List of oldest living United States governors
The following are lists of the politicians who were or are the longest living and oldest still-living governors of each U.S. state. The current oldest living U.S. state governor is Al Quie (born September 18, 1923), aged 100 years, 257 days, Governor of Minnesota from 1979 to 1983. The second oldest living U.S. state governor is Jimmy Carter, aged 99 years, 244 days, Governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975. Albert Rosellini (1910–2011), the Governor of Washington from 1957 to 1965, lived the longest lifespan of any governor, having died at the age of 101 years, 262 days.
Territorial governors are included in italics.
Longest living U.S. governors
Start date | End date | Governor | State | Birth date | Gubernatorial term(s) | Party |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
October 28, 1786 | March 29, 1789 | Thomas Collins | Delaware | 1732 | 1786–1789 | No party |
March 29, 1789 | April 17, 1790 | Benjamin Franklin | Pennsylvania | January 17, 1706 | 1785–1788 | No party |
April 17, 1790 | July 25, 1790 | William Livingston | New Jersey | November 30, 1723 | 1776–1790 | Federalist |
July 25, 1790 | May 19, 1795 | Josiah Bartlett | New Hampshire | November 21, 1729 | 1790–1794 | Democratic-Republican |
May 19, 1795 | October 2, 1803 | Samuel Adams | Massachusetts | September 27, 1722 | 1794–1797 | Democratic-Republican |
October 2, 1803 | February 3, 1813 | Samuel Ashe | North Carolina | March 24, 1725 | 1795–1798 | Democratic-Republican |
February 3, 1813 | August 17, 1816 | Samuel Johnston | North Carolina | December 15, 1733 | 1787–1789 | Federalist |
August 17, 1816 | June 24, 1817 | Thomas McKean | Pennsylvania | March 19, 1734 | 1799–1808 | Democratic-Republican |
June 24, 1817 | September 18, 1819 | John Langdon | New Hampshire | June 26, 1741 | 1785–1786, 1788–1789, 1805–1809, 1810–1812, | Democratic-Republican |
September 18, 1819 | March 19, 1829 | John Tayler | New York | July 4, 1742 | 1817 | Democratic-Republican |
March 19, 1829 | May 17, 1829 | John Jay | New York | December 12, 1745 | 1795–1801 | Federalist |
May 17, 1829 | June 10, 1832 | Joseph Hiester | Pennsylvania | November 18, 1752 | 1820–1823 | Democratic-Republican |
June 10, 1832 | September 24, 1834 | Jonas Galusha | Vermont | February 11, 1753 | 1809–1813, 1815–1820 | Democratic-Republican |
September 24, 1834 | December 11, 1838 | Isaac Tichenor | Vermont | February 8, 1754 | 1797–1807, 1808–1809 | Federalist |
December 11, 1838 | April 7, 1844 | Morgan Lewis | New York | October 16, 1754 | 1804–1807 | Democratic-Republican |
April 7, 1844 | December 22, 1850 | William Plumer | New Hampshire | June 25, 1759 | 1812–1813, 1816–1819 | Democratic-Republican |
December 22, 1850 | December 25, 1862 | Joshua Hall | Maine | October 22, 1768 | 1830 | Democratic |
December 25, 1862 | October 16, 1869 | Joseph Ritner | Pennsylvania | March 25, 1780 | 1835–1839 | Anti-Masonic |
October 16, 1869 | February 3, 1870 | Allen Trimble | Ohio | November 24, 1783 | 1822, 1826–1830 | National Republican |
February 3, 1870 | October 10, 1870 | Mordecai Bartley | Ohio | December 16, 1783 | 1844–1846 | Whig |
October 10, 1870 | November 1, 1874 | Enos T. Throop | New York | August 21, 1784 | 1829–1832 | Democratic |
November 1, 1874 | February 27, 1877 | Joseph Johnson (Virginia politician)| Joseph Johnson | Virginia | December 19, 1785 | 1852–1856 | Democratic |
February 27, 1877 | December 18, 1885 | Hiland Hall | Vermont | July 20, 1795 | 1858–1860 | Republican |
December 18, 1885 | April 27, 1894 | Nathaniel S. Berry | New Hampshire | September 1, 1796 | 1861–1863 | Republican |
April 27, 1894 | June 13, 1896 | Alpheus Felch | Michigan | September 28, 1804 | 1846–1847 | Democratic |
June 13, 1896 | August 23, 1898 | Moody Currier | New Hampshire | April 22, 1806 | 1885–1887 | Republican |
