kids encyclopedia robot

List of governors of Pennsylvania facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Governor of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Flag of the Governor of Pennsylvania.svg
Flag of the Governor
Seal of the Governor of Pennsylvania.svg
Seal of the Governor
Tom Wolf governor portrait 2019 (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Tom Wolf

since January 20, 2015
Style
Residence Governor's Residence
Term length Four years, renewable once consecutively
Inaugural holder Thomas Mifflin
Formation December 21, 1790
Deputy Lieutenant Governor
Salary $201,729 (2020)

The governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the head of state and head of government of the U.S. state, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as commander-in-chief of the Commonwealth's military forces.

The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to approve or veto bills passed by the Pennsylvania Legislature and to convene the legislature. The governor may grant pardons except in cases of impeachment, but only when recommended by the Board of Pardons.

There have been seven presidents and 47 governors of Pennsylvania, with two governors (Robert E. Pattison and Gifford Pinchot) serving non-consecutive terms, totaling 55 terms in both offices. The longest term was that of the first governor, Thomas Mifflin, who served three full terms as governor in addition to two years as President of the Continental Congress. The shortest term belonged to John Bell, who served only 19 days as acting governor after his predecessor, Edward Martin resigned.

The current governor is Tom Wolf, a Democrat whose term began on January 20, 2015. His term will expire on January 17, 2023, and he will be succeeded by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro that same day after Shapiro won the 2022 gubernatorial election.

Governors

Pennsylvania was one of the original thirteen colonies, and was admitted as a state on December 12, 1787. Prior to declaring its independence, Pennsylvania was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain; see the list of colonial governors for the pre-statehood period.

Presidents of the Supreme Executive Council

The first Pennsylvania constitution in 1776 created the Supreme Executive Council as the state's executive branch, with the President of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as its head. The president was chosen annually by the council, though with no specific term dates.

The original 1776 constitution created the position of "vice-president", though no provision was made if the office of the president became vacant, which occurred four times later. Contemporary sources continue to label the chief executive in such times as the vice president, without any notion of succeeding in the presidency. One acting president, George Bryan, was subsequently recognized later as a full-fledged governor, due to his acting as president for over six months.

# Portrait President Term in office Vice President
1 Thomas Wharton (1735 - 1778), by Charles Willson Peale (1741 - 1827).jpg Thomas Wharton Jr.
    1735 – May 22, 1778   
(aged 42 or 43)
March 5, 1777

May 23, 1778
George Bryan
2 GeorgeBryan.jpg George Bryan
    1731 – January 27, 1791   
(aged 59)
May 23, 1778

December 1, 1778
acting as president
3 Joseph Reed by Pierre Eugène du Simitière.jpg Joseph Reed
    August 27, 1741 – March 5, 1785   
(aged 43)
December 1, 1778

November 15, 1781
George Bryan
Matthew Smith
William Moore
4 William Moore (Pennsylvania).jpg William Moore
    c. 1735 – July 24, 1793   
(aged 57 or 58)
November 15, 1781

November 7, 1782
James Potter
5 John Dickinson portrait.jpg John Dickinson
    November 13, 1732 – July 24, 1793   
(aged 60)
November 7, 1782

October 18, 1785
James Ewing
James Irvine
Charles Biddle
6 Benjamin Franklin by Joseph Duplessis 1778.jpg Benjamin Franklin
    January 17, 1706 – April 17, 1790   
(aged 84)
October 18, 1785

November 5, 1788
Charles Biddle
Peter Muhlenberg
David Redick
7 Thomas Mifflin.jpg Thomas Mifflin
    January 10, 1744 – January 20, 1800   
(aged 56)
November 5, 1788

December 21, 1790
George Ross

Governors of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Five PA-Governors
Five governors of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who have served since 1995, (left to right): Mark Schweiker, Tom Ridge, Tom Wolf, Tom Corbett and Ed Rendell, pose in front of the east facade of the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg at Wolf's January 2015 gubernatorial inauguration

The 1790 constitution abolished the council and replaced the president with a governor, and established a three-year term for governor commencing on the third Tuesday of the December following the election, with governors not allowed to serve more than nine out of any twelve years. The 1838 constitution moved the start of the term to the third Tuesday of the January following the election, and allowed governors to only serve six out of any nine years. The 1874 constitution lengthened the term to four years, and prohibited governors from succeeding themselves. The current constitution of 1968 changed this to allow governors to serve two consecutive terms, with no lifetime limit.

Under the earlier 1968 constitution, Milton Shapp was the first governor to serve two terms, and Tom Corbett was the first incumbent governor to lose a re-election bid.

