List of governors of Massachusetts

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The governor of Massachusetts is the head of government of Massachusetts. The governor is the head of the state cabinet and the commander-in-chief of the commonwealth's military forces.

Since 1780, 65 people have been elected governor, six to non-consecutive terms (John Hancock, Caleb Strong, Marcus Morton, John Davis, John Volpe, and Michael Dukakis), and seven lieutenant governors have acted as governor without subsequently being elected governor. Thomas Talbot served a stint as acting governor, but was elected governor several years later. Prior to 1918 constitutional reforms, both the governor's office and that of lieutenant governor were vacant on one occasion, when the state was governed by the Governor's Council.

List of governors

Colonial Massachusetts

Further information: List of colonial governors of Massachusetts

The colonial history of Massachusetts begins with the founding first of the Plymouth Colony in 1620, and then the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1628. The Dominion of New England combined these and other New England colonies into a single unit in 1686, but collapsed in 1689. In 1692 the Province of Massachusetts Bay was established, merging Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay, which then included the territory of present-day Maine.

Colonial governors of Plymouth and the Massachusetts Bay Colony were elected annually by a limited subset of the male population (known as freemen), while Dominion officials and those of the 1692 province were appointed by the British crown. In 1774 General Thomas Gage became the last royally appointed governor of Massachusetts. He was recalled to England after the Battle of Bunker Hill in June 1775, by which time the Massachusetts Provincial Congress exercised de facto control of Massachusetts territory outside British-occupied Boston. Between 1775 and the establishment of the Massachusetts State Constitution in 1780 the state was governed by the provincial congress and an executive council.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts: 1780–present

The constitution of Massachusetts created the offices of governor[1] and lieutenant governor,[2] to be elected annually.[3] Terms were lengthened to two years in 1918, to last until their successor was inaugurated, which would be at least the first Wednesday in the January after their election.[4] This was changed to the Thursday following the first Wednesday in the January after the election in 1950,[5] and terms were lengthened to four years in 1966.[6]