August 23, 1898 | February 28, 1899 | James Madison Wells | Louisiana | January 8, 1808 | 1865–1867 | Republican |
February 28, 1899 | July 9, 1902 | William Marvin | Florida | April 14, 1808 | 1865 | Democratic |
July 9, 1902 | April 28, 1909 | Frederick Holbrook | Vermont | February 15, 1813 | 1861–1863 | Republican |
April 28, 1909 | February 3, 1912 | Frederick Robie | Maine | August 12, 1822 | 1885–1887 | Republican |
February 3, 1912 | June 4, 1912 | Royal C. Taft | Rhode Island | February 14, 1823 | 1888–1889 | Republican |
June 4, 1912 | January 8, 1914 | Simon Bolivar Buckner | Kentucky | April 1, 1823 | 1887–1891 | Democratic |
January 8, 1914 | May 16, 1920 | Levi P. Morton | New York | May 16, 1824 | 1895–1896 | Republican |
May 16, 1920 | April 4, 1923 | Horace Boies | Iowa | December 7, 1827 | 1890–1894 | Democratic |
April 4, 1923 | April 3, 1924 | Ebenezer J. Ormsbee | Vermont | June 8, 1834 | 1886–1888 | Republican |
April 3, 1924 | January 28, 1925 | Augustus O. Bourn | Rhode Island | October 1, 1834 | 1883–1885 | Republican |
January 28, 1925 | April 13, 1933 | Adelbert Ames | Mississippi | October 31, 1835 | 1868–1870, 1874–1876 | Republican |
April 13, 1933 | October 30, 1939 | Roswell K. Colcord | Nevada | April 25, 1839 | 1891–1895 | Republican |
October 30, 1939 | August 23, 1945 | Martin Frederick Ansel | South Carolina | December 12, 1850 | 1907–1911 | Democratic |
August 23, 1945 | September 5, 1946 | John I. Cox | Tennessee | November 23, 1855 | 1905–1907 | Democratic |
September 5, 1946 | April 11, 1949 | Chase Osborn | Michigan | January 22, 1860 | 1911–1913 | Republican |
April 11, 1949 | May 9, 1958 | Fenimore Chatterton | Wyoming | July 21, 1860 | 1903–1905 | Republican |
May 9, 1958 | August 12, 1958 | Augustus Owsley Stanley | Kentucky | May 21, 1867 | 1915–1919 | Democratic |
August 12, 1958 | May 19, 1966 | Theodore F. Green | Rhode Island | October 2, 1867 | 1933–1937 | Democratic |
May 19, 1966 | June 12, 1969 | Percival P. Baxter | Maine | November 22, 1876 | 1921–1925 | Republican |
June 12, 1969 | December 19, 1977 | Nellie Tayloe Ross | Wyoming | November 29, 1876 | 1925–1927 | Democratic |
December 19, 1977 | March 3, 1980 | Forrest C. Donnell | Missouri | August 20, 1884 | 1941–1945 | Republican |
March 3, 1980 | October 12, 1987 | Alf Landon | Kansas | September 9, 1887 | 1933–1937 | Republican |
October 12, 1987 | April 21, 1990 | Frank Lausche | Ohio | November 14, 1895 | 1945–1947, 1949–1957 | Democratic |
April 21, 1990 | June 11, 1993 | Milward Simpson | Wyoming | November 12, 1897 | 1955–1959 | Republican |
June 11, 1993 | October 20, 1996 | J. Bracken Lee | Utah | January 7, 1899 | 1949–1957 | Republican |
October 20, 1996 | November 5, 2000 | Jimmie Davis | Louisiana | September 11, 1899 | 1944–1948, 1960–1964 | Democratic |
November 5, 2000 | June 26, 2003 | Strom Thurmond | South Carolina | December 5, 1902 | 1947–1951 | Democratic |
June 26, 2003 | April 19, 2004 | Frank B. Morrison | Nebraska | May 20, 1905 | 1961–1967 | Democratic |
April 19, 2004 | November 15, 2004 | Elmer L. Andersen | Minnesota | June 17, 1909 | 1961–1963 | Republican |
November 15, 2004 | October 10, 2011 | Albert Rosellini | Washington | January 21, 1910 | 1957–1965 | Democratic |
October 10, 2011 | April 10, 2015 | Raúl Héctor Castro | Arizona | June 12, 1916 | 1975–1977 | Democratic |
April 10, 2015 | February 4, 2016 | Edgar Whitcomb | Indiana | November 6, 1917 | 1969–1973 | Republican |
February 4, 2016 | January 17, 2017 | David P. Buckson | Delaware | July 25, 1920 | 1960–1961 | Republican |
January 17, 2017 | June 4, 2021 | John M. Patterson | Alabama | September 27, 1921 | 1959–1963 | Democratic |
June 4, 2021 | present | Al Quie | Minnesota | September 18, 1923 | 1979–1983 | Independent-Republican |
Oldest living U.S. governors
These are the 100 oldest living United States governors, current or former. Territorial governors are included but not ranked.
