List of governors of Missouri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Governor of Missouri |
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Style | The Honorable |
Residence | Missouri Governor's Mansion |
Term length | Four years, renewable once |
Precursor | Governor of Missouri Territory |
Inaugural holder | Alexander McNair |
Formation | September 18, 1820Constitution of Missouri |
Deputy | Lieutenant Governor of Missouri |
Salary | US$133,820.88 per year (2013) |
The governor of Missouri is the head of government of the U.S. state of Missouri and the commander-in-chief of the Missouri National Guard. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Missouri Legislature,to convene the legislature and grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment.
The following is a list of governors of Missouri since its territory became part of the United States.
Party | Governors |
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Democratic | 38 |
Republican | 15 |
Democratic-Republican | 3 |
Liberal Republican | 1 |
Missouri was part of the Louisiana Purchase, which the United States purchased from France in 1803. In its first year it was part of Louisiana. In 1804 all of the territory above what is modern-day Louisiana was broken off and administered by a governor based in St. Louis, Missouri until statehood.
Prior to the purchase both France and Spain administered the territory in a similar manner. France initially had a commandant in charge of Upper Louisiana. Spain around 1770 began having a lieutenant governor in St. Louis and governor in New Orleans, Louisiana ruling the whole territory. For a list of governors under Spanish and French rule see Louisiana Governor. For a list of lieutenant governors ruling Upper Louisiana under French and Spanish control see List of commandants of the Illinois Country.
Since the state capitol moved to Jefferson City in 1826 the governor has lived in the Missouri Governor's Mansion a block east of the Missouri State Capitol (although the current mansion is the third one).
Two governors have served non-consecutive terms, Phil M. Donnelly and Kit Bond.
The current governor is Mike Parson, a member of the Republican Party.
Contents
Governors
List of Missouri Governors
Qualifications
Anyone who seeks to be elected Governor of Missouri must meet the following qualifications:
- Be at least thirty years old
- Be a citizen of the United States for at least 15 years
- Be a resident of Missouri for at least 10 years
Commandant of Louisiana
No. | Commandant | Term in office | Appointed by | ||
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1 | Amos Stoddard October 26, 1762 – May 11, 1813 (aged 50) |
March 10, 1804 – October 1, 1804 |
Thomas Jefferson |
Governor of the District of Louisiana
On March 26, 1804, an act of congress divided Louisiana into two territories or districts: land south of the 33rd parallel became the Territory of Orleans; land north of the 33rd parallel, the District of Louisiana. The act took effect October 1, 1804, upon which the District of Louisiana was placed under the governance of Indiana Territory, then governed by William Henry Harrison.
No. | Governor | Term in office | Appointed by | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | William Henry Harrison February 9, 1773 – April 4, 1841 (aged 68) |
October 1, 1804 – July 4, 1805 |
Thomas Jefferson |
Governors of Louisiana Territory and Missouri Territory
The citizens of the District of Louisiana, unhappy with the governance specified by the act of 1804, set about immediately to petition Congress for a return to a military-style government to which they were accustomed under Spanish rule. Congress responded by passing an act on March 3, 1805 which changed the name of the District of Louisiana to the Territory of Louisiana. Power was vested in a governor who was appointed by the president to a term of 3 years. During times of vacancy, the secretary would act as governor.
On June 4, 1812, the Territory of Louisiana was renamed the Territory of Missouri to avoid confusion with the newly admitted state of Louisiana. Later, Arkansas Territory was separated from the Territory of Missouri on July 4, 1819.
