List of colonial governors of New Jersey facts for kids

The Proprietary House (built 1762–64) in Perth Amboy, was the last home for a Royal Governor of New Jersey. It is the only governor's mansion from the original Thirteen Colonies still standing today.

The land that became New Jersey was first settled by Dutch and Swedish people in the early 1600s. In 1664, England took control of this area, which was then called New Netherland. This territory included parts of what are now New York, New Jersey, and Delaware. New Jersey remained an English possession until the American colonies declared independence in 1776.

In 1664, James, Duke of York (who later became King James II), gave a part of New Jersey to Sir George Carteret and John Berkeley. They had supported the king during the English Civil War. Carteret and Berkeley later sold their shares to other owners, creating two separate areas: East Jersey and West Jersey. The exact border between these two parts was often debated. They were distinct political areas from 1674 to 1702.

West Jersey was mostly a Quaker colony. This was because of the influence of William Penn, who founded Pennsylvania, and other important Quaker investors. Many early settlers came from England, Scotland, and Ireland to escape religious unfairness. East Jersey had less Quaker influence. Many of its early settlers came from other colonies like New England, Long Island, and the West Indies. Towns like Elizabethtown and Newark had a strong Puritan influence.

In 1702, Queen Anne reunited both parts of New Jersey into one royal colony. A royal governor was appointed by the Queen. Until 1738, New Jersey shared its royal governor with New York. New Jersey was governed by appointed governors until 1776. William Franklin was the last royal governor before the American Revolution. In June 1776, the Provincial Congress of New Jersey removed Franklin from his position and arrested him. They then adopted a state constitution and made New Jersey an independent state. The new constitution allowed all wealthy inhabitants, including single women and Black people, to vote until 1807. William Livingston became New Jersey's first elected governor on August 31, 1776. New Jersey was one of the original Thirteen Colonies. It was the third colony to approve the United States Constitution on December 18, 1787. On November 20, 1789, New Jersey was the first state to approve the Bill of Rights.

New Jersey's Early Leaders

Dutch Rule: New Netherland (1624–1664)

A 1685 map showing New Netherland (Dutch territory), Virginia, and New England.

New Netherland was a Dutch colony in the 1600s. It covered areas along the eastern coast of North America. These areas are now parts of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. The main city was New Amsterdam, located where New York City is today.

New Netherland started as a business to trade furs in North America. By the 1650s, the colony grew a lot and became an important trading port. The leader of the Dutch colony was called the Director or Director-General. On August 27, 1664, English ships led by Richard Nicolls sailed into New Amsterdam's harbor. They demanded that New Netherland surrender. This event started the Second Anglo-Dutch War. The Treaty of Breda later officially gave the territory to England.

Portrait	Director or Director-General	Took office	Left office	Notes
—	Cornelius Jacobsen May	1624	1625	Explored Delaware Bay and New York Bay. Settlements were started at Governor's Island and Burlington Island. Cape May was named after him.
—	Willem Verhulst	1625	1626	Started building Fort Amsterdam on Manhattan Island. Was not popular with the colonists and was quickly replaced.
	Peter Minuit	1626	1631	Purchased Manhattan Island from Native Americans in 1626. Started building Fort Nassau on the Delaware River.
—	Sebastiaen Jansen Krol	1632	1633	—
	Wouter van Twiller	1633	1638	Used family connections to get his job. Purchased Governor's Island from the Canarsee tribe. Lost the colony's claim to the Connecticut River valley to English settlers.
—	Willem Kieft	1638	1647	Tried to force out the Lenape tribe, leading to Kieft's War. Was fired by the Dutch West India Company in 1647. Died at sea while returning to Amsterdam.
	Peter Stuyvesant	1647	1664	Settlements were attacked by the Susquehannocks during the Peach Tree War (1655). Approved charters for Communipaw and Bergen (now Jersey City). Won the Esopus Wars against the Lenape and Esopus tribes. Surrendered New Netherland to the British.

Swedish Colony: New Sweden (1638–1655)

The locations of New Netherland (magenta) and New Sweden (blue) in eastern North America.

New Sweden was a Swedish colony along the Delaware River from 1638 to 1655. It included land in present-day Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. After being removed as director of New Netherland, Peter Minuit helped create the first Swedish colony. The Swedes wanted to grow their influence by farming tobacco and trading furs.

The New Sweden Company was formed with investors from Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, and Germany. Minuit arrived in 1638. Willem Kieft, the Dutch Director of New Netherland, did not like the Swedish presence. But Minuit ignored him because he knew the Dutch could not fight them. The colony built Fort Nya Elfsborg near present-day Salem, New Jersey, in 1643.

