B Y M A R K C R O AT T I
2021 ANNAPOLIS CITY
ELECTIONS PREVIEW TH E NE X T M AYO R A N D CI T Y CO U N CI L HAVE A LON G LI N E OF PRE DE CE SSORS TO DR AW I NS P I R AT I O N F R O M , I N L E A D I N G A N N A POLI S TOWA RD FU T U RE PROSPE RI T Y
Dating back to the first mayor in 1708 (Amos Garrett), the 137 mayors of Annapolis include members of well-known families in American history such as Brice, Carroll, Chase, Harwood, and Pinkney. While the position is extremely visible today, it has been rare for the city’s leader to govern for eight consecutive years. One early exception not long after Garrett was Vachel Denton; his 22 years in the colonial era, including an 18-year stretch from 1727–1745, make him the longest-serving mayor; Allen Quynn, whose multiple non-consecutive terms between 1773 and 1802 encompassed 11 total years—but never eight straight—is second. Until 1973, the job was part-time, which meant the mayor served in many other political capacities prior to, during, and after leaving office. Garrett, for 128
What’s Up? Annapolis | October 2021 | whatsupmag.com
example, was in the Maryland General Assembly from 1712–1722 (except for 1716–1719). Jeremiah Townley Chase—Samuel Chase’s second cousin—actually pulled triple duty; according to the Maryland State Archives, after he left the House of Delegates in 1779, he was both mayor (1783–1784) and a state representative in the unicameral Congress under the Articles of Confederation that met in Annapolis. Alongside Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe, Chase participated in accepting the resignation of General George Washington as Commander-in-Chief of the United States Continental Army and ratifying the Treaty of Paris with Great Britain, formally ending the Revolutionary War. Both Garrett and Chase were buried at St. Anne’s Cemetery, not far from where Congress met or where City Hall sits today.
From then until John Apostol was elected full-time in 1973, only Dennis Claude (1828–1837 and 1853–1855), James Strange (1909–1919), William McCready (1941–1949), Arthur Ellington (1952–1961, including time as Acting Mayor), and Roger “Pip” Moyer (1965–1973) were mayor for an eight-year period. Since 1973, just Alfred Hopkins (1989–1997) and Pip’s former wife, Ellen Moyer (2001–2009) have completed two four-year terms (Apostol was re-elected in 1977 but didn’t stay in office until the end). Because they work closely with the City Council, Anne Arundel County leaders, the state government, and local officials across the nation, the title “Mayor of Annapolis” symbolizes a personal dedication to improving every aspect of civic life, and with it, an enormous burden of responsibility.
