List of governors of New Hampshire

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The governor of New Hampshire is the head of government of the U.S. state of New Hampshire and is commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.

The incumbent governor is Republican Kelly Ayotte, who took office on January 9, 2025. The longest-serving governor is John Taylor Gilman, who served as governor for 14 years, from 1794 to 1805 and from 1813 to 1816.

Governors

For the period before independence, see List of colonial governors of New Hampshire.

New Hampshire was one of the original Thirteen Colonies and was admitted as a state on June 21, 1788.[1] Before it declared its independence, New Hampshire was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain.

The original 1776 Constitution of New Hampshire did not provide for a chief executive. The office of President was created by the 1784 constitution, and renamed Governor in 1792.[2] Governors served one-year terms until an 1877 amendment increased this to two years.[3] There have never been any term limits for the office, nor is there a lieutenant governor; should the office become vacant, the president of the New Hampshire Senate acts as governor.[4]

More information No., Governor ...
Governors of the State of New Hampshire
No. Governor[a] Term in office Party Election
1   Meshech Weare
(1713–1786)
[5]		 June 15, 1784[6]
–
June 8, 1785
(did not run)		 No parties[7] 1784
2 John Langdon
(1741–1819)
[8][9]		 June 8, 1785[10]
–
June 9, 1786
(lost election)		 No parties[7] 1785
3 John Sullivan
(1740–1795)
[11][12]		 June 9, 1786[13]
–
June 6, 1788
(lost election)		 No parties[7] 1786
1787
2 John Langdon
(1741–1819)
[8][9]		 June 6, 1788[14]
–
January 22, 1789
(resigned)[b]		 No parties[7] 1788
— John Pickering
(1737–1805)		 January 22, 1789[15]
–
June 9, 1789
(lost election)		 No parties[7] President of
the Senate
acting
3 John Sullivan
(1740–1795)
[11][12]		 June 9, 1789[16]
–
June 8, 1790
(did not run)[c]		 No parties[7] 1789
4 Josiah Bartlett
(1729–1795)
[19][20]		 June 8, 1790[21]
–
June 5, 1794
(did not run)		 No parties[7] 1790
1791
1792
1793
5 John Taylor Gilman
(1753–1828)
[22][23]		 June 5, 1794[24]
–
June 6, 1805
(lost election)		 Federalist[7] 1794
1795
1796
1797
1798
1799
1800
1801
1802
1803
1804
2 John Langdon
(1741–1819)
[8][9]		 June 6, 1805[25]
–
June 13, 1809
(lost election)		 Democratic-
Republican[7]		 1805
1806
1807
1808
6 Jeremiah Smith
(1759–1842)
[26][27]		 June 13, 1809[28]
–
June 7, 1810
(lost election)		 Federalist[7] 1809
2 John Langdon
(1741–1819)
[8][9]		 June 7, 1810[29]
–
June 6, 1812
(did not run)		 Democratic-
Republican[7]		 1810
1811
7 William Plumer
(1759–1850)
[30][31]		 June 6, 1812[32]
–
June 5, 1813
(lost election)		 Democratic-
Republican[7]		 1812
5 John Taylor Gilman
(1753–1828)
[22][23]		 June 5, 1813[33]
–
June 6, 1816
(did not run)		 Federalist[7] 1813
1814
1815
7 William Plumer
(1759–1850)
[30][31]		 June 6, 1816[34]
–
June 7, 1819
(did not run)		 Democratic-
Republican[7]		 1816
1817
1818
8 Samuel Bell
(1770–1850)
[35][36]		 June 7, 1819[37]
–
June 5, 1823
(did not run)[d]		 Democratic-
Republican[7]		 1819
1820
1821
1822
9 Levi Woodbury
(1789–1851)
[38][39]		 June 5, 1823[40]
–
June 4, 1824
(lost election)		 Democratic-
Republican[e]		 1823
10 David L. Morril
(1772–1849)
[41][42]		 June 4, 1824[43]
–
June 8, 1827
(lost election)		 Democratic-
Republican[f]		 1824
1825
1826
11 Benjamin Pierce
(1757–1839)
[46][47]		 June 8, 1827[48]
–
June 9, 1828
(lost election)		 Democratic-
Republican[g]		 1827
12 John Bell
(1765–1836)
[50][51]		 June 9, 1828[52]
–
June 6, 1829
(lost election)		 Democratic-
Republican[45]		 1828
11 Benjamin Pierce
(1757–1839)
[46][47]		 June 6, 1829[53]
–
June 4, 1830
(did not run)		 Democratic[45] 1829
13 Matthew Harvey
(1781–1866)
[54][55]		 June 4, 1830[56]
–
February 28, 1831
(resigned)[h]		 Democratic[45] 1830
— Joseph M. Harper
(1787–1865)
[57][58]		 February 28, 1831[59]
–
June 3, 1831
(successor took office)		 Democratic[45] President of
the Senate
acting
14 Samuel Dinsmoor
(1766–1835)
[60][61]		 June 3, 1831[62]
–
June 6, 1834
(did not run)		 Democratic[45] 1831
1832
1833
15 William Badger
(1779–1852)
[63][64]		 June 6, 1834[65]
–
June 2, 1836
(did not run)		 Democratic[45] 1834
1835
16 Isaac Hill
(1788–1851)
[66][67]		 June 2, 1836[68]
–
June 6, 1839
(did not run)		 Democratic[45] 1836
1837
1838
17 John Page
(1787–1865)
[69][70]		 June 6, 1839[71]
–
June 2, 1842
(did not run)		 Democratic[45] 1839
1840
1841
18 Henry Hubbard
(1784–1857)
[72][73]		 June 2, 1842[74]
–
June 6, 1844
