List of governors of Maryland facts for kids
The governor of Maryland heads the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Maryland and is commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor is the highest-ranking official in the state, and the constitutional powers of Maryland's governors make them among the most powerful governors in the United States.
List of Governors
Federalist (8) Democratic-Republican (9) Anti-Jacksonian (3) Jacksonian (1) Whig (3) Democratic (28) Constitutional Union (1) Republican (9) |
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Governor | Term in office | Party | Term | Previous office | Lieutenant governor | |||||
1 | ![]() |
Thomas Johnson November 4, 1732 – October 26, 1819
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March 21, 1777 – November 12, 1779 |
Independent | 1 (1777) |
Continental Congress (1774–1775) |
None | |||
2 (1778) |
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2 | ![]() |
Thomas Sim Lee October 29, 1745 – November 9, 1819
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November 12, 1779 – November 22, 1782 |
Independent | 3 (1779) |
Governor's Executive Council (1777–1779) |
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4 (1780) |
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5 (1781) |
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3 | ![]() |
William Paca October 31, 1740 – October 13, 1799
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November 22, 1782 – November 26, 1785 |
Independent | 6 (1782) |
Maryland State Senator (1777–1779) |
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7 (1783) |
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8 (1784) |
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4 | ![]() |
William Smallwood 1732 – February 14, 1792
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November 26, 1785 – November 24, 1788 |
Independent | 9 (1785) |
Colonel Continental Army Maryland State Delegate |
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10 (1786) |
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11 (1787) |
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5 | ![]() |
John Eager Howard June 4, 1752 – October 12, 1827
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November 24, 1788 – November 14, 1791 |
Federalist | 12 (1788) |
Captain Continental Army Continental Congress |
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13 (1789) |
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14 (1790) |
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6 | ![]() |
George Plater November 8, 1735 – February 10, 1792
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November 14, 1791 – February 10, 1792 |
Federalist | 15 (1791) |
Maryland State Senator (1777–1790) |
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James Brice August 26, 1746 – July 11, 1801
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February 10, 1792 – April 5, 1792 |
Federalist | Mayor of Annapolis
(1782–1783; 1787–1788) |
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2 | ![]() |
Thomas Sim Lee October 29, 1745 – November 9, 1819
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April 5, 1792 – November 14, 1794 |
Federalist | 16 (1792) |
Governor of Maryland (1779–1782) Continental Congress |
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17 (1793) |
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7 | ![]() |
John Hoskins Stone 1750 – October 5, 1804
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November 14, 1794 – November 17, 1797 |
Federalist | 18 (1794) |
Maryland State Delegate (1790) |
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19 (1795) |
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20 (1796) |
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8 | John Henry November 1750 – December 16, 1798
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November 17, 1797 – November 14, 1798 |
Democratic-Republican | 21 (1797) |
Maryland State Senator (1789–1797) |
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9 | Benjamin Ogle January 27, 1749 – July 7, 1809
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November 14, 1798 – November 10, 1801 |
Federalist | 22 (1798) |
None | |||||
23 (1799) |
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24 (1800) |
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10 | ![]() |
John F. Mercer May 17, 1759 – July 30, 1821
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November 10, 1801 – November 13, 1803 |
Democratic-Republican | 25 (1801) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 2nd (1793–1794) |
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26 (1802) |
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11 | ![]() |
Robert Bowie March 1750 – January 8, 1818
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November 15, 1803 – November 10, 1806 |
Democratic-Republican | 27 (1803) |
Maryland State Delegate (1801–1803) |
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28 (1804) |
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29 (1805) |
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12 | ![]() |
Robert Wright November 20, 1752 – September 7, 1826
