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, 268 days, Governor of Minnesota from 1979 to 1983. The second oldest living U.S. state governor is Jimmy Carter, aged 99 years, 255 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 | 100 years, 268 days |
2 | Jimmy Carter | October 1, 1924 | 1971–1975 | Georgia | Democratic | 99 years, 255 days |
3 | Ted Schwinden | August 31, 1925 | 1981–1989 | Montana | Democratic | 98 years, 286 days |
4 | Daniel J. Evans | October 16, 1925 | 1965–1977 | Washington | Republican | 98 years, 240 days |
5 | George Ariyoshi | March 12, 1926 | 1974–1986 | Hawaii | Democratic | 98 years, 92 days |
6 | Phil Batt | March 4, 1927 | 1995–1999 | Idaho | Republican | 97 years, 100 days |
7 | George Nigh | June 9, 1927 | 1963, 1979–1987 | Oklahoma | Democratic | 97 years, 3 days |
8 | Winfield Dunn | July 1, 1927 | 1971–1975 | Tennessee | Republican | 96 years, 347 days |
9 | Bill Sheffield | June 26, 1928 | 1982–1986 | Alaska | Democratic | 95 years, 352 days |
10 | Roy Romer | October 31, 1928 | 1987–1999 | Colorado | Democratic | 95 years, 225 days |
11 | Robert D. Fulton | May 13, 1929 | 1969 | Iowa | Democratic | 95 years, 30 days |
12 | Douglas Wilder | January 17, 1931 | 1990–1994 | Virginia | Democratic | 93 years, 147 days |
13 | Kenneth M. Curtis | February 8, 1931 | 1967–1975 | Maine | Democratic | 93 years, 125 days |
14 | Julian Carroll | April 16, 1931 | 1974–1979 | Kentucky | Democratic | 93 years, 57 days |
15 | Lowell Weicker | May 16, 1931 | 1991–1995 | Connecticut | A Connecticut Party | 93 years, 27 days |
16 | Philip Noel | June 6, 1931 | 1973–1977 | Rhode Island | Democratic | 93 years, 6 days |
17 | Thomas P. Salmon | August 19, 1932 | 1973–1977 | Vermont | Democratic | 91 years, 298 days |
18 | Richard Riley | January 2, 1933 | 1979–1987 | South Carolina | Democratic | 91 years, 162 days |
19 | Buddy MacKay | March 22, 1933 | 1998–1999 | Florida | Democratic | 91 years, 82 days |
20 | Frank Murkowski | March 28, 1933 | 2002–2006 | Alaska | Republican | 91 years, 76 days |
21 | Pete Wilson | August 23, 1933 | 1991–1999 | California | Republican | 90 years, 294 days |
22 | Madeleine Kunin | September 28, 1933 | 1985–1991 | Vermont | Democratic | 90 years, 258 days |
23 | Michael Dukakis | November 3, 1933 | 1975–1979, 1983–1991 | Massachusetts | Democratic | 90 years, 222 days |
24 | John Y. Brown Jr. | December 28, 1933 | 1979–1983 | Kentucky | Democratic | 90 years, 167 days |
25 | George Ryan | February 24, 1934 | 1999–2003 | Illinois | Republican | 90 years, 109 days |
26 | Edward D. DiPrete | July 8, 1934 | 1985–1991 | Rhode Island | Republican | 89 years, 340 days |
N/A | Paul McDonald Calvo | July 25, 1934 | 1979–1983 | Guam | Republican | 89 years, 323 days |
27 | David Pryor | August 29, 1934 | 1975–1979 | Arkansas | Democratic | 89 years, 288 days |
28 | Fob James | September 15, 1934 | 1979–1983, 1995–1999 | Alabama | Democratic/
Republican |
89 years, 271 days |
29 | Arne Carlson | September 24, 1934 | 1991–1999 | Minnesota | Independent-Republican/Republican | 89 years, 262 days |
30 | Jerry Apodaca | October 3, 1934 | 1975–1979 | New Mexico | Democratic | 89 years, 253 days |
31 | Joseph E. Brennan | November 2, 1934 | 1979–1987 | Maine | Democratic | 89 years, 223 days |
32 | Bob Martinez | December 25, 1934 | 1987–1991 | Florida | Republican | 89 years, 170 days |
33 | Thomas Kean | April 21, 1935 | 1982–1990 | New Jersey | Republican | 89 years, 52 days |
34 | Harvey L. Wollman | May 14, 1935 | 1978–1979 | South Dakota | Democratic | 89 years, 29 days |
