List of governors of Tennessee

The governor of Tennessee is the head of government of the U.S. state of Tennessee.

Tennessee has had 50 governors, including the incumbent, Bill Lee.Office of the Governor Seven governors (John Sevier, William Carroll, Andrew Johnson, Robert Love Taylor, Gordon Browning, Frank G. Clement, and Buford Ellington) have served non-consecutive terms. This tally does not include William Blount (the territorial governor) or Robert L. Caruthers (who never took office), though the Blue Book includes them in its list of governors."Past Governors ," Tennessee Blue Book (2011–2012), pp. 547, 553. All governors are counted only once, regardless of number of terms served (e.g., John Sevier is considered the 1st governor, rather than the 1st and 3rd governor). The Blue Book does not include Edward H. East in its list of governors.

List of governors

Southwest Territory The Territory South of the Ohio River, commonly known as the Southwest Territory, was organized on May 26, 1790.

Throughout its 6-year history, Southwest Territory had only one governor appointed by the federal government, William Blount.

+ Governor of the Territory Southwest of the River OhioGovernorTerm in officeAppointed byWilliam BlountJune 8, 1790–March 28, 1796George Washington

State of Tennessee Southwest Territory was admitted to the Union as Tennessee on June 1, 1796.

The first constitution of Tennessee, enacted in 1796, set a term of two years for the governor and provided that no person could serve as governor for more than 6 years in any 8-year period.Jonathan M. Atkins. "William Carroll" in Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture (online edition). Accessed January 27, 2012. The term of office was lengthened to four years, without the possibility of consecutive terms, by constitutional amendments adopted in 1953. Under the current provisions of the state constitution, as amended in 1978, the governor is elected to a four-year term and may serve no more than two terms consecutively.

