List of mayors of Augusta, Georgia

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{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Elections in Georgia (U.S. state)}}

This is a list of mayors of Augusta, Georgia, United States, including the former city of Augusta and 1996–present consolidated Augusta–Richmond County.

Former city of Augusta

{{Incomplete list|date=August 2008}}

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!Name!!Sworn in!!Left office!!Notes!!Reference

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|John Milton

|1792

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|

|{{cite web|url=http://ourgeorgiahistory.com/ogh/City_of_Augusta,_Georgia|title=City of Augusta, Georgia|work=Our Georgia History|publisher=Golden Ink|accessdate=2008-08-21}}

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|Thomas Cumming

|1798

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|Father of Henry Cumming

|{{New Georgia Encyclopedia|id=h-2989|name=Henry Cumming (1799–1866)|author=David Connolly|date=2005-08-19|accessdate=2008-08-21}}

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|Walter Leigh

|1815

|1817

|

|Edward J. Cashin, The Story of Augusta (Spartanburg, South Carolina: The Reprint Company, Publishers, 1980) Appendix A: Mayors of Augusta

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|Freeman Walker

|1818

|1819

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|

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|Nicholas Ware

|1819

|1821

|Ware's Telfair Street home "Ware's Folly" is now the location of Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art.

|{{cite web |url=http://www.ghia.org/tours.html |title=About the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art |accessdate=2008-12-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724094445/http://www.ghia.org/tours.html |archivedate=2008-07-24 }}

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|Freeman Walker

|1823

|1823

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|Samuel Hale

|1828

|1836

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|Alfred Cumming

|1836

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|Appointed governor of Territory of Utah in 1858

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|John Phinizy

|1837

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|First Italian-American mayor of any U.S. city (original spelling: Finizzi)

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|Dr. Daniel Hook

|1840

|1841

|Served two terms.

|{{cite web|url=http://www.therestorationmovement.com/hookbiog.htm|title=The Life of Dr. Daniel Hook|accessdate=2010-06-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927135659/http://www.therestorationmovement.com/hookbiog.htm|archive-date=2011-09-27|url-status=dead}}

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|Martin M. Dye

|1841

|1842

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|Dr. Daniel Hook

|1842

|1843

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|Martin M. Dye

|1843

|1846

|Served three 1 year terms

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|Dr. Lewis D. Ford

|1846

|1848

|Served two 1 year terms

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|Dr. Ignatius P. Garvin

|1848

|1849

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|James B. Bishop

|1849

|1850

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|Thomas W. Miller

|1850

|1852

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|Dr. William E. Dearing

|1852

|1854

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|Abner P. Robertson

|1854

|1855

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|Dr. William E. Dearing

|1855

|1856

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|George W. Evans

|1856

|1857

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|Benjamin F. Conley

|1857

|1859

|Two terms (later a Governor of Georgia)

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| Foster Blodgett, Jr.

|1859

|1860

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|Robert H. May

|1861

|1866

|May served five 1-year terms during the period of the Civil War. In 1865, he was ordered by Georgia Governor Joseph E. Brown to burn the large amounts of cotton stored in Augusta warehouses "on the approach of the Yankees," so it would not fall into enemy's hands. As it turned out, the Union Army never came to Augusta.

|[https://books.google.com/books?id=YcEHNF-Zw0AC&dq=Robert+May+mayor+of+Augusta+GA&pg=PA363 The Papers of Jefferson Davis: September 1864 – May 1865]

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|James T. Gardiner

|1866

|8 Aug 1866

|Elected April 1866 and resigned 8 Aug 1866. James Gardiner was publisher of The Daily Constitutionalist a local newspaper.

|[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87090234/ The Daily Constitutionalist]

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|Abner P. Robertson

|8 Aug 1866

|20 Aug 1866

|Pro Tem City Council

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|John Foster

|20 Aug 1866

|1867

| Special Election to fill unexpired term of James T. Gardner

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| Foster Blodgett, Jr.

|1867

|1868

|Military appointment; In 1867, the Southern States were divided into Military Districts and military tribunials where set-up to appoint government officials during this period

|[http://www.academicamerican.com/recongildedage/topics/reconstruction/reconstruction.html The First and Second Reconstruction Acts]

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|Henry F. Russell

|1868

|1869

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|

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|Joseph V. H. Allen

|1869

|1870

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|Charles Estes

|1870

|1876

|Served six 1-year terms

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|John U. Meyer

|1876

|1879

|

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|Robert H. May

|1879

|1891

|Served Four 3-year terms. He was Coroner-Richmond County, 1900 – until his death, 7 February 1903. Buried in Magnolia Cemetery.

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|James H. Alexander

|1891

|1894

|Since the 1876 election; mayors served 3-year terms

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|William B. Young

|1894

|1897

|Great great great great grandfather of Buckley Campana and Stephen Campana.

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|Patrick Walsh

|1897

|March 19, 1899

|Died in office on March 19, 1899.

