List of oldest living United States governors
Revision as of 01:54, 15 August 2025 by Chilean way (talk | contribs) (→Oldest living U.S. governors: Mike Castle deceased)
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 George Ariyoshi, aged 99 years, 317 days, Governor of Hawaii from 1974 to 1986. 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 | 1732 | 1786–1789 | No party | |
| March 29, 1789 | April 17, 1790 | Benjamin Franklin | January 17, 1706 | 1785–1788 | No party | |
| April 17, 1790 | July 25, 1790 | William Livingston | November 30, 1723 | 1776–1790 | Federalist | |
| July 25, 1790 | May 19, 1795 | Josiah Bartlett | November 21, 1729 | 1790–1794 | Democratic-Republican | |
| May 19, 1795 | October 2, 1803 | Samuel Adams | September 27, 1722 | 1794–1797 | Democratic-Republican | |
| October 2, 1803 | February 3, 1813 | Samuel Ashe | March 24, 1725 | 1795–1798 | Democratic-Republican | |
| February 3, 1813 | August 17, 1816 | Samuel Johnston | December 15, 1733 | 1787–1789 | Federalist | |
| August 17, 1816 | June 24, 1817 | Thomas McKean | March 19, 1734 | 1799–1808 | Democratic-Republican | |
| June 24, 1817 | September 18, 1819 | John Langdon | June 26, 1741 | 1785–1786, 1788–1789, 1805–1809, 1810–1812, | Democratic-Republican | |
| September 18, 1819 | March 19, 1829 | John Tayler | July 4, 1742 | 1817 | Democratic-Republican | |
| March 19, 1829 | May 17, 1829 | John Jay | December 12, 1745 | 1795–1801 | Federalist | |
| May 17, 1829 | June 10, 1832 | Joseph Hiester | November 18, 1752 | 1820–1823 | Democratic-Republican | |
| June 10, 1832 | September 24, 1834 | Jonas Galusha | February 11, 1753 | 1809–1813, 1815–1820 | Democratic-Republican | |
| September 24, 1834 | December 11, 1838 | Isaac Tichenor | February 8, 1754 | 1797–1807, 1808–1809 | Federalist | |
| December 11, 1838 | April 7, 1844 | Morgan Lewis | October 16, 1754 | 1804–1807 | Democratic-Republican | |
| April 7, 1844 | December 22, 1850 | William Plumer | June 25, 1759 | 1812–1813, 1816–1819 | Democratic-Republican | |
| December 22, 1850 | December 25, 1862 | Joshua Hall | October 22, 1768 | 1830 | Democratic | |
| December 25, 1862 | October 16, 1869 | Joseph Ritner | March 25, 1780 | 1835–1839 | Anti-Masonic | |
| October 16, 1869 | February 3, 1870 | Allen Trimble | November 24, 1783 | 1822, 1826–1830 | National Republican | |
| February 3, 1870 | October 10, 1870 | Mordecai Bartley | December 16, 1783 | 1844–1846 | Whig | |
| October 10, 1870 | November 1, 1874 | Enos T. Throop | August 21, 1784 | 1829–1832 | Democratic | |
| November 1, 1874 | February 27, 1877 | Joseph Johnson | December 19, 1785 | 1852–1856 | Democratic | |
| February 27, 1877 | December 18, 1885 | Hiland Hall | July 20, 1795 | 1858–1860 | Republican | |
| December 18, 1885 | April 27, 1894 | Nathaniel S. Berry | September 1, 1796 | 1861–1863 | Republican | |
| April 27, 1894 | June 13, 1896 | Alpheus Felch | September 28, 1804 | 1846–1847 | Democratic | |
| June 13, 1896 | August 23, 1898 | Moody Currier | April 22, 1806 | 1885–1887 | Republican | |
| August 23, 1898 | February 28, 1899 | James Madison Wells | January 8, 1808 | 1865–1867 | Republican | |
| February 28, 1899 | July 9, 1902 | William Marvin | April 14, 1808 | 1865 | Democratic | |
| July 9, 1902 | April 28, 1909 | Frederick Holbrook | February 15, 1813 | 1861–1863 | Republican | |