In May 1654, Swedish soldiers captured Fort Casimir, a Dutch fort. In response, the Dutch Director-General Peter Stuyvesant sent an army to the Delaware River. This forced the Swedish forts and settlements to surrender in 1655. The Swedish settlers kept some local control, their religion, and lands. However, this ended when the English took over the New Netherland colony in 1664.

Portrait	Governor	Took office	Left office	Notes
	Peter Minuit	1638	1638	Arrived to settle the colony in March 1638. Died during a hurricane in the Caribbean in August 1638.
—	Måns Nilsson Kling	1638	1640	Served as a lieutenant until a new governor was appointed.
—	Peter Hollander Ridder	1640	1643	Was an officer in the Swedish Navy.
	Johan Björnsson Printz	1643	1653	Ordered the building of Fort Nya Elfsborg and Fort Nya Gothenborg.
—	Johan Papegoja	1653	1654	Printz's son-in-law. Was left in charge when Governor Printz returned to Sweden.
—	Johan Classon Risingh	1654	1655	Was defeated by Peter Stuyvesant's forces.

The New Albion Colony (1634–1649)

Sir Edmund Plowden (1590–1659).

In 1634, King Charles I of England gave a special paper to Sir Edmund Plowden. This paper allowed him to start a colony in North America. This colony, called New Albion, was planned to cover parts of what are now New Jersey, New York, Delaware, and Maryland.

Captain Thomas Young explored the Delaware River valley in the 1630s. Plowden spent several years gathering money and people for the colony. In 1642, Plowden sailed from England to settle the colony. This attempt failed due to a mutiny. For the next seven years, Plowden stayed in Virginia, managing the colony's plans and selling land rights.

Plowden returned to England in 1649 to get more money. He promoted the colony as a safe place for Roman Catholics who were forced out during the English Civil War. Plowden tried to return to his colony but was held in prison for debts. He died poor in 1659. A map from 1651 mentions Plowden's plan for New Albion. It also notes that the Swedes had settled there and were trading furs.

English Proprietary Colony (1664–1702)

The two Lords Proprietor of the Province of New Jersey: John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton (left) and Sir George Carteret (right).

Governors under the Lords Proprietor (1664–1673)

In 1664, the Dutch surrendered New Netherland to the English. James, Duke of York, put Richard Nicolls in charge as Deputy-Governor. Nicolls first promised the Dutch colonists that they could keep their property and practice their religion freely. He also introduced English laws. Nicolls was governor until 1668. However, the Duke of York gave part of New Netherland (present-day New Jersey) to Sir George Carteret and John Berkeley. This was a reward for their loyalty during the English Civil War.

This new territory was named the Province of New Caesaria, or New Jersey. It was named after the island of Jersey, an English Channel island that was a stronghold for the king's supporters. Carteret and Berkeley became the two English Lords Proprietor of New Jersey. In 1665, they created the "Concession and Agreement." This document explained how power would be shared in the province. It also offered religious freedom to all settlers. The Lords Proprietor chose Philip Carteret, Sir George's brother, as the first governor.

Dutch Retake New Netherland (1673–1674)

In 1673, during the Third Anglo-Dutch War, the Dutch recaptured New Amsterdam. They renamed it "New Orange." Admiral Cornelis Evertsen and Captain Anthony Colve led this effort. Evertsen returned to the Netherlands in July 1674. He was accused of not following orders. He was supposed to conquer other British colonies, not retake New Amsterdam. In 1674, the Dutch had to give New Amsterdam back to the British. This was part of the Second Treaty of Westminster.

East and West Jerseys (1674–1702)

The provinces of West Jersey (yellow) and East Jersey (green), divided by the Keith Line (red) and the Coxe and Barclay line (orange).

After the British regained New Jersey and New York, New Jersey became a proprietary colony again. It was divided into East Jersey and West Jersey. In 1674, Berkeley sold his share of West Jersey to Edward Byllynge and John Fenwick. Fenwick quickly went to the colony to start a settlement called Fenwick's Colony, which became Salem. Byllynge had money problems, so he sought help from William Penn and others.

The land issues were settled in 1676 with the Quintipartite Deed. This agreement divided the colony into East and West Jersey. West Jersey was mainly a Quaker project. It focused on settling the lower Delaware River area. It was linked to William Penn and other important people who helped colonize Pennsylvania. After Carteret died, his family sold his share of East Jersey to twelve investors. Most of them were Quakers. They asked Robert Barclay, a Quaker leader, to be governor. East Jersey's growth was mainly connected to New England and New York.

This setup lasted for about thirty years. But because of problems with how the colonies were run, the owners of both colonies gave their governing rights to Queen Anne. On April 17, 1702, New Jersey became a crown colony. The original owners kept their land rights. The East Jersey owners dissolved their company in 1998. The West Jersey Proprietors still exist today in Burlington, New Jersey.