35 | James G. Martin | December 11, 1935 | 1985–1993 | North Carolina | Republican | 88 years, 184 days |
36 | Joe Frank Harris | February 16, 1936 | 1983–1991 | Georgia | Democratic | 88 years, 117 days |
37 | Don Sundquist | March 15, 1936 | 1995–2003 | Tennessee | Republican | 88 years, 89 days |
38 | Tony Earl | April 12, 1936 | 1983–1987 | Wisconsin | Democratic | 88 years, 61 days |
39 | Lincoln Almond | June 16, 1936 | 1995–2003 | Rhode Island | Republican | 87 years, 362 days |
40 | Robert List | September 1, 1936 | 1979–1983 | Nevada | Republican | 87 years, 285 days |
41 | Bob Graham | November 9, 1936 | 1979–1987 | Florida | Democratic | 87 years, 216 days |
42 | Martha Layne Collins | December 7, 1936 | 1983–1987 | Kentucky | Democratic | 87 years, 188 days |
43 | Barbara Roberts | December 21, 1936 | 1991–1995 | Oregon | Democratic | 87 years, 174 days |
N/A | Carlos S. Camacho | February 27, 1937 | 1978–1982 | Northern Mariana Islands | Democratic | 87 years, 106 days |
44 | Jim Hunt | May 16, 1937 | 1977–1985, 1993–2001 | North Carolina | Democratic | 87 years, 27 days |
45 | Paul E. Patton | May 26, 1937 | 1995–2003 | Kentucky | Democratic | 87 years, 17 days |
46 | Jay Rockefeller | June 18, 1937 | 1977–1985 | West Virginia | Democratic | 86 years, 360 days |
47 | Richard Bryan | July 16, 1937 | 1983–1989 | Nevada | Democratic | 86 years, 332 days |
48 | Dick Celeste | November 11, 1937 | 1983–1991 | Ohio | Democratic | 86 years, 214 days |
49 | Jerry Brown | April 7, 1938 | 1975–1983, 2011–2019 | California | Democratic | 86 years, 66 days |
50 | Neil Abercrombie | June 26, 1938 | 2010–2014 | Hawaii | Democratic | 85 years, 352 days |
51 | Bruce Babbitt | June 27, 1938 | 1978–1987 | Arizona | Democratic | 85 years, 351 days |
52 | Steve Cowper | August 21, 1938 | 1986–1990 | Alaska | Democratic | 85 years, 296 days |
53 | Allen I. Olson | November 5, 1938 | 1981–1985 | North Dakota | Republican | 85 years, 220 days |
54 | Kay A. Orr | January 2, 1939 | 1987–1991 | Nebraska | Republican | 85 years, 162 days |
55 | Kit Bond | March 6, 1939 | 1973–1977, 1981–1985 | Missouri | Republican | 85 years, 98 days |
56 | Martin J. Schreiber | April 8, 1939 | 1977–1979 | Wisconsin | Democratic | 85 years, 65 days |
N/A | Roy Schneider | May 13, 1939 | 1995–1999 | Virgin Islands | Republican | 85 years, 30 days |
57 | Chuck Robb | June 26, 1939 | 1982–1986 | Virginia | Democratic | 84 years, 352 days |
58 | Brereton C. Jones | June 27, 1939 | 1991–1995 | Kentucky | Democratic | 84 years, 351 days |
59 / 60 | Mike Castle | July 2, 1939 | 1985–1992 | Delaware | Republican | 84 years, 346 days |
John H. Sununu | 1983–1989 | New Hampshire | Republican | |||
61 | Garrey Carruthers | August 29, 1939 | 1987–1991 | New Mexico | Republican | 84 years, 288 days |
62 | Mike Sullivan | September 22, 1939 | 1987–1995 | Wyoming | Democratic | 84 years, 264 days |
63 | Ben Cayetano | November 14, 1939 | 1994–2002 | Hawaii | Democratic | 84 years, 211 days |
64 | Gaston Caperton | February 21, 1940 | 1989–1997 | West Virginia | Democratic | 84 years, 112 days |
65 | Neil Goldschmidt | June 16, 1940 | 1987–1991 | Oregon | Democratic | 83 years, 362 days |
66 | Lamar Alexander | July 3, 1940 | 1979–1987 | Tennessee | Republican | 83 years, 345 days |
67 | John W. Carlin | August 3, 1940 | 1979–1987 | Kansas | Democratic | 83 years, 314 days |
68 | Ted Kulongoski | November 5, 1940 | 2003–2011 | Oregon | Democratic | 83 years, 220 days |
69 | David Boren | April 21, 1941 | 1975–1979 | Oklahoma | Democratic | 83 years, 52 days |
