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Mayors and Postmasters of Lansing, Michigan


Mayors of Lansing, 1859-2022 (may be incomplete!)
Hiram H. Smith 1859 John A. Kerr 1860 William H. Chapman 1861-62 Ira H. Bartholomew 1863-65 William H. Haze 1866 George W. Peck 1867 Cyrus Hewitt 1868-69 Solomon W. Wright 1870 John Robson 1871-72 John S. Tooker 1872-74 Daniel W. Buck 1874-76 John S. Tooker 1876-77 Orlando M. Barnes 1877-78 Joseph E. Warner 1878-79 William Van Buren 1879-81 John Robson 1881-82 Orlando F. Barnes 1882-84 William Donovan 1884-86 Daniel W. Buck 1886-87 Jacob F. Schultz 1887-88 John F. Crotty 1888-89 James M. Turner 1889-90 Frank B. Johnson 1890-91 Arthur O. Bement 1892-93 Alroy A. Wilbur 1894 James M. Turner 1895-96 Russell C. Ostrander 1896-97 Charles J. Davis 1897-1900 James F. Hammell 1900-03 Hugh Lyons 1904-08 John S. Bennett 1908-12 J. Gottlieb Reutter 1912-18 Jacob W. Ferle 1918-20 Benjamin A. Kyes 1920-22 Jacob W. Ferle 1922 Silas S. Main 1922-23 Alfred H. Doughty 1923-27 Laird J. Troyer 1927-31 Peter F. Gray 1931-33 Max A. Templeton 1933-41 Arthur E. Stoppel 1941 Sam Street Hughes 1941-43 Ralph W. Crego 1943-61 Willard I. Bowerman, Jr. 1961-65 Max E. Murninghan 1965-69 Gerald W. Graves 1969-81 Terry J. McKane 1981-92 Jim Crawford 1992-93 David C. Hollister 1993-2003 Tony Benavides 2003-05 Virg Bernero 2005-17 Andy Schor 2017-

Events and Candidates (may be incomplete!)

