List of mayors of Pensacola, Florida facts for kids

This page lists all the mayors of Pensacola, Florida. A mayor is like the main leader of a city's government. This list goes all the way back to 1820. It includes mayors from when Pensacola was part of the Spanish Empire, the Confederate States, and the United States.

Pensacola's Mayors: A Look Back

Early History of Pensacola's Government

In 1878, something important happened: Salvador T. Pons became the first African-American mayor of Pensacola. This was a big step for the city.

A few years later, in 1885, the way Pensacola was governed changed. The governor at the time, Edward A. Perry, took away the city's special rules, called its charter. He replaced it with a government chosen by the state.

But in 1895, the Florida Legislature passed a new city charter. This new charter allowed the people of Pensacola to elect their own mayor and aldermen again. This meant citizens had more say in who led their city.

Changes in City Leadership Style

In 1931, Pensacola's government changed once more. It became a council–manager government. In this system, a city council makes decisions, and a professional city manager runs the daily operations.

This system lasted a long time, until 2009. That year, voters in Pensacola approved a new mayor–council charter. This change meant the mayor became the main leader, with more power to run the city, working alongside a city council.

List of Pensacola Mayors

#	Picture	Name	Term in office
1		José Noriega	1820 – 1821
2		George Bowie	1821 – 1822
3		John de la Rua	1822 – 1823
3		Peter Alba	1823 – 1825
4		John Jerrison	1825 – 1828
5		Benjamin D. Wright	1828 – 1829
4		John Jerrison	1829 – 1830
3		Peter Alba	1830 – 1834
6		Charles Evans	1834 – 1838
7		Hanson Kelly	1838 – 1840
8		Charles LeBaron	1840 – 1841
5		Benjamin D. Wright	1841 – 1842
6		Charles Evans	1842 – 1847
9		Francis de la Rua	1847 – 1848
6		Charles Evans	1848 – 1852
10		Joseph Sierra	1852 – 1855
11		Francis B. Bobe	1855 – 1859
12		C. Gonzalez	1859 – 1861
13		C. H. Gingles	1861 – 1862
11		Francis B. Bobe	1862 – 1863
11		Francis B. Bobe (Government in exile)	1863 – 1866
14		Samuel Leonard	1866 – 1867
15		E. W. Anderson	1867 – 1868
16		S. C. Cobb	1868 – 1870
17		Frederick C. Humphreys	1870 – 1873
18		Royal Putnam	1873 – 1874
19		R. A. Stearns	1874 – 1875
20		J. P. Jones	1875 – 1877
19		R. A. Stearns	1877 – 1878
21		Salvador Pons	1878 – 1879
22		William M. Oerting	1879 – 1881
23		George H. O'Neal	1881 – 1882
24		J. M. Tarble	1882 – 1883
25		George H. Welles	1883 – 1885
26		S. S. Harvey	1885 – 1886
27		A. L. Avery	1886 – 1887
28		W. D. Chipley	1887 – 1888
27		A. L. Avery	1888 – 1890
29		J. M. Hilliard	1890 – 1893
30		W. E. Anderson	1893 – 1895
31		Pat McHugh	1895
30		W. E. Anderson	1895 – 1897
32		W. H. Northrup	1897 – 1899
29		J. M. Hilliard	1899 – 1901
33		C. M. Jones	1901 – 1903
34		T. E. Welles	1903 – 1905
35		Charles H. Bliss	1905 – 1907
36		C. C. Goodman	1907 – 1909
37		Frank Reilly	1909 – 1913
38		A. Greenhut	1913 – 1916
39		G. Heinrich	1916 – 1917
40		Thomas H. Johnson	1917 – 1918
41		S. M. Maguire	1918 – 1919
42		F. D. Sanders	1919 – 1921
43		J. H. Bayliss	1921 – 1931
44		H. Clay Armstrong	1931 – 1936
45		W. L. Moyer	1936
46		Max L. Bear	1936 – 1937
47		L. C. Hagler	1937 – 1943
48		Walter E. Wicke	1943 – 1947
49		C. P. Mason	1947 – 1957
50		Roy S. Philpot	1957 – 1961
51		Charles H. Overman Jr.	1961–1963
50		C. P. Mason	1963 – 1965
51		B. I. Greenhut	1965 – 1967
52		Reinhardt Holm	1967
53		Charles Soule	1967 – 1969
54		Bryant Liggett	1969 – 1971
55		Eugene P. Elebash	1971 – 1973
56		Barney B. Burkes	1973 – 1977
57		Warren M. Briggs	1977 – 1978
58		Vince Whibbs	1978 – 1991
59		Jerry L. Maygarden	1991 – 1994
60		John R. Fogg	1994 – 2009
61		Mike Wiggins	2009 – 2011
62		Ashton Hayward III	2011 – 2018
63		Grover C. Robinson IV	2018 – 2022
64		D. C. Reeves	2022 –

See also

• Mayor of Pensacola
• History of Pensacola, Florida
• Timeline of Pensacola, Florida