No. | Governor | Term in office | Appointed by | ||
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1 | James Wilkinson March 24, 1757 – December 28, 1825 (aged 68) |
July 4, 1805 – March 3, 1807 |
Thomas Jefferson | ||
2 | Meriwether Lewis August 18, 1774 – October 11, 1809 (aged 35) |
March 3, 1807 – October 11, 1809 (died in office) |
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3 | Benjamin Howard 1760 – September 18, 1814 (aged 53–54) |
April 17, 1810 – October 31, 1812 |
James Madison | ||
4 | William Clark August 1, 1770 – September 1, 1838 (aged 68) |
July 1, 1813 – September 18, 1820 |
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5 | Alexander McNair May 5, 1775 – March 18, 1826 (aged 50) |
September 18, 1820 – November 15, 1824 |
James Monroe |
Governors of Missouri
Democratic-Republican (3) Democratic (38) Republican (15) Liberal Republican (1)
No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | |||
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1 | Alexander McNair May 5, 1775 – March 18, 1826 (aged 50) |
September 18, 1820 – November 15, 1824 |
Democratic- Republican |
1820 | William Henry Ashley | |||
2 | Frederick Bates June 23, 1777 – August 4, 1825 (aged 48) |
November 15, 1824 – August 4, 1825 (died in office) |
Democratic- Republican |
1824 | Benjamin Harrison Reeves (resigned July 1825) |
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3 | Abraham J. Williams February 26, 1781 – December 30, 1839 (aged 58) |
August 4, 1825 – January 20, 1826 |
Democratic- Republican |
N/A | Vacant | |||
4 | John Miller November 25, 1781 – March 18, 1846 (aged 64) |
January 20, 1826 – November 19, 1832 |
Democratic | 1825 (special) |
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1828 | Daniel Dunklin | |||||||
5 | Daniel Dunklin January 14, 1790 – August 25, 1844 (aged 54) |
November 19, 1832 – September 30, 1836 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1832 | Lilburn W. Boggs | |||
6 | Lilburn Boggs December 14, 1796 – March 14, 1860 (aged 63) |
September 30, 1836 – November 16, 1840 (term limited) |
Democratic | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor |
Vacant | |||
1836 | Franklin Cannon | |||||||
7 | Thomas Reynolds March 12, 1796 – February 9, 1844 (aged 47) |
November 16, 1840 – February 9, 1844 (died in office) |
Democratic | 1840 | Meredith Miles Marmaduke | |||
8 | Meredith Miles Marmaduke August 28, 1791 – March 26, 1864 (aged 72) |
February 9, 1844 – November 20, 1844 |
Democratic | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor |
Vacant | |||
9 | John C. Edwards June 24, 1804 – October 14, 1888 (aged 84) |
November 20, 1844 – November 20, 1848 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1844 | James Young | |||
10 | Austin Augustus King September 21, 1802 – April 22, 1870 (aged 68) |
November 20, 1848 – January 3, 1853 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1848 | Thomas Lawson Price | |||
11 | Sterling Price September 14, 1809 – September 29, 1867 (aged 58) |
January 3, 1853 – January 5, 1857 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1852 | Wilson Brown (appointed August 27, 1855) |
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12 | Trusten Polk May 29, 1811 – April 16, 1876 (aged 64) |
January 5, 1857 – February 27, 1857 (resigned) |
Democratic | 1856 | Hancock Lee Jackson | |||
13 | Hancock Lee Jackson May 12, 1796 – March 19, 1876 (aged 79) |
February 27, 1857 – October 22, 1857 (successor took office) |
Democratic | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor |
Vacant | |||
14 | Robert Marcellus Stewart March 12, 1815 – September 21, 1871 (aged 56) |
October 22, 1857 – January 3, 1861 |
Democratic | 1857 (special) |
Hancock Lee Jackson | |||
15 | Claiborne Fox Jackson April 4, 1806 – December 6, 1862 (aged 56) |
January 3, 1861 – July 23, 1861 |
Democratic | 1860 | Thomas Caute Reynolds | |||
16 | Hamilton Rowan Gamble November 29, 1798 – January 31, 1864 (aged 65) |
July 31, 1861 – January 31, 1864 (died in office) |
Republican | N/A | Willard Preble Hall | |||
17 | Willard Preble Hall May 9, 1820 – November 2, 1882 (aged 62) |
January 31, 1864 – January 2, 1865 |
Republican | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor |
Vacant | |||
18 | Thomas Clement Fletcher January 21, 1827 – March 25, 1899 (aged 72) |
January 2, 1865 – January 12, 1869 (term limited) |
Republican | 1864 | George Smith | |||
19 | Joseph W. McClurg February 22, 1818 – December 2, 1900 (aged 82) |
January 12, 1869 – January 4, 1871 (term limited) |
Republican | 1868 | Edwin O. Stanard | |||
20 | B. Gratz Brown May 28, 1826 – December 13, 1885 (aged 59) |