More information No., Governor ...
Governors of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
No. Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor[a]
1   John Hancock
(1737–1793)
[7][8]		 October 25, 1780[9][10]
–
February 18, 1785
(resigned)[b]		 None[14] 1780   Thomas Cushing
1781
1782
1783
1784
— Thomas Cushing
(1725–1788)
[15]		 February 18, 1785[9]
–
May 27, 1785
(lost election)		 None[14] Lieutenant
governor
acting		 Acting as governor
2 James Bowdoin
(1726–1790)
[16]		 May 27, 1785[9]
–
June 1, 1787
(lost election)		 None[14] 1785 Thomas Cushing
1786
3 John Hancock
(1737–1793)
[7][8]		 June 1, 1787[c]
–
October 8, 1793
(died in office)		 None[14] 1787
1788 Benjamin Lincoln
1789 Samuel Adams
1790
1791
1792
1793
4 Samuel Adams
(1722–1803)
[17][18]		 October 8, 1793[9]
–
June 2, 1797
(did not run)		 None[14] Lieutenant
governor
acting		 Acting as governor
Democratic-
Republican[14]		 1794 Moses Gill[d]
1795
1796
5 Increase Sumner
(1746–1799)
[19][20]		 June 2, 1797[9]
–
June 7, 1799
(died in office)		 Federalist[14] 1797
1798
1799
— Moses Gill
(1733–1800)
[21]		 June 7, 1799[9]
–
May 20, 1800
(died in office)		 Federalist[22] Lieutenant
governor
acting		 Acting as governor
— Governor's Council
chaired by Thomas Dawes
[23]		 May 20, 1800[9]
–
May 30, 1800		 — Governor's
Council
acting		 Vacant
6 Caleb Strong
(1745–1819)
[24][25]		 May 30, 1800[9][26]
–
May 29, 1807
(lost election)		 Federalist[14] 1800
1801 Samuel Phillips Jr.
1802 Edward Robbins[e]
1803
1804
1805
1806
7 James Sullivan
(1744–1808)
[27][28]		 May 29, 1807[9][29]
–
December 10, 1808
(died in office)		 Democratic-
Republican[14]		 1807 Levi Lincoln Sr.
1808
— Levi Lincoln Sr.
(1749–1820)
[30][31]		 December 10, 1808[9]
–
June 3, 1809
(lost election)		 Democratic-
Republican[22]		 Lieutenant
governor
acting		 Acting as governor
8 Christopher Gore
(1758–1827)
[32][33]		 June 3, 1809[9][34]
–
June 2, 1810
(lost election)		 Federalist[14] 1809 David Cobb
9 Elbridge Gerry
(1744–1814)
[35][36]		 June 2, 1810[37]
–
May 30, 1812
(lost election)		 Democratic-
Republican[14]		 1810 William Gray
1811
10 Caleb Strong
(1745–1819)
[24][25]		 May 30, 1812[9][38]
–
June 1, 1816
(did not run)[24]		 Federalist[14] 1812 William Phillips Jr.[e]
1813
1814
1815
11 John Brooks
(1752–1825)
[39][40]		 June 1, 1816[41]
–
May 30, 1823
(did not run)[39]		 Federalist[14] 1816
1817
1818
1819
1820
1821
1822
12 William Eustis
(1753–1825)
[42][43]		 May 30, 1823[44]
–
February 6, 1825
(died in office)		 Democratic-
Republican[45]		 1823 Marcus Morton
1824
— Marcus Morton
(1784–1864)
[46][47]		 February 6, 1825[48]
–
May 27, 1825
(successor took office)		 Democratic-
Republican[22]		 Lieutenant
governor
acting		 Acting as governor
13 Levi Lincoln Jr.
(1782–1868)
[49][50]		 May 27, 1825[51]
–
January 21, 1834
(did not run)[49]		 Democratic-
Republican[45]		 1825 Thomas L. Winthrop[e]
1826
1827
1828
National
Republican[45]		 1829
1830
Apr. 1831
Nov. 1831
1832
14 John Davis
(1787–1854)
[52][53]		 January 21, 1834[54]
–
March 3, 1835
(resigned)[f]		 National
Republican[45]		 1833 Samuel Turell Armstrong[g]
Whig[45] 1834
— Samuel Turell Armstrong
(1784–1850)
[55][56]		 March 3, 1835[57]
–
January 13, 1836
(lost election)[h]		 Whig[22] Lieutenant
governor
acting		 Acting as governor
15 Edward Everett
(1794–1865)
[58][59]		 January 13, 1836[60]
–
January 18, 1840
(lost election)		 Whig[45] 1835 George Hull[g]
1836
1837
1838
16 Marcus Morton
(1784–1864)
[46][47]		 January 18, 1840[61]
–
January 9, 1841
(lost election)		 Democratic[45] 1839
17 John Davis
(1787–1854)
[52][53]		 January 9, 1841[62]
–
January 18, 1843
(lost election)		 Whig[45] 1840
1841
18 Marcus Morton
(1784–1864)
[46][47]		 January 18, 1843[63]
–
January 9, 1844
(lost election)		 Democratic[45] 1842 Henry H. Childs
19 George N. Briggs
(1796–1861)
[64][65]		 January 9, 1844[66]
–
January 13, 1851
(lost election)		 Whig[45] 1843 Henry W. Cushman
1844
1845
1846
1847
1848
1849
20 George S. Boutwell
(1818–1905)
[67][68]		 January 13, 1851[69]
–
January 14, 1853