For a short time starting in 1688, New York, East Jersey, and West Jersey were part of the Dominion of New England. Francis Nicholson, a Lieutenant Governor, oversaw New York and New Jersey. The owners of East Jersey were angry that their charters were taken away. They asked Edmund Andros, the governor of the dominion, for special land rights. The colony was too big for one governor, and Andros was very unpopular.

News of the Glorious Revolution in England reached Boston in 1689. People in New England and New York revolted against Andros. They feared he wanted to force Catholic rule on the colony. Leisler's Rebellion in New York City removed Nicholson. After these events, the colonies returned to their old forms of government until 1702.

Governors of East Jersey (1674–1702)

Portrait	Governor	Took office	Left office	Notes
—	Philip Carteret	1674	1682	Carteret refused to give up his position when asked by Edmund Andros, Governor of New York. Andros had Carteret arrested. Carteret was found innocent at trial.
	Edmund Andros	1674	1681	Appointed to oversee the Duke of York's lands in New York. He thought this included New Jersey. Carteret and the New Jersey owners disagreed with Andros. Andros was called back to England in 1681.
—	Robert Barclay	1682	1688	A leader of the Quaker movement. Claimed governorship until his death in 1690. Deputy Governors included Thomas Rudyard, Gawen Lawrie, Neill Campbell, and Andrew Hamilton.
	Edmund Andros	1688	1689	Governor of the Dominion of New England. Francis Nicholson oversaw East Jersey, West Jersey, and New York during this time.
—	Vacant	1690	1692	The East Jersey owners nominated two men, but both were rejected.
—	Andrew Hamilton	1692	1697	Removed from office because he was Scottish, and a law said only English-born subjects could hold public office.
—	Jeremiah Basse	1698	1699	A former preacher. Convinced officials to remove Hamilton and spoke against the colony's owners. His time as governor was difficult, and he was called back to England.
—	Andrew Hamilton	1699	1702	Reappointed after it was decided that the law did not stop Scotsmen from holding office. He remained governor until his death in 1703.

Governors of West Jersey (1680–1702)

Portrait	Governor	Took office	Left office	Notes
—	Edward Byllynge	1680	1687	Byllynge was a London brewer who never came to West Jersey. He died in England. Deputy Governors included Samuel Jennings, Thomas Olive, and John Skene.
—	Dr. Daniel Coxe	1687	1688	Dr. Coxe never left England. He became Governor after buying Byllynge's shares. Edward Hunloke served as his deputy governor.
	Edmund Andros	1688	1689	See notes above.
—	Dr. Daniel Coxe	1689	1692	Coxe sold part of his land and governing rights to the West Jersey Society. Edward Hunloke served as his deputy governor until the society appointed Hamilton.
—	Andrew Hamilton	1692	1697	See notes above.
—	Jeremiah Basse	1698	1699	See notes above.
—	Andrew Bowne	1699	1699	Chosen by the Provincial Council to be Deputy Governor while Basse was in England. Served until Hamilton arrived.
—	Andrew Hamilton	1699	1702	See notes above.

British Crown Colony (1702–1776)

Governors of New York and New Jersey (1702–1738)

John Fenwick, who founded New Salem (now Salem, New Jersey), signed a treaty with the Lenape people under the "Salem Oak" in 1675. The tree is thought to be about 600 years old.

Soon after becoming queen, Queen Anne (1665–1714) reunited East Jersey and West Jersey. She made them a royal colony. She appointed her cousin, Edward Hyde, Viscount Cornbury, as the first Royal Governor. In 1702, the two proprietary colonies gave their power to the Crown. New Jersey became a crown colony with a governor and a twelve-member council chosen by the British monarch. It also had a twenty-four-member assembly. Its members were elected by colonists who owned at least 1,000 acres of land.

For the next forty years, New Jersey and New York shared one royal governor. The Crown's representatives were often not very good at their jobs. The royal governor often ignored New Jersey's matters. Because of this, the colonists had a lot of freedom. The original owners still had power because they controlled land titles and sales. The relationship between many Royal Governors and the assembly was often difficult. The assembly would sometimes refuse to pay the governor's salary if they disagreed with laws. Historians say that the government had different groups. These groups often changed who they supported.

During this time, the colony's population grew a lot. It went from 14,000 people in 1700 to almost 52,000 by 1740. It was a diverse colony. Queen Anne and Royal Governor Hunter brought German families to New York's Hudson Valley. Many of these German families later settled in New Jersey. West Jersey had Irish, English, Welsh, and Scottish Quakers. It also had descendants of Swedish and Finnish colonists. Dutch and Huguenot families from New York settled in the Raritan River and Hackensack River valleys. New Englanders from Connecticut and Long Island, and English planters from Barbados, arrived with African slaves. The colony allowed religious freedom. This meant there were many different churches, including Dutch Reformed, Lutheran, Huguenot, Quaker, Puritan, Congregationalist, Presbyterian, Baptist, and Anglican churches.

