This is a list of mayors of the city of Markham, Ontario as well as reeves of Markham Village and Township of Markham
York County Era (1850-1971)
Following the passage of the Baldwin Act in 1849 (now Municipal Incorporation Act) the Home District was abolished and local governments were created. The Village of Markham (a police village called Markham Village) was formed in 1850 (with York County, Ontario) and a local council led by a reeve.[1]
From 1850 to 1873 the reeve was appointed position. On November 20, 1872, the Warden of York County signed the By-law of Incorporation, which resulted in the election of the reeve (and Council) for the Village of Markham.
- 1. Amos Wright 1850
- 2. David Reesor 1851
- 3. George P Dickson 1852
- 4. Henry Miller 1853-1855
- 5. David Reesor 1856-57
- 6. William Marr Button 1858 - Lieutenant Colonel of the 1st York Light Dragoons (now The Governor General's Horse Guards) and grandson of Captain John Button, founder of the 1st York Light Dragoons (Button's Troop)
- 7. David Reesor 1859-1860
- 8. William Marr Button 1861-1863
- 9. John Bowman 1864-1865
- 10. William Marr Button 1866
- 11. John Bowman 1867
- 12. William Marr Button 1868-1873 - last unelected reeve of the village of Markham before 1873
- 13. James Robinson 1874-1878 - first elected reeve of the village
- 14. William Eakin 1879-1882
- 15. Thomas Williamson 1883
- 16. David James 1884-1886
- 17. Robert Bruce 1887-1888
- 18. Anthony Forster 1889-1892
- 19. Jonathan Slater 1893-1896
- 20. Walter Scott 1897-1898
- 21. James Laurie 1899
- 22. Arthur Quantz 1900
- 23. James Dimma 1901-1902
- 24. Abner Summerfeldt 1903-1904
- 25. Jonathan Slater 1905-1907
- 26. William Henry Lapp 1908–1909
- 27. Jonathan Nigh 1910-1916
- 28. George P. Padget 1917-1923
- 29. Wesley Gohn 1924-1932
- 30. George P. Padget 1933-1936
- 31. Orville Heisey 1938-1943
- 32. Charles H. Hooper 1944-1947
- 33. William W. Griffin 1948-1949
- 34. Winfred Timbers 1950-1953
- 35. Alfred DeMasurier 1954-1956
- 36. William L. Clark 1957-1960
- 37. Alma Walker 1961-1967 - last reeve of the Village of Markham and first female reeve of the village
After 1968, Markham Village became the Township of Markham with council now led by a mayor:
- 38. Alma Walker 1968-1970 - Mayor - first mayor and first female mayor
York Region Era (1971-)
Post war changes and the rapid urban growth of Toronto led to the shrinking of York County and gave rise to the establishment of the Regional Municipality of York (Regional Municipality of York Act RSO).[3] Following the creation of York Region in 1971, the Town of Markham was incorporated by the larger Township of Markham Village, annexing the smaller villages of Unionville, Ontario and Thornhill, Ontario (portion east of Yonge Street) into the new local government. A new Town Council was created (replacing the councils of Markham Village, Unionville and Thornhill) and led by the following mayors:
- 39. Anthony Roman 1970-1984 - last Mayor of the Township and first Mayor of the Town of Markham
- 40. Carole Bell 1984-1988
- 41. Anthony Roman 1988-1992
- 42. Frank Scarpitti 1992-1994 - appointed following the death of Roman
- 43. Don Cousens 1994-2006
- 44. Frank Scarpitti 2006–present - last town mayor and first city mayor
Notable reeves and mayors
Several reeves and mayors of Markham went on to serve in higher elected office after (and before) their terms in Markham: