Great-Grandson of Richmond co-founder William Mayo. His son John built Mayo's Bridge, a rebuilt modern version of which still carries the Mayo name as well as the island it crosses (Mayo's Island) in 2025. Joseph C. Mayo was elected as a part time delegate to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1846, then the Richmond City Council in 1851. He was elected as Richmond's next mayor in the 1852 elections, and held that position until 1865. Mayo's tenure as mayor included the dedication of the George Washington Equestrian Monument in Capitol Square, and leading the city through the American Civil War. Mayo worked to administer the functions of city government during the complex governmental period where the city served as a capital both of the State of Virginia and the Confederate States of America, which intermingled those two governments with that of Mayo's city administration. Mayo protested plans to destroy warehoused goods during the Confederate Evacuation of Richmond in April 1865 to no avail, and later rode out into Henrico County to find Union Forces for receiving the surrender of Richmond. He accomplished this by encountering US Major Atherton Stevens of the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry near Tree Hill Farm at the junction of Osborne Turnpike and New Market Road (on modern-day Route 5). Mayo rode into Richmond with Major Stevens thereafter, and participated in a formal surrender ceremony when General Godfrey Weitzel arrived later that same day. Mayo was arrested following Lincoln's assassination but was released and resumed office by early June 1865. Mayo was removed from his position by the military governor of Virginia just a month later based on reports of vigilantism and anti-black punitive measures in his court. Though popularly re-elected the following year, he was removed from office less than a month later by the same military governor. Loss of property, wealth, and his son contributed to the end of his political career by 1870. He was institutionalized with dementia and died in 1872.

Mayo was a member of Saint John's Lodge No. 36, AF&AM, 1850 to 1872. Funeral services were held at Second Presbyterian Church, followed by Masonic rites at the cemetery.

Great-Grandson of Richmond co-founder William Mayo. His son John built Mayo's Bridge, a rebuilt modern version of which still carries the Mayo name as well as the island it crosses (Mayo's Island) in 2025. Joseph C. Mayo was elected as a part time delegate to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1846, then the Richmond City Council in 1851. He was elected as Richmond's next mayor in the 1852 elections, and held that position until 1865. Mayo's tenure as mayor included the dedication of the George Washington Equestrian Monument in Capitol Square, and leading the city through the American Civil War. Mayo worked to administer the functions of city government during the complex governmental period where the city served as a capital both of the State of Virginia and the Confederate States of America, which intermingled those two governments with that of Mayo's city administration. Mayo protested plans to destroy warehoused goods during the Confederate Evacuation of Richmond in April 1865 to no avail, and later rode out into Henrico County to find Union Forces for receiving the surrender of Richmond. He accomplished this by encountering US Major Atherton Stevens of the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry near Tree Hill Farm at the junction of Osborne Turnpike and New Market Road (on modern-day Route 5). Mayo rode into Richmond with Major Stevens thereafter, and participated in a formal surrender ceremony when General Godfrey Weitzel arrived later that same day. Mayo was arrested following Lincoln's assassination but was released and resumed office by early June 1865. Mayo was removed from his position by the military governor of Virginia just a month later based on reports of vigilantism and anti-black punitive measures in his court. Though popularly re-elected the following year, he was removed from office less than a month later by the same military governor. Loss of property, wealth, and his son contributed to the end of his political career by 1870. He was institutionalized with dementia and died in 1872.

Mayo was a member of Saint John's Lodge No. 36, AF&AM, 1850 to 1872. Funeral services were held at Second Presbyterian Church, followed by Masonic rites at the cemetery.