(did not run)[67]		 Democratic[45] 1850
1851
21 John H. Clifford
(1809–1876)
[70][71]		 January 14, 1853[72]
–
January 12, 1854
(did not run)[70]		 Whig[45] 1852 William C. Plunkett
22 Emory Washburn
(1800–1877)
[73][74]		 January 12, 1854[75]
–
January 9, 1855
(lost election)		 Whig[45] 1853
23 Henry Gardner
(1819–1892)
[76][77]		 January 9, 1855[78]
–
January 2, 1858
(lost election)		 Know Nothing[45] 1854 Simon Brown
1855 Henry Wetherby Benchley[i]
1856
24 Nathaniel P. Banks
(1816–1894)
[79][80]		 January 2, 1858[81]
–
January 2, 1861
(did not run)[79]		 Republican[45] 1857 Eliphalet Trask
1858
1859
25 John Albion Andrew
(1818–1867)
[82][83]		 January 2, 1861[84]
–
January 6, 1866
(did not run)[82]		 Republican[45] 1860 John Z. Goodrich
1861 John Nesmith
1862 Joel Hayden
1863
1864
26 Alexander Bullock
(1816–1882)
[85][86]		 January 6, 1866[87]
–
January 9, 1869
(did not run)[85]		 Republican[88] 1865 William Claflin
1866
1867
27 William Claflin
(1818–1905)
[89][90]		 January 9, 1869[91]
–
January 5, 1872
(did not run)[89]		 Republican[88] 1868 Joseph Tucker
1869
1870
28 William B. Washburn
(1820–1887)
[92][93]		 January 5, 1872[94]
–
April 30, 1874
(resigned)[j]		 Republican[88] 1871
1872 Thomas Talbot
1873
— Thomas Talbot
(1818–1885)
[95][96]		 April 30, 1874[97]
–
January 7, 1875
(lost election)		 Republican[98] Lieutenant
governor
acting		 Acting as governor
29 William Gaston
(1820–1894)
[99][100]		 January 7, 1875[101]
–
January 6, 1876
(lost election)		 Democratic[88] 1874 Horatio G. Knight[i]
30 Alexander H. Rice
(1818–1895)
[102][103]		 January 6, 1876[104]
–
January 2, 1879
(did not run)[102]		 Republican[88] 1875
1876
1877
31 Thomas Talbot
(1818–1885)
[95][96]		 January 2, 1879[105]
–
January 8, 1880
(did not run)[95]		 Republican[88] 1878 John Davis Long
32 John Davis Long
(1838–1915)
[106][107]		 January 8, 1880[108]
–
January 4, 1883
(did not run)[106]		 Republican[88] 1879 Byron Weston
1880
1881
33 Benjamin Butler
(1818–1893)
[109][110]		 January 4, 1883[111]
–
January 3, 1884
(lost election)		 Democratic[88] 1882 Oliver Ames[i]
34 George D. Robinson
(1834–1896)
[112][113]		 January 3, 1884[114]
–
January 6, 1887
(did not run)[112]		 Republican[88] 1883
1884
1885
35 Oliver Ames
(1831–1895)
[115][116]		 January 6, 1887[117]
–
January 2, 1890
(did not run)[115]		 Republican[88] 1886 John Q. A. Brackett
1887
1888
36 John Q. A. Brackett
(1842–1918)
[118][119]		 January 2, 1890[120]
–
January 8, 1891
(lost election)		 Republican[88] 1889 William H. Haile[i]
37 William E. Russell
(1857–1896)
[121][122]		 January 8, 1891[123]
–
January 4, 1894
(did not run)[121]		 Democratic[88] 1890
1891
1892 Roger Wolcott[i]
38 Frederic T. Greenhalge
(1842–1896)
[124][125]		 January 4, 1894[126]
–
March 5, 1896
(died in office)		 Republican[88] 1893
1894
1895
39 Roger Wolcott
(1847–1900)
[127][128]		 March 5, 1896[129]
–
January 4, 1900
(did not run)[127]		 Republican[88] Lieutenant
governor
acting		 Acting as governor
1896 Winthrop M. Crane
1897
1898
40 Winthrop M. Crane
(1853–1920)
[130][131]		 January 4, 1900[132]
–
January 8, 1903
(did not run)[130]		 Republican[88] 1899 John L. Bates
1900
1901
41 John L. Bates
(1859–1946)
[133][134]		 January 8, 1903[135]
–
January 5, 1905
(lost election)		 Republican[88] 1902 Curtis Guild Jr.[i]
1903
42 William Lewis Douglas
(1845–1924)
[136][137]		 January 5, 1905[138]
–
January 4, 1906
(did not run)[136]		 Democratic[88] 1904
43 Curtis Guild Jr.
(1860–1915)
[139][140]		 January 4, 1906[141]
–
January 7, 1909
(did not run)[139]		 Republican[88] 1905 Eben Sumner Draper
1906
1907
44 Eben Sumner Draper
(1858–1914)
[142][143]		 January 7, 1909[144]
–
January 5, 1911
(lost election)		 Republican[145] 1908 Louis A. Frothingham[i]
1909
45 Eugene Foss
(1858–1939)
[146][147]		 January 5, 1911[148]
–
January 8, 1914
(lost election)		 Democratic[145] 1910
1911 Robert Luce[i]
1912 David I. Walsh
46 David I. Walsh
(1872–1947)
[149][150]		 January 8, 1914[151]
–
January 6, 1916
(lost election)		 Democratic[145] 1913 Edward P. Barry
1914 Grafton D. Cushing[i]