| April 28, 1909 | February 3, 1912 | Frederick Robie | August 12, 1822 | 1885–1887 | Republican | |
| February 3, 1912 | June 4, 1912 | Royal C. Taft | February 14, 1823 | 1888–1889 | Republican | |
| June 4, 1912 | January 8, 1914 | Simon Bolivar Buckner | April 1, 1823 | 1887–1891 | Democratic | |
| January 8, 1914 | May 16, 1920 | Levi P. Morton | May 16, 1824 | 1895–1896 | Republican | |
| May 16, 1920 | April 4, 1923 | Horace Boies | December 7, 1827 | 1890–1894 | Democratic | |
| April 4, 1923 | April 3, 1924 | Ebenezer J. Ormsbee | June 8, 1834 | 1886–1888 | Republican | |
| April 3, 1924 | January 28, 1925 | Augustus O. Bourn | October 1, 1834 | 1883–1885 | Republican | |
| January 28, 1925 | April 13, 1933 | Adelbert Ames | October 31, 1835 | 1868–1870, 1874–1876 | Republican | |
| April 13, 1933 | October 30, 1939 | Roswell K. Colcord | April 25, 1839 | 1891–1895 | Republican | |
| October 30, 1939 | August 23, 1945 | Martin Frederick Ansel | December 12, 1850 | 1907–1911 | Democratic | |
| August 23, 1945 | September 5, 1946 | John I. Cox | November 23, 1855 | 1905–1907 | Democratic | |
| September 5, 1946 | April 11, 1949 | Chase Osborn | January 22, 1860 | 1911–1913 | Republican | |
| April 11, 1949 | May 9, 1958 | Fenimore Chatterton | July 21, 1860 | 1903–1905 | Republican | |
| May 9, 1958 | August 12, 1958 | Augustus Owsley Stanley | May 21, 1867 | 1915–1919 | Democratic | |
| August 12, 1958 | May 19, 1966 | Theodore F. Green | October 2, 1867 | 1933–1937 | Democratic | |
| May 19, 1966 | June 12, 1969 | Percival P. Baxter | November 22, 1876 | 1921–1925 | Republican | |
| June 12, 1969 | December 19, 1977 | Nellie Tayloe Ross | November 29, 1876 | 1925–1927 | Democratic | |
| December 19, 1977 | March 3, 1980 | Forrest C. Donnell | August 20, 1884 | 1941–1945 | Republican | |
| March 3, 1980 | October 12, 1987 | Alf Landon | September 9, 1887 | 1933–1937 | Republican | |
| October 12, 1987 | April 21, 1990 | Frank Lausche | November 14, 1895 | 1945–1947, 1949–1957 | Democratic | |
| April 21, 1990 | June 11, 1993 | Milward Simpson | November 12, 1897 | 1955–1959 | Republican | |
| June 11, 1993 | October 20, 1996 | J. Bracken Lee | January 7, 1899 | 1949–1957 | Republican | |
| October 20, 1996 | November 5, 2000 | Jimmie Davis | September 11, 1899 | 1944–1948, 1960–1964 | Democratic | |
| November 5, 2000 | June 26, 2003 | Strom Thurmond | December 5, 1902 | 1947–1951 | Democratic | |
| June 26, 2003 | April 19, 2004 | Frank B. Morrison | May 20, 1905 | 1961–1967 | Democratic | |
| April 19, 2004 | November 15, 2004 | Elmer L. Andersen | June 17, 1909 | 1961–1963 | Republican | |
| November 15, 2004 | October 10, 2011 | Albert Rosellini | January 21, 1910 | 1957–1965 | Democratic | |
| October 10, 2011 | April 10, 2015 | Raúl Héctor Castro | June 12, 1916 | 1975–1977 | Democratic | |
| April 10, 2015 | February 4, 2016 | Edgar Whitcomb | November 6, 1917 | 1969–1973 | Republican | |
| February 4, 2016 | January 17, 2017 | David P. Buckson | July 25, 1920 | 1960–1961 | Republican | |
| January 17, 2017 | June 4, 2021 | John M. Patterson | September 27, 1921 | 1959–1963 | Democratic | |
| June 4, 2021 | August 18, 2023 | Al Quie | September 18, 1923 | 1979–1983 | Independent-Republican | |
| August 18, 2023 | December 29, 2024 | Jimmy Carter | October 1, 1924 | 1971–1975 | Democratic | |