+ Governors of the State of TennesseeGovernorTerm in officePartyElectionLt. Governor1 John SevierMarch 30, 1796–September 23, 1801Democratic-Republican1796Office did not exist179717992Archibald RoaneSeptember 23, 1801–September 23, 1803Democratic-Republican18011John SevierSeptember 23, 1803–September 20, 1809Democratic-Republican1803180518073Willie BlountSeptember 20, 1809–September 27, 1815Democratic-Republican1809181118134Joseph McMinnSeptember 27, 1815–October 1, 1821Democratic-Republican1815181718195William CarrollOctober 1, 1821–October 1, 1827Democratic-Republican1821182318256Sam HoustonOctober 1, 1827–April 16, 1829Democratic18277William HallApril 16, 1829–October 1, 1829Democratic5William CarrollOctober 1, 1829–October 12, 1835Democratic1829183118338Newton CannonOctober 12, 1835Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 21st general assembly, 24, accessed July 6, 2023–October 14, 1839Whig183518379James K. PolkOctober 14, 1839Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 23rd general assembly, 30, accessed July 6, 2023–October 14, 1841Democratic183910James C. JonesOctober 14, 1841Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 24th general assembly, 78, accessed July 6, 2023–October 15, 1845Whig1841184311Aaron V. BrownOctober 15, 1845Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 26th general assembly, 102, accessed July 6, 2023–October 17, 1847Democratic184512Neill S. BrownOctober 17, 1847Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 27th general assembly, 77, accessed July 6, 2023–October 16, 1849Whig184713William TrousdaleOctober 16, 1849Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 28th general assembly, 104, accessed July 6, 2023–October 16, 1851Democratic184914William B. CampbellOctober 16, 1851Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 29th general assembly, 75, accessed July 6, 2023–October 17, 1853Whig185115Andrew JohnsonOctober 17, 1853Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 30th general assembly, 64, accessed July 6, 2023–November 3, 1857Democratic1853185516Isham G. HarrisNovember 3, 1857Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 32nd general assembly, 100, accessed July 6, 2023–March 12, 1862Democratic18571859186115Andrew JohnsonMarch 12, 1862–March 4, 1865—Edward H. EastMarch 4, 1865–April 5, 186517Parson BrownlowApril 5, 1865Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1865 general assembly, 19, accessed July 6, 2023–February 25, 1869Republican1865186718Dewitt Clinton SenterFebruary 25, 1869Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 35th general assembly, 309, accessed July 7, 2023–October 10, 1871Republican186919John C. BrownOctober 10, 1871Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 37th general assembly, 39, accessed July 7, 2023–January 18, 1875Democratic1870187220James D. PorterJanuary 18, 1875Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 39th general assembly, 120, accessed July 7, 2023–February 16, 1879Democratic1874187621Albert S. MarksFebruary 16, 1879Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 41st general assembly, 132, accessed July 7, 2023–January 17, 1881Democratic187822Alvin HawkinsJanuary 17, 1881Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 42nd general assembly, 162, accessed July 7, 2023–January 15, 1883Republican188023William B. BateJanuary 15, 1883Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 43rd general assembly, 184, accessed July 7, 2023–January 17, 1887Democratic1882188424Robert Love TaylorJanuary 17, 1887Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 45th general assembly, 185, accessed July 7, 2023–January 19, 1891Democratic1886188825John P. BuchananJanuary 19, 1891Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 47th general assembly, 58, accessed July 7, 2023–January 16, 1893Democratic189026Peter TurneyJanuary 16, 1893Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 48th general assembly, 95, accessed July 7, 2023–January 21, 1897Democratic1892189424Robert Love TaylorJanuary 21, 1897Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 50th general assembly, 170, accessed July 7, 2023–January 16, 1899Democratic189627Benton McMillinJanuary 16, 1899Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 51st general assembly, 85, accessed July 7, 2023–January 20, 1903Democratic1898190028James B. FrazierJanuary 20, 1903Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 53rd general assembly, 71, accessed July 7, 2023–March 27, 1905Democratic1902190429John I. CoxMarch 27, 1905–January 17, 1907Democratic30Malcolm R. PattersonJanuary 17, 1907Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 55th general assembly, 86, accessed July 7, 2023–January 25, 1911Democratic1906190831Ben W. HooperJanuary 25, 1911Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 57th general assembly, 118, accessed July 7, 2023–January 15, 1915Republican1910191232Thomas Clarke RyeJanuary 15, 1915Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 59th general assembly, 135, accessed July 7, 2023–January 15, 1919Democratic1914191633Albert H. RobertsJanuary 15, 1919Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 61st general assembly, 91, accessed July 7, 2023–January 15, 1921Democratic191834Alfred A. TaylorJanuary 15, 1921Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 62nd general assembly, 139, accessed July 7, 2023–January 16, 1923Republican192035Austin PeayJanuary 16, 1923–October 2, 1927Democratic19221924192636Henry Hollis HortonOctober 2, 1927–January 17, 1933Democratic1928193037Hill McAlisterJanuary 17, 1933Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 68th general assembly, 149, accessed July 7, 2023–January 15, 1937Democratic1932193438Gordon BrowningJanuary 15, 1937–January 16, 1939Democratic193639Prentice CooperJanuary 16, 1939–January 16, 1945Democratic19381940194240Jim Nance McCordJanuary 16, 1945Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 74th general assembly, 164, accessed July 7, 2023–January 17, 1949Democratic1944194638Gordon BrowningJanuary 17, 1949–January 15, 1953Democratic19481950 41Frank G. ClementJanuary 15, 1953–January 19, 1959Democratic1952195442Buford EllingtonJanuary 19, 1959Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 81st general assembly, 119, accessed July 7, 2023–January 15, 1963Democratic195841Frank G. ClementJanuary 15, 1963Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 83rd general assembly, 64, accessed July 7, 2023–January 16, 1967Democratic196242Buford EllingtonJanuary 16, 1967Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 85th general assembly, 64, accessed July 7, 2023–January 16, 1971Democratic196643Winfield DunnJanuary 16, 1971Tennessee General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 87th general assembly, 85, accessed July 7, 2023–January 18, 1975Republican197044Ray BlantonJanuary 18, 1975–January 17, 1979Democratic197445Lamar AlexanderJanuary 17, 1979–January 17, 1987Republican1978198246Ned McWherterJanuary 17, 1987–January 21, 1995Democratic1986199047Don SundquistJanuary 21, 1995–January 18, 2003Republican1994199848Phil BredesenJanuary 18, 2003–January 15, 2011Democratic2002200649Bill HaslamJanuary 15, 2011–January 19, 2019Republican2010201450Bill LeeJanuary 19, 2019–IncumbentRepublican20182022

See also

List of Tennessee General Assemblies

Notes

References General

Specific

External links Office of the Governor of Tennessee