This is a list of Governors of Tennessee, a state located in the Southeastern United States.
Contents |
Governors of Tennessee
| Name |
Term |
Party |
Life |
State of Birth |
Occupation |
Notes |
| William Blount | September 20, 1790 – March 30, 1796 | Democratic-Republican | 1749–1800 | NC | Soldier | [1] |
| John Sevier | March 30, 1796 – September 23, 1801 | Democratic-Republican | 1745–1815 | VA | Soldier, pioneer | |
| Archibald Roane | September 23, 1801 – September 23, 1803 | Democratic-Republican | 1760–1819 | PA | Lawyer | |
| John Sevier | September 23, 1803 – September 20, 1809 | Democratic-Republican | 1745–1815 | VA | Soldier, pioneer | |
| Willie Blount | September 20, 1809 – September 27, 1815 | Democratic-Republican | 1768–1835 | NC | Lawyer, planter | |
| Joseph McMinn | September 27, 1815 – October 1, 1821 | Democratic-Republican | 1758–1824 | PA | Merchant | |
| William Carroll | October 1, 1821–October 1, 1827 | Democratic-Republican | 1788–1844 | PA | Merchant, soldier | |
| Sam Houston | October 1, 1827 – April 16, 1829 | Democratic-Republican | 1793–1863 | VA | Lawyer | |
| William Hall | April 16, 1829 – October 1, 1829 | Democratic | 1775–1856 | NC | Planter, soldier | |
| William Carroll | October 1, 1829 – October 12, 1835 | Democratic | 1788–1844 | PA | Merchant, soldier | |
| Newton Cannon | October 12, 1835 – October 14, 1839 | Whig | 1781–1841 | NC | Planter | |
| James K. Polk | October 14, 1839 – October 15, 1841 | Democratic | 1795–1849 | NC | Lawyer/President | |
| James C. Jones | October 15, 1841 – October 14, 1845 | Whig | 1809–1859 | TN | Lawyer | |
| Aaron V. Brown | October 14, 1845 – October 17, 1847 | Democratic | 1795–1859 | VA | Lawyer | |
| Neill S. Brown | October 17, 1847 – October 16, 1849 | Whig | 1810–1886 | TN | Lawyer | |
| William Trousdale | October 16, 1849 – October 16, 1851 | Democratic | 1790–1872 | NC | Lawyer | |
| William B. Campbell | October 16, 1851 – October 17, 1853 | Whig | 1807–1867 | TN | Lawyer | |
| Andrew Johnson | October 17, 1853 – November 3, 1857 | Democratic | 1808–1875 | NC | Tailor, President | |
| Isham G. Harris | November 3, 1857 – March 12, 1862 | Democratic | 1818–1897 | TN | Lawyer, U.S. Senator | |
| Andrew Johnson | March 12, 1862 – March 4, 1865 | Democratic/Military | 1808–1875 | NC | Tailor, President | |
| Edward H. East | March 4, 1865 – April 5, 1865 | Republican | 1830–1904 | [2] | ||
| William G. Brownlow | April 5, 1865 – February 25, 1869 | Republican | 1805–1877 | VA | Editor, preacher | |
| Dewitt Clinton Senter | February 25, 1869 – October 10, 1871 | Republican | 1830–1898 | TN | Lawyer | |
| John C. Brown | October 10, 1871 – January 18, 1875 | Democratic | 1827–1889 | TN | Lawyer | |
| James D. Porter, Jr. | January 18, 1875 – February 16, 1879 | Democratic | 1828–1912 | TN | Lawyer, educator | |
| Albert S. Marks | February 16, 1879 – January 17, 1881 | Democratic | 1836–1891 | KY | Lawyer, chancellor | |
| Alvin Hawkins | January 17, 1881 – January 15, 1883 | Republican | 1821–1905 | KY | Lawyer, judge | |
| William B. Bate | January 15, 1883 – January 17, 1887 | Democratic | 1826–1905 | TN | Lawyer, U.S. Senator | |
| Robert Love Taylor | January 17, 1887 – January 19, 1891 | Democratic | 1850–1912 | TN | Lawyer, U.S. Senator | |
| John P. Buchanan | January 19, 1891 – January 16, 1893 | Farm-Labor | 1847–1930 | TN | Farmer | |
| Peter Turney | January 16, 1893 – January 21, 1897 | Democratic | 1827–1903 | TN | Lawyer, judge | |
| Robert Love Taylor | January 21, 1897 – January 16, 1899 | Democratic | 1850–1912 | TN | Lawyer, U.S. Senator | |
| Benton McMillin | January 16, 1899 – January 19, 1903 | Democratic | 1845–1933 | KY | Lawyer, diplomat | |
| James B. Frazier | January 19, 1903 – March 21, 1905 | Democratic | 1856–1937 | TN | Lawyer, U.S. Senator | |
| John I. Cox | March 21, 1905 – January 17, 1907 | Democratic | 1855–1946 | TN | Lawyer | |
| Malcolm R. Patterson | January 17, 1907 – January 26, 1911 | Democratic | 1861–1935 | AL | Lawyer, judge | |
| Ben W. Hooper | January 26, 1911 – January 17, 1915 | Republican | 1870–1957 | TN | Lawyer | |
| Tom C. Rye | January 17, 1915 – January 15, 1919 | Democratic | 1863–1953 | TN | Lawyer, judge | |
| A. H. Roberts | January 15, 1919 – January 15, 1921 | Democratic | 1868–1946 | TN | Lawyer, judge | |
