List of governors of Missouri facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of Missouri
State seal
Incumbent Mike Kehoe since January 13, 2025
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, 1820 (204 years ago) (1820-09-18) Constitution of Missouri
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Missouri
Salary	$137,167 (2022)

The governor of Missouri is like the chief executive officer of the state of Missouri. They are the head of government, meaning they lead the state's executive branch. The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the Missouri National Guard, which means they are in charge of the state's military forces.

The governor's main job is to make sure state laws are followed. They can also either approve or veto (reject) new laws passed by the Missouri Legislature. The governor can call the legislature together for special meetings and can grant pardons, which means forgiving someone for a crime, except in cases of impeachment (when an official is accused of wrongdoing).

The current governor is Republican Mike Kehoe. He started his term on January 13, 2025.

Governors of Missouri: A Historical Look

Missouri became part of the United States when the Louisiana Purchase happened in 1803. Before it became a state, it was known as the District of Louisiana, then the Louisiana Territory, and finally the Missouri Territory.

Early Governors of the Territory

From 1805 to 1820, the Missouri Territory had four governors. These leaders were chosen by the president of the United States. Two famous explorers, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, who led the Lewis and Clark Expedition, were among these early governors.

Governors of Louisiana and Missouri Territory

No.	Governor		Term in office	Appointed by
1		James Wilkinson (1757–1825)	July 4, 1805 – March 3, 1807 (successor appointed)	Jefferson, ThomasThomas Jefferson
2		Meriwether Lewis (1774–1809)	March 3, 1807 – October 11, 1809 (died in office)	Jefferson, ThomasThomas Jefferson
3		Benjamin Howard (1760–1814)	April 18, 1810 – October 31, 1812 (resigned)	Madison, JamesJames Madison
4		William Clark (1770–1838)	July 1, 1813 – September 18, 1820 (lost election)	Madison, JamesJames Madison
				Monroe, JamesJames Monroe

Governors of the State of Missouri

Missouri officially became a state on August 10, 1821. The state's first constitution, written in 1820, set up the jobs of governor and lieutenant governor.

Changes to the Governor's Term

• Early Years (1820-1865): Governors served four-year terms and could not serve right after themselves.
• Civil War Era (1865): Terms were shortened to two years. Governors could serve no more than four years out of every six.
• Later Years (1875-Present): The term went back to four years. Since 1965, a governor can serve a maximum of two terms.

Lieutenant Governor's Role

If the governor's office became empty, the lieutenant governor used to just act as governor. But after an update in 1968, the lieutenant governor now officially becomes the new governor in such situations.

Missouri During the Civil War

During the American Civil War, some leaders in Missouri wanted to join the Confederate States of America. They elected their own governors. However, this Confederate government never fully controlled the state. Missouri officially stayed with the Union throughout the war.