| December 29, 2024 | Present | George Ariyoshi | March 12, 1926 | 1974–1986 | Democratic |
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 | George Ariyoshi | March 12, 1926 | 1974–1986 | Democratic | 99 years, 317 days | |
| 2 | Roy Romer | October 31, 1928 | 1987–1999 | Democratic | 97 years, 84 days | |
| 3 | Douglas Wilder | January 17, 1931 | 1990–1994 | Democratic | 95 years, 6 days | |
| 4 | Kenneth M. Curtis | February 8, 1931 | 1967–1975 | Democratic | 94 years, 349 days | |
| 5 | Philip Noel | June 6, 1931 | 1973–1977 | Democratic | 94 years, 231 days | |
| 6 | Richard Riley | January 2, 1933 | 1979–1987 | Democratic | 93 years, 21 days | |
| 7 | Frank Murkowski | March 28, 1933 | 2002–2006 | Republican | 92 years, 301 days | |
| 8 | Pete Wilson | August 23, 1933 | 1991–1999 | Republican | 92 years, 153 days | |
| 9 | Madeleine Kunin | September 28, 1933 | 1985–1991 | Democratic | 92 years, 117 days | |
| 10 | Michael Dukakis | November 3, 1933 | 1975–1979, 1983–1991 | Democratic | 92 years, 81 days | |
| 11 | Fob James | September 15, 1934 | 1979–1983, 1995–1999 | Democratic (1979–1983)
Republican (1995–1999) |
91 years, 130 days | |
| 12 | Arne Carlson | September 24, 1934 | 1991–1999 | Independent-Republican/Republican | 91 years, 121 days | |
| 13 | Bob Martinez | December 25, 1934 | 1987–1991 | Republican | 91 years, 29 days | |
| 14 | Thomas Kean | April 21, 1935 | 1982–1990 | Republican | 90 years, 277 days | |
| 15 | James G. Martin | December 11, 1935 | 1985–1993 | Republican | 90 years, 43 days | |
| 16 | Joe Frank Harris | February 16, 1936 | 1983–1991 | Democratic | 89 years, 341 days | |
| 17 | Robert List | September 1, 1936 | 1979–1983 | Republican | 89 years, 144 days | |
| 18 | Martha Layne Collins | December 7, 1936 | 1983–1987 | Democratic | 89 years, 47 days | |
| 19 | Barbara Roberts | December 21, 1936 | 1991–1995 | Democratic | 89 years, 33 days | |
| – | Carlos S. Camacho | February 27, 1937 | 1978–1982 | Democratic | 88 years, 330 days | |
| 20 | Jim Hunt | May 16, 1937 | 1977–1985, 1993–2001 | Democratic | 88 years, 252 days | |
| 21 | Paul E. Patton | May 26, 1937 | 1995–2003 | Democratic | 88 years, 242 days | |
| 22 | Jay Rockefeller | June 18, 1937 | 1977–1985 | Democratic | 88 years, 219 days | |
| 23 | Richard Bryan | July 16, 1937 | 1983–1989 | Democratic | 88 years, 191 days | |
| 24 | Dick Celeste | November 11, 1937 | 1983–1991 | Democratic | 88 years, 73 days | |
| 25 | Jerry Brown | April 7, 1938 | 1975–1983, 2011–2019 | Democratic | 87 years, 291 days | |
| 26 | Neil Abercrombie | June 26, 1938 | 2010–2014 | Democratic | 87 years, 211 days | |
| 27 | Bruce Babbitt | June 27, 1938 | 1978–1987 | Democratic | 87 years, 210 days | |
| 28 | Steve Cowper | August 21, 1938 | 1986–1990 | Democratic | 87 years, 155 days | |
| 29 | Allen I. Olson | November 5, 1938 | 1981–1985 | Republican | 87 years, 79 days | |
| 30 | Kay A. Orr | January 2, 1939 | 1987–1991 | Republican | 87 years, 21 days | |
| 31 | Martin J. Schreiber | April 8, 1939 | 1977–1979 | Democratic | 86 years, 290 days | |
| 32 | Chuck Robb | June 26, 1939 | 1982–1986 | Democratic | 86 years, 211 days | |
| 33 | John H. Sununu | July 2, 1939 | 1983–1989 | Republican | 86 years, 205 days | |
| 34 | Garrey Carruthers | August 29, 1939 | 1987–1991 | Republican | 86 years, 147 days | |
