List of mayors of Easton, Pennsylvania

The Mayor of Easton, Pennsylvania is a political position dating from 1887, arising from the ascension of the Borough of Easton into the city of Easton. In 1972 the city adopted a strong mayor government, and in 2007 the people of Easton voted to give the mayor a seat on the city council.^[1]

Mayors of Easton

Mayor	Term Begins	Term Ends	Affiliation	Notes	Ref
Charles F. Chidsey	April 4, 1887	1890	Republican	Former Union soldier and borough councilor, active in state Republican politics, representative in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, elected city commissioner in 1913.	[2]
William Beidelman	1890	1894	Democrat	Former Union soldier, active in state Democrat politics, served in Pennsylvania State Senate from 1878 to 1882, was solicitor of Easton (borough) from 1885 to 1887.	[3]
Benjamin Rush Field	1894	1896	Democrat	First of his two non-consecutive terms. A Shakespearian scholar and bon vivant. He ordered and oversaw the creation of the "Easton City Guard" as a volunteer force in the Spanish–American War of which he was elected its major.	[4][5]
Howard Hartzell	1896	1900	Republican	Local confectionery and early pioneer in ice cream. Later elected to the Easton city council. Congratulated by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for 50 years of service to the Republican party.	[6][7]
Benjamin Rush Field	1900	1902	Democrat	Second of his two non-consecutive terms. He would retire in 1902 to pursue personal ventures. He would go on to be one of the first elected city commissioners in 1914 as director of Public safety and proposed outlawing Christmas trees over safety concerns.	[5]
Horace Lehr	1903	1906	Democrat	Local businessmen, member of the Easton board of trade. Elected mayor at the age of 33 and served one term. Went on to be elected board of trade president in 1914 and named postmaster of Easton in 1916	[5]
Francis March	1906	1909	Republican	Noted polymath, academic, philologist, lexicographer, and professor at Lafayette College for 56 years who is considered the principal founder of modern comparative linguistics in Old English	[8]
David W. Nevin	1912	1920	Republican	Replaced the old "Select and Common" councils municipal government with a commission system in 1913. Renown for shutting down the 27 'bawdy houses' in the city and dozens of speakeasies.	[9]
Samuel S. Horn	1920	1924	Republican	Former Controller of Easton from 1912 to 1919. Elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1924 to 1927.	[10]
Wesley M. Heiberger	1924	1927	Democrat	Prominent local businessman, President of the Easton board of trade in 1920. Was an elector for Pennsylvania in 1916 and a Four Minute Man.	[11]
Samuel S. Horn	1927	1929	Republican	Resigned from the Pennsylvania House in 1927 and became mayor again until 1929	[10]
Frederick C. Roberts	1933	1936	Republican	Local surgeon and leader of the Jewish community, frequently spoke in favor of U.S. entry into World War II after leaving office.	[12][13]
Joseph Morrison	1936	1953	Democrat	Led the city through WWII. Lit the first Peace Candle on December 21, 1951.	[14][15]
Robert W. Morse	1953	1955	Democrat	Dartmouth College graduate, World War II veteran, named Easton's Young Man of the year in 1951. Elected to a single term, worked for the Union Camp Corporation for 20 years.	[16]
Orion H. Reeves	1955	1960	Republican	Defeated during re-election to Smith. Founded the Easton Emergency Squad after Hurricane Diane.	[17]
George S. Smith	1960	1968	Democrat	A physician and World War II veteran. Served two terms as mayor and then served on the city council until his death in 1986.	[18]
Fred Ashton	1968	1976	Republican	Former City Councilmen, became the first mayor under the Strong Mayor system of government. Infamous for his Urban Renewal program which demolished the historic Lebanese American and Syrian American quarter of the city to make way for fast food chains and gas stations.	[19]
Henry J. Schultz	1976	1980	Democrat	Former city councilmen, lost his re-election campaign in one of the biggest upsets in Lehigh Valley political history.	[20]
Phil Mitman	1980	1984	Republican	First of his two non-consecutive terms.	[21]
Salvatore J. Panto, Jr.	1984	1992	Democrat	The first two of his six non-consecutive terms. At the time he was 31 and the youngest mayor in Easton's history.	[22]
Thomas F. Goldsmith	1993	April 29, 2003	Republican	A long time Republican Perennial candidate, Goldsmith narrowly defeated incumbent mayor Sal Panto Jr in a shocking upset. He would resign as mayor before end of his term when he was appointed to the state liquor control board by governor Ed Rendell.	[23]
Michael McFadden	May 14, 2003	January 5, 2004	Democrat	Goldsmith's business administrator. Switched parties and was appointed as acting mayor by the Democratic city council to serve out the rest of Goldsmith's term.	[24]
Phil Mitman	January 5, 2004	January 2, 2008	Republican	Had retired from politics for 20 years before returning to the mayoral office. In 2007 the city voted to replace the strong-mayor municipal government with a mayor-on-council government.	[21]
Salvatore J. Panto, Jr.	January 2, 2008	Current	Democrat	Currently serving his fifth consecutive, and seventh non-consecutive term.	[22]

