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 101 years, 43 days, Governor of Minnesota from 1979 to 1983. The second oldest living U.S. state governor is Jimmy Carter, aged 100 years, 30 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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
December 7, 1787 | December 12, 1787 | Thomas Collins | Delaware | 1732 | 1786–1789 | No party |
December 12, 1787 | 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 | October 8, 1793 | Josiah Bartlett | New Hampshire | November 21, 1729 | 1790–1794 | Democratic-Republican |
October 8, 1793 | October 2, 1803 | Samuel Adams | Massachusetts | September 27, 1722 | 1794–1797 | Democratic-Republican |
October 2, 1803 | February 13, 1813 | Samuel Ashe | North Carolina | March 24, 1725 | 1795–1798 | Democratic-Republican |
February 13, 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 | 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 27, 1909 | Frederick Holbrook | Vermont | February 15, 1813 | 1861–1863 | Republican |
April 27, 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 12, 1933 | Adelbert Ames | Mississippi | October 31, 1835 | 1868–1870, 1874–1876 | Republican |
April 12, 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 6, 1946 | John I. Cox | Tennessee | November 23, 1855 | 1905–1907 | Democratic |
September 6, 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 Proctor 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 10, 1993 | Milward Simpson | Wyoming | November 12, 1897 | 1955–1959 | Republican |
June 10, 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 | Lifespan |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Al Quie | September 18, 1923 | 1979–1983 | Minnesota | Independent-Republican | 101 years, 43 days |
2 | Jimmy Carter | October 1, 1924 | 1971–1975 | Georgia | Democratic | 100 years, 30 days |
3 | Ted Schwinden | August 31, 1925 | 1981–1989 | Montana | Democratic | 99 years, 61 days |
4 | Daniel J. Evans | October 16, 1925 | 1965–1977 | Washington | Republican | 99 years, 15 days |
5 | George Ariyoshi | March 12, 1926 | 1974–1986 | Hawaii | Democratic | 98 years, 233 days |
6 | Phil Batt | March 4, 1927 | 1995–1999 | Idaho | Republican | 97 years, 241 days |
7 | George Nigh | June 9, 1927 | 1963, 1979–1987 | Oklahoma | Democratic | 97 years, 144 days |
8 | Winfield Dunn | July 1, 1927 | 1971–1975 | Tennessee | Republican | 97 years, 122 days |
9 | Bill Sheffield | June 26, 1928 | 1982–1986 | Alaska | Democratic | 96 years, 127 days |
10 | Roy Romer | October 31, 1928 | 1987–1999 | Colorado | Democratic | 96 years, 0 days |
11 | Robert D. Fulton | May 13, 1929 | 1969 | Iowa | Democratic | 95 years, 171 days |
12 | Douglas Wilder | January 17, 1931 | 1990–1994 | Virginia | Democratic | 93 years, 288 days |
13 | Kenneth M. Curtis | February 8, 1931 | 1967–1975 | Maine | Democratic | 93 years, 266 days |
14 | Julian Carroll | April 16, 1931 | 1974–1979 | Kentucky | Democratic | 93 years, 198 days |
15 | Lowell Weicker | May 16, 1931 | 1991–1995 | Connecticut | A Connecticut Party | 93 years, 168 days |
16 | Philip Noel | June 6, 1931 | 1973–1977 | Rhode Island | Democratic | 93 years, 147 days |
17 | Thomas P. Salmon | August 19, 1932 | 1973–1977 | Vermont | Democratic | 92 years, 73 days |
18 | Richard Riley | January 2, 1933 | 1979–1987 | South Carolina | Democratic | 91 years, 303 days |
19 | Buddy MacKay | March 22, 1933 | 1998–1999 | Florida | Democratic | 91 years, 223 days |
20 | Frank Murkowski | March 28, 1933 | 2002–2006 | Alaska | Republican | 91 years, 217 days |
21 | Pete Wilson | August 23, 1933 | 1991–1999 | California | Republican | 91 years, 69 days |
22 | Madeleine Kunin | September 28, 1933 | 1985–1991 | Vermont | Democratic | 91 years, 33 days |
23 | Michael Dukakis | November 3, 1933 | 1975–1979, 1983–1991 | Massachusetts | Democratic | 90 years, 363 days |
24 | John Y. Brown Jr. | December 28, 1933 | 1979–1983 | Kentucky | Democratic | 90 years, 308 days |
25 | George Ryan | February 24, 1934 | 1999–2003 | Illinois | Republican | 90 years, 250 days |