47 Samuel W. McCall
(1851–1923)
[152][153]		 January 6, 1916[154]
–
January 2, 1919
(did not run)[152]		 Republican[145] 1915 Calvin Coolidge
1916
1917
48 Calvin Coolidge
(1872–1933)
[155][156]		 January 2, 1919[157]
–
January 6, 1921
(did not run)[k]		 Republican[145] 1918 Channing H. Cox
1919
49 Channing H. Cox
(1879–1968)
[158][159]		 January 6, 1921[160]
–
January 8, 1925
(did not run)		 Republican[145] 1920 Alvan T. Fuller
1922
50 Alvan T. Fuller
(1878–1958)
[161][162]		 January 8, 1925[163]
–
January 3, 1929
(did not run)		 Republican[145] 1924 Frank G. Allen
1926
51 Frank G. Allen
(1874–1950)
[164][165]		 January 3, 1929[166]
–
January 8, 1931
(lost election)		 Republican[145] 1928 William S. Youngman[i]
52 Joseph B. Ely
(1881–1956)
[167][168]		 January 8, 1931[169]
–
January 3, 1935
(did not run)[167]		 Democratic[145] 1930
1932 Gaspar G. Bacon[i]
53 James Michael Curley
(1874–1958)
[170][171]		 January 3, 1935[172]
–
January 7, 1937
(did not run)[l]		 Democratic[145] 1934 Joseph L. Hurley
54 Charles F. Hurley
(1893–1946)
[173][174]		 January 7, 1937[175]
–
January 5, 1939
(lost nomination)		 Democratic[145] 1936 Francis E. Kelly
55 Leverett Saltonstall
(1892–1979)
[176][177]		 January 5, 1939[178]
–
January 4, 1945
(did not run)[m]		 Republican[145] 1938 Horace T. Cahill
1940
1942
56 Maurice J. Tobin
(1901–1953)
[179][180]		 January 4, 1945[181]
–
January 2, 1947
(lost election)		 Democratic[145] 1944 Robert F. Bradford[i]
57 Robert F. Bradford
(1902–1983)
[182][183]		 January 2, 1947[184]
–
January 6, 1949
(lost election)		 Republican[145] 1946 Arthur W. Coolidge
58 Paul A. Dever
(1903–1958)
[185][186]		 January 6, 1949[187]
–
January 8, 1953
(lost election)		 Democratic[145] 1948 Charles F. Sullivan
1950
59 Christian Herter
(1895–1966)
[188][189]		 January 8, 1953[190]
–
January 3, 1957
(did not run)[188]		 Republican[145] 1952 Sumner G. Whittier
1954
60 Foster Furcolo
(1911–1995)
[191][192]		 January 3, 1957[193]
–
January 5, 1961
(did not run)[n]		 Democratic[145] 1956 Robert F. Murphy
1958
Vacant
61 John A. Volpe
(1908–1994)
[194][195]		 January 5, 1961[196]
–
January 3, 1963
(lost election)		 Republican[145] 1960 Edward F. McLaughlin Jr.[o]
62 Endicott Peabody
(1920–1997)
[197][198]		 January 3, 1963[199]
–
January 7, 1965
(lost nomination)		 Democratic[145] 1962 Francis Bellotti
63 John A. Volpe
(1908–1994)
[194][195]		 January 7, 1965[200]
–
January 22, 1969
(resigned)[p]		 Republican[145] 1964 Elliot Richardson
1966 Francis Sargent
64 Francis Sargent
(1915–1998)
[201][202]		 January 22, 1969[203]
–
January 2, 1975
(lost election)		 Republican[145] Lieutenant
governor
acting		 Acting as governor
1970 Donald Dwight
65 Michael Dukakis
(b. 1933)
[204][205]		 January 2, 1975[206]
–
January 4, 1979
(lost nomination)		 Democratic[145] 1974 Thomas P. O'Neill III
66 Edward J. King
(1925–2006)		 January 4, 1979[207]
–
January 6, 1983
(lost nomination)		 Democratic[145] 1978
67 Michael Dukakis
(b. 1933)
[204][205]		 January 6, 1983[208]
–
January 3, 1991
(did not run)		 Democratic[205] 1982 John Kerry
Vacant
1986 Evelyn Murphy
68 Bill Weld
(b. 1945)
[209]		 January 3, 1991[210]
–
July 29, 1997
(resigned)[q]		 Republican[209] 1990 Paul Cellucci
1994
69 Paul Cellucci
(1948–2013)
[211]		 July 29, 1997[212]
–
April 10, 2001
(resigned)[r]		 Republican[211] Lieutenant
governor
acting		 Acting as governor
1998 Jane Swift
— Jane Swift
(b. 1965)
[213]		 April 10, 2001[214]
–
January 2, 2003
(did not run)		 Republican[213] Lieutenant
governor
acting		 Acting as governor
70 Mitt Romney
(b. 1947)
[215]		 January 2, 2003[216]
–
January 4, 2007
(did not run)[s]		 Republican[215] 2002 Kerry Healey
71 Deval Patrick
(b. 1956)
[217]		 January 4, 2007[218]
–
January 8, 2015
(did not run)		 Democratic[217] 2006 Tim Murray
2010
Vacant
72 Charlie Baker
(b. 1956)
[219]		 January 8, 2015[220]
–
January 5, 2023
(did not run)		 Republican[219] 2014 Karyn Polito
2018
73 Maura Healey
(b. 1971)
[221]		 January 5, 2023[222]
–
Incumbent[t]		 Democratic[221] 2022 Kim Driscoll
Close

