List of governors of South Carolina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of South Carolina
Seal of the Governor
Incumbent Henry McMaster since January 24, 2017
Style	His Excellency
Term length	Four years, renewable once consecutively

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The governor of South Carolina is like the chief executive officer for the state of South Carolina. This person is the head of government and also the commander-in-chief of South Carolina's military forces, known as the South Carolina National Guard. The current governor is Henry McMaster, who has served longer than any other governor in South Carolina's history.

The Governor of South Carolina

What Does a Governor Do?

The governor of South Carolina has many important jobs. They lead the state government, making sure that laws are followed and that state services run smoothly. They also represent South Carolina to other states and to the federal government. As commander-in-chief of the National Guard, they can call upon these forces to help during emergencies, like natural disasters.

A Look at South Carolina's History

South Carolina was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that formed the United States. It officially became a state on May 23, 1788. Before that, it was a colony ruled by the Kingdom of Great Britain.

During a difficult time in American history, South Carolina left the United States on December 20, 1860. It then became a founding member of the Confederate States of America on February 4, 1861. After the American Civil War ended, South Carolina rejoined the Union on July 9, 1868.

How the Governor's Job Changed Over Time

The rules for the governor's job have changed quite a bit since South Carolina became a state.

• Early Days: Under the first state constitution in 1776, the leader was called the "president" of the state. They served for two years and couldn't run again right away. The title changed to "governor" in 1778.
• Term Lengths: For a short time in 1865, the term was four years. But by 1868, it went back to two years, and there was no limit on how many times someone could be elected.
• Modern Rules: In 1926, the term length became four years again. However, governors could not serve two terms in a row. This changed in 1981, allowing governors to serve two terms consecutively.
• Lieutenant Governor: The role of a "vice-president" was created in 1776 to take over if the governor's office became empty. This role was later renamed to lieutenant governor in 1778.

Past Governors of South Carolina

Here is a list of some of the people who have served as governor of South Carolina.