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November 12, 1806 – June 9, 1809 |
Democratic-Republican | 30 (1806) |
U.S. Senator from Maryland (1801–1806) |
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31 (1807) |
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32 (1808) |
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13 | ![]() |
Edward Lloyd V July 22, 1779 – June 2, 1834
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June 9, 1809 – November 16, 1811 |
Democratic-Republican | 33 (1809) |
Maryland State Delegate (1800–1805) |
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34 (1810) |
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14 | ![]() |
Levin Winder September 4, 1757 – July 1, 1819
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November 25, 1812 – January 2, 1816 |
Federalist | 36 (1812) |
Maryland State Delegate (1806–1809) |
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37 (1813) |
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38 (1814) |
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15 | ![]() |
Charles Carnan Ridgely December 6, 1760 – July 17, 1829
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January 2, 1816 – January 8, 1819 |
Federalist | 39 (1816) |
Maryland State Senator (1796–1800) |
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40 (1817) |
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41 (1818) |
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16 | ![]() |
Charles Goldsborough July 15, 1765 – December 13, 1834
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January 8, 1819 – December 20, 1819 |
Federalist | 42 (1819) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 8th (1805–1817) |
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17 | ![]() |
Samuel Sprigg 1783 – April 21, 1855
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December 20, 1819 – December 16, 1822 |
Democratic-Republican | 43 (1819) |
None | ||||
44 (1820) |
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45 (1821) |
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18 | ![]() |
Samuel Stevens Jr. July 13, 1778 – February 7, 1860
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December 16, 1822 – January 9, 1826 |
Democratic-Republican | 46 (1822) |
Maryland State Delegate (1819–1820) |
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47 (1823) |
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48 (1824) |
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19 | ![]() |
Joseph Kent January 14, 1779 – November 24, 1837
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January 9, 1826 – January 15, 1829 |
Democratic-Republican | 49 (1826) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 2nd (1819–1826) |
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50 (1827) |
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51 (1828) |
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20 | ![]() |
Daniel Martin December 1780 – July 11, 1831
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January 15, 1829 – January 15, 1830 |
Anti-Jacksonian | 52 (1829) |
Maryland State Delegate (1819–1820) |
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21 | ![]() |
Thomas King Carroll April 29, 1793 – October 3, 1873
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January 15, 1830 – January 13, 1831 |
Jacksonian | 53 (1830) |
Maryland State Delegate (1816–1817) |
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20 | ![]() |
Daniel Martin December 1780 – July 11, 1831
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January 13, 1831 – July 11, 1831 |
Anti-Jacksonian | 54 (1831) |
Maryland State Delegate (1819–1820) |
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22 | ![]() |
George Howard November 21, 1789 – August 2, 1846
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July 11, 1831 – January 17, 1833 |
Anti-Jacksonian | None | |||||
55 (1832) |
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23 | ![]() |
James Thomas March 11, 1785 – December 25, 1845
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January 17, 1833 – January 14, 1836 |
Whig | 56 (1833) |
Maryland State Senator (1826–1831) |
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57 (1834) |
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58 (1835) |
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24 | ![]() |
Thomas Veazey January 31, 1774 – July 1, 1842
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January 14, 1836 – January 7, 1839 |
Whig | 59 (1836) |
Maryland State Delegate (1811–1812) |
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60 (1837) |
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61 (1838) |
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25 | ![]() |
William Grason March 11, 1788 – July 2, 1868
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January 7, 1839 – January 3, 1842 |
Democratic | 62 (1838) |
Maryland State Delegate (1837) |
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26 | ![]() |
Francis Thomas February 3, 1799 – January 22, 1876
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January 3, 1842 – January 6, 1845 |
Democratic | 63 (1841) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 6th (1835–1841) |