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|Jacob Phinizy

|22 Dec 1898

|18 April 1899

|Pro Tem City Council

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|Charles A. Robbe

|18 April 1899

|7 July 1900

|Died in office

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|Thomas Barrett, Sr.

|8 July 1900

|10 July 1900

|Pro Tem City Council

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|Alfred Martin

|10 July 1900

|Jan. 1901

|Special Election to fill unexpired term

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|Jacob Phinzy

|Jan. 1901

|1904

|Once owner of "Augusta's First Skyscraper" known today as the Marion Building at 739 Broad Street

|[http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2010-05-11/augustas-first-skyscraper-be-preserved 'Augusta's First Skyscraper' to be preserved]

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|Richard E. Allen

|Jan. 1904

|1907

|

|

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|William M. Dunbar

|Jan. 1907

|1910

|Postmaster of the United States House of Representatives for the 62nd through 65th Congresses (1911–1919)

|Postmaster of the United States House of Representatives

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|Thomas Barrett, Sr.

|1910

|Jan. 1913

|Barrett Plaza, located in front of the Federal Court House & 800 block of Telfair Street, is named for Thomas Barrett, Sr.

|800 Block Telfair Street Tour

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|Linwood C. Hayne

|1913

|Jan. 1916

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|James R. Littleton

|1916

|Jan. 1919

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|William P. White

|1919

|Jan. 1922

|The Appleby Library was Wm. P. White's home until his widow sold it in 1928 to Scott B. Appleby. Mr. Appleby donated the house in 1954 to the Augusta City Council for use as a library.

|[http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/augusta/applebylibrary.html History of Appleby Library]

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|Julian Smith

|1923

|1925

|The Julian Smith Casino, operated by the city recreation department, is named after Smith.

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|Richard Allen, Jr.

|1937

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|W.D. Jennings

|1951

|1953

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|H. L. Hamilton

|1952

|1958

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|Millard A. Beckum

|1958

|1963

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|George "Buster" Albert Sancken Jr.

|1964

|1970

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|Millard A. Beckum

|1970

|1972

|Mayor during the Augusta race riot of May 11, 1970

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|Lewis "Pop" Newman

|1973

|1981

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|Ed McIntyre

|1981

|1984

|First African American mayor of city of Augusta

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|Charles DeVaney

|1984

|1996

|Last mayor of former city of Augusta

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Consolidated Augusta–Richmond County

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!Image!!Name!!Sworn in!!Left office!!Notes!!Reference

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|{{Css Image Crop|Image = |bSize = 120|cWidth = 100|cHeight = 125|oTop = 7|oLeft = 12}}

|Larry Sconyers

|1996

|1999

|First mayor of consolidated Augusta-Richmond County, owner and operator of Sconyers Bar-B-Que

|

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|{{Css Image Crop|Image = Bob Young (HUD).jpeg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 100|cHeight = 125|oTop = 7|oLeft = 12}}

|{{Anchor|Bob Young}}Bob Young

|1999

|2005

|Longtime local television news anchor (WJBF-TV) before election to mayor; left mayor's office in 2005 to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development appointment by president George W. Bush.

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|{{Css Image Crop|Image = |bSize = 120|cWidth = 100|cHeight = 125|oTop = 7|oLeft = 12}}

|Willie Mays

|2005

|2006

|Commissioner chosen by city commission following Bob Young's departure to serve as interim mayor until special election. First African American to serve as mayor of consolidated Augusta-Richmond County.

|

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|{{Css Image Crop|Image =|bSize = 120|cWidth = 100|cHeight = 125|oTop = 7|oLeft = 12}}

|Deke Copenhaver

|2005

|2015

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|{{Css Image Crop|Image =Hardie Davis Jr.jpg |bSize = 120|cWidth = 100|cHeight = 125|oTop = 7|oLeft = 12}}

|Hardie Davis

|2015

|2022

|Second African American mayor and first African American elected mayor of consolidated Augusta-Richmond County

|{{cite web |url=http://www.wjbf.com/story/27767482/augustas-84th-mayor-sworn-in-one-augusta-begins |title=Augusta's 84th Mayor Sworn In, One Augusta Begins|last=DuBose |first=Renetta |date=January 5, 2015 |publisher=WJBF |accessdate=February 10, 2021 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150111061223/http://www.wjbf.com/story/27767482/augustas-84th-mayor-sworn-in-one-augusta-begins |archivedate=2015-01-11 }}

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|

|Garnett Johnson

|2023

|Incumbent

|Third African American mayor of consolidated Augusta-Richmond County

|{{cite web |url=https://www.augustachronicle.com/story/news/politics/elections/local/2022/06/22/georgia-election-runoffs-2022-augusta-voters-elect-garnett-johnson-mayor-over-steven-kendrick/7688462001/ |title=Augusta's next mayor, Garnett Johnson, carried to victory by south, west, downtown voters|last=McCord |first=Susan |date=June 22, 2022 |publisher=WJBF |accessdate= |archiveurl= |archivedate= }}

See also

References

{{Reflist|2}}