If the office of governor becomes vacant through death, resignation, or conviction on impeachment, the lieutenant governor becomes governor for the remainder of the term; if the office is only temporarily vacant due to disability of the governor, the lieutenant governor only acts out the duties of governor. Should both offices be vacant, the president pro tempore of the state senate becomes governor. The position of a lieutenant governor was created in the 1874 constitution; prior to then, the speaker of the senate would act as governor in cases of vacancy. Originally, the lieutenant governor could only act as governor; it was not until the 1968 constitution that the lieutenant governor could actually become the sitting governor in that fashion. The office of governor has been vacant for an extended period once before, a 17-day gap in 1848 between the resignation of the previous governor and the swearing in of his acting successor. Governors and lieutenant governors are elected on the same political party ticket.

      Anti-Masonic (1)       Democratic (14)       Democratic-Republican (5)        None (1)       Republican (25)       Whig (2)

# Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor
1 Thomas Mifflin.jpg   Thomas Mifflin
    January 10, 1744 – January 20, 1800   
(aged 56)
December 21, 1790

December 17, 1799
None
1790
None
1793
1796
2 ThomasMcKean3.jpg   Thomas McKean
    March 19, 1734 – June 24, 1817   
(aged 83)
December 17, 1799

December 20, 1808
Democratic-
Republican
1799
1802
1805
3 SimonSnyder.jpg Simon Snyder
    November 5, 1759 – November 9, 1819   
(aged 60)
December 20, 1808

December 16, 1817
Democratic-
Republican
1808
1811
1814
4 WFindley.jpg William Findlay
    June 20, 1768 – November 12, 1846   
(aged 78)
December 16, 1817

December 19, 1820
Democratic-
Republican
1817
5 Joseph Hiester.jpg Joseph Hiester
    November 18, 1752 – June 10, 1832   
(aged 79)
December 19, 1820

December 16, 1823
Democratic-
Republican
1820
6 Shulze.jpg John Andrew Shulze
    July 19, 1775 – November 18, 1852   
(aged 77)
December 16, 1823

December 15, 1829
Democratic-
Republican
1823
1826
7 George Wolf.jpg   George Wolf
    August 12, 1777 – March 11, 1840   
(aged 62)
December 15, 1829

December 15, 1835
Democratic 1829
1832
8 Joseph Ritner-Governor of Pennsylvania.JPG   Joseph Ritner
    March 25, 1780 – October 16, 1869   
(aged 89)
December 15, 1835

January 15, 1839
Anti-Masonic 1835
9 DavidRittenhousePorter.jpg   David R. Porter
    October 31, 1788 – August 6, 1867   
(aged 78)
January 15, 1839

January 21, 1845
Democratic 1838
1841
10 Francis R. Shunk Governor of Pennsylvania.tif Francis R. Shunk
    August 7, 1788 – July 20, 1848   
(aged 59)
January 21, 1845

July 9, 1848
Democratic 1844
1847
  Office vacant July 9, 1848

July 26, 1848
11 W F Johnston.jpg   William F. Johnston
    November 29, 1808 – October 25, 1872   
(aged 63)
July 26, 1848

January 20, 1852
Whig
1848
12 William Bigler.jpg   William Bigler
    January 1, 1814 – August 9, 1880   
(aged 66)
January 20, 1852

January 16, 1855
Democratic 1851
13 James Pollock Pennsylvania Governor.jpg   James Pollock
    September 11, 1810 – April 19, 1890   
(aged 79)
January 16, 1855

January 19, 1858
Whig 1854
14 WilliamPacker.jpg   William F. Packer
    April 2, 1807 – September 27, 1870   
(aged 63)
January 19, 1858

January 15, 1861
Democratic 1857
15 Andrew Curtin2.jpg   Andrew Gregg Curtin
    April 22, 1815 or 1817 – October 7, 1894   
(aged 77 or 79)
January 15, 1861

January 15, 1867
Republican 1860
1863
16 Gearysfmayor.jpeg John W. Geary
    December 30, 1819 – February 8, 1873   
(aged 63)
January 15, 1867

January 21, 1873
Republican 1866
1869
17 JohnFHartranft.jpg John F. Hartranft
    December 16, 1830 – October 17, 1889   
(aged 58)
January 21, 1873

January 21, 1879
Republican 1872
1875
  John Latta
18 Henry M. Hoyt - Brady-Handy.jpg Henry M. Hoyt
    June 8, 1830 – December 1, 1892   
(aged 62)
January 21, 1879

January 16, 1883
Republican 1878 Charles Warren Stone
19 RobertEPattison.png   Robert E. Pattison
    December 8, 1850 – August 1, 1904   
(aged 53)
January 16, 1883

January 18, 1887
Democratic 1882   Chauncey Forward Black
20 J A Beaver.jpg   James A. Beaver
    October 21, 1837 – January 31, 1914   
(aged 76)
January 18, 1887

