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Town Clerks (1872-present)
The Town Clerk is the chief records keeper for the town. The Town Clerk’s Office maintains the minutes for all Town Board meetings, and other boards governing the town. In addition to records management, the Town Clerk is also the register of vital statistics (birth and death records), the marriage officer and the licensing officer.
From 1872 to 1893, the Town Clerk was elected to a 1-year term, starting in April. From 1894 to 1917, the Town Clerk was elected to a 2-year term. In 1919, elections were moved from April to November, and officials took office the following January. The Town Clerk position continued to be a 2-year term until 2006 when the term was extended to 4-years.
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The first Town Clerk, John James Robbins, owned a men’s clothing store in Babylon village. James E. Tooker was the longest serving Town Clerk – 24 consecutive years – and later served as Town Historian.
Following her appointment by the Town Board, Florence A. Dollard was the first woman to serve as Town Clerk. However, the first woman elected to the position was Edna Eagan. Janice Tinsley-Colbert was the first African-American elected in the Town of Babylon.
Years before his election as Town Clerk, Charles Warta Jr. was a Town Constable, and his brother Joseph P. Warta later served as Town Supervisor. Joseph A. Moore and Frank E. Moore were brothers, and Florence A. Dollard was the niece of John B. Dollard.
Frederick Sheide later served as Town Supervisor. Three Town Clerks have also been elected Councilpersons, Rowland Scott, Ellen T. McVeety, and Carol Quirk.
| Town Clerks | Term of Office | |
|---|---|---|
1. | John James Robbins (1844-1891) | April 2, 1872 -- April 6, 1875 |
2. | Woodhull Skidmore (1834-1920) | April 6, 1875 -- April 4, 1876 |
3. | Daniel J. Runyon (1837-1906) | April 4, 1876 -- April 4, 1882 |
4. | Frederick P. Conklin (1852-1924) | April 4, 1882 -- April 3, 1883 |
5. | James R. Gulick (1857-1884) | April 3, 1883 -- April 1, 1884 |
6. | Theodore C. Fletcher (1851-1925) | April 1, 1884 -- April 7, 1885 |
7. | Joseph A. Moore (1858-1930) | April 7, 1885 -- April 3, 1888 |
8. | Frank E. Moore (1856-1943) | April 3, 1888 -- April 5, 1889 |
9. | Joseph A. Douglas (1859-1940) | April 5, 1889 -- April 2, 1890 |
10. | Henry de Languillette (1857-1923) | April 2, 1890 -- April 6, 1892 |
11. | Eugene Velsor (1863-1938) | April 6, 1892 -- April 4, 1899 |
12. | Willis B. Inglee (1870-1950) | April 4, 1899 -- April 3, 1907 |
13. | Frederick Sheide (1877-1944) | April 4, 1907 -- April 7, 1911 |
14. | Charles Warta Jr. (1869-1914) | April 4, 1911 -- July 8, 1914 ^ |
15. | John B. Dollard (1872-1949) | August 15, 1914† -- April 6, 1915 |
16. | Ellis A. Taylor (1870-1950) | April 6, 1915 -- December 31, 1928‡ |
17. | Florence A. Dollard (1891-1958) | January 1, 1929† -- December 31, 1929 |
18. | James E. Tooker (1876-1864) | January 1, 1930 -- December 31, 1953 |
19. | Rowland Scott (1910-1994) | January 1, 1954 -- December 31, 1957 |
20. | Jack Pellicano (1914-1977) | January 1, 1958 -- December 31, 1967 |
21. | Edna Eagan (1909-1989) | January 1, 1968 -- December 31, 1969 |
22. | Isabelle S. Fajans (1908-1970) | January 1, 1970 -- September 29, 1970^ |
23. | Raye D’Abramo (1919-2000) | January 1, 1972 -- December 31, 1991 |
24. | Ellen T. McVeety | January 1, 1992 -- December 31, 1999 |
25. | Janice Tinsley-Colbert | January 1, 2000 -- April 8, 2008‡ |
26. | Carol Quirk | May 19, 2008† -- December 31, 2017 |
27. | Geraldine Compitello | January 1, 2018 -- Present |
^ Died in office. † Appointed to fill a vacancy. ‡ Resigned.