List of mayors of Rogersville, Tennessee facts for kids
The town of Rogersville, Tennessee is run by a group of leaders called the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. This system was first set up by the Tennessee government in 1836.
Rogersville's Early Government (1786–1836)
When Rogersville was first created, it was the main town, or "county seat," for Hawkins County. Back then, it was simply known as Hawkins Court House. The government of North Carolina (which Tennessee was once part of) chose a special group called the Board of Commissioners and Trustees to manage the town.
The first people on this board were:
- Thomas King
- Thomas Hutchins
- Joseph McCulloch
- Thomas Jackson
- Elijah Chissom
If someone on the board left or passed away, the remaining members would choose new people to take their place.
Becoming a Tennessee Town (1836–Present)
About 48 years after North Carolina first set up Rogersville's government, the state of Tennessee officially made it a town again in 1835. This process is called "reincorporation."
After this, Rogersville was allowed to have its own elected leaders: a Mayor and Aldermen. From 1835 to 1883, these leaders served for two years at a time. In 1883, the Tennessee government changed the town's rules again. They added more land to the town's official boundaries. At this time, the term for the Mayor and Aldermen was changed to four years.
Today, mayors in Rogersville serve four-year terms. They can be re-elected as many times as the voters choose. Rogersville's current mayor, Jim Sells, has been re-elected every four years since 1977.
Past Mayors of Rogersville
Here is a list of the people who have served as mayor of Rogersville:
| Mayor | Term |
|---|---|
| Nicholas Fain | 1836–1838 |
| Dicks Alexander | 1838–1840 |
| Stockley D. Mitchell | 1840–1846 |
| Robert C. Crawford | 1846–1850 |
| William White | 1852–1854, 1870–1874 |
| Henry G. Wax | 1854–1856 |
| James Pace | 1856–1860 |
| James K. Neill | 1860–1866 |
| Lewis L. Poates, V | 1866–1870 |
| Hugh G. Kyle | 1874–1876 |
| A.D. Huffmaster | 1876–1880 |
| John Hasson | 1880–1884 |
| Henry J. Nelson | 1884–1890, 1896–1898 |
| Samuel L. Chesnutt | 1890–1894, 1898–1902 |
| Charles M. Harris | 1902–1904 |
| William Pierce | 1904–1906, 1910–1912 |
| S.F. Powel | 1906–1908 |
| E.T. Bettis | 1908–1909 |
| Rod Armstrong | 1909–1910 |
| Gale P. Kyle | 1912–1918, 1922–1924 |
| Fred J. Testerman | 1918–1922 |
| J.A. Holston | 1924–1926 |
| Roy A. Doty | 1926–1932 |
| W.B. Hale, Jr. | 1932–1934 |
| James S. Lyons | 1934–1948 |
| Lon Bible | 1948–1952 |
| J.O. Phillips, Jr. | 1952–1954 |
| C.C. Johnson | 1954–1956, 1958–1960 |
| Judson J. Harmon | 1956–1958 |
| William F. Phipps | 1960–1966 |
| W. Henry Lyons | 1966–1967 |
| Reid Terry | 1967–1973 |
| Charles Dennis | 1973–1975 |
| Clyde Willis | 1975–1977 |
| Jim Sells | 1977–present |