January 4, 1871 – January 3, 1873 (term limited) |
Liberal Republican | 1870 | Joseph J. Gravely (died April 28, 1872) |
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21 | Silas Woodson May 18, 1819 – October 9, 1896 (aged 77) |
January 3, 1873 – January 12, 1875 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1872 | Charles Phillip Johnson | |||
22 | Charles Henry Hardin July 15, 1820 – July 29, 1892 (aged 72) |
January 12, 1875 – January 8, 1877 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1874 | Norman Jay Coleman | |||
23 | John Smith Phelps December 22, 1814 – November 20, 1886 (aged 71) |
January 8, 1877 – January 10, 1881 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1876 | Henry Clay Brockmeyer | |||
24 | Thomas Theodore Crittenden January 1, 1832 – May 29, 1909 (aged 77) |
January 10, 1881 – January 12, 1885 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1880 | Robert Alexander Campbell | |||
25 | John S. Marmaduke March 14, 1833 – December 28, 1887 (aged 54) |
January 12, 1885 – December 28, 1887 (died in office) |
Democratic | 1884 | Albert P. Morehouse | |||
26 | Albert P. Morehouse July 11, 1835 – September 23, 1891 (aged 56) |
December 28, 1887 – January 14, 1889 (lost renomination) |
Democratic | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor |
Vacant | |||
27 | David R. Francis October 1, 1850 – January 15, 1927 (aged 76) |
January 14, 1889 – January 9, 1893 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1888 | Stephen Hugh Claycomb | |||
28 | William J. Stone May 7, 1848 – April 14, 1918 (aged 69) |
January 9, 1893 – January 11, 1897 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1892 | John Baptiste O'Meara | |||
29 | Lawrence Vest Stephens December 1, 1858 – January 10, 1923 (aged 64) |
January 11, 1897 – January 14, 1901 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1896 | August Henry Bolte | |||
30 | Alexander Monroe Dockery February 11, 1845 – December 26, 1926 (aged 81) |
January 14, 1901 – January 9, 1905 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1900 | John Adams Lee (resigned April 25, 1903) |
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Thomas L. Rubey (appointed April 25, 1903) |
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31 | Joseph W. Folk October 28, 1869 – May 28, 1923 (aged 53) |
January 9, 1905 – January 11, 1909 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1904 | John C. McKinley | |||
32 | Herbert S. Hadley February 20, 1872 – December 1, 1927 (aged 55) |
January 11, 1909 – January 13, 1913 (term limited) |
Republican | 1908 | Jacob Friedrich Gmelich | |||
33 | Elliot Woolfolk Major October 20, 1864 – July 9, 1949 (aged 84) |
January 13, 1913 – January 8, 1917 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1912 | William Rock Painter | |||
34 | Frederick D. Gardner November 6, 1869 – December 18, 1933 (aged 64) |
January 8, 1917 – January 10, 1921 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1916 | Wallace Crossley | |||
35 | Arthur M. Hyde July 12, 1877 – October 17, 1947 (aged 70) |
January 10, 1921 – January 12, 1925 (term limited) |
Republican | 1920 | Hiram Lloyd | |||
36 | Samuel Aaron Baker November 7, 1874 – September 16, 1933 (aged 58) |
January 12, 1925 – January 14, 1929 (term limited) |
Republican | 1924 | Phillip Allen Bennett | |||
37 | Henry S. Caulfield December 9, 1873 – May 11, 1966 (aged 92) |
January 14, 1929 – January 9, 1933 (term limited) |
Republican | 1928 | Edward Henry Winter | |||
38 | Guy Brasfield Park June 10, 1872 – October 1, 1946 (aged 74) |
January 9, 1933 – January 11, 1937 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1932 | Frank Gaines Harris (died December 30, 1944) |
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39 | Lloyd C. Stark November 23, 1886 – September 17, 1972 (aged 85) |
January 11, 1937 – February 26, 1941 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1936 | ||||
40 | Forrest C. Donnell August 20, 1884 – March 3, 1980 (aged 95) |
February 26, 1941 – January 8, 1945 (term limited) |
Republican | 1940 | ||||
41 | Phil M. Donnelly March 6, 1891 – September 12, 1961 (aged 70) |
January 8, 1945 – January 10, 1949 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1944 | Walter Naylor Davis | |||
42 | Forrest Smith February 14, 1886 – March 8, 1962 (aged 76) |
January 10, 1949 – January 12, 1953 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1948 | James T. Blair Jr. | |||
43 | Phil M. Donnelly March 6, 1891 – September 12, 1961 (aged 70) |
January 12, 1953 – January 14, 1957 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1952 | ||||