70 | Toney Anaya | April 29, 1941 | 1983–1987 | New Mexico | Democratic | 83 years, 44 days |
71 | Ben Nelson | May 17, 1941 | 1991–1999 | Nebraska | Democratic | 83 years, 26 days |
72 | Ted Strickland | August 4, 1941 | 2007–2011 | Ohio | Democratic | 82 years, 313 days |
N/A | Carl Gutierrez | October 15, 1941 | 1995–2003 | Guam | Democratic | 82 years, 241 days |
73 | Tommy Thompson | November 19, 1941 | 1987–2001 | Wisconsin | Republican | 82 years, 206 days |
74 | Bob Taft | January 9, 1942 | 1999–2007 | Ohio | Republican | 82 years, 155 days |
75 | Butch Otter | May 3, 1942 | 2007–2019 | Idaho | Republican | 82 years, 40 days |
76 | John Ashcroft | May 9, 1942 | 1985–1993 | Missouri | Republican | 82 years, 34 days |
77 | Parris Glendening | June 11, 1942 | 1995–2003 | Maryland | Democratic | 82 years, 1 day |
78 | James Blanchard | August 8, 1942 | 1983–1991 | Michigan | Democratic | 81 years, 309 days |
79 | Nathan Deal | August 25, 1942 | 2011–2019 | Georgia | Republican | 81 years, 292 days |
N/A | Sila María Calderón | September 23, 1942 | 2001–2005 | Puerto Rico | Popular Democratic | 81 years, 263 days |
80 | Donald Carcieri | December 16, 1942 | 2003–2011 | Rhode Island | Republican | 81 years, 179 days |
81 | Gray Davis | December 26, 1942 | 1999–2003 | California | Democratic | 81 years, 169 days |
82 | Tony Knowles | January 1, 1943 | 1994–2002 | Alaska | Democratic | 81 years, 163 days |
83 | Robert J. Bentley | February 3, 1943 | 2011–2017 | Alabama | Republican | 81 years, 130 days |
84 | Jim Risch | May 3, 1943 | 2006–2007 | Idaho | Republican | 81 years, 40 days |
N/A | Ralph D. Hough | May 21, 1943 | 1993 | New Hampshire | Republican | 81 years, 22 days |
85 | Jim Guy Tucker | June 13, 1943 | 1992–1996 | Arkansas | Democratic | 80 years, 365 days |
86 | Bob Kerrey | August 27, 1943 | 1983–1987 | Nebraska | Democratic | 80 years, 290 days |
87 | Phil Bredesen | November 21, 1943 | 2003–2011 | Tennessee | Democratic | 80 years, 204 days |
N/A | Joseph Franklin Ada | December 3, 1943 | 1987–1995 | Guam | Republican | 80 years, 192 days |
88 | Ed Rendell | January 5, 1944 | 2003–2011 | Pennsylvania | Democratic | 80 years, 159 days |
89 | Frank Keating | February 10, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Oklahoma | Republican | 80 years, 123 days |
90 | Mike Hayden | March 16, 1944 | 1987–1991 | Kansas | Republican | 80 years, 88 days |
91 | Angus King | March 31, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Maine | Independent | 80 years, 73 days |
N/A | Pedro Rosselló | April 5, 1944 | 1993–2001 | Puerto Rico | New Progressive | 80 years, 68 days |
92 | Jim Geringer | April 24, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Wyoming | Republican | 80 years, 49 days |
93 | Steve Beshear | September 21, 1944 | 2007–2015 | Kentucky | Democratic | 79 years, 265 days |
94 | Jan Brewer | September 26, 1944 | 2009–2015 | Arizona | Republican | 79 years, 260 days |
95 | Bob Riley | October 3, 1944 | 2003–2011 | Alabama | Republican | 79 years, 253 days |
96 | Kay Ivey | October 15, 1944 | 2017–present | Alabama | Republican | 79 years, 241 days |
97 | Donald DiFrancesco | November 20, 1944 | 2001–2002 | New Jersey | Republican | 79 years, 205 days |
98 | Jim Gibbons | December 16, 1944 | 2007–2011 | Nevada | Republican | 79 years, 179 days |
99 | Bob Miller | March 30, 1945 | 1989–1999 | Nevada | Democratic | 79 years, 74 days |
100 | George Pataki | June 24, 1945 | 1995–2006 | New York | Republican | 78 years, 354 days |