Governors of the State of South Carolina

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
31			John Rutledge (1739–1800)	March 26, 1776 – March 6, 1778 (resigned)	None	1776		Laurens, HenryHenry Laurens
32			Rawlins Lowndes (1721–1800)	March 6, 1778 – January 9, 1779 (did not run)	None	1778		Parsons, JamesJames Parsons
31			John Rutledge (1739–1800)	January 9, 1779 – January 31, 1782 (term-limited)	None	1779		Bee, ThomasThomas Bee
								Gadsden, ChristopherChristopher Gadsden
33			John Mathews (1744–1802)	January 31, 1782 – February 5, 1783 (did not run)	None	1782		Hutson, RichardRichard Hutson
34			Benjamin Guerard (1740–1788)	February 5, 1783 – February 10, 1785 (term-limited)	None	1783		Beresford, RichardRichard Beresford
							Vacant
								Moultrie, WilliamWilliam Moultrie
35			William Moultrie (1730–1805)	February 10, 1785 – February 21, 1787 (term-limited)	None	1785		Drayton, CharlesCharles Drayton
36			Thomas Pinckney (1750–1828)	February 21, 1787 – January 26, 1789 (term-limited)	None	1787		Gadsden, ThomasThomas Gadsden
37			Charles Pinckney (1757–1824)	January 26, 1789 – December 5, 1792 (term-limited)	None	1789		Gillon, AlexanderAlexander Gillon
						1791
35			William Moultrie (1730–1805)	December 5, 1792 – December 17, 1794 (term-limited)	Federalist	1792		Ladson, JamesJames Ladson
38			Arnoldus Vanderhorst (1748–1815)	December 17, 1794 – December 8, 1796 (term-limited)	Federalist	1794		Morris, LewisLewis Morris
37			Charles Pinckney (1757–1824)	December 8, 1796 – December 19, 1798 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1796		Anderson, RobertRobert Anderson
39			Edward Rutledge (1749–1800)	December 19, 1798 – January 23, 1800 (died in office)	Federalist	1798		Drayton, JohnJohn Drayton
40			John Drayton (1766–1822)	January 23, 1800 – December 8, 1802 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1800		Winn, RichardRichard Winn
41			James Burchill Richardson (1770–1836)	December 8, 1802 – December 7, 1804 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1802		Pickens, EzekielEzekiel Pickens
42			Paul Hamilton (1762–1816)	December 7, 1804 – December 9, 1806 (resigned)	Democratic- Republican	1804		Sumter Jr., ThomasThomas Sumter Jr.
37			Charles Pinckney (1757–1824)	December 9, 1806 – December 10, 1808 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1806		Hopkins, JohnJohn Hopkins
40			John Drayton (1766–1822)	December 10, 1808 – December 10, 1810 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1808		Nance, FrederickFrederick Nance
43			Henry Middleton (1770–1846)	December 10, 1810 – December 10, 1812 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1810		Farrow, SamuelSamuel Farrow
44			Joseph Alston (1779–1816)	December 10, 1812 – December 10, 1814 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1812		Simkins, EldredEldred Simkins
45			David Rogerson Williams (1776–1830)	December 10, 1814 – December 5, 1816 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1814		Creswell, RobertRobert Creswell
46			Andrew Pickens (1779–1838)	December 5, 1816 – December 8, 1818 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1816		Cuthbert, John A.John A. Cuthbert
47			John Geddes (1777–1828)	December 8, 1818 – December 7, 1820 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1818		Youngblood, WilliamWilliam Youngblood
48			Thomas Bennett Jr. (1781–1865)	December 7, 1820 – December 9, 1822 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1820		Pinckney, WilliamWilliam Pinckney
49			John Lyde Wilson (1784–1849)	December 9, 1822 – December 3, 1824 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1822		Bradley, HenryHenry Bradley
50			Richard Irvine Manning I (1789–1836)	December 3, 1824 – December 11, 1826 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1824		Bull, William A.William A. Bull
51			John Taylor (1770–1832)	December 11, 1826 – December 10, 1828 (term-limited)	Democratic- Republican	1826		Witherspoon, JamesJames Witherspoon
52			Stephen Decatur Miller (1787–1838)	December 10, 1828 – December 9, 1830 (term-limited)	Nullifier	1828		Williams, ThomasThomas Williams
53			James Hamilton Jr. (1786–1857)	December 9, 1830 – December 11, 1832 (term-limited)	Nullifier	1830		Noble, PatrickPatrick Noble
54			Robert Y. Hayne (1791–1839)	December 11, 1832 – December 11, 1834 (term-limited)	Nullifier	1832		Pinckney II, Charles CotesworthCharles Cotesworth Pinckney II
55			George McDuffie (1790–1851)	December 11, 1834 – December 10, 1836 (term-limited)	Democratic	1834		Seabrook, Whitemarsh BenjaminWhitemarsh Benjamin Seabrook
56			Pierce Mason Butler (1798–1847)	December 10, 1836 – December 10, 1838 (term-limited)	Democratic	1836		DuBose, WilliamWilliam DuBose
