List of mayors of Rockford, Illinois facts for kids
In Rockford, Illinois, the mayor is the leader of the city government. They help make important decisions for everyone living in the city. Mayors work to make Rockford a great place to live, learn, and play.
This page lists all the people who have served as mayor of Rockford since 1852. It shows how long each mayor served the city. A "term" is the set amount of time a politician serves in office.
Early Mayors: One-Year Terms (1852–1881)
In the early days of Rockford, mayors served for one year at a time. This means they were elected every year. Here are the mayors from this period:
- Willard Wheeler (1852–1853)
- Hiram R. Maynard (1853–1854)
- Ulysses M. Warner (1854–1855)
- Edward Vaughn (1855–1856)
- James L. Loop (1856–1857)
- William Brown (1857–1858)
- Seeley Perry (1858–1859)
- Charles Williams (1859–1864)
- Albert Fowler (1864–1866, 1867–1868)
- Edward H. Baker (1866–1867, 1868–1869)
- Seymour G. Bronson (1869–1873)
- Gilbert Woodruff (1873–1875)
- Robert H. Tinker (1875–1876)
- Levi Rhoades (1876–1877)
- Duncan Ferguson (1877–1878)
- William Watson (1878–1879)
- Sylvester B. Wilkins (1879–1881)
Mayors with Two-Year Terms (1881–1937)
Later, the length of a mayor's term in Rockford changed to two years. This meant mayors served for a longer period before needing to be re-elected.
- Samuel P. Crawford (1881–1883)
- Alfred Taggart (1883–1887)
- Horace C. Scovill (1887–1889)
- John H. Sherratt (1889–1891)
- Henry N. Starr (1891–1893)
- Amasa Hutchins (1893–1895, 1901–1903)
- Edward W. Brown (1895–1901)
- Charles E. Jackson (1903–1907)
- Mark Jardine (1907–1911)
- William Bennett (1911–1917)
- Robert Rew (1917–1921)
- J. Herman Hallstrom (1921–1927, 1929–1933)
- Burt M. Allen (1927–1929)
- C. Henry Bloom (1933–1937)
Recent Mayors: Four-Year Terms (1937–Present)
Since 1937, mayors in Rockford have served four-year terms. This is the standard term length for many mayors across the United States today. This list includes some notable mayors and their time in office.
| Image | Mayor | Years Served | Important Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles F. Brown | 1937–1941 | ||
| C. Henry Bloom | 1941–1953 | ||
| Milton A. Lundstrom | 1953–1957 | ||
| Benjamin T. Schleicher | 1957–1973 | ||
| Robert McGaw | 1973–1981 | ||
| John McNamara | 1981–1989 | ||
 |
Charles Box | 1989–2001 | He was the first African American mayor of Rockford. |
| Douglas P. Scott | 2001–2005 | ||
 |
Lawrence J. "Larry" Morrissey | 2005–2017 | |
 |
Thomas McNamara | 2017–present |