  • 1875 Apr 5: Daniel W. Buck (Dem), elected; E. H. Davis (Rep), defeated; J. B. Hull (Prohibition), defeated.
  • 1876 Apr 3: John S. Tooker (Rep), elected; Washington G. Wiley (Dem), defeated; Ephraim Longyear (Retrencher), defeated.
  • 1877 Apr 2: Orlando M. Barnes (Dem), elected.
  • 1878 Apr 1: Joseph E. Warner (Greenback), elected.
  • 1879 Apr 7: William Van Buren (Rep), elected; James Johns (Greenback), defeated.
  • 1880 Apr 5: William Van Buren (Rep), elected.
  • 1881 Apr 4: John Robson (Rep), elected.
  • 1882 Apr 3: Orlando F. Barnes (Dem & Greenback), elected; Alfred Wise (Rep), defeated.
  • 1883 Apr 2: Orlando F. Barnes (Dem & Greenback), elected; Rush J. Shank (Rep), defeated.
  • 1884 Apr 7: William Donovan (Rep), elected; George P. Sanford (Dem & Greenback), defeated; Alfred Wise (Union), defeated.
  • 1885 Apr 6: William Donovan (Rep), elected; Samuel L. Kilbourne (Dem), defeated; P. F. Olds (Greenback), defeated.
  • 1886 Apr 5: Daniel W. Buck (Dem), elected; Stephen D. Bingham (Rep), defeated; S. Taylor (Prohibition), defeated; A. Cottrell (Greenback), defeated.
  • 1887 Apr 4: Jacob F. Schultz (Rep), elected.
  • 1888 Apr 2: John F. Crotty (Dem), elected; John Robson (Rep & Prohibition), defeated.
  • 1889 Apr 1: James M. Turner (Rep), elected.
  • 1890 Apr 7: Frank B. Johnson (Dem), elected.
  • 1892 Apr 4: Arthur O. Bement (Rep), elected.
  • 1895 Apr 1: James M. Turner, elected.
  • 1896 Apr 6: Russell C. Ostrander (Rep), elected; Rush J. Shank (Dem), defeated.
  • 1897 Apr 5: Charles J. Davis (Rep), elected.
  • 1898 Apr 4: Charles J. Davis (Rep), elected.
  • 1900 Apr 2: James F. Hammell (Dem), elected; Horatio H. Larned (Rep), defeated.
  • 1902 Apr 7: James F. Hammell (Dem), elected; Hugh Lyons (Rep), defeated; W. S. Sly (Prohibition), defeated.
  • 1904 Apr 4: Hugh Lyons (Rep), elected.
  • 1906 Apr 2: Hugh Lyons (Rep), elected.
  • 1908 Apr 6: John S. Bennett (Dem), elected; George H. Pratt (Rep), defeated.
  • 1910 Apr 4: John S. Bennett (Dem), elected.
  • 1912 Apr 1: J. Gottlieb Reutter (Dem), elected; Otto Ziegler (Rep), defeated.
  • 1914 Apr 6: J. Gottlieb Reutter (Dem), elected; Charles H. Davis (Rep), defeated; Seymour A. Ayres, defeated.
  • 1916 Apr 3: J. Gottlieb Reutter, elected; J. Charles McCullough, defeated.
  • 1918 Apr 1: Jacob W. Ferle, elected; John S. Bennett, defeated.
  • 1920 Apr 5: Benjamin A. Kyes, elected; Jacob W. Ferle, defeated.
  • 1922 Apr 3: Jacob W. Ferle, elected; Benjamin A. Kyes, defeated.
  • 1922 Nov 6: Jacob W. Ferle, died in office.
  • 1923 Apr 2: Alfred H. Doughty, elected; William C. Walters, defeated; Benjamin A. Kyes, defeated.
  • 1924 Nov 4: Alfred H. Doughty, elected; Otto C. Kirchen, defeated; William C. Walters, defeated.
  • 1926 Nov 2: Laird J. Troyer, elected; Alfred H. Doughty, defeated.
  • 1928 Nov 6: Laird J. Troyer, elected; Alfred H. Doughty, defeated.
  • 1930 Nov 4: Peter F. Gray, elected; Laird J. Troyer, defeated; Herbert E. Chamberlain, defeated; Alfred H. Doughty, defeated.
  • 1932 Nov 8: Peter F. Gray, elected; Fred L. Kircher, defeated; Herman T. Busch, defeated; Robert J. Christie, defeated.
  • 1933 Jun 30: Peter F. Gray, resigned.
  • 1933 Nov 7: Max A. Templeton, elected; Fred L. Kircher, defeated; D. D. Harris, defeated; Harry G. Foster, defeated; William S. Kellogg, defeated.
  • 1934 Sep 11: Max A. Templeton, nominated; Fred L. Kircher, nominated; Ralph D. Moore, defeated in primary.
  • 1934 Nov 6: Max A. Templeton, elected; Fred L. Kircher, defeated.
  • 1936 Sep 15: Max A. Templeton, nominated; Alfred H. Doughty, nominated; Robert J. Christie, defeated in primary.
  • 1936 Nov 3: Max A. Templeton, elected; Alfred H. Doughty, defeated.
  • 1938 Sep 13: Max A. Templeton, nominated; Thomas T. O'Brien, nominated; Hazen C. Rutter, defeated in primary; Alfred H. Doughty, defeated in primary; Van W. Pilmore, defeated in primary.
  • 1938 Nov 8: Max A. Templeton, elected; Thomas T. O'Brien, defeated.
  • 1940 Nov 5: Thomas T. O'Brien, elected, but died before taking office; Max A. Templeton, defeated.
  • 1941 Feb 17: Sam Street Hughes, nominated; Fred L. Kircher, defeated in primary; Alfred H. Doughty, defeated in primary; Marshall S. Graham, defeated in primary.
  • 1941 Apr 7: Sam Street Hughes, elected unopposed.
  • 1942 Nov 3: Sam Street Hughes, elected; Ralph W. Crego, defeated.
  • 1943 Aug 10: Sam Street Hughes, resigned.
  • 1943 Nov 2: Ralph W. Crego, elected; John H. Russell, defeated.
  • 1944 Nov 7: Ralph W. Crego, elected unopposed.
  • 1946 Nov 5: Ralph W. Crego, elected; Catherine R. Freeland, defeated.
  • 1948 Nov 2: Ralph W. Crego, elected unopposed.
  • 1950 Nov 7: Ralph W. Crego, elected unopposed.
  • 1952 Nov 4: Ralph W. Crego, elected; LeRoy A. Brown, defeated.
