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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.
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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.