(did not run)		 Democratic[45] 1842
1843
19 John Hardy Steele
(1789–1865)
[75][76]		 June 6, 1844[77]
–
June 5, 1846
(did not run)		 Democratic[45] 1844
1845
20 Anthony Colby
(1792–1873)
[78][79]		 June 5, 1846[80]
–
June 3, 1847
(lost election)		 Whig[45] 1846
21 Jared W. Williams
(1796–1864)
[81][82]		 June 3, 1847[83]
–
June 7, 1849
(did not run)		 Democratic[45] 1847
1848
22 Samuel Dinsmoor Jr.
(1799–1869)
[84][85]		 June 7, 1849[86]
–
June 3, 1852
(did not run)		 Democratic[45] 1849
1850
1851
23 Noah Martin
(1801–1863)
[87][88]		 June 3, 1852[89]
–
June 8, 1854
(did not run)		 Democratic[45] 1852
1853
24 Nathaniel B. Baker
(1818–1876)
[90][91]		 June 8, 1854[92]
–
June 7, 1855
(lost election)		 Democratic[45] 1854
25 Ralph Metcalf
(1796–1858)
[93][94]		 June 7, 1855[95]
–
June 4, 1857
(did not run)		 Know Nothing[45] 1855
1856
26 William Haile
(1807–1876)
[96][97]		 June 4, 1857[98]
–
June 2, 1859
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1857
1858
27 Ichabod Goodwin
(1794–1882)
[99][100]		 June 2, 1859[101]
–
June 6, 1861
(lost nomination)[99]		 Republican[45] 1859
1860
28 Nathaniel S. Berry
(1796–1894)
[102][103]		 June 6, 1861[104]
–
June 4, 1863
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1861
1862
29 Joseph A. Gilmore
(1811–1867)
[105][106]		 June 4, 1863[107]
–
June 8, 1865
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1863
1864
30 Frederick Smyth
(1819–1899)
[108][109]		 June 8, 1865[110]
–
June 6, 1867
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1865
1866
31 Walter Harriman
(1817–1884)
[111][112]		 June 6, 1867[113]
–
June 3, 1869
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1867
1868
32 Onslow Stearns
(1810–1878)
[114][115]		 June 3, 1869[116]
–
June 14, 1871
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1869
1870
33 James A. Weston
(1827–1895)
[117][118]		 June 14, 1871[119]
–
June 6, 1872
(lost election)		 Democratic[45] 1871
34 Ezekiel A. Straw
(1819–1882)
[120][121]		 June 6, 1872[122]
–
June 4, 1874
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1872
1873
33 James A. Weston
(1827–1895)
[117][118]		 June 4, 1874[123]
–
June 10, 1875
(did not run)		 Democratic[45] 1874
35 Person Colby Cheney
(1828–1901)
[124][125]		 June 10, 1875[126]
–
June 7, 1877
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1875
1876
36 Benjamin F. Prescott
(1833–1895)
[127][128]		 June 7, 1877[129]
–
June 5, 1879
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1877
Mar. 1878
37 Nathaniel Head
(1828–1883)
[130][131]		 June 5, 1879[132]
–
June 2, 1881
(did not run)		 Republican[45] Nov. 1878
38 Charles H. Bell
(1823–1893)
[133][134]		 June 2, 1881[135]
–
June 7, 1883
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1880
39 Samuel W. Hale
(1823–1891)
[136][137]		 June 7, 1883[138]
–
June 4, 1885
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1882
40 Moody Currier
(1806–1898)
[139][140]		 June 4, 1885[141]
–
June 2, 1887
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1884
41 Charles H. Sawyer
(1840–1908)
[142][143]		 June 2, 1887[144]
–
June 6, 1889
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1886
42 David H. Goodell[i]
(1834–1915)
[145][146]		 June 6, 1889[147]
–
January 8, 1891
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1888
43 Hiram A. Tuttle
(1837–1911)
[148][149]		 January 8, 1891[150]
–
January 5, 1893
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1890
44 John Butler Smith
(1838–1914)
[151][152]		 January 5, 1893[153]
–
January 3, 1895
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1892
45 Charles A. Busiel
(1842–1901)
[154][155]		 January 3, 1895[156]
–
January 7, 1897
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1894
46 George A. Ramsdell
(1834–1900)
[157][158]		 January 7, 1897[159]
–
January 5, 1899
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1896
47 Frank W. Rollins
(1860–1915)
[160][161]		 January 5, 1899[162]
–
January 3, 1901
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1898
48 Chester B. Jordan
(1839–1914)
[163][164]		 January 3, 1901[165]
–
January 8, 1903
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1900
49 Nahum J. Bachelder
(1854–1934)
[166][167]		 January 8, 1903[168]
–
January 5, 1905
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1902
50 John McLane
(1852–1911)
[169][170]		 January 5, 1905[171]
–
January 3, 1907
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1904
51 Charles M. Floyd
(1861–1923)
[172][173]		 January 3, 1907[174]
–
January 7, 1909
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1906
52 Henry B. Quinby
(1846–1924)
[175][176]		 January 7, 1909[177]
–