Portrait	Governor	Took office	Left office	Notes
	Edward Hyde, Lord Cornbury	1701	1708	His time as governor had problems. He was called back by Queen Anne after many complaints from colonists.
—	John Lovelace, 4th Baron Lovelace	1708	1709	Lord Lovelace died in office.
—	Richard Ingoldesby	1709	1710	An army officer who was Lieutenant Governor. Became acting governor after Lovelace died.
	Robert Hunter	1710	1720	Sailed to America with 3,000 German refugees in 1710. Hunterdon County was named after him.
	William Burnet	1720	1728	Left office to become Governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
—	Colonel John Montgomerie	1728	1731	Montgomerie died in office.
	Lewis Morris	1731	1732	Acting governor after Montgomerie's death. Fought to separate New Jersey from New York control.
	Sir William Cosby	1732	1736	He rarely visited New Jersey. He died in office in 1736.
—	John Anderson	1736	1736	Acting governor after Governor Cosby's death.
—	John Hamilton	1736	1738	Acting governor after Anderson's death.
—	John West, 1st Earl De La Warr	1737	1737	West never traveled to America. Resigned before becoming governor to stay in the military.

Governors of New Jersey (1738–1776)

Built in 1756, Nassau Hall, or "Old Nassau," is the oldest building at Princeton University. The university was chartered by New Jersey's royal governor ten years earlier.

After problems with land purchases in 1737, relations between colonists and Native American tribes became difficult. During these years, colonists moved from coastal cities to the colony's wild northwestern areas. The government often organized these wilderness areas into townships. Many were named after English and colonial political figures. By the 1750s, violent attacks against these settlers and fears of French support led to the French and Indian War.

During this time, the colonial government offered money to colonists who killed Native Americans. They also built forts in the Minisink region (the upper Delaware River valley). Military units were formed to defend this area and attack Native American villages. The fighting began to calm down with the Treaty of Easton in October 1758. This treaty was negotiated by New Jersey Royal Governor Francis Bernard, Pennsylvania Attorney-General Benjamin Chew, and chiefs of 13 Native American nations.

New Jersey was the only province to have two colleges started during the colonial period. The colony's governors helped establish them. Governors John Hamilton, John Reading, and Jonathan Belcher helped start The College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). It was founded in 1746 in Elizabethtown by a group of "New Lighters." In 1756, the school moved to Princeton. In 1766, Governor William Franklin issued the charters to establish Queens College (now Rutgers University) in New Brunswick. Its purpose was to "educate the youth in language, liberal, the divinity, and useful arts and sciences." It also trained future ministers for the Dutch Reformed Church. Franklin issued a second charter in 1770 after the college's trustees asked for changes.

In the last year of William Franklin's time as governor, his power decreased. He was ignored by the rebellious colonists. The province was effectively run by the Provincial Congress of New Jersey (1775–76). Colonial militia put Franklin under house arrest in January 1776. He was formally removed from office in June 1776 when the Provincial Congress imprisoned him. Franklin called the Provincial Congress an "illegal assembly." Under its president, Samuel Tucker, the Provincial Congress adopted a state constitution. It then reorganized the province into an independent state. William Livingston was elected as New Jersey's first governor on August 31, 1776.

Portrait	Governor	Took office	Left office	Notes
	Lewis Morris	1738	1746	Previously served in the Provincial Council and Assembly. Morris died in office in 1746. Morris County, Morristown, Morris Plains, and Morris Township are named after him.
—	John Hamilton	1746	1747	See notes above.
—	John Reading	1747	1747	Acting governor as President of Council. Readington Village and Readington Township were named after him.
	Jonathan Belcher	1747	1757	Helped the early development of Princeton University. Strengthened defenses in the Delaware River valley during the French and Indian War. Belcher died in office on August 31, 1757.
—	John Reading	1757	1758	See notes above.
	Francis Bernard	1758	1760	Arrived in Perth Amboy on June 14, 1758. Appointed governor of Massachusetts in late 1759. Bernardsville is named after him.
—	Thomas Boone	1760	1761	Appointed in 1759, but arrived in New Jersey in May 1760. Appointed Governor of South Carolina in 1761. Boonton is named after him.
—	Josiah Hardy	1761	1763	Gained a good reputation as New Jersey's governor. Replaced in 1763 to increase British control over the colonies. Hardyston Township is named after him.
	William Franklin	1763	1776	Considered one of the more popular and successful governors in New Jersey history. Issued charters to found Queen's College (now Rutgers University). Placed under house arrest by colonial militia in 1776. Franklin Township and Franklin Lakes are named after him.