January 20, 1891
Republican 1886   William T. Davies
19 RobertEPattison.png   Robert E. Pattison
    December 8, 1850 – August 1, 1904   
(aged 53)
January 20, 1891

January 15, 1895
Democratic 1890   Louis Arthur Watres
21 Daniel H Hastings.jpg   Daniel H. Hastings
    February 26, 1849 – January 9, 1903   
(aged 53)
January 15, 1895

January 17, 1899
Republican 1894   Walter Lyon
22 William Alexis Stone.jpg William A. Stone
    April 18, 1846 – March 1, 1920   
(aged 73)
January 17, 1899

January 20, 1903
Republican 1898 John P. S. Gobin
23 Portrait of Samuel W. Pennypacker.jpg Samuel W. Pennypacker
    April 9, 1843 – September 2, 1916   
(aged 73)
January 20, 1903

January 15, 1907
Republican 1902 William M. Brown
24 Edwin S Stuart 1909.jpg Edwin Sydney Stuart
    December 28, 1853 – March 21, 1937   
(aged 83)
January 15, 1907

January 17, 1911
Republican 1906 Robert S. Murphy
25 JohnKTener.jpg John K. Tener
    July 25, 1863 – May 19, 1946   
(aged 82)
January 17, 1911

January 19, 1915
Republican 1910 John Merriman Reynolds
26 MartinGBrumbaugh.jpg Martin Grove Brumbaugh
    April 14, 1862 – March 14, 1930   
(aged 67)
January 19, 1915

January 21, 1919
Republican 1914 Frank B. McClain
27 William Cameron Sproul.jpg William Cameron Sproul
    September 16, 1870 – March 21, 1928   
(aged 57)
January 21, 1919

January 16, 1923
Republican 1918 Edward E. Beidleman
28 Gifford Pinchot 3c03915u.jpg Gifford Pinchot
    August 11, 1865 – October 4, 1946   
(aged 81)
January 16, 1923

January 18, 1927
Republican 1922 David J. Davis
29 John Stuchell Fisher.jpg John Stuchell Fisher
    May 25, 1867 – June 25, 1940   
(aged 73)
January 18, 1927

January 20, 1931
Republican 1926 Arthur James
28 Gifford Pinchot 3c03915u.jpg Gifford Pinchot
    August 11, 1865 – October 4, 1946   
(aged 81)
January 20, 1931

January 15, 1935
Republican 1930 Edward C. Shannon
30 GeorgeHEarle.jpg   George Howard Earle III
    December 5, 1890 – December 30, 1974   
(aged 84)
January 15, 1935

January 17, 1939
(term limited)
Democratic 1934   Thomas Kennedy
31 Arthur H. James (Pennsylvania governor).jpg   Arthur James
    July 14, 1883 – April 27, 1973   
(aged 89)
January 17, 1939

January 19, 1943
(term limited)
Republican 1938   Samuel S. Lewis
32 EdwardMartinPA.jpg Edward Martin
    September 18, 1879 – March 19, 1967   
(aged 87)
January 19, 1943

January 2, 1947
(resigned)
Republican 1942 John C. Bell, Jr.
33 John C. Bell Jr. (Pennsylvania governor).jpg John C. Bell Jr.
    October 25, 1892 – March 18, 1974   
(aged 81)
January 2, 1947

January 21, 1947
(successor took office)
Republican Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor
No Lieutenant Governor
34 James Henderson Duff.jpg James H. Duff
    January 21, 1883 – December 20, 1969   
(aged 86)
January 21, 1947

January 16, 1951
(term limited)
Republican 1946   Daniel B. Strickler
35 John S. Fine (PA).jpg John S. Fine
    April 10, 1893 – May 21, 1978   
(aged 85)
January 16, 1951

January 18, 1955
(term limited)
Republican 1950 Lloyd H. Wood
36 George M. Leader (Pennsylvania governor) (cropped).jpg   George M. Leader
    January 17, 1918 – May 9, 2013   
(aged 95)
January 18, 1955

January 20, 1959
(term limited)
Democratic 1954   Roy E. Furman
37 David L. Lawrence (1).jpg David L. Lawrence
    June 18, 1889 – November 21, 1966   
(aged 77)
January 20, 1959

January 15, 1963
(term limited)
Democratic 1958 John Morgan Davis
38 William Scranton (PA).png   William Scranton
    July 19, 1917 – July 28, 2013   
(aged 96)
January 15, 1963

January 17, 1967
(term limited)
Republican 1962   Raymond P. Shafer
39
.
Raymond P. Shafer
    March 5, 1917 – December 12, 2006   
(aged 89)
January 17, 1967