| Alfred A. Taylor | January 15, 1921 – January 16, 1923 | Republican | 1848–1931 | TN | Lawyer | |
| Austin Peay | January 16, 1923 – October 3, 1927 | Democratic | 1876–1927 | KY | Lawyer | [3] |
| Henry Hollis Horton | October 3, 1927 – January 17, 1933 | Democratic | 1866–1934 | AL | Lawyer, farmer | |
| Harry Hill McAlister | January 17, 1933 – January 15, 1937 | Democratic | 1875–1959 | TN | Lawyer | |
| Gordon Browning | January 15, 1937 – January 16, 1939 | Democratic | 1889–1976 | TN | Lawyer, judge | |
| Prentice Cooper | January 16, 1939 – January 16, 1945 | Democratic | 1895–1969 | TN | Lawyer | |
| Jim Nance McCord | January 16, 1945 – January 16, 1949 | Democratic | 1879–1968 | TN | Editor | |
| Gordon Browning | January 16, 1949 – January 15, 1953 | Democratic | 1889–1976 | TN | Lawyer, Judge | |
| Frank G. Clement | January 15, 1953 – January 19, 1959 | Democratic | 1920–1969 | TN | Lawyer | |
| Buford Ellington | January 19, 1959 – January 15, 1963 | Democratic | 1907–1972 | MS | Farmer | |
| Frank G. Clement | January 15, 1963 – January 16, 1967 | Democratic | 1920–1969 | TN | Lawyer | |
| Buford Ellington | January 16, 1967 – January 16, 1971 | Democratic | 1907–1972 | MS | Farmer | |
| Winfield Dunn | January 16, 1971 – January 18, 1975 | Republican | b. 1927 | MS | Dentist | |
| Ray Blanton | January 18, 1975 – January 16, 1979 | Democratic | 1930–1996 | TN | Farmer, businessman | |
| Lamar Alexander | January 16, 1979 – January 17, 1987 | Republican | b. 1940 | TN | Lawyer, US Senator | |
| Ned McWherter | January 17, 1987 – January 21, 1995 | Democratic | b. 1930 | TN | Businessman | |
| Donald K. Sundquist | January 21, 1995 – January 18, 2003 | Republican | b. 1936 | IL | Businessman | |
| Phil Bredesen | January 18, 2003 – present | Democratic | b. 1943 | NJ | Businessman |
Other high offices held
This is a table of congressional seats, other federal offices, and other governorships held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Tennessee except where noted. * denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.
Living former governors
As of July 2008[update], four former governors were alive, the oldest being Winfield Dunn (1971–1975, born 1927). The most recent governor to die was Ray Blanton (1975–1979), on November 22, 1996.
| Name | Gubernatorial term | Date of birth |
|---|---|---|
| Winfield Dunn | 1971–1975 | July 1, 1927 |
| Lamar Alexander | 1979–1987 | July 3, 1940 |
| Ned McWherter | 1987–1995 | October 15, 1930 |
| Donald K. Sundquist | 1995–2003 | March 15, 1936 |
Miscellanea
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Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (January 2009) |
It is noteworthy that, following nearly 50 years of the Democratic Party holding the Tennessee governorship during the mid-20th century, since 1967 no two successive governors have belonged to the same party. The Republicans would have to win the 2010 election in order to continue this trend, a unique occurrence given nearby Southern states' generally gradually moved over that same period from a fixed Democratic preference to that of a Republican in their governorships.
Notes
- ^ Blount served as territorial governor. John Sevier was the first popularly elected Governor of the state of Tennessee.
- ^ East was Tennessee Secretary of State from 1862–1865, appointed by Andrew Johnson, the military governor of the state under Union occupation during the American Civil War. After Johnson was inaugurated as Vice-President of the United States on March 4, 1865, East became the Acting Governor of Tennessee until William G. Brownlow, the "elected" governor of Tennessee, was inaugurated on April 5, 1865. The official Tennessee Blue Book does not include East in its list of former governors.
- ^ Peay is the only Governor of Tennessee to die in office, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Henry Horton.
References
Tennessee Government and Ppolitics: Democracy in the Volunteer State p. 43, John R. Vile and Mark E. Byrnes. 1998, Vanderbilt University Press
External links
- Tennessee Blue Book: Historical Listings of Constitutional Officers
- Tennessee Blue Book: Past Governors of Tennessee
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