| 35 | Mike Sullivan | September 22, 1939 | 1987–1995 | Democratic | 86 years, 123 days | |
| 36 | Ben Cayetano | November 14, 1939 | 1994–2002 | Democratic | 86 years, 70 days | |
| 37 | Gaston Caperton | February 21, 1940 | 1989–1997 | Democratic | 85 years, 336 days | |
| 38 | Lamar Alexander | July 3, 1940 | 1979–1987 | Republican | 85 years, 204 days | |
| 39 | John W. Carlin | August 3, 1940 | 1979–1987 | Democratic | 85 years, 173 days | |
| 40 | Ted Kulongoski | November 5, 1940 | 2003–2011 | Democratic | 85 years, 79 days | |
| 41 | Toney Anaya | April 29, 1941 | 1983–1987 | Democratic | 84 years, 269 days | |
| 42 | Ben Nelson | May 17, 1941 | 1991–1999 | Democratic | 84 years, 251 days | |
| 43 | Ted Strickland | August 4, 1941 | 2007–2011 | Democratic | 84 years, 172 days | |
| – | Carl Gutierrez | October 15, 1941 | 1995–2003 | Democratic | 84 years, 100 days | |
| 44 | Tommy Thompson | November 19, 1941 | 1987–2001 | Republican | 84 years, 65 days | |
| 45 | Bob Taft | January 8, 1942 | 1999–2007 | Republican | 84 years, 14 days | |
| 46 | Butch Otter | May 3, 1942 | 2007–2019 | Republican | 83 years, 265 days | |
| 47 | John Ashcroft | May 9, 1942 | 1985–1993 | Republican | 83 years, 259 days | |
| 48 | Parris Glendening | June 11, 1942 | 1995–2003 | Democratic | 83 years, 226 days | |
| 49 | James J. Blanchard | August 8, 1942 | 1983–1991 | Democratic | 83 years, 168 days | |
| 50 | Nathan Deal | August 25, 1942 | 2011–2019 | Republican | 83 years, 151 days | |
| – | Sila María Calderón | September 23, 1942 | 2001–2005 | Popular Democratic | 83 years, 122 days | |
| 51 | Donald Carcieri | December 16, 1942 | 2003–2011 | Republican | 83 years, 38 days | |
| 52 | Gray Davis | December 26, 1942 | 1999–2003 | Democratic | 83 years, 28 days | |
| 53 | Tony Knowles | January 1, 1943 | 1994–2002 | Democratic | 83 years, 22 days | |
| 54 | Robert J. Bentley | February 3, 1943 | 2011–2017 | Republican | 82 years, 354 days | |
| 55 | Jim Risch | May 3, 1943 | 2006–2007 | Republican | 82 years, 265 days | |
| – | Ralph D. Hough | May 21, 1943 | 1993 | Republican | 82 years, 247 days | |
| 56 | Bob Kerrey | August 27, 1943 | 1983–1987 | Democratic | 82 years, 149 days | |
| 57 | Phil Bredesen | November 21, 1943 | 2003–2011 | Democratic | 82 years, 63 days | |
| – | Joseph Franklin Ada | December 3, 1943 | 1987–1995 | Republican | 82 years, 51 days | |
| 58 | Ed Rendell | January 5, 1944 | 2003–2011 | Democratic | 82 years, 18 days | |
| 59 | Frank Keating | February 10, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Republican | 81 years, 347 days | |
| 60 | Mike Hayden | March 16, 1944 | 1987–1991 | Republican | 81 years, 313 days | |
| 61 | Angus King | March 31, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Independent | 81 years, 298 days | |
| – | Pedro Rosselló | April 5, 1944 | 1993–2001 | New Progressive | 81 years, 293 days | |
| 62 | Jim Geringer | April 24, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Republican | 81 years, 274 days | |
| 63 | Steve Beshear | September 21, 1944 | 2007–2015 | Democratic | 81 years, 124 days | |
| 64 | Jan Brewer | September 26, 1944 | 2009–2015 | Republican | 81 years, 119 days | |
| 65 | Bob Riley | October 3, 1944 | 2003–2011 | Republican | 81 years, 112 days | |
| 66 | Kay Ivey | October 15, 1944 | 2017–Present | Republican | 81 years, 100 days | |
