List of mayors of Ashland, Kentucky facts for kids

The Mayor of Ashland, Kentucky is the main leader of the city! This person is chosen by the people of Ashland for a four-year term. The mayor helps lead meetings for the City Commission, which is a group that makes important decisions for the city. The mayor also represents Ashland at big events. Right now, the mayor is Matt Perkins.

Ashland uses a special way of running its government called the City Manager system. Here's how it works:

• People in Ashland vote for a Mayor and four other people called Commissioners.
• Together, these five people form the Board of Commissioners. This board has the power to make laws and important decisions for the city.
• The Mayor is a part of this board. They lead all the meetings and can call extra meetings if needed.
• The Mayor also signs important documents like contracts and agreements for the city.

The Mayor and the four Commissioners are chosen by you, the citizens, to speak for you in all city matters. Their main job is to create rules (called ordinances) and policies that are best for everyone living in Ashland. The Mayor serves for four years, and the Commissioners serve for two years. In cities like Ashland, these elections are usually "non-partisan," meaning candidates don't run as members of a specific political party.

Ashland's Mayors Through History

This section lists the people who have served as mayor of Ashland, Kentucky, since the city was formed.

      Democratic (6)       Republican (13)

Order	Image	Mayor	Term Began	Term Ended	Political Party		Birth and death	Notes
1		Henry Bishop Brodess	1876	1881		Republican	(1830 – October 20, 1881)	He was a local judge and published a newspaper. He was also a delegate to the Republican National Convention. He died while in office.
2		John Means	1881	1882		Republican	(September 21, 1829 – February 14, 1910)	He helped start a shipping company and was a bank vice-president.
3		William Wirt Culbertson	1882	1883		Republican	(September 22, 1835 – October 31, 1911)	He also served as a U.S. Representative for Kentucky.
4		William Henry Harrison Eba	1883	1883		Republican	(November 5, 1831 – August 31, 1911)	He served in the Civil War and later became a city truant officer.
5		Thomas Russell	1883	1886				Before becoming mayor, he worked as a street commissioner.
6		William Worth Patterson	1886	1889		Republican	(November 3, 1849 – March 28, 1921)	He was a member of several community organizations.
7		Patrick Moriarty Jr.	1889	1889			(January 7, 1851 – October 25, 1928)	He served on the City Council and was a founder of the first Chamber of Commerce.
8		David A. Fisher	1889	1892			(August 14, 1840 – January 19, 1911)	He served as a Private in the American Civil War.
9		J. C. Whitten	1892	1894
10		Thomas S. Newman	1894	1897			(October 10, 1851 – October 3, 1930)
11		William Arthur Ginn	1897	1906
12		Joseph Oscar Mathewson	1906	1910			(February 4, 1871 - February 28, 1926)
13		Dr. Albert Harrison Moore	1910	1913			(1871 - September 26, 1913)	He was a doctor and a member of medical associations. He died in office.
14		J. M. McCleary	1913	1913
15		William Arthur Ginn	1913	1914				Served a second term as mayor.
16		Dr. William Monroe Salisbury	1914	1917
17		Henderson Richardson Dysard	1917	1921		Republican
18		Dr. William Monroe Salisbury	1921	1925				Served a second term as mayor.
19		William M. Nicholson	1925	1926				He was a plumber and later a plumbing inspector.
20		William Boggs Whitt	1926	1926		Democratic	(September 17, 1867 - December 19, 1926)	He was a member of the Kentucky Senate before becoming mayor. He died in office.
21		Ernest E. Ramey	1926	1927
22		Charles F. Weaver	1927	1928		Republican	(1858 - October 21, 1932)	He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention.
23		William C. Frailie	1928	1932		Republican
24		Edgar Browne Hager	1932	1935		Democratic
25		William C. Simpson	1936	1940		Republican
26		Henry D. Shanklin	1940	1943		Democratic
27		Clyde R. Levi	1944	1947		Republican
28		William C. Simpson	1948	1951		Republican		Served a second term as mayor.
29		David Aronberg	1952	1955		Republican
30		Wilburn Caskey	1956	1959		Democratic
31		David Aronberg	1960	1964		Republican		Served a second term as mayor.
32		Wilburn Caskey	1964	1968		Democratic		Served a second term as mayor.
33		Charles Henry Gartrell	1968	1972		Democratic
34		James J. Webb	1972	1976
35		David O. Welch	1976	1980		Democratic
36		Jack T. Thompson	1980	1984		Democratic
		Thomas E. Kelley	2009	2012			(December 1, 1941 - August 31, 2021)
		Chuck D. Charles	2013	2016
		Stephen E. Gilmore	2017	2021			(April 8, 1943 - December 11, 2024)
		Matthew B. Perkins	2021	2025		Democratic		The current mayor.
		Chuck D. Charles	2025			Nonpartisan		Expected to serve a second term.