  • 1954 Aug 3: Ralph W. Crego, nominated; Earl W. Coller, defeated in primary; LeRoy A. Brown, defeated in primary.
  • 1954 Nov 2: Ralph W. Crego, elected unopposed.
  • 1957 Feb 18: Frederick E. Tripp, nominated; Ralph W. Crego, nominated; Charles G. Hayden, defeated in primary; Kenneth D. Winter, defeated in primary.
  • 1957 Apr 1: Ralph W. Crego, elected; Frederick E. Tripp, defeated.
  • 1961 Feb 20: Ralph W. Crego, nominated; Willard I. Bowerman, Jr., nominated; Max E. Murninghan, defeated in primary; Horace J. Bradshaw, defeated in primary; John T. Anas, defeated in primary; Robert S. Brooks, defeated in primary; Glen E. Dean, defeated in primary.
  • 1961 Apr 3: Willard I. Bowerman, Jr., elected; Ralph W. Crego, defeated.
  • 1965 Feb 15: Max E. Murninghan, nominated; Willard I. Bowerman, Jr., nominated; Maurice E. Baldwin, defeated in primary.
  • 1965 Apr 5: Max E. Murninghan, elected; Willard I. Bowerman, Jr., defeated.
  • 1969 Feb 17: Gerald W. Graves, nominated; Max E. Murninghan, nominated; H. James Starr, defeated in primary.
  • 1969 Apr 7: Gerald W. Graves, elected; Max E. Murninghan, defeated.
  • 1973 Aug 7: Gerald W. Graves, nominated; Joel I. Ferguson, nominated; John T. Anas, defeated in primary; Jack W. Merrill, defeated in primary.
  • 1973 Nov 6: Gerald W. Graves, elected; Joel I. Ferguson, defeated.
  • 1977 Nov 8: Gerald W. Graves, elected; Terry J. McKane, defeated.
  • 1981 Aug 4: Terry J. McKane, nominated; George Stanley Lokken, nominated; Alan E. Tubbs, defeated in primary; John Assiff, defeated in primary; Orrin E. Sharp, defeated in primary.
  • 1981 Nov 3: Terry J. McKane, elected; George Stanley Lokken, defeated.
  • 1985 Nov 5: Terry J. McKane, elected; Louis F. Adado, defeated.
  • 1989 Aug 8: Terry J. McKane, nominated; Louis F. Adado, nominated; Doc C. Dart, defeated in primary.
  • 1989 Nov 7: Terry J. McKane, elected; Louis F. Adado, defeated.
  • 1992 Dec 29: Terry J. McKane, resigned; Jim Crawford, succeeded to office.
  • 1993 Aug 3: David C. Hollister, nominated; Jim Crawford, nominated; Charles Ford, defeated in primary; Ken Vaughn, defeated in primary; Michael Jon Panetta, defeated in primary; Peter Spagnuolo, defeated in primary; Mary Ann Prince, defeated in primary; Gerald A. Huckaba, defeated in primary; Kris Nicholoff, defeated in primary.
  • 1993 Nov 2: David C. Hollister, elected; Jim Crawford, defeated.
  • 1997 Aug 5: David C. Hollister, nominated; Ellen Beal, nominated; Robert Johnson, defeated in primary; Gerald A. Huckaba, defeated in primary; Russell Terry, defeated in primary.
  • 1997 Nov 4: David C. Hollister, elected; Ellen Beal, defeated.
  • 2001 Nov 6: David C. Hollister, elected; Eugene Buckley, defeated.
  • 2003 Jan 28: David C. Hollister, resigned.
  • 2005 Aug 2: Virg Bernero, nominated; Tony Benavides, nominated; Lynne Martinez, defeated in primary; Dale M. Abronowitz, defeated in primary.
  • 2005 Nov 8: Virg Bernero, elected; Tony Benavides, defeated.
  • 2009 Aug 4: Virg Bernero, nominated; Carol Wood, nominated; Charles Ford, defeated in primary; Benjamin Hassenger, defeated in primary.
  • 2009 Nov 3: Virg Bernero, elected; Carol Wood, defeated.
  • 2013 Aug 6: Virg Bernero, nominated; Harold J. Leeman, Jr., nominated; Gene Gutierrez-Rodriguez, defeated in primary; Donald A. Krepps, defeated in primary; John Boise, defeated in primary.
  • 2013 Nov 5: Virg Bernero, elected; Harold J. Leeman, Jr., defeated.
  • 2017 Aug 8: Andy Schor, nominated; Judi Brown Clarke, nominated; Danny Trevino, defeated in primary; Michael Joseph Gillenkirk, defeated in primary; Harold J. Leeman, Jr., defeated in primary.
  • 2017 Nov 7: Andy Schor, elected; Judi Brown Clarke, defeated.
  • 2021 Aug 3: Andy Schor, nominated; Kathie Dunbar, nominated; Patricia Spitzley, defeated in primary; Farhan Sheikh-Omar, defeated in primary; Melissa Huber, defeated in primary; Larry James Hutchinson, Jr., defeated in primary.
  • 2021 Nov 2: Andy Schor, elected; Kathie Dunbar, defeated.


    Postmasters at Lansing, 1848-1977 (may be incomplete!)
    George W. Peck 1848-49 Whitney Jones 1849-53 Van S. Murphy 1853-59 Joseph M. Griswold 1859-61 Allen R. Burr 1861-62 Ephraim Longyear 1862-67 Whitney Jones 1867-71 Stephen D. Bingham 1871-85 George P. Sanford 1885-86 H. D. Pugh 1886-89 Seymour Foster 1889-93 Louis E. Rowley 1893-97 Seymour Foster 1897-1914 Peter F. Gray 1914-22 Walter G. Rogers 1922 Walter G. Rogers 1922-35 Claude E. Cady 1935 Claude E. Cady 1935-43 D. D. Harris 1943-44 D. D. Harris 1944-53 Fred W. Wirebaugh 1953 Lyle B. Austin 1953-54 Lyle B. Austin 1954-61 Joseph F. Attwood 1961 Berniece Corrine Hill 1961-64 Berniece Corrine Hill 1964-77

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