26 | Edward D. DiPrete | July 8, 1934 | 1985–1991 | Rhode Island | Republican | 90 years, 115 days |
N/A | Paul McDonald Calvo | July 25, 1934 | 1979–1983 | Guam | Republican | 90 years, 98 days |
27 | David Pryor | August 29, 1934 | 1975–1979 | Arkansas | Democratic | 90 years, 63 days |
28 | Fob James | September 15, 1934 | 1979–1983, 1995–1999 | Alabama | Democratic/
Republican |
90 years, 46 days |
29 | Arne Carlson | September 24, 1934 | 1991–1999 | Minnesota | Independent-Republican/Republican | 90 years, 37 days |
30 | Jerry Apodaca | October 3, 1934 | 1975–1979 | New Mexico | Democratic | 90 years, 28 days |
31 | Joseph E. Brennan | November 2, 1934 | 1979–1987 | Maine | Democratic | 89 years, 364 days |
32 | Bob Martinez | December 25, 1934 | 1987–1991 | Florida | Republican | 89 years, 311 days |
33 | Thomas Kean | April 21, 1935 | 1982–1990 | New Jersey | Republican | 89 years, 193 days |
34 | Harvey L. Wollman | May 14, 1935 | 1978–1979 | South Dakota | Democratic | 89 years, 170 days |
35 | James G. Martin | December 11, 1935 | 1985–1993 | North Carolina | Republican | 88 years, 325 days |
36 | Joe Frank Harris | February 16, 1936 | 1983–1991 | Georgia | Democratic | 88 years, 258 days |
37 | Don Sundquist | March 15, 1936 | 1995–2003 | Tennessee | Republican | 88 years, 230 days |
38 | Tony Earl | April 12, 1936 | 1983–1987 | Wisconsin | Democratic | 88 years, 202 days |
39 | Lincoln Almond | June 16, 1936 | 1995–2003 | Rhode Island | Republican | 88 years, 137 days |
40 | Robert List | September 1, 1936 | 1979–1983 | Nevada | Republican | 88 years, 60 days |
41 | Bob Graham | November 9, 1936 | 1979–1987 | Florida | Democratic | 87 years, 357 days |
42 | Martha Layne Collins | December 7, 1936 | 1983–1987 | Kentucky | Democratic | 87 years, 329 days |
43 | Barbara Roberts | December 21, 1936 | 1991–1995 | Oregon | Democratic | 87 years, 315 days |
N/A | Carlos S. Camacho | February 27, 1937 | 1978–1982 | Northern Mariana Islands | Democratic | 87 years, 247 days |
44 | Jim Hunt | May 16, 1937 | 1977–1985, 1993–2001 | North Carolina | Democratic | 87 years, 168 days |
45 | Paul E. Patton | May 26, 1937 | 1995–2003 | Kentucky | Democratic | 87 years, 158 days |
46 | Jay Rockefeller | June 18, 1937 | 1977–1985 | West Virginia | Democratic | 87 years, 135 days |
47 | Richard Bryan | July 16, 1937 | 1983–1989 | Nevada | Democratic | 87 years, 107 days |
48 | James Florio | August 29, 1937 | 1990–1994 | New Jersey | Democratic | 87 years, 63 days |
49 | Dick Celeste | November 11, 1937 | 1983–1991 | Ohio | Democratic | 86 years, 355 days |
50 | Jerry Brown | April 7, 1938 | 1975–1983, 2011–2019 | California | Democratic | 86 years, 207 days |
51 | Neil Abercrombie | June 26, 1938 | 2010–2014 | Hawaii | Democratic | 86 years, 127 days |
52 | Bruce Babbitt | June 27, 1938 | 1978–1987 | Arizona | Democratic | 86 years, 126 days |
53 | Steve Cowper | August 21, 1938 | 1986–1990 | Alaska | Democratic | 86 years, 71 days |
54 | Allen I. Olson | November 5, 1938 | 1981–1985 | North Dakota | Republican | 85 years, 361 days |
55 | Kay A. Orr | January 2, 1939 | 1987–1991 | Nebraska | Republican | 85 years, 303 days |
56 | Kit Bond | March 6, 1939 | 1973–1977, 1981–1985 | Missouri | Republican | 85 years, 239 days |
57 | Martin J. Schreiber | April 8, 1939 | 1977–1979 | Wisconsin | Democratic | 85 years, 206 days |
N/A | Roy Schneider | May 13, 1939 | 1995–1999 | Virgin Islands | Republican | 85 years, 171 days |
58 | Chuck Robb | June 26, 1939 | 1982–1986 | Virginia | Democratic | 85 years, 127 days |
59 | Brereton C. Jones | June 27, 1939 | 1991–1995 | Kentucky | Democratic | 85 years, 126 days |
60 / 61 | Mike Castle | July 2, 1939 | 1985–1992 | Delaware | Republican | 85 years, 121 days |
John H. Sununu | 1983–1989 | New Hampshire | Republican | |||
62 | Garrey Carruthers | August 29, 1939 | 1987–1991 | New Mexico | Republican | 85 years, 63 days |
63 | Mike Sullivan | September 22, 1939 | 1987–1995 | Wyoming | Democratic | 85 years, 39 days |