| 67 | Donald DiFrancesco | November 20, 1944 | 2001–2002 | Republican | 81 years, 64 days | |
| 68 | Jim Gibbons | December 16, 1944 | 2007–2011 | Republican | 81 years, 38 days | |
| 69 | Bob Miller | March 30, 1945 | 1989–1999 | Republican | 80 years, 299 days | |
| 70 | George Pataki | June 24, 1945 | 1995–2006 | Republican | 80 years, 213 days | |
| 71 | Bill Weld | July 31, 1945 | 1991–1997 | Republican | 80 years, 176 days | |
| 72 | Fife Symington | August 12, 1945 | 1991–1997 | Republican | 80 years, 164 days | |
| 73 | Tom Ridge | August 26, 1945 | 1995–2001 | Republican | 80 years, 150 days | |
| 74 | Jim Doyle | November 23, 1945 | 2003–2011 | Democratic | 80 years, 61 days | |
| – | Benigno Fitial | November 27, 1945 | 2006–2013 | Republican | 80 years, 57 days | |
| 75 | Don Siegelman | February 24, 1946 | 1999–2003 | Democratic | 79 years, 333 days | |
| 76 | John D. Waiheʻe III | May 19, 1946 | 1986–1994 | Democratic | 79 years, 249 days | |
| 77 | George W. Bush | July 6, 1946 | 1995–2000 | Republican | 79 years, 201 days | |
| 78 | Jim Edgar | July 22, 1946 | 1991–1999 | Republican | 79 years, 185 days | |
| 79 | Ed Schafer | August 8, 1946 | 1992–2000 | Republican | 79 years, 168 days | |
| 80 | Bill Clinton | August 19, 1946 | 1979–1981, 1983–1992 | Democratic | 79 years, 157 days | |
| 81 | Christine Todd Whitman | September 26, 1946 | 1994–2001 | Republican | 79 years, 119 days | |
| 82 | Terry Branstad | November 17, 1946 | 1983–1999, 2011–2017 | Republican | 79 years, 67 days | |
| 83 | Richard Codey | November 27, 1946 | 2004–2006 | Democratic | 79 years, 57 days | |
| 84 | Sonny Perdue | December 20, 1946 | 2003–2011 | Republican | 79 years, 34 days | |
| 85 | Mike Beebe | December 28, 1946 | 2007–2015 | Democratic | 79 years, 26 days | |
| 86 | Jon Corzine | January 1, 1947 | 2006–2010 | Democratic | 79 years, 22 days | |
| 87 | Mike DeWine | January 5, 1947 | 2019–Present | Republican | 79 years, 18 days | |
| 88 | Bev Perdue | January 14, 1947 | 2009–2013 | Democratic | 79 years, 9 days | |
| 89 | Tom Carper | January 23, 1947 | 1993–2001 | Democratic | 79 years, 0 days | |
| 90 | Mark Dayton | January 26, 1947 | 2011–2019 | Democratic | 78 years, 362 days | |
| 91 | Jeanne Shaheen | January 28, 1947 | 1997–2003 | Democratic | 78 years, 360 days | |
| 92 | Judd Gregg | February 14, 1947 | 1989–1993 | Republican | 78 years, 343 days | |
| – | Togiola Tulafono | February 28, 1947 | 2003–2013 | Democratic | 78 years, 329 days | |
| 93 | John Kitzhaber | March 5, 1947 | 1995–2003, 2011–2015 | Democratic | 78 years, 324 days | |
| 94 | Mitt Romney | March 12, 1947 | 2003–2007 | Republican | 78 years, 317 days | |
| 95 | Christine Gregoire | March 24, 1947 | 2005–2013 | Democratic | 78 years, 305 days | |
| 96 | Gary Herbert | May 7, 1947 | 2009–2021 | Republican | 78 years, 261 days | |
| 97 | Henry McMaster | May 27, 1947 | 2017–Present | Republican | 78 years, 241 days | |
| 98 | Arnold Schwarzenegger | July 30, 1947 | 2003–2011 | Republican | 78 years, 177 days | |
| – | Lolo Matalasi Moliga | August 12, 1947 | 2013–2021 | Independent (2013–2015)
Democratic (2016–2021) |
78 years, 164 days | |
| 99 | Joe Manchin | August 24, 1947 | 2005–2010 | Democratic | 78 years, 152 days | |
| 100 | Haley Barbour | October 22, 1947 | 2004–2012 | Republican | 78 years, 93 days |