List of mayors of Buffalo, New York facts for kids

The mayor is the leader of a city's government. They are in charge of making sure the city runs smoothly, from managing public services to representing the city. This page lists all the people who have served as the mayor of Buffalo, a major city in New York.

Quick facts for kids Mayor of the City of Buffalo
Flag of the City of Buffalo
Seal of the City of Buffalo
Incumbent Christopher Scanlon (Acting) since October 15, 2024
Government of Buffalo
Style	The Honorable (formal) Mr. Mayor (informal)
Seat	Buffalo City Hall
Term length	Four years; renewable
Constituting instrument	Buffalo City Charter
Inaugural holder	Ebenezer Johnson
Formation	1832
Succession	Deputy Mayor of Buffalo
Deputy	Deputy Mayor of Buffalo
Salary	$178,519 (2024)

Buffalo's Mayors: A Complete List

This table shows all the people who have been mayor of Buffalo, along with their political party and how long they served.

No.	Name	Picture	Party	Term in office	Election	Notes
1	Ebenezer Johnson	Ebenezer Johnson	Democratic-Republican	May 1832 – March 1833	1832	A doctor who served during the War of 1812.
2	Major Andre Andrews	Major Andre Andrews	Independent	March 1833 – 1834	1833	Helped start the first Bank of Buffalo.
3	Ebenezer Johnson	Ebenezer Johnson	Democratic-Republican	1834 – 1835	1834
4	Hiram Pratt	Hiram Pratt	Whig	1835 – 1836	1835
5	Samuel Wilkeson	Samuel Wilkeson	Independent	1836 – March 14, 1837	1836
6	Josiah Trowbridge	Josiah Trowbridge	Whig	March 14, 1837 – December 21, 1837	1837
7	Pierre A. Barker		Independent	December 21, 1837 – March 13, 1838	–
8	Ebenezer Walden	Ebenezer Walden	Whig	March 13, 1838 – 1839	1838
9	Hiram Pratt	Hiram Pratt	Whig	1839 – 1840	1839
10	Sheldon Thompson	Sheldon Thompson	Whig	1840 – March 2, 1841	1840
11	Isaac R. Harrington	Isaac R. Harrington	Whig	March 2, 1841 – March 8, 1842	1841
12	George William Clinton	George William Clinton	Independent	March 8, 1842 – 1843	1842	Later served as a U.S. Attorney for Northern New York.
13	Joseph G. Masten	Joseph G. Masten	Democratic	1843 – 1844	1843
14	William Ketchum		Whig	1844 – 1845	1844
15	Joseph G. Masten	Joseph G. Masten	Democratic	1845 – 1846	1845
16	Solomon G. Haven	Solomon G. Haven	Whig	1846 – 1847	1846
17	Elbridge G. Spaulding	Elbridge G. Spaulding	Whig	1847 – 1848	1847	Served as New York State Treasurer and in the U.S. House of Representatives.
18	Orlando Allen		Whig	1848 – 1849	– 1848
19	Hiram Barton	Hiram Barton	Whig	1849 – 1850	1849
20	Henry K. Smith	Henry K. Smith	Democratic	1850 – March 4, 1851	1850
21	James Wadsworth		Democratic	March 4, 1851 – March 9, 1852	1851
22	Hiram Barton	Hiram Barton	Whig	March 9, 1852 – 1853	1852
23	Eli Cook		Democratic	1853 – 1855	March 1853 November 1853
24	Frederick P. Stevens		Democratic	1856 – 1857	1855
25	Timothy T. Lockwood	Timothy T. Lockwood	Democratic	1858 – January 2, 1860	1857
26	Franklin A. Alberger	Franklin A. Alberger	Republican	January 2, 1860 – January 6, 1862	1859
27	William G. Fargo	William G. Fargo	Democratic	January 6, 1862 – 1866	1861 1863	Co-founded famous companies like American Express and Wells Fargo.