January 19, 1971
(term limited)
Republican 1966 Raymond J. Broderick
40 Milton Shapp (1976).png   Milton Shapp
    June 25, 1912 – November 24, 1994   
(aged 82)
January 19, 1971

January 16, 1979
(term limited)
Democratic 1970
  Ernest P. Kline
1974
41 Dick Thornburgh (PA).jpg   Dick Thornburgh
    July 16, 1932 – December 31, 2020   
(aged 88)
January 16, 1979

January 20, 1987
(term limited)
Republican 1978   William Scranton, III
1982
42 Bob Casey Sr (cropped).jpg   Bob Casey Sr.
    January 9, 1932 – May 30, 2000   
(aged 68)
January 20, 1987

January 17, 1995
(term limited)
Democratic 1986   Mark Singel
1990
43 Tom Ridge (cropped).jpg   Tom Ridge
    (1945-08-26) August 26, 1945 (age 78)
January 17, 1995

October 5, 2001
(resigned)
Republican 1994   Mark Schweiker
1998
44 Mark S Schweiker 2001.jpg Mark Schweiker
    (1953-01-31) January 31, 1953 (age 71)
October 5, 2001

January 21, 2003
(not candidate for election)
Republican Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor
Robert Jubelirer
45 Ed Rendell ID2004 crop (cropped).JPG   Ed Rendell
    (1944-01-05) January 5, 1944 (age 80)
January 21, 2003

January 18, 2011
(term limited)
Democratic 2002   Catherine Baker Knoll
2006   Joe Scarnati
46 Governor Corbett cropped portrait May 2014.jpg   Tom Corbett
    (1949-06-17) June 17, 1949 (age 74)
January 18, 2011

January 20, 2015
(lost reelection)
Republican 2010 Jim Cawley
47 Tom Wolf governor portrait 2019 (cropped).jpg   Tom Wolf
    (1948-11-17) November 17, 1948 (age 75)
January 20, 2015

Incumbent
Democratic 2014   Mike Stack
2018 John Fetterman
48 Josh Shapiro 2022 (cropped).jpg Josh Shapiro (elect)
    (1973-06-20) June 20, 1973 (age 50)
Taking office
January 17, 2023

Democratic 2022 Austin Davis (elect)

Succession

Other high offices held

This is a table of other governorships, congressional and other federal offices, and ranking diplomatic positions in foreign countries held by Pennsylvania governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Pennsylvania except where noted.

† Denotes those offices from which the governor resigned to take the governorship.
Governor Gubernatorial term U.S. Congress Other offices held Source
House Senate
Joseph Reed 1778–1781 Delegate to the Continental Congress; elected to the U.S. House but declined his seat.
John Dickinson 1782–1785 President of Delaware, Delegate to the Continental Congress from Delaware, Delegate to the Continental Congress from Pennsylvania
Benjamin Franklin 1785–1788 Minister to France, Minister to Sweden
Thomas Mifflin 1790–1799 President of the Continental Congress
Thomas McKean 1799–1808 President of Delaware, President of the Continental Congress
Simon Snyder 1808–1817 Some records say he was elected to the U.S. Senate, but some only say state senate. The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress has no record of a U.S. Senate term.
William Findlay 1817–1820 S
Joseph Hiester 1820–1823 H†
George Wolf 1829–1835 H†
William Bigler 1852–1855 S
James Pollock 1855–1858 H
Andrew Gregg Curtin 1861–1867 H Ambassador to Russia
John W. Geary 1867–1876 Governor of Kansas Territory
William A. Stone 1899–1903 H†
John K. Tener 1911–1915 H†
George Howard Earle III 1935–1939 Ambassador to Austria†
Edward Martin 1943–1947 S
James H. Duff 1947–1951 S
William Scranton 1963–1967 H Ambassador to the United Nations
Dick Thornburgh 1979–1987 U.S. Attorney General
Tom Ridge 1995–2001 H U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security

Living former governors

As of 2022, there are four former governors of Pennsylvania, the oldest governor of Pennsylvania being Ed Rendell (served 2003-2011, born 1944). The most recent governor to die was Dick Thornburgh (served 1979–1987, born 1932) on December 31, 2020. The most recently serving governor to die was Bob Casey Sr. (served 1987–1995, born 1932) on May 30, 2000.

Governor Gubernatorial term Date of birth (and age)
Tom Ridge 1995–2001 (1945-08-26) August 26, 1945 (age 78)
Mark Schweiker 2001–2003 (1953-01-31) January 31, 1953 (age 71)
Ed Rendell 2003–2011 (1944-01-05) January 5, 1944 (age 80)
Tom Corbett 2011–2015 (1949-06-17) June 17, 1949 (age 74)

See also

kids search engine
List of governors of Pennsylvania Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.