Allegheny City was served faithfully by 32 mayors from its incorporation as a city in April 1840 through the consolidation with the City of Pittsburgh in December 1907. Initially, the office of mayor had a one-year term limit. The Corporation bylaws were amended twice to allow for a two-year term and then a four-year term. The last mayor of Allegheny City completed his term as the Deputy Mayor of Pittsburgh.
Elected to office for a one-year term:
William Robinson, Jr. (1840) “First white child born west of the Allegheny Mountains.”
Thomas Semple (1841)
William Barclay Foster (1842, 1843) “Father of Stephen Collins Foster, songwriter.”
Hezekiah Nixon (1844, 1845)
Robert Simpson Cassatt (1846) “Father of Mary Cassatt, American Impressionist painter.”
Henry Campbell (1847, 1848, 1849)
Jonathan Rush (1849)
Hugh S. Fleming (1850, 1851, 1852)
Robert W. Park (1853, 1854)
William B. Adams (1854, 1855, 1856)
Herman Jeremiah DeHaven (1857, 1858)
Jacob Stuckrath (1858)
John Morrison (1859, 1860)
Simon Drum (1861, 1862) “Greeted Abraham Lincoln in his visit here on February 14, 1861.”
Elected to office for a two-year term:
Alexander C. Alexander (1863, 1864, 1865)
John Morrison (1865, 1866, 1867)
Simon Drum (1868, 1869)
Alexander Purviance Callow (1870, 1871, 1872, 1873) “Only mayor to die in office.”
David Neely or Neillie “Elected to office for 30 days upon the death of Mr. Callow.”
Hugh S. Fleming (1875) “Completed Mayor Callow’s unexpired term.”
Ormsby Phillips (1876-1878)
Thomas Megraw (1879-1881)
Lewis Peterson, Jr. (1882-1884)
James G. Wyman (1885-1887)
Richard Turner Pearson (1888-1889)
James G. Wyman (1890-1892) “Only mayor to be impeached and put in jail while in office.”
Nicholas Voegtly (1892) “Served as mayor during impeachment and 3-month imprisonment.”
Elected to office for a four-year term:
William M. Kennedy (1892-1896)
Charles Geyer (1896-1898)
James G. Wyman (1899-1906)
John R. Murphy (1901-1903)
Charles Frederick Kirschler (1906-1907) “Last two years of his term served as Deputy Mayor.”
This information researched and submitted by Mr. Stephen Pietzak, former Allegheny City Society board member and former librarian at the Allegheny Regional Carnegie Free Library.
