List of governors of Tennessee

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The governor of Tennessee is the head of government of the U.S. state of Tennessee.

Tennessee has had 50 governors, including the incumbent, Bill Lee.[1] Seven governors (John Sevier, William Carroll, Andrew Johnson, Robert Love Taylor, Gordon Browning, Frank G. Clement, and Buford Ellington) have served non-consecutive terms. This tally does not include William Blount (the territorial governor) or Robert L. Caruthers (who never took office), though the Blue Book includes them in its list of governors.[2] All governors are counted only once, regardless of number of terms served (e.g., John Sevier is considered the 1st governor, rather than the 1st and 3rd governor). The Blue Book does not include Edward H. East in its list of governors.

List of governors

Southwest Territory

The Territory South of the Ohio River, commonly known as the Southwest Territory, was organized on May 26, 1790.[3]

Throughout its 6-year history, Southwest Territory had only one governor appointed by the federal government, William Blount.

More information Governor, Term in office ...
Governor of the Territory Southwest of the River Ohio
Governor Term in office[a] Appointed by
William Blount
(1749–1800)
[4]		 June 8, 1790[b]
–
March 28, 1796
(statehood)		 George Washington
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State of Tennessee

Southwest Territory was admitted to the Union as Tennessee on June 1, 1796.[7]

The first constitution of Tennessee, enacted in 1796, set a term of two years for the governor and provided that no person could serve as governor for more than 6 years in any 8-year period.[8] The term of office was lengthened to four years, without the possibility of consecutive terms, by constitutional amendments adopted in 1953.[9] Under the current provisions of the state constitution, as amended in 1978, the governor is elected to a four-year term and may serve no more than two terms consecutively.[9][10]

