Highway Leadership (1872-1995)

In 1872, three Commissioners were elected to terms of 1-year, 2-years, and 3-years, beginning in April. As those terms expired, the terms were then three-years, with one position voted on each year.  

From 1899 to 1909, three commissioners were elected every two years for two-year terms. In 1909, three Highway Commissioners were elected, along with a Highway Superintendent. 

Starting in 1911, only a Highway Superintendent was elected. The position was eliminated in 1995, and the functions absorbed into the Department of Public Works. 

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The first three Highway Commissioners were Elbert Strong, Jesse Conklin, and Solomon Smith. Born in 1833, Elbert Strong was a farmer who grew up in the area that would later become Lindenhurst; he served just one term as a Highway Commissioner. 

Under the Town of Huntington, Jesse Conklin served as Tax Collector and a Commissioner of Highways. Affectionately known as “Uncle Jesse,” Conklin was the proprietor of a hotel on Fire Island known as “Castle Conklin.” Solomon Smith was a farmer and life-long resident of Babylon. 

The first Highway Superintendent, Gilbert P. Williams of Amityville, previously served as a Highway Commissioner. Four Highway Commissioners/Superintendents later served as Town Supervisor – Edward Daily, Henry A. Brown, William S. Willmarth and Henry S. Johnson. 


Commissioners of HighwayTerm of Office 

1(a).

Elbert Strong

April 2, 1872 -- 1873/1874

1(b).

Jesse Conklin

April 2, 1872 -- 1873/1874

1(c).

Solomon Smith 

April 2, 1872 -- 1873/1874**

4.

Frederick L. Weed

April 1, 1873 -- April 4, 1876

5.

Ezekiel K. Smith

April 7, 1874 -- April 6, 1887

6.

Elbert H. Walters§

April 7, 1874 -- April 3, 1877

7.

George L. Ketcham

April 4, 1876 -- April 7, 1885

8.

Edward Daily

April 3, 1877 -- April 3, 1883

9.

Henry A. Brown

April 3, 1883 -- April 6, 1886

10.

Charles Hirsch, Jr.

April 7, 1885 -- April 8, 1888

11.

John E. Arnold

April 6, 1886 -- April 6, 1892

12.

William Denton

April 6, 1887 -- April 2, 1890

13.

Valentine Helling

April 3, 1888 -- April 4, 1894**

14.

Edward H. Morris

April 2, 1890 -- March 1, 1892‡

15.

Egbert V. Strong

April 6, 1892 -- April 5, 1895

16.

Frederick W. Smith

April 6, 1892§ -- April 6, 1893

17.

N. P. Williams

April 6, 1893 -- April 7, 1896

18.

John S. Krueger

April 4, 1894 -- April 4, 1899

19.

Solomon Smith*

April 5, 1895 -- April 5, 1898

20.

Stephen R. Austin

April 7, 1896 -- April 8, 1903

21.

Charles W. Conklin

April 5, 1898 -- April 3, 1901

22.

George S. Pearsall, Sr.

April 4, 1899 -- April 5, 1905**

---

Valentine Heling*

April 4, 1899 -- April 5, 1905**

23.

Charles E. Smith

April 8, 1903 -- April 5, 1905

24.

Burtis F. Mott

April 5, 1905 -- April 3, 1907

25.

John Griebel

April 5, 1905 -- April 7, 1911≠

26.

Zachariah Hendrickson

April 5, 1905 -- April 3, 1907

---

Valentine Heling*

April 3, 1907 -- April 7, 1909

27.

Gilbert P. Williams 

April 3, 1907 --  April 7, 1909**

---

George S. Pearsall, Sr.*

April 7, 1909 -- April 7, 1911≠



Superintendents of Highways Term of Office

1.

Gilbert P. Williams*

April 7, 1909 -- April 7, 1911

2.

Charles Heling

April 7, 1911 -- November 1, 1917

3.

William S. Willmarth

November 1, 1917 -- December 31, 1921

4.

Henry S. Johnson

January 1, 1922 -- December 31, 1925

5.

John S. Wolf

January 1, 1926 -- December 31, 1931

6.

William E. Hirsch

January 1, 1932 -- December 31, 1933

7.

Thomas Bradford Sprague

January 1, 1934 -- December 31, 1935

8.

George Stephan

January 1, 1936 -- December 31, 1951

9.

Charles J. Vogel 

January 1, 1952 -- December 31, 1963

10.

Robert A. Hannington 

January 1, 1964 -- December 31, 1983

11.

James J. Harrington

January 1, 1984 -- December 31, 1995≠

 *Previously elected to a non-consecutive term.  ** Re-elected to a non-consecutive term.                                    

§ Special election to fill vacancy.   ‡ Resigned.   ≠ Position eliminated.