28	Chandler J. Wells	Chandler J. Wells	Republican	1866 – 1867	1865
29	William F. Rogers	William F. Rogers	Democratic	1868 – 1869	1867
30	Alexander Brush	Alexander Brush	Republican	1870 – 1873	1869 1872 (special)
31	Lewis P. Dayton	Lewis P. Dayton	Democratic	1874 – 1875	1873
32	Philip Becker	Philip Becker	Republican	1876 – January 7, 1878	1875
33	Solomon Scheu	Solomon Scheu	Democratic	January 7, 1878 – January 1880	1877
34	Alexander Brush	Alexander Brush	Republican	January 1880 – January 2, 1882	1879
35	Grover Cleveland	Grover Cleveland	Democratic	January 2, 1882 – November 20, 1882	1881	Later became the 22nd and 24th President of the United States.
36	Marcus M. Drake	Marcus M. Drake	Republican	November 20, 1882 – December 29, 1882	–
37	Harmon S. Cutting		Democratic	December 29, 1882 – January 16, 1883	–
38	John B. Manning	John B. Manning	Democratic	January 16, 1883 – January 6, 1884	1883 (special)
39	Jonathan Scoville	Jonathan Scoville	Democratic	January 6, 1884 – 1885	1883
40	Philip Becker	Philip Becker	Republican	1886 – 1890	1885 1887
41	Charles F. Bishop	Charles F. Bishop	Democratic	1890 – 1894	1889 1891
42	Edgar B. Jewett	Edgar B. Jewett	Republican	1895 – 1897	1894
43	Conrad Diehl	Conrad Diehl	Democratic	1898 – 1901	1897
44	Erastus C. Knight	Erastus C. Knight	Republican	1902 – 1905	1900
45	James N. Adam	James N. Adam	Democratic	1906 – 1909	1905
46	Louis P. Fuhrmann	Louis P. Fuhrmann	Democratic	1910 – 1917	1909 1913
47	George S. Buck	George S. Buck	Republican	1918 – 1921	1917
48	Frank X. Schwab	Frank X. Schwab	Republican	1922 – 1929	1921 1925
49	Charles E. Roesch	Charles E. Roesch	Republican	1930 – 1933	1929
50	George J. Zimmermann		Democratic	1934 – 1937	1933
51	Thomas L. Holling		Democratic	1938 – 1941	1937
52	Joseph J. Kelly	Joseph J. Kelly	Democratic	1942 – 1945	1941
53	Bernard J. Dowd		Republican	1946 – 1949	1945
54	Joseph Mruk	Joseph Mruk	Republican	January 1, 1950 – December 31, 1953	1949
55	Steven Pankow		Democratic	January 1, 1954 – December 31, 1957	1953
56	Frank A. Sedita	Frank A. Sedita	Democratic	January 1, 1958 – December 31, 1961	1957
57	Chester A. Kowal	Chester A. Kowal	Republican	January 1, 1962 – December 31, 1965	1961
58	Frank A. Sedita	Frank A. Sedita	Democratic	January 1, 1966 – March 5, 1973	1965 1969
59	Stanley M. Makowski	Stanley M. Makowski	Democratic	March 5, 1973 – December 31, 1977	– 1973
60	James D. Griffin	James D. Griffin	Democratic	January 1, 1978 – December 31, 1993	1977 1981 1985 1989
61	Anthony Masiello	Anthony Masiello	Democratic	January 1, 1994 – December 31, 2005	1993 1997 2001
62	Byron Brown	Byron Brown	Democratic	January 1, 2006 – October 15, 2024	2005 2009 2013 2017 2021
63	Christopher Scanlon	Christopher Scanlon	Democratic	October 15, 2024 –

Political Parties of Buffalo's Mayors

This table shows how many mayors have belonged to each political party throughout Buffalo's history.

How Buffalo's Mayoral Role Changed

In 1853, the rules for Buffalo's city government were updated. The town of Black Rock became part of Buffalo. Also, the mayor's term changed from one year to two years. From then on, citizens voted directly for their mayor.

See also

• Timeline of Buffalo, New York