January 5, 1911
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1908
53 Robert P. Bass
(1873–1960)
[178][179]		 January 5, 1911[180]
–
January 2, 1913
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1910
54 Samuel D. Felker
(1859–1932)
[181][182]		 January 2, 1913[183]
–
January 7, 1915
(did not run)		 Democratic[45] 1912
55 Rolland H. Spaulding
(1873–1942)
[184][185]		 January 7, 1915[186]
–
January 4, 1917
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1914
56 Henry W. Keyes
(1863–1938)
[187][188]		 January 4, 1917[189]
–
January 2, 1919
(did not run)[j]		 Republican[45] 1916
57 John H. Bartlett
(1869–1952)
[190][191]		 January 2, 1919[192]
–
January 6, 1921
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1918
58 Albert O. Brown
(1852–1937)
[193][194]		 January 6, 1921[195]
–
January 4, 1923
(did not run)[193]		 Republican[45] 1920
59 Fred H. Brown
(1879–1955)
[196][197]		 January 4, 1923[198]
–
January 8, 1925
(lost election)		 Democratic[45] 1922
60 John Gilbert Winant
(1889–1947)
[199][200]		 January 8, 1925[201]
–
January 6, 1927
(lost nomination)[202]		 Republican[45] 1924
61 Huntley N. Spaulding
(1869–1955)
[202][203]		 January 6, 1927[204]
–
January 3, 1929
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1926
62 Charles W. Tobey
(1880–1953)
[205][206]		 January 3, 1929[207]
–
January 8, 1931
(did not run)[205]		 Republican[45] 1928
60 John Gilbert Winant
(1889–1947)
[199][200]		 January 8, 1931[208]
–
January 3, 1935
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1930
1932
63 Styles Bridges
(1898–1961)
[209][210]		 January 3, 1935[211]
–
January 7, 1937
(did not run)[k]		 Republican[45] 1934
64 Francis P. Murphy
(1877–1958)
[212][213]		 January 7, 1937[214]
–
January 2, 1941
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1936
1938
65 Robert O. Blood
(1887–1975)
[215][216]		 January 2, 1941[217]
–
January 4, 1945
(lost nomination)[215]		 Republican[45] 1940
1942
66 Charles M. Dale
(1893–1978)
[218][219]		 January 4, 1945[220]
–
January 6, 1949
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1944
1946
67 Sherman Adams
(1899–1986)
[221][222]		 January 6, 1949[223]
–
January 8, 1953
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1948
1950
68 Hugh Gregg
(1917–2003)
[224][225]		 January 8, 1953[226]
–
January 6, 1955
(did not run)[224]		 Republican[45] 1952
69 Lane Dwinell
(1906–1997)
[227][228]		 January 6, 1955[229]
–
January 8, 1959
(did not run)		 Republican[45] 1954
1956
70 Wesley Powell
(1915–1981)
[230][231]		 January 8, 1959[232]
–
January 5, 1963
(lost nomination)[l]		 Republican[45] 1958
1960
71 John W. King
(1916–1996)
[233][234]		 January 5, 1963[235]
–
January 2, 1969
(did not run)		 Democratic[45] 1962
1964
1966
72 Walter R. Peterson Jr.
(1922–2011)
[236][237]		 January 2, 1969[238]
–
January 4, 1973
(lost nomination)[239]		 Republican[45] 1968
1970
73 Meldrim Thomson
(1912–2001)
[239][240]		 January 4, 1973[241]
–
January 4, 1979
(lost election)		 Republican[45] 1972
1974
1976
74 Hugh Gallen
(1924–1982)
[242]		 January 4, 1979[243]
–
December 29, 1982
(died in office)[m]		 Democratic[242] 1978
1980
— Vesta M. Roy
(1925–2002)
[244]		 December 29, 1982[245]
–
January 6, 1983
(successor took office)		 Republican[244] President of
the Senate
acting
75 John H. Sununu
(b. 1939)
[246]		 January 6, 1983[247]
–
January 5, 1989
(did not run)		 Republican[246] 1982
1984
1986
76 Judd Gregg
(b. 1947)
[248]		 January 5, 1989[249]
–
January 2, 1993
(resigned)[n]		 Republican[248] 1988
1990
— Ralph D. Hough
(b. 1943)		 January 2, 1993[250]
–
January 7, 1993
(successor took office)		 Republican[250] President of
the Senate
acting
77 Steve Merrill
(1946–2020)
[251]		 January 7, 1993[252]
–
January 9, 1997
(did not run)		 Republican[251] 1992
1994
78 Jeanne Shaheen
(b. 1947)
[253]		 January 9, 1997[254]
–
January 9, 2003
(did not run)[o]		 Democratic[253] 1996
1998
2000
79 Craig Benson
(b. 1954)
[255]		 January 9, 2003[256]
–
January 6, 2005
(lost election)		 Republican[255] 2002
80 John Lynch
(b. 1952)
[257]		 January 6, 2005[258]
–
January 3, 2013
(did not run)		 Democratic[257] 2004
2006
2008
2010
81 Maggie Hassan
(b. 1958)
[259]		 January 3, 2013[260]
–
January 2, 2017
(resigned)[p]		 Democratic[259] 2012
2014
— Chuck Morse
(b. 1960)
[262]		 January 3, 2017[261]
–
January 5, 2017
(successor took office)		 Republican[262] President of
the Senate
acting
82 Chris Sununu
(b. 1974)
[263]		 January 5, 2017[264]
–
January 9, 2025
(did not run)		 Republican[263] 2016
2018
2020
2022
83 Kelly Ayotte
(b. 1968)
[265]		 January 9, 2025[266]
–
Incumbent[q]		 Republican[265] 2024
Close