Governors of the State of Missouri

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1			Alexander McNair (1775–1826)	September 18, 1820 – November 17, 1824 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1820		Ashley, William HenryWilliam Henry Ashley
2			Frederick Bates (1777–1825)	November 17, 1824 – August 4, 1825 (died in office)	Democratic- Republican	1824		Reeves, Benjamin HarrisonBenjamin Harrison Reeves (resigned July 1825)
							Vacant
3			Abraham J. Williams (1781–1839)	August 4, 1825 – January 20, 1826 (successor took office)	Democratic- Republican	President of the Senate acting
4			John Miller (1781–1846)	January 20, 1826 – November 21, 1832 (term-limited)	Democratic	1825 (special)
						1828		Dunklin, DanielDaniel Dunklin
5			Daniel Dunklin (1790–1844)	November 21, 1832 – September 30, 1836 (resigned)	Democratic	1832		Boggs, LilburnLilburn Boggs
6			Lilburn Boggs (1796–1860)	September 30, 1836 – November 18, 1840 (term-limited)	Democratic	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
						1836		Cannon, FranklinFranklin Cannon
7			Thomas Reynolds (1796–1844)	November 18, 1840 – February 9, 1844 (died in office)	Democratic	1840		Marmaduke, Meredith MilesMeredith Miles Marmaduke
8			Meredith Miles Marmaduke (1791–1864)	February 9, 1844 – November 20, 1844 (successor took office)	Democratic	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
9			John Cummins Edwards (1804–1888)	November 20, 1844 – December 27, 1848 (term-limited)	Democratic	1844		Young, JamesJames Young
10			Austin Augustus King (1802–1870)	December 27, 1848 – January 3, 1853 (term-limited)	Democratic	1848		Price, Thomas LawsonThomas Lawson Price
11			Sterling Price (1809–1867)	January 3, 1853 – January 5, 1857 (term-limited)	Democratic	1852		Brown, WilsonWilson Brown (died August 27, 1855)
							Vacant
12			Trusten Polk (1811–1876)	January 5, 1857 – February 27, 1857 (resigned)	Democratic	1856		Jackson, Hancock LeeHancock Lee Jackson
13			Hancock Lee Jackson (1796–1876)	February 27, 1857 – October 22, 1857 (successor took office)	Democratic	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
14			Robert Marcellus Stewart (1815–1871)	October 22, 1857 – January 3, 1861 (term-limited)	Democratic	1857 (special)		Jackson, Hancock LeeHancock Lee Jackson
15			Claiborne Fox Jackson (1806–1862)	January 3, 1861 – July 31, 1861 (office declared vacant)	Democratic	1860		Reynolds, Thomas CauteThomas Caute Reynolds
16			Hamilton Rowan Gamble (1798–1864)	July 31, 1861 – January 31, 1864 (died in office)	Union	Provisional governor elected by convention		Hall, Willard PrebleWillard Preble Hall
17			Willard Preble Hall (1820–1882)	January 31, 1864 – January 2, 1865 (successor took office)	Union	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
18			Thomas Clement Fletcher (1827–1899)	January 2, 1865 – January 12, 1869 (term-limited)	Republican	1864		Smith, GeorgeGeorge Smith
19			Joseph W. McClurg (1818–1900)	January 12, 1869 – January 9, 1871 (lost election)	Republican	1868		Stanard, Edwin O.Edwin O. Stanard
20			Benjamin Gratz Brown (1826–1885)	January 9, 1871 – January 8, 1873 (did not run)	Liberal Republican	1870		Gravely, Joseph J.Joseph J. Gravely (died April 28, 1872)
							Vacant
21			Silas Woodson (1819–1896)	January 8, 1873 – January 12, 1875 (did not run)	Democratic	1872		Johnson, Charles PhillipCharles Phillip Johnson
22			Charles Henry Hardin (1820–1892)	January 12, 1875 – January 8, 1877 (did not run)	Democratic	1874		Colman, Norman JayNorman Jay Colman
23			John S. Phelps (1814–1886)	January 8, 1877 – January 10, 1881 (term-limited)	Democratic	1876		Brockmeyer, Henry ClayHenry Clay Brockmeyer
24			Thomas Theodore Crittenden (1832–1909)	January 10, 1881 – January 12, 1885 (term-limited)	Democratic	1880		Campbell, Robert AlexanderRobert Alexander Campbell
25			John S. Marmaduke (1833–1887)	January 12, 1885 – December 28, 1887 (died in office)	Democratic	1884		Morehouse, Albert P.Albert P. Morehouse
26			Albert P. Morehouse (1835–1891)	December 28, 1887 – January 14, 1889 (lost nomination)	Democratic	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
27			David R. Francis (1850–1927)	January 14, 1889 – January 9, 1893 (term-limited)	Democratic	1888		Claycomb, Stephen HughStephen Hugh Claycomb
28			William J. Stone (1848–1918)	January 9, 1893 – January 11, 1897 (term-limited)	Democratic	1892		O'Meara, John BaptisteJohn Baptiste O'Meara
29			Lawrence Vest Stephens (1858–1923)	January 11, 1897 – January 14, 1901 (term-limited)	Democratic	1896		Bolte, August HenryAugust Henry Bolte
30			Alexander Monroe Dockery (1845–1926)	January 14, 1901 – January 9, 1905 (term-limited)	Democratic	1900		Lee, John AdamsJohn Adams Lee (resigned April 25, 1903)