More information No., Governor ...
Governors of the State of Tennessee
No. Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor[c]
1   John Sevier
(1745–1815)
[11][12]		 March 30, 1796[13]
–
September 23, 1801
(term-limited)[d]		 Democratic-
Republican[15]		 1796 Office did not exist
1797
1799
2 Archibald Roane
(d. 1819)
[16][17]		 September 23, 1801[15]
–
September 23, 1803
(lost election)		 Democratic-
Republican[15]		 1801
1 John Sevier
(1745–1815)
[11][12]		 September 23, 1803[15]
–
September 20, 1809
(term-limited)[d]		 Democratic-
Republican[15]		 1803
1805
1807
3 Willie Blount
(1768–1835)
[18][19]		 September 20, 1809[20]
–
September 27, 1815
(term-limited)[d]		 Democratic-
Republican[15]		 1809
1811
1813
4 Joseph McMinn
(1758–1824)
[21][22]		 September 27, 1815[15]
–
October 1, 1821
(term-limited)[d]		 Democratic-
Republican[15]		 1815
1817
1819
5 William Carroll
(1788–1844)
[23][24]		 October 1, 1821[25]
–
October 1, 1827
(term-limited)[d]		 Democratic-
Republican[15]		 1821
1823
1825
6   Sam Houston
(1793–1863)
[26]		 October 1, 1827[27]
–
April 16, 1829
(resigned)[e]		 Democratic[15] 1827
7 William Hall
(1775–1856)
[28][29]		 April 16, 1829[30]
–
October 1, 1829
(did not run)		 Democratic[15] Succeeded from
speaker of
the Senate
5 William Carroll
(1788–1844)
[23][24]		 October 1, 1829[31]
–
October 12, 1835
(term-limited)[d]		 Democratic[f] 1829
1831
1833
8 Newton Cannon
(1781–1841)
[33][34]		 October 12, 1835[35]
–
October 14, 1839
(lost election)		 Whig[g] 1835
1837
9 James K. Polk
(1795–1849)
[38][39]		 October 14, 1839[40]
–
October 14, 1841
(lost election)		 Democratic[15] 1839
10 James C. Jones
(1809–1859)
[41][42]		 October 14, 1841[43]
–
October 15, 1845
(did not run)		 Whig[15] 1841
1843
11 Aaron V. Brown
(1795–1859)
[44][45]		 October 15, 1845[46]
–
October 17, 1847
(lost election)		 Democratic[15] 1845
12 Neill S. Brown
(1810–1886)
[47][48]		 October 17, 1847[49]
–
October 16, 1849
(lost election)		 Whig[15] 1847
13 William Trousdale
(1790–1872)
[50][51]		 October 16, 1849[52]
–
October 16, 1851
(lost election)		 Democratic[15] 1849
14 William B. Campbell
(1807–1867)
[53][54]		 October 16, 1851[55]
–
October 17, 1853
(did not run)[53]		 Whig[15] 1851
15 Andrew Johnson
(1808–1875)
[56][57]		 October 17, 1853[58]
–
November 3, 1857
(did not run)[h]		 Democratic[15] 1853
1855
16 Isham G. Harris
(1818–1897)
[59][60]		 November 3, 1857[61]
–
March 12, 1862
(deposed)[i]		 Democratic[15] 1857
1859
1861
15 Andrew Johnson
(1808–1875)
[56][57]		 March 12, 1862[j]
–
March 4, 1865
(resigned)[k]		 Military governor
appointed by President
— Edward H. East
(1830–1904)
[65]		 March 4, 1865[15]
–
April 5, 1865
(successor took office)		 — Secretary of
state
acting
17 Parson Brownlow
(1805–1877)
[66][67]		 April 5, 1865[68]
–
February 25, 1869
(resigned)[l]		 Republican[15] 1865
1867
18 Dewitt Clinton Senter
(1830–1898)
[69][70]		 February 25, 1869[71]
–
October 10, 1871
(did not run)		 Republican[15] Succeeded from
speaker of
the Senate
1869
19 John C. Brown
(1827–1889)
[72][73]		 October 10, 1871[74]
–
January 18, 1875
(did not run)		 Democratic[15] 1870
1872
20 James D. Porter
(1828–1912)
[75][76]		 January 18, 1875[77]
–
February 16, 1879
(did not run)		 Democratic[15] 1874
1876
21 Albert S. Marks
(1836–1891)
[78][79]		 February 16, 1879[80]
–
January 17, 1881
(did not run)[78]		 Democratic[15] 1878
22 Alvin Hawkins
(1821–1905)
[81][82]		 January 17, 1881[83]
–
January 15, 1883
(lost election)		 Republican[15] 1880
23 William B. Bate
(1826–1905)
[84][85]		 January 15, 1883[86]
–
January 17, 1887
(did not run)		 Democratic[15] 1882
1884
24 Robert Love Taylor
(1850–1912)
[87][88]		 January 17, 1887[89]
–
January 19, 1891
(did not run)		 Democratic[15] 1886
1888
25 John P. Buchanan
(1847–1930)
[90][91]		 January 19, 1891[92]
–
January 16, 1893
(lost election)		 Democratic[15] 1890
26 Peter Turney
(1827–1903)
[93][94]		 January 16, 1893[95]
–
January 21, 1897
(did not run)		 Democratic[15] 1892
1894
24 Robert Love Taylor
(1850–1912)
[87][88]		 January 21, 1897[96]
–
January 16, 1899
(did not run)		 Democratic[15] 1896
27 Benton McMillin
(1845–1933)
[97][98]		 January 16, 1899[99]
–
January 20, 1903
(did not run)		 Democratic[15] 1898
1900
28 James B. Frazier
(1856–1937)
[100][101]		 January 20, 1903[102]
–
March 27, 1905
(resigned)[m]		 Democratic[15] 1902
1904
29 John I. Cox
(1855–1946)
[103][104]		 March 27, 1905[105]
–
January 17, 1907
(lost nomination)[103]		 Democratic[15] Succeeded from
speaker of
the Senate
30 Malcolm R. Patterson
(1861–1935)
[106][107]		 January 17, 1907[108]
–
January 25, 1911
(withdrew)[n]		 Democratic[15] 1906
1908
31 Ben W. Hooper
(1870–1957)
[110][111]		 January 25, 1911[112]
–
January 15, 1915
(lost election)		 Republican[15] 1910
1912
32 Thomas Clarke Rye
(1863–1953)
[113][114]		 January 15, 1915[115]
–
January 15, 1919
(did not run)[113]		 Democratic[15] 1914
1916
33 Albert H. Roberts
(1868–1946)
[116][117]		 January 15, 1919[118]
–
January 15, 1921
(lost election)		 Democratic[15] 1918
34 Alfred A. Taylor
(1848–1931)
[119][120]		 January 15, 1921[121]
–
January 16, 1923
(lost election)		 Republican[15] 1920
35 Austin Peay
(1876–1927)
[122][123]		 January 16, 1923[124]
–
October 2, 1927
(died in office)		 Democratic[15] 1922
1924
1926
36 Henry Hollis Horton
(1866–1934)
[125][126]		 October 2, 1927[127]
–
January 17, 1933
(did not run)[125]		 Democratic[15] Succeeded from
speaker of
the Senate
1928
1930
37 Hill McAlister
(1875–1959)
[128][129]		 January 17, 1933[130]
–
January 15, 1937
(did not run)[128]		 Democratic[15] 1932
1934
38 Gordon Browning
(1889–1976)
[131][132]		 January 15, 1937[133]
–
January 16, 1939
(lost nomination)[134]		 Democratic[15] 1936
39 Prentice Cooper
(1895–1969)
[134][135]		 January 16, 1939[136]
–
January 16, 1945
(term-limited)[o]		 Democratic[15] 1938
1940
1942
40 Jim Nance McCord
(1879–1968)
[138][139]		 January 16, 1945[140]
–
January 17, 1949
(lost nomination)[131]		 Democratic[15] 1944
1946
38 Gordon Browning
(1889–1976)
[131][132]		 January 17, 1949[141]
–
January 15, 1953
(lost nomination)		 Democratic[15] 1948
1950   Walter M. Haynes
41 Frank G. Clement
(1920–1969)
[142][143]		 January 15, 1953[144]
–
January 19, 1959
(term-limited)[p]		 Democratic[15] 1952 Jared Maddux
1954
42 Buford Ellington
(1907–1972)
[146][147]		 January 19, 1959[148]
–
January 15, 1963
(term-limited)[p]		 Democratic[15] 1958 William D. Baird
41 Frank G. Clement
(1920–1969)
[142][143]		 January 15, 1963[149]
–
January 16, 1967
(term-limited)[p]		 Democratic[15] 1962 James L. Bomar Jr.
Jared Maddux
42 Buford Ellington
(1907–1972)
[146][147]		 January 16, 1967[150]
–
January 16, 1971
(term-limited)[p]		 Democratic[15] 1966 Frank Gorrell
43 Winfield Dunn
(1927–2024)
[151][152]		 January 16, 1971[153]
–
January 18, 1975
(term-limited)[p]		 Republican[15] 1970 John Shelton Wilder[q]
44 Ray Blanton
(1930–1996)
[154][155]		 January 18, 1975[156]
–
January 17, 1979
(did not run)		 Democratic[15] 1974
45 Lamar Alexander
(b. 1940)
[157]		 January 17, 1979[158]
–
January 17, 1987
(term-limited)[r]		 Republican[157] 1978
1982
46 Ned McWherter
(1930–2011)
[160]		 January 17, 1987[161]
–
January 21, 1995
(term-limited)[r]		 Democratic[160] 1986
1990
47 Don Sundquist
(1936–2023)
[162]		 January 21, 1995[163]
–
January 18, 2003
(term-limited)[r]		 Republican[162] 1994
1998
48 Phil Bredesen
(b. 1943)
[164]		 January 18, 2003[165]
–
January 15, 2011
(term-limited)[r]		 Democratic[164] 2002
2006 Ron Ramsey[s]
49 Bill Haslam
(b. 1958)
[166]		 January 15, 2011[167]
–
January 19, 2019
(term-limited)[r]		 Republican[166] 2010
2014
Randy McNally
50 Bill Lee
(b. 1959)
[168]		 January 19, 2019[169]
–
Incumbent[t]		 Republican[168] 2018
2022
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See also