See also

Notes

  1. [a]
    The office was named president until 1792.
  2. [b]
    Langdon resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[8][15]
  3. [c]
    Sullivan had been appointed to the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire on September 26, 1789.[17] Some sources say he resigned as governor near the end of his term due to objections to him being both in the executive and judiciary;[11] but the State Papers indicate he remained in office until the expiration of his term.[18]
  4. [d]
    Bell was instead elected to the United States Senate.[35]
  5. [e]
    Woodbury was a Democratic-Republican, but was not nominated by the party, so he ran independently.[38]
  6. [f]
    Sobel labels Morrill a Democratic-Republican,[41] while other main sources label him an Adams Republican.[44][7][45]
  7. [g]
    Dubin,[49] Kallenbach,[45] and Sobel[46] label Pierce a Jackson Democrat, while Glashan labels him a Democratic-Republican.[7]
  8. [h]
    Harvey resigned, having been confirmed to the United States District Court for New Hampshire.[54]
  9. [i]
    Goodell was seriously ill in 1890, and President of the Senate David A. Taggart acted as governor from April 22 to July 1.[145]
  10. [j]
    Keyes was instead elected to the United States Senate.[187]
  11. [k]
    Bridges was instead elected to the United States Senate.[209]
  12. [l]
    Powell lost the Republican nomination to John P. Pillsbury.[230]
  13. [m]
    Gallen had lost the 1982 election before he died.
  14. [n]
    Gregg resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[250]
  15. [o]
    Shaheen instead ran for the U.S. Senate.
  16. [p]
    Hassan resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[261]
  17. [q]
    Ayotte's term will expire in January 2027.

References

External links

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI