Mayors of Bayonne, New Jersey facts for kids

Bayonne, New Jersey, became an official township on April 1, 1861. It later became a city on March 10, 1869. Today, Bayonne is run by a mayor and a city council. The mayor is the main leader, and the council helps make decisions. Two council members are chosen by all voters in the city, and three are chosen from specific areas called wards. This article lists the people who have served as mayor of Bayonne.

Bayonne's Mayors: A Look at Their Terms

Bayonne has had many mayors since it became a city. These leaders help guide the city and make important choices for its residents.

The First Mayors of Bayonne

• Henry Meigs, Jr. was Bayonne's very first mayor. He started his term on March 10, 1869, and served until 1879.
• Stephen Knowlton Lane followed, serving from 1879 to 1883.
• David W. Oliver was mayor from 1883 to 1887.
• John Newman served from 1887 to 1891.
• William C. Farr was mayor from 1891 to 1895.
• Egbert Seymour had a long term, from 1895 to 1904.
• Thomas Brady served from 1904 to 1906.
• Pierre Prosper Garven had his first term from 1906 to 1910.

Mayors in the Early 1900s

• John J. Cain was the ninth mayor, serving from 1910 to 1912. He was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1861. Cain worked as a mechanic before getting involved in politics. He was a member of the Democratic Party. He passed away in 1937 at the age of 75.
• Matthew T. Cronin served from 1912 to 1914.
• Bert J. Daly had his first term from 1914 to 1915. He served three times in total.
• Pierre Prosper Garven returned for his second term from 1915 to 1919.
• W. Homer Axford was mayor from 1919 to 1923. He also worked as a director of public affairs for the city.
• Robert J. Talbot served from 1923 to 1927.
• Bert J. Daly served his second term from 1927 to 1931.

Mid-20th Century Mayors

• Lucius F. Donohue was mayor from 1931 to 1939.
• James J. Donovan served from 1939 to 1943.
• Bert J. Daly had his third term from 1943 to 1947.
• Charles A. Heiser was mayor from 1947 to 1951.
• Edward F. Clark served from 1951 to 1955.
• G. Thomas DiDomenico was mayor from 1955 to 1959. 16th Street Park is named in his honor.
• Alfred V. Brady served from 1959 to 1962.
• Francis G. Fitzpatrick was mayor from 1962 to 1974. Fitzpatrick Park is named after him.

Recent Mayors of Bayonne

• Dennis P. Collins holds the record for the longest-serving mayor of Bayonne. He was mayor for 16 years, from 1974 to 1990. Collins Park is named for him.
• Richard A. Rutkowski served from 1990 to 1994. Rutowski Park is named in his honor.
• Leonard P. Kiczek was mayor from 1994 to 1998.
• Joseph Doria served from 1998 to 2007.
• Terrance Malloy was mayor from 2007 to 2008.
• Mark Smith served from 2008 to 2014.
• James Davis has been the mayor of Bayonne since 2014.