Birmingham Board of Aldermen
The City of Birmingham was incorporated by the State of Alabama on December 19, 1871. The eight members of the Board of Aldermen were elected with each mayor to a term of two years. Each of the city's four wards elected two aldermen to the board. The board was sometimes referred to as the City Council. In 1887 (at least), the board met every second Wednesday evening in the Roden Block at 2nd Avenue North and 20th Street.
1871
The first Board of Aldermen, serving in the administration of Mayor Robert H. Henley was composed of James B. Francis, Benjamin F. Roden, W. F. McDonald, A. Marre, J. B. Webb, John A. Milner, and T. S. Wood.
1873
The second board, serving under Mayor James R. Powell, included J. B. Luckie, Mortimer Jordan, Jr, William H. Morris, Benjamin F. Roden, John A. Milner, James O'Connor, Christian Enslen, and Frank P. O'Brien. Charles Linn took O'Brien's place after his resignation.
1875
Mayor William H. Morris served two terms and had the service of the same group of aldermen in both. These were Charles E. Slade, William Berney, William A. Smith, I. R. Hochstadter, Jule L. Lockwood, J. B. Fonville, W. P. Brewer, and A. C. Oxford.
Morris resigned in 1878 and the Aldermen elected Elyton Land Company president Henry M. Caldwell to serve his unexpired term.
1878
The first administration of Thomas Jeffers included Benjamin F. Roden, Mortimer Jordan, Frank Gazwell, F. D. Nabers, Jule L. Lockwood, G. W. Allen, and Willliam A. Smith.
In Jeffers' second term Jordan, Lockwood and Nabers remained and were joined by C. L. Hardman, T. G. Paine, B. A. Thompson, C. C. Truss, and C. L. Wadsworth.
1882
The first of three administrations headed by Judge A. O. Lane brought together the following aldermen: C. P. Williamson, Benjamin F. Roden, A. S. Elliott, E. Ellis, T. L. Hudgins, James O'Connor, F. V. Evans, and John G. Sheldon.
In the second administration, only Berney was re-elected. Joining him were I. R. Hochstadter, N. R. Rosser, W. J. Rushton, James F. Smith, J. A. Going, Fred Sloss, and E. V. Gregory.
In Lane's third administration, Hochstadter stayed on and was joined by William Walker, Jr, E. W. Linn, D. M. Drennen, James O'Connor, E. J. Smyer, R. W. Whilden, John Colley, and W. H. Eastman.
Hochstadter and Colley represented the First Ward. Linn and Eastman represented the Second Ward. Drennen and Smyer represented the Third Ward. And Walker and O'Connor represented the Fourth Ward.
1888
Mayor: B. A. Thompson
1892
Mayor: David J. Fox
1894
Mayor: James Van Hoose
Aldermen included Samuel Ullman
1896
Mayor: F. V. Evans
1899
Mayor: Mel Drennen
Aldermen: Robert H. Kerr, Henry B. Gray, Walter Moore, J, M. Meichan, Harry Jones, John J. Altman, C. T. Rambow, C. O. Heidt, and John F. Harrington.
Ward 2: George Ward
1905
Mayor: George Ward
1908
Mayor: Frank P. O'Brien
1910
Mayor: Culpepper Exum
The Mayor-Aldermen system was replaced by the Birmingham City Commission, considered to be a more progressive and businesslike form of government, in 1911.
References
- Dubose, John Witherspoon (1887) Jefferson County and Birmingham, Alabama: Historical and Biographical Birmingham: Teeple & Smith, Publishers; Caldwell Printing Works.
- Norton, Bertha Bendall. (1970) Birmingham's First Magic Century: Were You There?. Birmingham: Lakeshore Press. p. 7
Preceded by: none |
Legislative Body for the City of Birmingham 1871 - 1911 |
Succeeded by: Birmingham City Commission |