 – December 1868[9]
28. A. K. Hartman	January 1869 – November 1871[10], [11]
29. Jefferson George Botsford	January 1871 – November 1871[12]
30. Dr. Robert Francis Catterson	November 1871 – November 1873
31. Frederick G. Kramer	November 1873 – April 1875
32. John Gould Fletcher	April 1875 – April 1881[13]
33. Frederick G. Kramer	April 1881 – April 1887
34. William G. Whipple	April 1887 – April 1891[14]
35. Henry Lewis “H. L.” Fletcher	April 1891 – April 1893[15]
36. M. G. Hall	April 1893 – April 1895
37. James A. Woodson	April 1895 – May 1900[16]
38. W. R. Duley	May 1900 – April 1903
39. Warren E. Lenon	April 1903 – April 1908[17]
40. John Herndon Hollis	April 1908 – June 1908[18]
41. W. R. Duley	June 1908 – April 1911[19],[20]
42. Charles E. Taylor	April 1911 – April 1919
43. Ben D. Brickhouse	April 1919 – April 1925
44. Charles E. Moyer	April 1925 – April 1929
45. Pat L. Robinson	April 1929 – April 1931
46. Horace A. Knowlton	April 1931 – April 1935
47. Richard E. “R. E.” Overman	April 1935 – April 1939
48. John Vines “J. V.” Satterfield, Jr.	April 1939 – April 1941[21]
49. Charles E. Moyer	April 1941 – April 1945
50. Dan T. Sprick	April 1945 – April 1947
51. Sam M. Wassell	April 1947 – December 1951[22],[23]
52. Pratt C. Remmel	January 1952 – December 1955[24]
53. Woodrow W. Mann	January 1956 – November 1957[25]
54. Werner C. Knoop	November 1957 – December 1962[26]
55. Byron R. Morse	January 1963 – December 1964
56. Harold “Sonney” Henson, Jr.	January 1965 – December 1966
57. Martin Borchert	January 1967 – December 1968
58. Haco Boyd	January 1969 – December 1970
59. George Wimberly	January 1971 – December 1972
60. W. H. Walters	January 1973 – December 1974
61. George Wimberly	January 1975 – December 1976
62. Donald L. Mehlburger	January 1977 – December 1978
63. A. M. “Sandy” Keith	January 1979 – June 1979 [27]
64. Webster L. Hubbell	June 1979 – July 1981 [27]
65. Charles E. Bussey	November 1981 – December 1982 [28], [29]
66. J. W. “Buddy” Benafield	January 1983 – December 1984
67. Thomas A. Prince	January 1985 – December 1986
68. Lottie L. Shackelford	January 1987 – December 1988[30]
69. Floyd G. “Buddy” Villines	January 1989 – December 1990
70. Sharon Priest	January 1991 – December 1992
71. Dalton J. “Jim” Dailey, Jr.	January 1993 – December 2006 [31], [32]
72. Mark Stodola	January 2007 – December 2018 [33]
73. Frank D. Scott, Jr.	January 2019 – Present

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[1] From October 1825 through the January 1832 election following the November 1831 incorporation, Little Rock was governed by an elected Board of Trustees.  Bernard Smith presided over the Board through 1828.  In 1829, Dr. Matthew Cunningham presided, and John McClain presided in 1830 and 1831.

[2] With the new charter and the move from “town” to “city,” new election was held in November 1835.

[3] From April 1839 through November 1839, Alderman Nicholas Peay acted as Mayor due to prolonged absence of Mayor Brown.

[4] Elevated to Mayor from Mayor Pro-Tempore upon the resignation of the previous Mayor.

[5] Resigned upon arrest for running a counterfeit ring.

[6] Stepson of the first Little Rock Mayor, Dr. Matthew Cunningham.

[7] Son of Alderman Nicholas Peay who served as Mayor Pro-Tempore during the absence of Mayor Brown.

[8] Upon occupation of Little Rock during the Civil War, City Government ceased operations from September 21, 1863, through December 1865.

[9] Appointed by military to replace the elected Mayor.

[10] From November 1869 through March 1875, the City Council President presided over City Council Meetings and signed ordinances, and performed many of the duties formerly ascribed to the Mayor. Those serving as President of the Council were James V. Fitch (November 1869 – October 1871), Frederick G. Kramer (October 1871 – May 1872), W. T. Gibb (June 1872 – November 1872) and D. T. Upham (December 1872 – March 1875).

[11] The City Council suspended Hartman in February 1870;however, a court order overturned that action in June 1870. In January 1871, he was again suspended by the Council and J. G. Botsford was declared Acting Mayor, though Hartman still claimed the title of Mayor through the remainder of his term in November 1871.

[12] Appointed Acting Mayor in January 1871 and served through November 1871. Mayor Hartman was never officially removed from office; therefore, Botsford was never technically Mayor.  He has been historically listed as a Mayor of Little Rock, however.

[13] In accordance with new State of Arkansas Constitution and the new City of Little Rock Charter, the Mayor resumed duties previously split between the Mayor and President of the City Council.

[14] Son-in-law of Mayor R. L. Dodge.

[15] Brother of Mayor John Gould Fletcher.

[16]Due to obligations with his business affairs, resigned in April 1900 to be effective upon election of his successor. W. R. Duley was elected in a special election in May 1900. First time a special election had been used to fill mayoral vacancy.

[17] Due to obligations with his business affairs, he resigned at the first City Council Meeting held in the new City Hall, which he had championed.

[18] Though technically only Mayor Pro-Tempore selected by City Council to serve until special election for next Mayor, he has traditionally been included in lists of Mayors of Little Rock. He never gave up his Alderman seat on City Council and remained on the Council after special election.

[19] Chosen in a special election to fill vacancy created by resignation of Mayor Lenon.

[20] Due to illness, Mayor Duley took a leave of absence from February 20, 1911, through the remainder of his term.  Alderman John S. Odom was selected by the Council as Acting Mayor.

[21] Due to illness, Mayor Satterfield took a leave of absence from January 1, 1941, through March 31, 1941.  Alderman E. W. Gibb was selected by Council as Acting Mayor.

[22] Starting date for mayoral terms were moved from April to January.

[23] Grandson of Little Rock Mayor John Wassell.

[24] Mayor Remmel took a leave of absence to run for Governor from August 31, 1954, through December 13, 1954. A lderman Fred W. Parris was chosen by City Council to serve as Acting Mayor.

[25] On November 6, 1956, Little Rock voters approved a move to the City Manager Form of Government to take effect in 1957.

[26] On November 11, 1957, Little Rock voters selected the first City Board of Directors under the City Manager Form of Government. Under this form, the City Board selected the Mayor from among its membership to serve for a two (2)-year term.

[27] Resigned as Mayor but remained on the City Board of Directors.

[28] From July 1981 – November 1981, served as Acting Mayor.

[29] First African-American Mayor of Little Rock.

[30] First female Mayor of Little Rock.

[31] Served as Mayor for two (2) years under original City Manager structure.  Due to a change approved by Little Rock voters, the Mayor was elected to a four (4)-year term by City-wide election beginning in 1994.

[32] Longest serving mayor of Little Rock (14 years)

[33] Position of Mayor of Little Rock had been a part-time position since changing to the City Manager Form of Government in 1957. In August 2007, voters approved making the position a full-time position while still retaining the City Manager Form of Government.