- Key
Incumbent |
Rank | Governor | Date of birth | Gubernatorial term(s) | State | Party | Age (years, days) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Al Quie | September 18, 1923 | 1979–1983 | Minnesota | Independent-Republican | 100 years, 257 days |
2 | Jimmy Carter | October 1, 1924 | 1971–1975 | Georgia | Democratic | 99 years, 244 days |
3 | Ted Schwinden | August 31, 1925 | 1981–1989 | Montana | Democratic | 98 years, 275 days |
4 | Daniel J. Evans | October 16, 1925 | 1965–1977 | Washington | Republican | 98 years, 229 days |
5 | George Ariyoshi | March 12, 1926 | 1974–1986 | Hawaii | Democratic | 98 years, 81 days |
6 | Phil Batt | March 4, 1927 | 1995–1999 | Idaho | Republican | 97 years, 89 days |
7 | George Nigh | June 9, 1927 | 1963, 1979–1987 | Oklahoma | Democratic | 96 years, 358 days |
8 | Winfield Dunn | July 1, 1927 | 1971–1975 | Tennessee | Republican | 96 years, 336 days |
9 | Roy Romer | October 31, 1928 | 1987–1999 | Colorado | Democratic | 95 years, 214 days |
10 | Robert D. Fulton | May 13, 1929 | 1969 | Iowa | Democratic | 95 years, 19 days |
11 | Douglas Wilder | January 17, 1931 | 1990–1994 | Virginia | Democratic | 93 years, 136 days |
12 | Kenneth M. Curtis | February 8, 1931 | 1967–1975 | Maine | Democratic | 93 years, 114 days |
13 | Julian Carroll | April 16, 1931 | 1974–1979 | Kentucky | Democratic | 93 years, 46 days |
14 | Lowell Weicker | May 16, 1931 | 1991–1995 | Connecticut | A Connecticut Party | 93 years, 16 days |
15 | Philip Noel | June 6, 1931 | 1973–1977 | Rhode Island | Democratic | 92 years, 361 days |
16 | Thomas P. Salmon | August 19, 1932 | 1973–1977 | Vermont | Democratic | 91 years, 287 days |
17 | Richard Riley | January 2, 1933 | 1979–1987 | South Carolina | Democratic | 91 years, 151 days |
18 | Buddy MacKay | March 22, 1933 | 1998–1999 | Florida | Democratic | 91 years, 71 days |
19 | Frank Murkowski | March 28, 1933 | 2002–2006 | Alaska | Republican | 91 years, 65 days |
20 | Pete Wilson | August 23, 1933 | 1991–1999 | California | Republican | 90 years, 283 days |
21 | Madeleine Kunin | September 28, 1933 | 1985–1991 | Vermont | Democratic | 90 years, 247 days |
22 | Michael Dukakis | November 3, 1933 | 1975–1979, 1983–1991 | Massachusetts | Democratic | 90 years, 211 days |
23 | George Ryan | February 24, 1934 | 1999–2003 | Illinois | Republican | 90 years, 98 days |
24 | Edward D. DiPrete | July 8, 1934 | 1985–1991 | Rhode Island | Republican | 89 years, 329 days |
N/A | Paul McDonald Calvo | July 25, 1934 | 1979–1983 | Guam | Republican | 89 years, 312 days |
25 | David Pryor | August 29, 1934 | 1975–1979 | Arkansas | Democratic | 89 years, 277 days |
26 | Fob James | September 15, 1934 | 1979–1983, 1995–1999 | Alabama | Democratic/
Republican |
89 years, 260 days |
27 | Arne Carlson | September 24, 1934 | 1991–1999 | Minnesota | Independent-Republican/Republican | 89 years, 251 days |
28 | Jerry Apodaca | October 3, 1934 | 1975–1979 | New Mexico | Democratic | 89 years, 242 days |
29 | Joseph E. Brennan | November 2, 1934 | 1979–1987 | Maine | Democratic | 89 years, 212 days |
30 | Bob Martinez | December 25, 1934 | 1987–1991 | Florida | Republican | 89 years, 159 days |
31 | Thomas Kean | April 21, 1935 | 1982–1990 | New Jersey | Republican | 89 years, 41 days |
32 | James G. Martin | December 11, 1935 | 1985–1993 | North Carolina | Republican | 88 years, 173 days |
33 | Joe Frank Harris | February 16, 1936 | 1983–1991 | Georgia | Democratic | 88 years, 106 days |