Notes

  1. [a]
    The range given is from the date the governor was confirmed by the Senate, or appointed by the President during a Senate recess, to the date the governor's successor was confirmed, unless noted.
  2. [b]
    Blount was nominated on June 7, 1790;[5] confirmed by the Senate on June 8;[5] and took the oath of office on September 20.[4] He was reconfirmed by the Senate on December 11, 1794.[6]
  3. [c]
    Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
  4. [d]
    Under the 1796 constitution, governors were ineligible to serve more than six years in any term of eight.[14]
  5. [e]
    Houston resigned with no specific reasoning, but it was during the collapse of his marriage.[26]
  6. [f]
    Carroll is labeled a Jackson Democrat by Kallenbach,[15] and a Democratic-Republican by Glashan.[32]
  7. [g]
    Dubin[36] and Kallenbach[37] label Cannon's party affiliation in 1835 as Anti-Van Buren Democratic.
  8. [h]
    Johnson was instead elected to the United States Senate.[56]
  9. [i]
    Harris fled Nashville for Memphis after the Battle of Fort Donelson in February 1862, and was later driven from the state by Union forces as he worked with the Confederate army.[59] Johnson was appointed military governor of Tennessee on March 12, 1862, by the Union forces occupying Middle and East Tennessee.[56] Meanwhile, the Confederate-held portions of West Tennessee held an election in August 1863, in which Harris would have been term-limited, and elected Robert L. Caruthers governor. However, as the legislature was unable to convene, Caruthers was never able to take office.[15][62]
  10. [j]
    Johnson was appointed military governor on March 4;[63] he arrived in Nashville on March 12.[64]
  11. [k]
    Johnson resigned, having been elected Vice President of the United States.[56][15]
  12. [l]
    Brownlow resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[66]
  13. [m]
    Frazier resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[100]
  14. [n]
    Patterson received the Democratic nomination, but withdrew after a schism in the party.[109]
  15. [o]
    Under the 1870 constitution, governors were ineligible to serve more than six years in any term of eight.[137]
  16. [p]
    Under a 1953 amendment to the constitution, governors were ineligible to succeed themselves.[145]
  17. [q]
    Represented the Democratic Party
  18. [r]
    Under a 1978 amendment to the constitution, governors are ineligible for election to more than two consecutive terms.[159]
  19. [s]
    Represented the Republican Party
  20. [t]
    Lee's second term began on January 21, 2023,[170] and will expire on January 16, 2027; he will be term-limited

References

External links

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