Constables (1872-1933)

From 1872 to 1898, Constables were elected to one-year terms, starting in April. From 1872 to 1882, Constables were elected to specified districts – 1st Babylon, 2nd Amityville, 3rd Breslau, 4th Deer Park. (In 1891, the community of Breslau changed its name to Lindenhurst.) Starting in 1883, the districts were not specified in the election results, however, it is believed that the Constables were assigned districts, including one in the East Farmingdale area, starting in the early 1900s.

From 1899 to 1917, Constables were elected to two-year terms, starting in April. In 1919, elections were moved from April to November, and officials took office the following January 1. Constables earned fees based on their work, including arrests and issuing summons. 

Starting in 1934, Constables were appointed by the Town Board and paid a salary. The Town of Babylon Police Department was started in 1947, headed by Chief Percy Hempstead who was a former Constable. The Town of Babylon Police Department was dissolved and merged into the Suffolk County Police Department which started January 1, 1960. 

_____________________

A brief look at the first four Constables. John F. Noe, a brick mason from Babylon, served seven consecutive terms. Smith Robbins, a farmer from Deer Park, was elected to two consecutive terms, and was later appointed to another term. Frederick Torns, of Breslau (later Lindenhurst), was later re-elected to a second term as Constable, and was a long-term Postmaster in Lindenhurst. Edward J. Udall, of Amityville, served just one term as Constable and was the keeper of the Fire Island Lighthouse for many years. 


Constables Term of Service

1(a).

James F. Noe

April 2, 1872 -- April 1, 1879 

1(b).

Smith Robbins

April 2, 1872 -- April 7, 1874** 

1(c).

Frederick Torns

April 2, 1872 -- April 1, 1873** 

1(d).

Edward J. Udall

April 2, 1872 -- April 1, 1873 

5.

Alanson Weeks

April 1, 1873 -- April 7, 1874 

6.

Christian F. Wild

April 1, 1873 -- April 1, 1879 

7.

Arden Wicks (or Weeks)

April 7, 1874 -- April 3, 1877** 

8.

Solomon P. Wanser

April 7, 1874 -- April 3, 1877 

---

Smith Robbins*

May 1876† -- April 3, 1877 

9.

Charles Heartt

April 3, 1877 -- April 2, 1878 

10.

George W. Larned

April 3, 1877 -- April 5, 1881 

11.

Alonzo Cornelius

April 2, 1878 -- April 1, 1884 

12.

George W. Finger

April 1, 1879 -- April 4, 1882 

---

Arden Wicks (or Weeks)*

April 1, 1879 -- April 6, 1880 

13.

Willis Smith

April 6, 1880 -- April 3, 1883 

14.

William P. Weeks

April 5, 1881 -- April 4, 1882** 

---

Frederick Torns*

April 4, 1882 -- April 3, 1883 

15.

Peter Kiefer

April 28, 1882† -- April 1, 1884 

16.

Charles W. Conklin

April 3, 1883 -- April 6, 1886** 

17.

John T. Wood

April 3, 1883 -- April 20, 1891^ 

18.

William Hirsch

April 1, 1884 -- April 6, 1886 

---

William P. Weeks*

April 1, 1884 -- April 7, 1885** 

19.

John J. Corlett

April 7, 1885 -- April 6, 1886 

20.

Lyman H. Ketcham

June 4, 1885 -- April 6, 1886 

21.

George W. Finger, Jr.

April 6, 1886 -- April 5, 1889 

22.

Edward Purtill

April 6, 1886 -- April 6, 1887** 

23.

Stanhope C. Renwick

April 6, 1886 -- April 3, 1888 

---

William P. Weeks*

April 6, 1887 -- April 3, 1888 

---

Edward Purtill*

April 3, 1888 -- April 5, 1889 

24.

Garrett O. Haff

April 3, 1888 -- April 5, 1889 

25.

Michael Brosch

April 5, 1889 -- April 6, 1892 

---

Charles W. Conklin*

April 5, 1889 -- April 2, 1890 

26.

