List of mayors of Taunton, Massachusetts

This is a list of mayors of Taunton in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Taunton was led by a Board of Selectmen from 1639 until its re-incorporation as a city in 1864. The first city government was inaugurated on January 2, 1865.

# Mayor Term Began Term Ended Notes
1st Edmund H. Bennett January 2, 1865 June 19, 1867 First mayor of Taunton; resigned June 19, 1867.[1]
2nd Stephen H. Rhodes June 19, 1867 1870 [1]
3rd Daniel L. Mitchell 1870 1873 [1]
4th William H. Fox 1873 1874 [1]
5th George H. Babbitt 1874 1876 [1][2]
6th Onias S. Paige 1877 1879 [2]
7th Charles F. Johnson 1880 1882 [2]
8th Horatio Cushman 1883 [2]
9th Charles Hanson 1884 1885
10th Richard Henry Hall 1886 1886
11th Everett D. Godfrey 1887
12th Richard Henry Hall 1888 1889
13th Arthur Alger 1890
14th Francis Babbitt 1891 1892
15th Willis Hodgman 1894
16th Charles A. Reed 1895
17th Benjamin Morris 1896
18th Nathaniel J.W. Fish 1897 1899
19th Arthur Alger 1900
20th John O'Hearn 1901
21st Richard Everett Warner 1902 1905
22nd John H. Eldredge 1905 1906
23rd John B. Tracey 1906 1907
24th Edgar Crossman 1908 1909
25th William S. Woods 1910 1912
26th Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth Fish 1912 1916
27th William Flood 1916 1919 His son, Joseph E. Flood, Sr., was Mayor in 1970–1972
28th Leo Coughlin 1919 1925
29th Andrew McGraw 1926 1929
30th Wllis K. Hodgman, Jr. 1930 1932
31st Andrew McGraw 1932 1935
32nd Arthur Poole 1936 1939
33rd John Fitzgerald 1940 February 20, 1941 Died in Office
Acting Harold B. Johnston February 20, 1941 April 30, 1941
34th Merrill Aldrich April 30, 1941 November 25, 1946 Won special election to succeed Fitzgerald.
Resigned to serve prison sentence for Cohabitation.[3]
Acting Frederick H. Smith November 25, 1946 February 7, 1947
35th John F. Parker 1947 1953 Won special election to succeed Aldrich.
36th Joseph C. Chamberlain 1953 1960 [3]
37th Bernard F. Cleary 1960 1963 Died in office shortly before completing his final term.[3]
38th Benjamin A. Friedman 1963 1970 [3]
39th Joseph E. Flood 1970 1972 [3]
40th Rudolph H. De Silva 1972 1974 [3]
41st Theodore J. Aleixo, Jr. 1974 1976 [3]
42nd Benjamin A. Friedman 1976 1978 [3]
43rd Joseph L. Amaral 1978 1982 [3]
44th Richard Johnson 1982 1992
45th Robert G. Nunes 1992 1999
46th Thaddeus M. Strojny 2000 2003
47th Robert G. Nunes 2004 March 12, 2007 Resigned to serve as Director of Municipal Affairs for Gov. Deval Patrick.[4] First mayor of Taunton to leave the office voluntarily before his term ended.
48th Charles E. Crowley March 12, 2007 January 2, 2012
49th Thomas Hoye, Jr. January 2, 2012 November 13, 2019 Resigned to become interim Register of Probate for Bristol County, appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker.[5]
Acting Jeffrey Postell November 13, 2019 November 23, 2019 Taunton city council president; became acting mayor until the council voted to select one of its members as acting mayor.[6]
50th Donald Cleary November 23, 2019 January 6, 2020 City councilor, elected by a 5–4 vote of the council to serve the balance of Mayor Hoye's term.[6]


Pursuant to the City Charter, if the office of mayor becomes vacant, the city council will select one of its members by a majority vote to serve as mayor for the remainder of that term.[7]

51st Shaunna O'Connell January 6, 2020 Incumbent First elected female mayor of Taunton.[6] Former State Representative for the 3rd Bristol district, which includes most of Taunton (wards 1, 2, 5, 7, and 8, as well as precinct A of ward 3) and precinct 6 of Easton.[8]
  1. ^ a b c d e The City Charter, Laws and Ordinances, Rules and Orders of the City Council, and City Governments from 1865 to 1876, of the City of Taunton. Taunton: Republican Steam Printing Rooms, 1876.
  2. ^ a b c d Municipal Register Containing the Mayor's Address and Annual Reports for 1909, with the City Officers for 1910, Taunton: 1910.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Spitler, Scott. "History points to big battle". Taunton Daily Gazette. August 26, 2007
  4. ^ Gay, Ted. "A look back at 'Kid Bob, Boy Mayor'". Taunton Daily Gazette. February 17, 2007
  5. ^ Winokoor, Charles. "'An amazing ride' - Wednesday is Hoye's last day as Taunton mayor". Taunton Daily Gazette. November 13, 2019
  6. ^ a b c Winokoor, Charles. "City Council votes for Donald Cleary to serve as Taunton’s mayor". Taunton Daily Gazette. November 23, 2019
  7. ^ "REVISED ORDINANCES CITY OF TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS Section 21" (PDF).
  8. ^ Overview of the 3rd Bristol District, Massachusetts (Lower State Legislative District). The Demographic Statistical Atlas of the United States.