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Justices of the Peace (1872-1965)
In addition to voting on town government matters as members of the Town Board, the four Justices of the Peace presided over local civil and minor criminal matters, and had the power to officiate weddings and issue arrest warrants.
In 1872, four Justices were elected to terms of 1-year, 2-years, 3-years and 4-years, beginning in April. As those terms expired, the terms were then four-years, with one position voted on each year.
Starting in 1890, Justices were elected in April, to four-year terms commencing the following January. Starting in 1901, two Justices were elected every two years, to four-year terms commencing the following January. In 1919, elections were moved from April to November, and officials took office the following January.
In 1942, the number of Justices was reduced to three, and further reduced to two Justices in 1944. From 1960 to 1963, the number of Justices was increased to three; returning to two Justices in 1964. The Justice Court was abolished January 1, 1966, and was superseded by the District Court system, thereby ending the Justice of the Peace position.
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The first Justices of the Peace were John D. Capen, David Larned, William Gauckler and John R. Walker. John D. Capen, of Amityville, was a former manufacturer of soap and candles. David Larned, of Babylon, was a watchmaker and served in the U.S. Army in the 1840s. William Gauckler, of Breslau (later Lindenhurst), was an insurance and real estate agent. John R. Walker, of Babylon, was an attorney.
James B. Cooper, Sr. was the longest serving with a combined total of over 25 years. After Justice Cooper’s death in 1907, his son James B. Cooper, Jr. was appointed to fulfill his term. James B. Cooper, Jr. later founded the Babylon Leader newspaper.
Justices William G. Nicoll, Henry A. Brown, Frederic J. Wood, William F. Wolter and William T. Lauder each served as Town Supervisor. Justice Carl. F. Berger was elected the first Town Councilman in 1942.
| Justices of the Peace | Term of Service | |
|---|---|---|
1(a). | John D. Capen (1832-1907) | April 2, 1872 -- December 31, 1893 |
1(b). | David Larned (1820-1898) | April 2, 1872 -- October 2, 1873 |
1(c). | William Gauckler (1840-1877) | April 2, 1872 – May18, 1877^ |
1(d). | John R. Walker (c.1838-___) | April 2, 1872 -- March 5, 1880‡ |
5. | James B. Cooper, Sr. (1825-1907) | October 3, 1873† -- April 1, 1879** |
6. | Ferdinand Beschott (c.1830-1885) | April 2, 1878§ -- April 6, 1880** |
7. | Warren D. Lewis (1829-1890) | April 1, 1879 -- August 22, 1890^ |
8. | Charles Wagner (c.1843-1895) | April 6, 1880 -- April 1, 1884** |
9. | John M. Butler (c.1814-___) | April 6, 1880§ -- March 1881‡ |
--- | James B. Cooper, Sr.* | April 5, 1881§ -- April 4, 1882** |
10. | George W. Conklin (1829-1908) | April 4, 1882 -- April 6, 1886 |
--- | Ferdinand Beschott* | April 1, 1884 -- July 30, 1885^ |
11. | George S. Pearsall (1852-1929) | April 6, 1886 -- April 6, 1887‡ |
12. | Jacob Oeffinger (c.1845-___) | April 6, 1886§ -- April 8, 1888 |
--- | James B. Cooper, Sr.* | April 6, 1887 -- December 31, 1894** |
--- | Charles Wagner* | April 3, 1888 -- December 31, 1892 |
13. | William G. Nicoll (1845-1919) | April 8, 1891 -- December 31, 1895 |
14. | Holmes W. Sweezey (1832-1914) | January 1, 1894 -- December 31, 1897 |
15. | Arthur Neville (1870-1906) | January 1, 1893§ -- December 31, 1899 |
16. | Henry A. Brown (1835-1933) | January 1, 1895 -- December 31, 1901** |
--- | James B. Cooper, Sr.* | January 1, 1896 -- February 24, 1907^ |
17. | Tredwell C. Willmarth (1839-1918) | January 1, 1898 -- December 31, 1905 |
18. | Alvin G. T. Parthe (1849-1902) | January 1, 1900 -- April 19, 1902^ |
19. | Herman Donner (1857-1918) | January 1, 1902 -- December 31, 1907 |
20. | George W. Irmisch (1862-1937) | May 23, 1902† -- December 31, 1919 |
21. | Frank T. Wells (1874-1961) | January 1, 1906 -- December 31, 1913 |
22. | James B. Cooper, Jr. (1871-1940) | April 3, 1907§ -- December 31, 1923 |
--- | Henry A. Brown* | January 1, 1908 -- December 31, 1913 |
23. | Laclede Wilson (1886-1949) | January 1, 1914 -- December 31, 1917 |
24. | Franklin S. Purdy (1857-1934) | January 1, 1914 -- December 31, 1917 |
25. | Henry A. Edwards (1863-1952) | January 1, 1918 -- December 31, 1925 |
26. | Arthur R. Burns (1884-1959) | January 1, 1918 -- January 9, 1918‡ |
27. | Paul Bailey (1885-1962) | January 9, 1918† -- December 31, 1921 |
28. | Frederic J. Wood (1887-1964) | January 1, 1920 -- December 31, 1935 |
29. | Claud J. Lapsley (1877-1964) | January 1, 1922 -- December 31, 1933 |
30. | William F. Wolter (1899-1971) | January 1, 1924 -- December 31, 1947 |
31. | Charles A. Fisher (1876-1963) | January 1, 1926 -- December 31, 1941 |
32. | Frederick W. Frost (1902-1967) | January 1, 1934 -- December 31, 1941 |
33. | John C. Robbins (1886-1958) | January 1, 1936 -- December 31, 1943 |
34. | C. Herbert Hendrickson (1904-1964) | January 1, 1942 -- October 31, 1943‡ |
35. | Bradley W. Thorpe (1888-1951) | November 1, 1943† -- October 3, 1950‡ |
36. | Walter A. Saxton (1911-2002) | January 1, 1948 -- December 31, 1951** |
37. | Carl F. Berger (1904-1973) | October 3, 1950† -- September 1951** |
38. | Franklin T. Voelker (1903-1969) | September 25, 1951† -- December 31, 1953 |
--- | Carl F. Berger* | January 1, 1952 -- December 31, 1955 |
39. | Charles F. Pfeifle (1895-1970) | January 1, 1954 -- December 17, 1956‡ |
40. | Charles A. Woehning (1904-1965) | January 1, 1956 -- December 31, 1959 |
41. | J. Stanley Pease (1912-1995) | January 22, 1957† -- December 31, 1961 |
--- | Walter A. Saxton* | January 1, 1960 – October 2, 1962‡ |
42. | Ernest J. Signorelli (1924-1999) | January 1, 1960 -- December 31, 1963 |
43. | Gilbert C. Hanse (1914-2004) | January 1, 1962 -- February 3, 1965‡ |
44. | William T. Lauder | November 20, 1962† -- February 15, 1963‡ |
45. | Charles J. Cowan (1926-2018) | March 12, 1963† -- December 31, 1965≠ |
46. | John V. Vaughn (1931-2012) | February 2, 1965† -- December 31, 1965≠ |
* Previously elected to a non-consecutive term. ** Re-elected to a non-consecutive term. § Special election to fill vacancy. † Appointed to fill a vacancy. ‡ Resigned. ^ Died in office. ≠ Position eliminated.