Mayor's Office - Past Canton Mayors

A rich history
With a history stretching over the past 200 years, the City of Canton has had its fair share of Mayors and chief executives.  Prior to the Mayor's position being created in 1838, the City was governed by a President.  A complete list of these individuals can be found below.

**Note:  Information about Canton's chief executives prior to 1959 is from the 1958-59 Al Frances Municipal Directory.

PRESIDENTS

• 1822-23J. W. Lathrop
• 1824James Hazlett
• 1825-27Orlando Metcalf
• 1828John Myers
• 1829John Shorb
• 1831-32John Myers
• 1830L. B. Gitchel
• 1833-34Sanders Van Rensellear
• 1835James Hazlett
• 1836F. A. Schneider
• 1837Samuel Fahnestock

MAYORS

• 1838-39John Myers
• 1839-40Jacob Rex
• 1840-41John Myers
• 1841-42William Bryce
• 1842-44Lewis Vail
• 1844-45Geo. Dunbar, Sr.
• 1845-46Z. Snow
• 1846-47C. C. A. Witting
• 1847-48Daniel Gotshall
• 1848-49C. C. A. Witting
• 1849-50D. H. Harmann
• 1850-52J. G. Lester
• 1852-53B. F. Leiter
• 1853-54John Lahm
• 1854-55B. F. Leiter
• 1855-59Peter Chance
• 1859J. C. Bockius
• 1860-62H. P. Dunbar
• 1862Seraphim Meyer
• 1863-65J. Crevoisie
• 1865-67W. W. Clark
• 1867-71Daniel Sayler
• 1871-75R. S. Shields
• 1875-77A. D. Braden
• 1877-79John Shimp
• 1879-81James Vallely
• 1881-85Wm. J. Piero
• 1885-87George Rex
• 1887-93John F. Blake
• 1893-95Robt. A. Cassidy
• 1895-99James A. Rice
• 1899-1903James H. Robertson
• 1903-06W. H. Smith
• 1906-14A. R. Turnbull**
• 1914-17Chas. A. Stolberg
• 1917Henry A. Schrantz
• 1918-19Chas. E. Poorman
• 1919Henry A. Schrantz
• 1920-22Herman R. Witter
• 1922-24C. C. Curtis
• 1924-26Chas. M. Ball
• 1926-28Stanford M. Swarts
• 1928-30C. C. Curtis
• 1930-31Herman R. Witter
• 1932-33James Seccombe
• 1934-35Arthur Turnbull
• 1936-39James Seccombe
• 1939-43Edward Folk*
• 8-1-1943 to 12-31-43Albert Fromm
• 1944-49Carl Klein
• 1950-51Thomas H. Nichols
• 1952-58Carl F. Wise
• 1958-61Charles L. Babcock
• 1962-63James Lawhun
• 1964-83Stanley Cmich
• 1984-91Sam Purses
• 1992-2003Richard D. Watkins
• 2004-07Janet Weir Creighton
• 2008-15William J. Healy II
• 2016-PresentThomas M. Bernabei

NOTES
*Died in office.
**Harry Shilling served from Nov 17, 1912 to May 2, 1913, by virtue of decision of Court of
Common Pleas, which decision was reversed by Court of Appeals.