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27 | ![]() |
Thomas Pratt February 18, 1804 – November 9, 1869
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January 6, 1845 – January 3, 1848 |
Whig | 64 (1844) |
Maryland State Delegate (1832–1835) |
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28 | ![]() |
Philip F. Thomas September 12, 1810 – October 2, 1890
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January 3, 1848 – January 6, 1851 |
Democratic | 65 (1847) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 1st (1839–1841) |
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29 | Enoch Lowe August 10, 1820 – August 23, 1892
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January 6, 1851 – January 11, 1854 |
Democratic | 66 (1850) |
Maryland State Delegate (1845) |
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30 | ![]() |
Thomas Watkins Ligon May 10, 1810 – January 12, 1881
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January 11, 1854 – January 13, 1858 |
Democratic | 67 (1853) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 3rd (1845–1849) |
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31 | ![]() |
Thomas H. Hicks September 2, 1798 – February 14, 1865
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January 13, 1858 – January 8, 1862 |
Constitutional Union | 68 (1857) |
Maryland State Delegate (1830–1836) |
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32 | ![]() |
Augustus Bradford January 9, 1806 – March 1, 1881
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January 8, 1862 – January 10, 1866 |
Republican | N/A | Baltimore County Clerk of Courts (1845–1851) |
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33 | ![]() |
Thomas Swann March 3, 1809 – July 24, 1883
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January 10, 1866 – January 13, 1869 |
Republican | Mayor of Baltimore (1856–1860) |
Christopher C. Cox | ||||
34 | ![]() |
Oden Bowie November 10, 1826 – December 4, 1894
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January 13, 1869 – January 10, 1872 |
Democratic | 69 (1867) |
Maryland State Senator (1867–1869) |
None | |||
35 | William Pinkney Whyte August 9, 1824 – March 17, 1908
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January 10, 1872 – March 4, 1874 |
Democratic | 70 (1871) |
U.S. Senator from Maryland (1868–1869) |
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36 | ![]() |
James Black Groome April 4, 1838 – October 5, 1893
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March 4, 1874 – January 12, 1876 |
Democratic | Maryland State Delegate (1872–1874) |
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37 | ![]() |
John Lee Carroll September 30, 1830 – February 27, 1911
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January 12, 1876 – January 14, 1880 |
Democratic | 71 (1875) |
Maryland State Senator (1867–1876) |
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38 | ![]() |
William T. Hamilton September 8, 1820 – October 26, 1888
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January 14, 1880 – January 9, 1884 |
Democratic | 72 (1879) |
U.S. Senator from Maryland (1869–1875) |
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39 | ![]() |
Robert Milligan McLane June 23, 1815 – April 16, 1898
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January 9, 1884 – March 27, 1885 |
Democratic | 73 (1883) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 4th (1879–1883) |
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40 | ![]() |
Henry Lloyd February 21, 1852 – December 20, 1920
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March 27, 1885 – January 11, 1888 |
Democratic | Maryland State Senator (1882–1885) |
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41 | ![]() |
Elihu Emory Jackson November 3, 1837 – December 27, 1907
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January 11, 1888 – January 13, 1892 |
Democratic | 74 (1887) |
Maryland State Senator (1884–1886) |
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42 | ![]() |
Frank Brown August 8, 1846 – February 3, 1920
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January 13, 1892 – January 8, 1896 |
Democratic | 75 (1891) |
Maryland State Delegate (1876–1878) |
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43 | ![]() |
Lloyd Lowndes Jr. February 21, 1845 – January 8, 1905
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January 8, 1896 – January 10, 1900 |
Republican | 76 (1895) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 6th (1873–1875) |
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44 | ![]() |
John W. Smith February 5, 1845 – April 19, 1925
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January 10, 1900 – January 13, 1904 |
Democratic | 77 (1899) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 1st (1899–1900) |
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45 | ![]() |
Edwin Warfield May 7, 1848 – March 31, 1920
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January 13, 1904 – January 8, 1908 |
Democratic | 78 (1903) |
Maryland State Senator (1881–1887) |
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46 | ![]() |
Austin Lane Crothers May 17, 1860 – May 25, 1912
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January 8, 1908 – January 10, 1912 |
Democratic | 79 (1907) |
Maryland State Delegate (1897–1900) |
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47 | Phillips Lee Goldsborough August 6, 1865 – October 22, 1946
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January 10, 1912 – January 12, 1916 |
Republican | 80 (1911) |
Comptroller of Maryland (1898–1900) |
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48 | ![]() |
Emerson Harrington March 26, 1864 – December 15, 1945
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January 12, 1916 – January 14, 1920 |
Democratic | 81 (1915) |
Comptroller of Maryland (1912–1916) |
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49 | ![]() |
Albert Ritchie August 29, 1876 – February 24, 1936
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January 14, 1920 – January 9, 1935 |
Democratic | 82 (1919) |
Attorney General of Maryland (1915–1919) |
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83 (1923) |
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84 (1926) |
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85 (1930) |
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50 | ![]() |
Harry Nice December 5, 1877 – February 25, 1941
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January 9, 1935 – January 11, 1939 |
Republican | 86 (1934) |
Baltimore City Alderman (1903–1905) |
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51 | ![]() |
Herbert O'Conor November 17, 1896 – March 4, 1960
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January 11, 1939 – January 3, 1947 |
Democratic | 87 (1938) |
Attorney General of Maryland (1935–1939) |
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88 (1942) |
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52 | William Preston Lane Jr. May 12, 1892 – February 7, 1967
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January 3, 1947 – January 10, 1951 |
Democratic | 89 (1946) |
Attorney General of Maryland (1930–1934) |
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53 | ![]() |
Theodore Roosevelt McKeldin November 20, 1900 – August 10, 1974
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January 10, 1951 – January 14, 1959 |
Republican | 90 (1950) |
Mayor of Baltimore (1943–1947) |
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91 (1954) |
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54 | ![]() |
John Millard Tawes April 8, 1894 – June 25, 1979
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January 14, 1959 – January 25, 1967 |
Democratic | 92 (1958) |
Comptroller of Maryland (1950–1959) |
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93 (1962) |
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55 | ![]() |
Spiro T. Agnew November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996
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January 25, 1967 – January 7, 1969 |
Republican | 94 (1966) |
Baltimore County Executive (1962–1966) |
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56 | Marvin Mandel April 19, 1920 – August 30, 2015
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January 7, 1969 – January 17, 1979 |
Democratic | 95 (1969) |
Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates (1964–1969) |
Blair Lee III | ||||
96 (1970) |
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97 (1974) |
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Blair Lee III May 19, 1916 – October 25, 1985
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June 4, 1977 – January 15, 1979 |
Democratic | Lieutenant Governor of Maryland (1971–1979) |
Blair Lee III
(Continued to serve as Lieutenant Governor while Acting Governor) |
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57 | ![]() |
Harry Hughes November 13, 1926 – March 13, 2019
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January 17, 1979 – January 20, 1987 |
Democratic | 98 (1978) |
Maryland State Senator (1959–1971) |
Samuel Bogley | |||
99 (1982) |
J. Joseph Curran Jr. | |||||||||
58 | ![]() |
William Donald Schaefer November 2, 1921 – April 18, 2011
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January 20, 1987 – January 18, 1995 |
Democratic | 100 (1986) |
Mayor of Baltimore (1971–1987) |
Melvin Steinberg | |||
101 (1990) |
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59 | ![]() |
Parris N. Glendening June 11, 1942 (Age 79) |
January 18, 1995 – January 15, 2003 |
Democratic | 102 (1994) |
Prince George's County Executive (1983–1994) |
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend | |||
103 (1998) |
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60 | ![]() |
Robert (Bob) Ehrlich Jr. November 25, 1957 (Age 64) |
January 15, 2003 – January 17, 2007 |
Republican | 104 (2002) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 2nd (1995–2003) |
Michael Steele | |||
61 | ![]() |
Martin O'Malley January 18, 1963 (Age 59) |
January 17, 2007 – January 21, 2015 |
Democratic | 105 (2006) |
Mayor of Baltimore (1999–2007) |
Anthony G. Brown | |||
106 (2010) |
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62 | ![]() |
Lawrence (Larry) Hogan Jr. May 25, 1956 (Age 66) |
January 21, 2015 – Incumbent |
Republican | 107 (2014) |
Maryland Secretary of Appointments (2003–2007) |
Boyd Rutherford | |||
108 (2018) |