34 | Don Sundquist | March 15, 1936 | 1995–2003 | Tennessee | Republican | 88 years, 78 days |
35 | Tony Earl | April 12, 1936 | 1983–1987 | Wisconsin | Democratic | 88 years, 50 days |
36 | Robert List | September 1, 1936 | 1979–1983 | Nevada | Republican | 87 years, 274 days |
37 | Bob Graham | November 9, 1936 | 1979–1987 | Florida | Democratic | 87 years, 205 days |
38 | Martha Layne Collins | December 7, 1936 | 1983–1987 | Kentucky | Democratic | 87 years, 177 days |
39 | Barbara Roberts | December 21, 1936 | 1991–1995 | Oregon | Democratic | 87 years, 163 days |
N/A | Carlos S. Camacho | February 27, 1937 | 1978–1982 | Northern Mariana Islands | Democratic | 87 years, 95 days |
40 | Jim Hunt | May 16, 1937 | 1977–1985, 1993–2001 | North Carolina | Democratic | 87 years, 16 days |
41 | Paul E. Patton | May 26, 1937 | 1995–2003 | Kentucky | Democratic | 87 years, 6 days |
42 | Jay Rockefeller | June 18, 1937 | 1977–1985 | West Virginia | Democratic | 86 years, 349 days |
43 | Richard Bryan | July 16, 1937 | 1983–1989 | Nevada | Democratic | 86 years, 321 days |
44 | Dick Celeste | November 11, 1937 | 1983–1991 | Ohio | Democratic | 86 years, 203 days |
45 | Jerry Brown | April 7, 1938 | 1975–1983, 2011–2019 | California | Democratic | 86 years, 55 days |
46 | Neil Abercrombie | June 26, 1938 | 2010–2014 | Hawaii | Democratic | 85 years, 341 days |
47 | Bruce Babbitt | June 27, 1938 | 1978–1987 | Arizona | Democratic | 85 years, 340 days |
48 | Steve Cowper | August 21, 1938 | 1986–1990 | Alaska | Democratic | 85 years, 285 days |
49 | Allen I. Olson | November 5, 1938 | 1981–1985 | North Dakota | Republican | 85 years, 209 days |
50 | Kay A. Orr | January 2, 1939 | 1987–1991 | Nebraska | Republican | 85 years, 151 days |
51 | Kit Bond | March 6, 1939 | 1973–1977, 1981–1985 | Missouri | Republican | 85 years, 87 days |
52 | Martin J. Schreiber | April 8, 1939 | 1977–1979 | Wisconsin | Democratic | 85 years, 54 days |
53 | Chuck Robb | June 26, 1939 | 1982–1986 | Virginia | Democratic | 84 years, 341 days |
54 | Brereton C. Jones | June 27, 1939 | 1991–1995 | Kentucky | Democratic | 84 years, 340 days |
55 / 56 | Mike Castle | July 2, 1939 | 1985–1992 | Delaware | Republican | 84 years, 335 days |
John H. Sununu | 1983–1989 | New Hampshire | Republican | |||
57 | Garrey Carruthers | August 29, 1939 | 1987–1991 | New Mexico | Republican | 84 years, 277 days |
58 | Mike Sullivan | September 22, 1939 | 1987–1995 | Wyoming | Democratic | 84 years, 253 days |
59 | Ben Cayetano | November 14, 1939 | 1994–2002 | Hawaii | Democratic | 84 years, 200 days |
60 | Gaston Caperton | February 21, 1940 | 1989–1997 | West Virginia | Democratic | 84 years, 101 days |
61 | Neil Goldschmidt | June 16, 1940 | 1987–1991 | Oregon | Democratic | 83 years, 351 days |
62 | Lamar Alexander | July 3, 1940 | 1979–1987 | Tennessee | Republican | 83 years, 334 days |
63 | John W. Carlin | August 3, 1940 | 1979–1987 | Kansas | Democratic | 83 years, 303 days |
64 | Ted Kulongoski | November 5, 1940 | 2003–2011 | Oregon | Democratic | 83 years, 209 days |
65 | David Boren | April 21, 1941 | 1975–1979 | Oklahoma | Democratic | 83 years, 41 days |
66 | Toney Anaya | April 29, 1941 | 1983–1987 | New Mexico | Democratic | 83 years, 33 days |
67 | Ben Nelson | May 17, 1941 | 1991–1999 | Nebraska | Democratic | 83 years, 15 days |
68 | Ted Strickland | August 4, 1941 | 2007–2011 | Ohio | Democratic | 82 years, 302 days |
N/A | Carl Gutierrez | October 15, 1941 | 1995–2003 | Guam | Democratic | 82 years, 230 days |