57			Patrick Noble (1787–1840)	December 10, 1838 – April 7, 1840 (died in office)	Democratic	1838		Henagan, Barnabas KeletBarnabas Kelet Henagan
58			Barnabas Kelet Henagan (1798–1855)	April 7, 1840 – December 10, 1840 (did not run)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
59			John Peter Richardson II (1801–1864)	December 10, 1840 – December 10, 1842 (term-limited)	Democratic	1840		Clowney, William K.William K. Clowney
60			James H. Hammond (1807–1864)	December 10, 1842 – December 10, 1844 (term-limited)	Democratic	1842		Witherspoon, Isaac D.Isaac D. Witherspoon
61			William Aiken Jr. (1806–1887)	December 10, 1844 – December 10, 1846 (term-limited)	Democratic	1844		Ervin, J. F.J. F. Ervin
62			David Johnson (1782–1855)	December 10, 1846 – December 14, 1848 (term-limited)	Democratic	1846		Cain, WilliamWilliam Cain
63			Whitemarsh Benjamin Seabrook (1793–1855)	December 14, 1848 – December 16, 1850 (term-limited)	Democratic	1848		Gist, William HenryWilliam Henry Gist
64			John Hugh Means (1812–1862)	December 16, 1850 – December 13, 1852 (term-limited)	Democratic	1850		Ward, Joshua JohnJoshua John Ward
65			John Lawrence Manning (1816–1889)	December 13, 1852 – December 13, 1854 (term-limited)	Democratic	1852		Irby, JamesJames Irby
66			James Hopkins Adams (1812–1861)	December 13, 1854 – December 11, 1856 (term-limited)	Democratic	1854		de Treville, RichardRichard de Treville
67			Robert Francis Withers Allston (1801–1864)	December 11, 1856 – December 13, 1858 (term-limited)	Democratic	1856		Cannon, GabrielGabriel Cannon
68			William Henry Gist (1807–1874)	December 13, 1858 – December 17, 1860 (term-limited)	Democratic	1858		Carn, M. E.M. E. Carn
69			Francis Wilkinson Pickens (d. 1869)	December 17, 1860 – December 18, 1862 (term-limited)	Democratic	1860		Harllee, W. W.W. W. Harllee
70			Milledge Luke Bonham (1813–1890)	December 18, 1862 – December 19, 1864 (term-limited)	Democratic	1862		Weston, PlowdenPlowden Weston (died)
							Vacant
71			Andrew Gordon Magrath (1813–1893)	December 19, 1864 – May 28, 1865 (arrested and removed)	Democratic	1864		McCaw, RobertRobert McCaw
—	Vacant			May 28, 1865 – June 30, 1865	—	Office vacated after civil war	Vacant
72			Benjamin Franklin Perry (1805–1886)	June 30, 1865 – November 29, 1865 (did not run)	Provisional governor appointed by President
73			James Lawrence Orr (1822–1873)	November 29, 1865 – July 9, 1868 (did not run)	Democratic	1865		Porter, William DennisonWilliam Dennison Porter
74			Robert Kingston Scott (1826–1900)	July 9, 1868 – December 3, 1872 (did not run)	Republican	1868		Boozer, LemuelLemuel Boozer
						1870		Ransier, Alonzo J.Alonzo J. Ransier
75			Franklin J. Moses Jr. (1838–1906)	December 3, 1872 – December 1, 1874 (lost nomination)	Republican	1872		Gleaves, Richard HowellRichard Howell Gleaves
76			Daniel Henry Chamberlain (1835–1907)	December 1, 1874 – April 11, 1877 (lost election)	Republican	1874
						1876
77			Wade Hampton III (1818–1902)	December 14, 1876 – February 26, 1879 (resigned)	Democratic			Simpson, William DunlapWilliam Dunlap Simpson
						1878
78			William Dunlap Simpson (1823–1890)	February 26, 1879 – September 1, 1880 (resigned)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
79			Thomas Bothwell Jeter (1827–1883)	September 1, 1880 – November 30, 1880 (successor took office)	Democratic	Succeeded from president pro tempore of the Senate
80			Johnson Hagood (1829–1898)	November 30, 1880 – December 5, 1882 (did not run)	Democratic	1880		Kennedy, John DobyJohn Doby Kennedy
81			Hugh Smith Thompson (1836–1904)	December 5, 1882 – July 10, 1886 (resigned)	Democratic	1882		Sheppard, John CalhounJohn Calhoun Sheppard
						1884
82			John Calhoun Sheppard (1850–1931)	July 10, 1886 – November 30, 1886 (lost nomination)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
83			John Peter Richardson III (1831–1899)	November 30, 1886 – December 4, 1890 (did not run)	Democratic	1886		Mauldin, William L.William L. Mauldin
						1888
84			Benjamin Tillman (1847–1918)	December 4, 1890 – December 4, 1894 (did not run)	Democratic	1890		Gary, EugeneEugene Gary
						1892		Timmerman, Washington HodgesWashington Hodges Timmerman
85			John Gary Evans (1863–1942)	December 4, 1894 – January 18, 1897 (did not run)	Democratic	1894
86			William Haselden Ellerbe (1862–1899)	January 18, 1897 – June 2, 1899 (died in office)	Democratic	1896		McSweeney, Miles BenjaminMiles Benjamin McSweeney
						1898
87			Miles Benjamin McSweeney (1855–1909)	June 2, 1899 – January 21, 1903 (did not run)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Scarborough, Robert B.Robert B. Scarborough
						1900