References

1. "Government History". City of Easton Pennsylvania. Easton City Government. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
2. PARKHILL, S.M. "MAYOR CHIDSEY FOUGHT TO KEEP CENTRE SQUARE". The Morning Call. The Morning Call. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
3. "William A. Beidelman". PA General Assembly. PA General Assembly. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
4. "Easton's Franklin House Was Hip And Hoppin' During Gay '90s * The Hotel Was Popular Gathering Spot For Local 'In Crowd,' Celebrities". The Morning Call. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
5. Heller, William Jacob (1920). "History of Northampton County". Google Books. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
6. SMITH, CLARK S. "CONGRATuLATING HOWARD HARTZELL" (PDF). Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
7. "EASTON CONFECTIONERY WAS FAMOUS FOR ITS ICE CREAM AND OTHER TREATS * JOHN ABEL WAS THE CITY'S TURN OF THE CENTURY VERSION OF WILLY WONKA". The Morning Call. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
8. "DR. F.A. MARCH JR., EDUCATOR, DEAD; Veteran Professor at Lafayette Stricken While Dining at Faculty Club. A BROTHER OF GEN. MARCH Was Noted Philologist, "Father of Football" at Lafayette and Ex-Mayor of Easton. Of a Notable Family. His Many Activities". New York Times. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
9. Scheihing, Will. "New Nevin Park fountain is a nod to its namesake". The Morning Call. The Morning Call. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
10. "Samuel S. Horn". Pennsylvania House Archives. Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
11. "October 22, 1925". www.newspapers.com. The News Journal. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
12. Blumenberg, Milton W. (1912). Official Report of the Proceedings of the Fifteenth Republican National Convention: Held in Chicago, Illinois, June 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22, 1912 ... Tenny Press. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
13. "Jews, Gentiles Celebrate 40th Anniversary Jewish Congregation". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 20 March 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
14. landauer, b. "Under the Alpha in Easton: History". The Morning Call. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
15. "Johnstown PA 1939 Mayor Election + PA 1939 mayor election summary". Newspapers.com. Reading Eagle. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
16. "Obituary for Robert W. Morse". Rutland Herald. Newspapers.com. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
17. "04 Nov 1959, Wed · Page 1". New Castle News. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
18. "George Smith, Councilman In Easton, Dies At 79". The Morning Call. 1986-12-27. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
19. "Former Easton Mayor Fred Ashton dies at 82". WFMZ. 2013-05-09. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
20. Theodore, Bevin (2008-06-19). "Former Easton mayor Henry Schultz dies Tuesday at 98". PennLive.com. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
21. Jordan, Tracy (2007-01-24). "Mitman says he won't seek third term as Easton mayor". The Morning Call. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
22. "Mayor Salvatore J. Panto, Jr". City of Easton Pennsylvania. City of Easton. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
23. "THOMAS GOLDSMITH OBITUARY". The Morning Call - Legacy. Morning Call. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
24. Jordan, Tracy. "Administrator gets Easton mayor's job ** Michael McFadden replaces Goldsmith. Council votes 3-2". The Morning Call. Morning Call. Retrieved 4 October 2022.