								Rubey, Thomas L.Thomas L. Rubey (appointed April 25, 1903)
31			Joseph W. Folk (1869–1923)	January 9, 1905 – January 11, 1909 (term-limited)	Democratic	1904		McKinley, John C.John C. McKinley
32			Herbert S. Hadley (1872–1927)	January 11, 1909 – January 13, 1913 (term-limited)	Republican	1908		Gmelich, Jacob F.Jacob F. Gmelich
33			Elliott Woolfolk Major (1864–1949)	January 13, 1913 – January 8, 1917 (term-limited)	Democratic	1912		Painter, William RockWilliam Rock Painter
34			Frederick D. Gardner (1869–1933)	January 8, 1917 – January 10, 1921 (term-limited)	Democratic	1916		Crossley, WallaceWallace Crossley
35			Arthur M. Hyde (1877–1947)	January 10, 1921 – January 12, 1925 (term-limited)	Republican	1920		Lloyd, HiramHiram Lloyd
36			Sam Aaron Baker (1874–1933)	January 12, 1925 – January 14, 1929 (term-limited)	Republican	1924		Bennett, Philip AllenPhilip Allen Bennett
37			Henry S. Caulfield (1873–1966)	January 14, 1929 – January 9, 1933 (term-limited)	Republican	1928		Winter, Edward HenryEdward Henry Winter
38			Guy Brasfield Park (1872–1946)	January 9, 1933 – January 11, 1937 (term-limited)	Democratic	1932		Harris, Frank GainesFrank Gaines Harris (died December 30, 1944)
39			Lloyd C. Stark (1886–1972)	January 11, 1937 – February 26, 1941 (term-limited)	Democratic	1936
40			Forrest C. Donnell (1884–1980)	February 26, 1941 – January 8, 1945 (term-limited)	Republican	1940
							Vacant
41			Phil M. Donnelly (1891–1961)	January 8, 1945 – January 10, 1949 (term-limited)	Democratic	1944		Davis, Walter NaylorWalter Naylor Davis
42			Forrest Smith (1886–1962)	January 10, 1949 – January 12, 1953 (term-limited)	Democratic	1948		Blair Jr., James T.James T. Blair Jr.
43			Phil M. Donnelly (1891–1961)	January 12, 1953 – January 14, 1957 (term-limited)	Democratic	1952
44			James T. Blair Jr. (1902–1962)	January 14, 1957 – January 9, 1961 (term-limited)	Democratic	1956		Long, Edward V.Edward V. Long (resigned September 23, 1960)
							Vacant
45			John M. Dalton (1900–1972)	January 9, 1961 – January 11, 1965 (term-limited)	Democratic	1960		Bush, Hilary A.Hilary A. Bush
46			Warren E. Hearnes (1923–2009)	January 11, 1965 – January 8, 1973 (term-limited)	Democratic	1964		Eagleton, ThomasThomas Eagleton (resigned December 27, 1968)
							Vacant
						1968		Morris, William S.William S. Morris
47			Kit Bond (b. 1939)	January 8, 1973 – January 10, 1977 (lost election)	Republican	1972		Phelps, BillBill Phelps
48			Joseph P. Teasdale (1936–2014)	January 10, 1977 – January 12, 1981 (lost election)	Democratic	1976
49			Kit Bond (b. 1939)	January 12, 1981 – January 14, 1985 (did not run)	Republican	1980		Rothman, KenKen Rothman
50			John Ashcroft (b. 1942)	January 14, 1985 – January 11, 1993 (term-limited)	Republican	1984		Woods, HarriettHarriett Woods
						1988		Carnahan, MelMel Carnahan
51			Mel Carnahan (1934–2000)	January 11, 1993 – October 16, 2000 (died in office)	Democratic	1992		Wilson, Roger B.Roger B. Wilson
						1996
52			Roger B. Wilson (b. 1948)	October 16, 2000 – January 8, 2001 (did not run)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
								Maxwell, JoeJoe Maxwell (appointed November 15, 2000)
53			Bob Holden (b. 1949)	January 8, 2001 – January 10, 2005 (lost nomination)	Democratic	2000
54			Matt Blunt (b. 1970)	January 10, 2005 – January 12, 2009 (did not run)	Republican	2004		Kinder, PeterPeter Kinder
55			Jay Nixon (b. 1956)	January 12, 2009 – January 9, 2017 (term-limited)	Democratic	2008
						2012
56			Eric Greitens (b. 1974)	January 9, 2017 – June 1, 2018 (resigned)	Republican	2016		Parson, MikeMike Parson
57			Mike Parson (b. 1955)	June 1, 2018 – January 13, 2025 (term-limited)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
								Kehoe, MikeMike Kehoe (appointed June 18, 2018)
						2020
58			Mike Kehoe (b. 1962)	January 13, 2025 – Incumbent	Republican	2024		Wasinger, DavidDavid Wasinger

Confederate Governors During the Civil War

Thomas Caute Reynolds, 2nd Confederate governor of Missouri

During the American Civil War, some people in Missouri supported the Confederate side. After the Union army took over Jefferson City, the state capital, the Confederate supporters formed their own government. They elected two governors.

The first Confederate governor was Claiborne Fox Jackson. When he passed away in 1862, Thomas Caute Reynolds took over. This Confederate government did not control much of Missouri and eventually had to leave the state. Missouri officially remained part of the Union throughout the war.

See also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Missouri
• List of Missouri General Assemblies