88			Duncan Clinch Heyward (1864–1943)	January 21, 1903 – January 15, 1907 (did not run)	Democratic	1902		Tillman, James H.James H. Tillman
						1904		Sloan, JohnJohn Sloan
89			Martin Frederick Ansel (1850–1945)	January 15, 1907 – January 17, 1911 (did not run)	Democratic	1906		McLeod, Thomas GordonThomas Gordon McLeod
						1908
90			Cole L. Blease (1868–1942)	January 17, 1911 – January 14, 1915 (resigned)	Democratic	1910		Smith, Charles AureliusCharles Aurelius Smith
						1912
91			Charles Aurelius Smith (1861–1916)	January 14, 1915 – January 19, 1915 (successor took office)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
92			Richard Irvine Manning III (1859–1931)	January 19, 1915 – January 21, 1919 (did not run)	Democratic	1914		Bethea, AndrewAndrew Bethea
						1916
93			Robert Archer Cooper (1874–1953)	January 21, 1919 – May 20, 1922 (resigned)	Democratic	1918		Lyles, J. T.J. T. Lyles
						1920		Harvey, Wilson GodfreyWilson Godfrey Harvey
94			Wilson Godfrey Harvey (1866–1932)	May 20, 1922 – January 16, 1923 (did not run)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
95			Thomas Gordon McLeod (1868–1932)	January 16, 1923 – January 18, 1927 (did not run)	Democratic	1922		Jackson, E. B.E. B. Jackson
						1924
96			John Gardiner Richards Jr. (1864–1941)	January 18, 1927 – January 20, 1931 (term-limited)	Democratic	1926		Butler, Thomas BothwellThomas Bothwell Butler (died)
							Vacant
97			Ibra Charles Blackwood (1878–1936)	January 20, 1931 – January 15, 1935 (term-limited)	Democratic	1930		Sheppard, James O.James O. Sheppard
98			Olin D. Johnston (1896–1965)	January 15, 1935 – January 17, 1939 (term-limited)	Democratic	1934		Harley, Joseph EmileJoseph Emile Harley
99			Burnet R. Maybank (1899–1954)	January 17, 1939 – November 4, 1941 (resigned)	Democratic	1938
100			Joseph Emile Harley (1880–1942)	November 4, 1941 – February 27, 1942 (died in office)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
—	Vacant			February 27, 1942 – March 2, 1942	—	Office vacant after death
101			Richard Manning Jefferies (1889–1964)	March 2, 1942 – January 19, 1943 (did not run)	Democratic	Succeeded from president pro tempore of the Senate
98			Olin D. Johnston (1896–1965)	January 19, 1943 – January 2, 1945 (resigned)	Democratic	1942		Williams, Ransome JudsonRansome Judson Williams
102			Ransome Judson Williams (1892–1970)	January 2, 1945 – January 21, 1947 (lost nomination)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
103			Strom Thurmond (1902–2003)	January 21, 1947 – January 16, 1951 (term-limited)	Democratic	1946		Timmerman Jr., George BellGeorge Bell Timmerman Jr.
104			James F. Byrnes (1882–1972)	January 16, 1951 – January 18, 1955 (term-limited)	Democratic	1950
105			George Bell Timmerman Jr. (1912–1994)	January 18, 1955 – January 20, 1959 (term-limited)	Democratic	1954		Hollings, FritzFritz Hollings
106			Fritz Hollings (1922–2019)	January 20, 1959 – January 15, 1963 (term-limited)	Democratic	1958		Maybank Jr., Burnet R.Burnet R. Maybank Jr.
107			Donald S. Russell (1906–1998)	January 15, 1963 – April 22, 1965 (resigned)	Democratic	1962		McNair, Robert EvanderRobert Evander McNair
108			Robert Evander McNair (1923–2007)	April 22, 1965 – January 19, 1971 (term-limited)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1966		West, John C.John C. West
109			John C. West (1922–2004)	January 19, 1971 – January 15, 1975 (term-limited)	Democratic	1970		Morris Jr., EarleEarle Morris Jr.
110			James B. Edwards (1927–2014)	January 15, 1975 – January 10, 1979 (term-limited)	Republican	1974		Harvey Jr., W. BrantleyW. Brantley Harvey Jr.
111			Richard Riley (b. 1933)	January 10, 1979 – January 14, 1987 (term-limited)	Democratic	1978		Stevenson, NancyNancy Stevenson
						1982		Daniel, Michael R.Michael R. Daniel
112			Carroll A. Campbell Jr. (1940–2005)	January 14, 1987 – January 11, 1995 (term-limited)	Republican	1986		Theodore, NickNick Theodore
						1990
113			David Beasley (b. 1957)	January 11, 1995 – January 13, 1999 (lost election)	Republican	1994		Peeler, BobBob Peeler
114			Jim Hodges (b. 1956)	January 13, 1999 – January 15, 2003 (lost election)	Democratic	1998
115			Mark Sanford (b. 1960)	January 15, 2003 – January 12, 2011 (term-limited)	Republican	2002		Bauer, AndréAndré Bauer
						2006
116			Nikki Haley (b. 1972)	January 12, 2011 – January 24, 2017 (resigned)	Republican	2010		Ard, KenKen Ard
								McConnell, Glenn F.Glenn F. McConnell
								McGill, YanceyYancey McGill
						2014		McMaster, HenryHenry McMaster
117			Henry McMaster (b. 1947)	January 24, 2017 – Incumbent	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Bryant, Kevin L.Kevin L. Bryant
						2018		Evette, PamelaPamela Evette
						2022

See also

• List of South Carolina state legislatures