64 | Ben Cayetano | November 14, 1939 | 1994–2002 | Hawaii | Democratic | 84 years, 352 days |
65 | Gaston Caperton | February 21, 1940 | 1989–1997 | West Virginia | Democratic | 84 years, 253 days |
66 | Neil Goldschmidt | June 16, 1940 | 1987–1991 | Oregon | Democratic | 84 years, 137 days |
67 | Lamar Alexander | July 3, 1940 | 1979–1987 | Tennessee | Republican | 84 years, 120 days |
68 | John W. Carlin | August 3, 1940 | 1979–1987 | Kansas | Democratic | 84 years, 89 days |
69 | Ted Kulongoski | November 5, 1940 | 2003–2011 | Oregon | Democratic | 83 years, 361 days |
70 | David Boren | April 21, 1941 | 1975–1979 | Oklahoma | Democratic | 83 years, 193 days |
71 | Toney Anaya | April 29, 1941 | 1983–1987 | New Mexico | Democratic | 83 years, 185 days |
72 | Ben Nelson | May 17, 1941 | 1991–1999 | Nebraska | Democratic | 83 years, 167 days |
73 | Ted Strickland | August 4, 1941 | 2007–2011 | Ohio | Democratic | 83 years, 88 days |
N/A | Carl Gutierrez | October 15, 1941 | 1995–2003 | Guam | Democratic | 83 years, 16 days |
74 | Tommy Thompson | November 19, 1941 | 1987–2001 | Wisconsin | Republican | 82 years, 347 days |
75 | Bob Taft | January 9, 1942 | 1999–2007 | Ohio | Republican | 82 years, 296 days |
76 | Butch Otter | May 3, 1942 | 2007–2019 | Idaho | Republican | 82 years, 181 days |
77 | John Ashcroft | May 9, 1942 | 1985–1993 | Missouri | Republican | 82 years, 175 days |
78 | Parris Glendening | June 11, 1942 | 1995–2003 | Maryland | Democratic | 82 years, 142 days |
79 | James Blanchard | August 8, 1942 | 1983–1991 | Michigan | Democratic | 82 years, 84 days |
80 | Nathan Deal | August 25, 1942 | 2011–2019 | Georgia | Republican | 82 years, 67 days |
N/A | Sila María Calderón | September 23, 1942 | 2001–2005 | Puerto Rico | Popular Democratic | 82 years, 38 days |
81 | Donald Carcieri | December 16, 1942 | 2003–2011 | Rhode Island | Republican | 81 years, 320 days |
82 | Gray Davis | December 26, 1942 | 1999–2003 | California | Democratic | 81 years, 310 days |
83 | Tony Knowles | January 1, 1943 | 1994–2002 | Alaska | Democratic | 81 years, 304 days |
84 | Robert J. Bentley | February 3, 1943 | 2011–2017 | Alabama | Republican | 81 years, 271 days |
85 | Jim Risch | May 3, 1943 | 2006–2007 | Idaho | Republican | 81 years, 181 days |
N/A | Ralph D. Hough | May 21, 1943 | 1993 | New Hampshire | Republican | 81 years, 163 days |
86 | Jim Guy Tucker | June 13, 1943 | 1992–1996 | Arkansas | Democratic | 81 years, 140 days |
87 | Bob Kerrey | August 27, 1943 | 1983–1987 | Nebraska | Democratic | 81 years, 65 days |
88 | Phil Bredesen | November 21, 1943 | 2003–2011 | Tennessee | Democratic | 80 years, 345 days |
N/A | Joseph Franklin Ada | December 3, 1943 | 1987–1995 | Guam | Republican | 80 years, 333 days |
89 | Ed Rendell | January 5, 1944 | 2003–2011 | Pennsylvania | Democratic | 80 years, 300 days |
90 | Frank Keating | February 10, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Oklahoma | Republican | 80 years, 264 days |
91 | Mike Hayden | March 16, 1944 | 1987–1991 | Kansas | Republican | 80 years, 229 days |
92 | Angus King | March 31, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Maine | Independent | 80 years, 214 days |
N/A | Pedro Rosselló | April 5, 1944 | 1993–2001 | Puerto Rico | New Progressive | 80 years, 209 days |
93 | Jim Geringer | April 24, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Wyoming | Republican | 80 years, 190 days |
94 | Steve Beshear | September 21, 1944 | 2007–2015 | Kentucky | Democratic | 80 years, 40 days |
95 | Jan Brewer | September 26, 1944 | 2009–2015 | Arizona | Republican | 80 years, 35 days |
96 | Bob Riley | October 3, 1944 | 2003–2011 | Alabama | Republican | 80 years, 28 days |
97 | Kay Ivey | October 15, 1944 | 2017–present | Alabama | Republican | 80 years, 16 days |
98 | Donald DiFrancesco | November 20, 1944 | 2001–2002 | New Jersey | Republican | 79 years, 346 days |
99 | Jim Gibbons | December 16, 1944 | 2007–2011 | Nevada | Republican | 79 years, 320 days |
100 | Bob Miller | March 30, 1945 | 1989–1999 | Nevada | Democratic | 79 years, 215 days |