Joseph E. Haynes (1827–1897) was an American educator and politician who served as the 21st Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. He held the office for five consecutive terms, serving from 1884 to 1894.
Born in New York, Haynes moved to Newark and established a long career in the public school system. He served as the principal of the Morton Street School for approximately 30 years, a role that contributed to his prominence within the community prior to his political career.
A member of the Democratic Party, Haynes was first elected mayor in 1883. His decade-long administration occurred during a period of significant industrial and population growth for Newark. He is primarily recognized for his efforts to modernize the city’s infrastructure, most notably regarding the municipal water supply. Haynes was a primary advocate for the acquisition of the Pequannock watershed, which moved the city away from reliance on polluted local sources and established a municipally owned system that provided clean water to the growing population.
In addition to waterworks projects, Haynes’s tenure involved the reorganization of the Newark Fire Department and the implementation of various civil service improvements. Following his five terms as mayor, he retired from the office in 1894. He died on December 9, 1897, in Newark.