Notes

  1. [a]
    Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
  2. [b]
    Hancock resigned abruptly in a "winter of increasing economic distress, political controversy, and social discord",[11] and was suffering ill health, particularly gout.[12] He announced his intention to resign on January 29, and left office on February 18.[13]
  3. [c]
    Modern sources say Hancock took office on May 30,[7] but a contemporary source says it was June 1.[9]
  4. [d]
    Represented the Federalist Party
  5. [e]
    Represented the Democratic-Republican Party
  6. [f]
    Davis resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[52]
  7. [g]
    Represented the Whig Party
  8. [h]
    Armstrong either did not receive or did not expect the Whig nomination, and so ran as an independent.[55]
  9. [i]
    Represented the Republican Party
  10. [j]
    Washburn resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[92]
  11. [k]
    Coolidge was instead elected Vice President of the United States.[155]
  12. [l]
    Curley instead ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate.[170]
  13. [m]
    Saltonstall was instead elected to the United States Senate.[176]
  14. [n]
    Furcolo instead ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination to the United States Senate.[191]
  15. [o]
    Represented the Democratic Party
  16. [p]
    Volpe resigned, having been confirmed as United States Secretary of Transportation.[194]
  17. [q]
    Weld resigned when nominated to be United States Ambassador to Mexico, but was not confirmed.[209]
  18. [r]
    Cellucci resigned, having been confirmed as United States Ambassador to Canada.[211]
  19. [s]
    Romney instead ran for a then-potential candidate for the 2008 United States presidential election.
  20. [t]
    Healey's term will expire on January 7, 2027.

References

Sources

External links

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI