List of governors of Tennessee

This is a list of people who have served as Governor of Tennessee.

Southwest Territory

The Territory South of the River Ohio, commonly called the Southwest Territory, was formed in 1790 from lands ceded by North Carolina to the United States government. The territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Tennessee in 1796.

Parties

Democratic-Republican

#	Picture	Governor (Birth–Death)		Term of Office	Party	State of Birth	Occupation	Notes
1			William Blount (1749–1800)	September 20, 1790 – March 30, 1796	Democratic-Republican	NC	Land speculator	^[1]

State of Tennessee

Parties

Democratic-Republican Democratic Whig Unionist/Military Republican

#^[2]		Term of Office	Party	State of Birth	Occupation	Lt. Governor		Notes
1	John Sevier (1745–1815)	March 30, 1796 – September 23, 1801	Democratic-Republican	VA	Soldier, farmer	None
2	Archibald Roane (1760–1819)	September 23, 1801 – September 23, 1803	Democratic-Republican	PA	Lawyer
1	John Sevier (1745–1815)	September 23, 1803 – September 20, 1809	Democratic-Republican	VA	Soldier, farmer
3	Willie Blount (1768–1835)	September 20, 1809 – September 27, 1815	Democratic-Republican	NC	Lawyer, planter
4	Joseph McMinn (1758–1824)	September 27, 1815 – October 1, 1821	Democratic-Republican	PA	Merchant
5	William Carroll (1788–1844)	October 1, 1821 – October 1, 1827	Democratic-Republican	PA	Merchant, soldier
6	Sam Houston (1793–1863)	October 1, 1827 – April 16, 1829	Democratic-Republican	VA	Lawyer
7	William Hall (1775–1856)	April 16, 1829 – October 1, 1829	Democratic	NC	Planter, soldier
5	William Carroll (1788–1844)	October 1, 1829 – October 12, 1835	Democratic	PA	Merchant, soldier
8	Newton Cannon (1781–1841)	October 12, 1835 – October 14, 1839	Whig	NC	Planter
9	James K. Polk (1795–1849)	October 14, 1839 – October 15, 1841	Democratic	NC	Lawyer, politician
10	James C. Jones (1809–1859)	October 15, 1841 – October 14, 1845	Whig	TN	Lawyer
11	Aaron V. Brown (1795–1859)	October 14, 1845 – October 17, 1847	Democratic	VA	Lawyer
12	Neill S. Brown (1810–1886)	October 17, 1847 – October 16, 1849	Whig	TN	Lawyer
13	William Trousdale (1790–1872)	October 16, 1849 – October 16, 1851	Democratic	NC	Lawyer
14	William B. Campbell (1807–1867)	October 16, 1851 – October 17, 1853	Whig	TN	Lawyer
15	Andrew Johnson (1808–1875)	October 17, 1853 – November 3, 1857	Democratic	NC	Tailor, lawyer, politician
16	Isham G. Harris (1818–1897)	November 3, 1857 – March 12, 1862	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, politician			^[3]
15	Andrew Johnson (1808–1875)	March 12, 1862 – March 4, 1865	Unionist/Military	NC	Lawyer, politician
—	Edward H. East (1830–1904)	March 4, 1865 – April 5, 1865	Republican	TN	Lawyer			^[4]
17	William G. Brownlow (1805–1877)	April 5, 1865 – February 25, 1869	Republican	VA	Editor, preacher
18	Dewitt Clinton Senter (1830–1898)	February 25, 1869 – October 10, 1871	Republican	TN	Lawyer
19	John C. Brown (1827–1889)	October 10, 1871 – January 18, 1875	Democratic	TN	Lawyer
20	James D. Porter (1828–1912)	January 18, 1875 – February 16, 1879	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, educator
21	Albert S. Marks (1836–1891)	February 16, 1879 – January 17, 1881	Democratic	KY	Lawyer, judge
22	Alvin Hawkins (1821–1905)	January 17, 1881 – January 15, 1883	Republican	KY	Lawyer, judge
23	William B. Bate (1826–1905)	January 15, 1883 – January 17, 1887	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, politician
24	Robert Love Taylor (1850–1912)	January 17, 1887 – January 19, 1891	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, politician
25	John P. Buchanan (1847–1930)	January 19, 1891 – January 16, 1893	Democratic	TN	Farmer
26	Peter Turney (1827–1903)	January 16, 1893 – January 21, 1897	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, judge
24	Robert Love Taylor (1850–1912)	January 21, 1897 – January 16, 1899	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, politician
27	Benton McMillin (1845–1933)	January 16, 1899 – January 19, 1903	Democratic	KY	Lawyer, diplomat
28	James B. Frazier (1856–1937)	January 19, 1903 – March 21, 1905	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, politician
29	John I. Cox (1855–1946)	March 21, 1905 – January 17, 1907	Democratic	TN	Lawyer
30	Malcolm R. Patterson (1861–1935)	January 17, 1907 – January 26, 1911	Democratic	AL	Lawyer, judge
31	Ben W. Hooper (1870–1957)	January 26, 1911 – January 17, 1915	Republican	TN	Lawyer
32	Thomas C. Rye (1863–1953)	January 17, 1915 – January 15, 1919	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, judge
33	Albert H. Roberts (1868–1946)	January 15, 1919 – January 15, 1921	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, judge
34	Alfred A. Taylor (1848–1931)	January 15, 1921 – January 16, 1923	Republican	TN	Lawyer
35	Austin Peay (1876–1927)	January 16, 1923 – October 3, 1927	Democratic	KY	Lawyer			^[5]
36	Henry Hollis Horton (1866–1934)	October 3, 1927 – January 17, 1933	Democratic	AL	Lawyer, farmer
37	Hill McAlister (1875–1959)	January 17, 1933 – January 15, 1937	Democratic	TN	Lawyer
38	Gordon Browning (1889–1976)	January 15, 1937 – January 16, 1939	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, judge
39	Prentice Cooper (1895–1969)	January 16, 1939 – January 16, 1945	Democratic	TN	Lawyer
40	Jim Nance McCord (1879–1968)	January 16, 1945 – January 16, 1949	Democratic	TN	Editor
38	Gordon Browning (1889–1976)	January 16, 1949 – January 15, 1953	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, judge
38	Gordon Browning (1889–1976)	January 16, 1949 – January 15, 1953	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, judge		Walter M. Haynes
41	Frank G. Clement (1920–1969)	January 15, 1953 – January 19, 1959	Democratic	TN	Lawyer		Jared Maddux
42	Buford Ellington (1907–1972)	January 19, 1959 – January 15, 1963	Democratic	MS	Farmer		William D. Baird
41	Frank G. Clement (1920–1969)	January 15, 1963 – January 16, 1967	Democratic	TN	Lawyer		James L. Bomar, Jr.
41	Frank G. Clement (1920–1969)	January 15, 1963 – January 16, 1967	Democratic	TN	Lawyer		Jared Maddux
42	Buford Ellington (1907–1972)	January 16, 1967 – January 16, 1971	Democratic	MS	Farmer		Frank Gorrell
43	Winfield Dunn (b. 1927)	January 16, 1971 – January 18, 1975	Republican	MS	Dentist		John S. Wilder
44	Ray Blanton (1930–1996)	January 18, 1975 – January 17, 1979	Democratic	TN	Farmer, businessman
45	Lamar Alexander (b. 1940)	January 20, 1979 – January 17, 1987	Republican	TN	Lawyer, politician
46	Ned McWherter (1930–2011)	January 17, 1987 – January 21, 1995	Democratic	TN	Businessman
47	Don Sundquist (b. 1936)	January 21, 1995 – January 18, 2003	Republican	IL	Businessman
48	Phil Bredesen (b. 1943)	January 18, 2003 – January 15, 2011	Democratic	NJ	Businessman
48	Phil Bredesen (b. 1943)	January 18, 2003 – January 15, 2011	Democratic	NJ	Businessman		Ron Ramsey
49	Bill Haslam (b. 1958)	January 15, 2011 – January 19, 2019	Republican	TN	Businessman		Ron Ramsey
49	Bill Haslam (b. 1958)	January 15, 2011 – January 19, 2019	Republican	TN	Businessman		Randy McNally
50	Bill Lee (b. 1959)	January 19, 2019 – present	Republican	TN	Businessman		Randy McNally

References

↑ Appointed governor by President George Washington
↑ Numbering of the Governors was deduced from the fact that the document at www.tn.gov/sos/bluebook/11-12/2_ExecutiveBranch.pdf identifies Bill Haslam as Tennessee's 49th Governor. Governors who served multiple non-consecutive terms have their numbers repeated in italics in subsequent terms.
↑ Harris continued issuing edicts as governor throughout the Civil War. Confederate Tennesseans elected Robert L. Caruthers as Harris's successor in 1863, but Caruthers never took office.
↑ East was Tennessee Secretary of State from 1862–1865, appointed by Andrew Johnson, the military governor of the state under Union occupation during the Civil War. After Johnson was inaugurated as Vice President of the United States on March 4, 1865, East became the Acting Governor of Tennessee until William G. Brownlow, the "elected" governor of Tennessee, was inaugurated on April 5, 1865. The official Tennessee Blue Book does not include East in its list of former governors.
↑ Peay was the only Governor of Tennessee to die in office, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Henry Horton.

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[1] Appointed governor by President George Washington

[2] Numbering of the Governors was deduced from the fact that the document at www.tn.gov/sos/bluebook/11-12/2_ExecutiveBranch.pdf identifies Bill Haslam as Tennessee's 49th Governor. Governors who served multiple non-consecutive terms have their numbers repeated in italics in subsequent terms.

[3] Harris continued issuing edicts as governor throughout the Civil War. Confederate Tennesseans elected Robert L. Caruthers as Harris's successor in 1863, but Caruthers never took office.

[4] East was Tennessee Secretary of State from 1862–1865, appointed by Andrew Johnson, the military governor of the state under Union occupation during the Civil War. After Johnson was inaugurated as Vice President of the United States on March 4, 1865, East became the Acting Governor of Tennessee until William G. Brownlow, the "elected" governor of Tennessee, was inaugurated on April 5, 1865. The official Tennessee Blue Book does not include East in its list of former governors.

[5] Peay was the only Governor of Tennessee to die in office, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Henry Horton.

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v t e State of Tennessee
Nashville (capital)
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