44 | James T. Blair Jr. March 15, 1902 – July 12, 1962 (aged 60) |
January 14, 1957 – January 9, 1961 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1956 | Edward V. Long (resigned September 23, 1960) |
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Vacant | ||||||||
45 | John M. Dalton November 9, 1900 – July 7, 1972 (aged 71) |
January 9, 1961 – January 11, 1965 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1960 | Hilary A. Bush | |||
46 | Warren E. Hearnes July 24, 1923 – August 16, 2009 (aged 86) |
January 11, 1965 – January 8, 1973 (term limited) |
Democratic | 1964 | Thomas F. Eagleton (resigned December 27, 1968) |
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Vacant | ||||||||
1968 | William S. Morris | |||||||
47 | Kit Bond March 6, 1939 |
January 8, 1973 – January 10, 1977 (lost election) |
Republican | 1972 | William C. Phelps | |||
48 | Joseph P. Teasdale March 29, 1936 – May 8, 2014 (aged 78) |
January 10, 1977 – January 12, 1981 (lost election) |
Democratic | 1976 | ||||
49 | Kit Bond March 6, 1939 |
January 12, 1981 – January 14, 1985 (not candidate for election) |
Republican | 1980 | Kenneth J. Rothman | |||
50 | John Ashcroft May 9, 1942 |
January 14, 1985 – January 11, 1993 (term limited) |
Republican | 1984 | Harriett Woods | |||
1988 | Mel Carnahan | |||||||
51 | Mel Carnahan February 11, 1934 – October 16, 2000 (aged 66) |
January 11, 1993 – October 16, 2000 (died in office) |
Democratic | 1992 | Roger B. Wilson | |||
1996 | ||||||||
52 | Roger B. Wilson October 10, 1948 |
October 16, 2000 – January 8, 2001 (succssor took office) |
Democratic | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor |
Vacant | |||
Joe Maxwell (appointed November 15, 2000) |
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53 | Bob Holden August 24, 1949 |
January 8, 2001 – January 10, 2005 (lost renomination) |
Democratic | 2000 | ||||
54 | Matt Blunt November 20, 1970 |
January 10, 2005 – January 12, 2009 (not candidate for election) |
Republican | 2004 | Peter Kinder | |||
55 | Jay Nixon February 13, 1956 |
January 12, 2009 – January 9, 2017 (term limited) |
Democratic | 2008 | ||||
2012 | ||||||||
56 | Eric Greitens April 10, 1974 |
January 9, 2017 – June 1, 2018 (resigned) |
Republican | 2016 | Mike Parson | |||
57 | Mike Parson September 17, 1955 |
June 1, 2018 – Incumbent |
Republican | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor |
Vacant | |||
Mike Kehoe (appointed June 18, 2018) |
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2020 |
Civil War
Missouri, a slave state, was a border state during the Civil War under Union control. However, it was officially recognized as a Confederate state by the Confederate government and was represented in the Confederate Congress and by a star on the Confederate flag. There were two competing governments for the course of the war. The Emancipation Proclamation did not consider Missouri a seceding state, therefore it was not part of Reconstruction. The Missouri Provisional Government is considered the official one on this list.
Missouri secession (Confederate)
- 1861–1862: Claiborne Jackson
- 1862–1865: Thomas Caute Reynolds
Missouri Provisional Government (Union)
- 1861–64: Hamilton Rowan Gamble
- 1864–65: Willard Preble Hall
Succession
Other high offices held
This is a table of congressional, other governorships, and other federal offices held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Missouri except where noted. * denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.
Governor | Gubernatorial term | U.S. Congress | Other offices held | |
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House | Senate | |||
Benjamin Howard | 1809–1812 (territorial) | U.S. Representative from Kentucky | ||
John Miller | 1826–1832 | H | ||
John C. Edwards | 1844–1848 | H | ||
Austin Augustus King | 1848–1853 | H | ||
Sterling Price | 1853–1857 | H | ||
Trusten Polk | 1857 | S* | ||
Willard Preble Hall | 1864–1865 | H | ||
Joseph W. McClurg | 1869–1871 | H | ||
B. Gratz Brown | 1871–1873 | S | ||
John S. Phelps | 1877–1881 | H | Military Governor of Arkansas | |
Thomas Theodore Crittenden | 1881–1885 | H | ||
David R. Francis | 1889–1893 | Ambassador to Russia, U.S. Secretary of the Interior | ||
William J. Stone | 1893–1897 | H | S | |
Alexander Monroe Dockery | 1901–1905 | H | ||
Arthur M. Hyde | 1921–1925 | U.S. Secretary of Agriculture | ||
Henry S. Caulfield | 1929–1933 | H | ||
Forrest C. Donnell | 1941–1945 | S | ||
Kit Bond | 1973–1977 1981–1985 |
S | ||
John Ashcroft | 1985–1993 | S | U.S. Attorney General | |
Mel Carnahan | 1993–2000 | Posthumously elected U.S. Senator |