Orlando Morris

April 5, 1889 -- April 2, 1890 

27.

Roger S. Williams

April 2, 1890 -- April 8, 1891 

28.

George Brown

April 8, 1891 -- April 4, 1894 

29.

Marcus Zeilner

April 8, 1891 -- April 6, 1892 

30.

Oscar L. Balchen

June 13, 1891† -- April 4, 1894** 

31.

Spencer B. Griffin

April 6, 1892 -- April 4, 1894 

32.

William Rall

April 6, 1892 -- April 6, 1893 

33.

Charles Corlett

April 6, 1893 -- April 7, 1897 

34.

Charles Metzger

April 6, 1893 -- April 5, 1895 

35.

James G. Shea

April 6, 1894 -- April 4, 1899 

36.

Henry M. Southard

April 6, 1894 -- April 7, 1896 

37.

Charles Warta, Jr.

April 5, 1895 -- April 4, 1899 

38.

William H. Southard

April 7, 1896 -- April 5, 1898 

39.

Charles Watkins

April 5, 1897 -- April 4, 1899 

---

Oscar L. Balchen*

April 5, 1898 -- April 4, 1899 

40.

Robert L. Crandall

April 4, 1899 -- April 3, 1901 

41.

Michael Dunn

April 4, 1899 -- April 3, 1901 

42.

Michael Miller

April 4, 1899 -- April 3, 1901 

43.

Theodore P. Weeks

April 4, 1899 -- April 5, 1905 

44.

Michael Finger

April 3, 1901 -- April 5, 1905 

45.

Louis T. Ketcham

April 3, 1901 -- April 8, 1903 

46.

John R. Walker

April 3, 1901 -- April 8, 1903 

47.

Edwin H. Stratton

April 8, 1903 -- December 31, 1919 

48.

John H. Wood

April 8, 1903 -- April 7, 1911 

49.

August Hirshman

April 5, 1905 -- April 3, 1907** 

50.

Edward Taylor

April 5, 1905 -- April 3, 1907 

51.

Frank H. Arnold

April 3, 1907 -- April 1, 1913 

52.

Ambrose Seaman

April 3, 1907 -- April 7, 1909 

53.

Peter Ott

April 7, 1909 -- April 4, 1917 

54.

Luke Devin

April 7, 1911 -- April 1, 1913** 

55.

Raymond Pearsall

April 1, 1913 -- April 6, 1915 

56.

Wisner Verity

April 1, 1913 -- December 31, 1925 

---

Luke Devin*

April 6, 1915 -- April 4, 1917 

57.

Thomas Gallagher

April 4, 1917 -- December 31, 1921 

58.

Adam C. Molle

April 4, 1917 -- December 31, 1925 

---

August Hirshman*

January 1, 1920 -- December 31, 1921 

59.

Douglas Hazel

January 1, 1922 -- December 31, 1925 

60.

Charles Rohls

January 1, 1922 -- December 31, 1923 

61.

Christian Hanbie

January 1, 1924 -- December 31, 1925 

62.

Charles Barcelona

January 1, 1926 -- January, 1929‡ 

63.

Robert Fallot

January 1, 1926 -- December 31, 1927 

64.

William Lamm

January 1, 1926 -- December 31, 1927 

65.

Walter W. Weeks

January 1, 1926 -- December 31, 1933≠ 

66.

John G. Abrams

January 1, 1928 -- December 31, 1929 

67.

Jacob Bendizheimer

January 1, 1928 -- December 31, 1929 

68.

Joseph Colichio

January 1, 1930 -- December 31, 1931 

69.

George E. Miller

January 1, 1930 -- December 31, 1933≠ 

70.

Joseph Pfost

January 1, 1930 -- December 31, 1931 

71.

William Klein

January 1, 1932 -- December 31, 1933≠ 

72.

Thomas B. Sprague

January 1, 1932 -- December 31, 1933≠ 

* Previously elected to a non-consecutive term.   ** Re-elected to a non-consecutive term.   † Appointed to fill a vacancy.  ^ Died in office.  ‡ Resigned.  ≠ Position eliminated.