69 | Tommy Thompson | November 19, 1941 | 1987–2001 | Wisconsin | Republican | 82 years, 195 days |
70 | Bob Taft | January 8, 1942 | 1999–2007 | Ohio | Republican | 82 years, 144 days |
71 | Butch Otter | May 3, 1942 | 2007–2019 | Idaho | Republican | 82 years, 29 days |
72 | John Ashcroft | May 9, 1942 | 1985–1993 | Missouri | Republican | 82 years, 23 days |
73 | Parris Glendening | June 11, 1942 | 1995–2003 | Maryland | Democratic | 81 years, 356 days |
74 | James Blanchard | August 8, 1942 | 1983–1991 | Michigan | Democratic | 81 years, 298 days |
75 | Nathan Deal | August 25, 1942 | 2011–2019 | Georgia | Republican | 81 years, 281 days |
N/A | Sila María Calderón | September 23, 1942 | 2001–2005 | Puerto Rico | Popular Democratic | 81 years, 252 days |
76 | Donald Carcieri | December 16, 1942 | 2003–2011 | Rhode Island | Republican | 81 years, 168 days |
77 | Gray Davis | December 26, 1942 | 1999–2003 | California | Democratic | 81 years, 158 days |
78 | Tony Knowles | January 1, 1943 | 1994–2002 | Alaska | Democratic | 81 years, 152 days |
79 | Robert J. Bentley | February 3, 1943 | 2011–2017 | Alabama | Republican | 81 years, 119 days |
80 | Jim Risch | May 3, 1943 | 2006–2007 | Idaho | Republican | 81 years, 29 days |
N/A | Ralph D. Hough | May 21, 1943 | 1993 | New Hampshire | Republican | 81 years, 11 days |
81 | Jim Guy Tucker | June 13, 1943 | 1992–1996 | Arkansas | Democratic | 80 years, 354 days |
82 | Bob Kerrey | August 27, 1943 | 1983–1987 | Nebraska | Democratic | 80 years, 279 days |
83 | Phil Bredesen | November 21, 1943 | 2003–2011 | Tennessee | Democratic | 80 years, 193 days |
N/A | Joseph Franklin Ada | December 3, 1943 | 1987–1995 | Guam | Republican | 80 years, 181 days |
84 | Ed Rendell | January 5, 1944 | 2003–2011 | Pennsylvania | Democratic | 80 years, 148 days |
85 | Frank Keating | February 10, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Oklahoma | Republican | 80 years, 112 days |
86 | Mike Hayden | March 16, 1944 | 1987–1991 | Kansas | Republican | 80 years, 77 days |
87 | Angus King | March 31, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Maine | Independent | 80 years, 62 days |
N/A | Pedro Rosselló | April 5, 1944 | 1993–2001 | Puerto Rico | New Progressive | 80 years, 57 days |
88 | Jim Geringer | April 24, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Wyoming | Republican | 80 years, 38 days |
89 | Steve Beshear | September 21, 1944 | 2007–2015 | Kentucky | Democratic | 79 years, 254 days |
90 | Jan Brewer | September 26, 1944 | 2009–2015 | Arizona | Republican | 79 years, 249 days |
91 | Bob Riley | October 3, 1944 | 2003–2011 | Alabama | Republican | 79 years, 242 days |
92 | Kay Ivey | October 15, 1944 | 2017–present | Alabama | Republican | 79 years, 230 days |
93 | Donald DiFrancesco | November 20, 1944 | 2001–2002 | New Jersey | Republican | 79 years, 194 days |
94 | Jim Gibbons | December 16, 1944 | 2007–2011 | Nevada | Republican | 79 years, 168 days |
95 | Bob Miller | March 30, 1945 | 1989–1999 | Nevada | Democratic | 79 years, 63 days |
96 | George Pataki | June 24, 1945 | 1995–2006 | New York | Republican | 78 years, 343 days |
97 | Bill Weld | July 31, 1945 | 1991–1997 | Massachusetts | Republican | 78 years, 306 days |
98 | Fife Symington | August 12, 1945 | 1991–1997 | Arizona | Republican | 78 years, 294 days |
99 | Tom Ridge | August 26, 1945 | 1995–2001 | Pennsylvania | Republican | 78 years, 280 days |
100 | Jim Doyle | November 23, 1945 | 2003–2011 | Wisconsin | Democratic | 78 years, 191 days |