List of oldest living United States governors
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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, 4 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, 4 days |
2 | George Nigh | June 9, 1927 | 1963, 1979–1987 | ![]() |
Democratic | 97 years, 280 days |
3 | Roy Romer | October 31, 1928 | 1987–1999 | ![]() |
Democratic | 96 years, 136 days |
4 | Douglas Wilder | January 17, 1931 | 1990–1994 | ![]() |
Democratic | 94 years, 58 days |
5 | Kenneth M. Curtis | February 8, 1931 | 1967–1975 | ![]() |
Democratic | 94 years, 36 days |
6 | Philip Noel | June 6, 1931 | 1973–1977 | ![]() |
Democratic | 93 years, 283 days |
7 | Richard Riley | January 2, 1933 | 1979–1987 | ![]() |
Democratic | 92 years, 73 days |
8 | Frank Murkowski | March 28, 1933 | 2002–2006 | ![]() |
Republican | 91 years, 353 days |
9 | Pete Wilson | August 23, 1933 | 1991–1999 | ![]() |
Republican | 91 years, 205 days |
10 | Madeleine Kunin | September 28, 1933 | 1985–1991 | ![]() |
Democratic | 91 years, 169 days |
11 | Michael Dukakis | November 3, 1933 | 1975–1979, 1983–1991 | ![]() |
Democratic | 91 years, 133 days |
12 | George Ryan | February 24, 1934 | 1999–2003 | ![]() |
Republican | 91 years, 20 days |
13 | Edward D. DiPrete | July 8, 1934 | 1985–1991 | ![]() |
Republican | 90 years, 251 days |
14 | Fob James | September 15, 1934 | 1979–1983, 1995–1999 | ![]() |
Democratic (1979–1983)
Republican (1995–1999) |
90 years, 182 days |
15 | Arne Carlson | September 24, 1934 | 1991–1999 | ![]() |
Independent-Republican/Republican | 90 years, 173 days |
16 | Bob Martinez | December 25, 1934 | 1987–1991 | ![]() |
Republican | 90 years, 81 days |
17 | Thomas Kean | April 21, 1935 | 1982–1990 | ![]() |
Republican | 89 years, 329 days |
18 | James G. Martin | December 11, 1935 | 1985–1993 | ![]() |
Republican | 89 years, 95 days |
19 | Joe Frank Harris | February 16, 1936 | 1983–1991 | ![]() |
Democratic | 89 years, 28 days |
20 | Robert List | September 1, 1936 | 1979–1983 | ![]() |
Republican | 88 years, 196 days |
21 | Martha Layne Collins | December 7, 1936 | 1983–1987 | ![]() |
Democratic | 88 years, 99 days |
22 | Barbara Roberts | December 21, 1936 | 1991–1995 | ![]() |
Democratic | 88 years, 85 days |
– | Carlos S. Camacho | February 27, 1937 | 1978–1982 | ![]() |
Democratic | 88 years, 17 days |
23 | Jim Hunt | May 16, 1937 | 1977–1985, 1993–2001 | ![]() |
Democratic | 87 years, 304 days |
24 | Paul E. Patton | May 26, 1937 | 1995–2003 | ![]() |
Democratic | 87 years, 294 days |
25 | Jay Rockefeller | June 18, 1937 | 1977–1985 | ![]() |
Democratic | 87 years, 271 days |
26 | Richard Bryan | July 16, 1937 | 1983–1989 | ![]() |
Democratic | 87 years, 243 days |
27 | Dick Celeste | November 11, 1937 | 1983–1991 | ![]() |
Democratic | 87 years, 125 days |
28 | Jerry Brown | April 7, 1938 | 1975–1983, 2011–2019 | ![]() |
Democratic | 86 years, 343 days |
29 | Neil Abercrombie | June 26, 1938 | 2010–2014 | ![]() |
Democratic | 86 years, 263 days |
30 | Bruce Babbitt | June 27, 1938 | 1978–1987 | ![]() |
Democratic | 86 years, 262 days |
31 | Steve Cowper | August 21, 1938 | 1986–1990 | ![]() |
Democratic | 86 years, 207 days |
32 | Allen I. Olson | November 5, 1938 | 1981–1985 | ![]() |
Republican | 86 years, 131 days |
33 | Kay A. Orr | January 2, 1939 | 1987–1991 | ![]() |
Republican | 86 years, 73 days |
34 | Kit Bond | March 6, 1939 | 1973–1977, 1981–1985 | ![]() |
Republican | 86 years, 10 days |
35 | Martin J. Schreiber | April 8, 1939 | 1977–1979 | ![]() |
Democratic | 85 years, 342 days |
36 | Chuck Robb | June 26, 1939 | 1982–1986 | ![]() |
Democratic | 85 years, 263 days |
37 | Mike Castle | July 2, 1939 | 1985–1992 | ![]() |
Republican | 85 years, 257 days |
John H. Sununu | 1983–1989 | ![]() |
Republican | |||
39 | Garrey Carruthers | August 29, 1939 | 1987–1991 | ![]() |
Republican | 85 years, 199 days |
40 | Mike Sullivan | September 22, 1939 | 1987–1995 | ![]() |
Democratic | 85 years, 175 days |
41 | Ben Cayetano | November 14, 1939 | 1994–2002 | ![]() |
Democratic | 85 years, 122 days |
42 | Gaston Caperton | February 21, 1940 | 1989–1997 | ![]() |
Democratic | 85 years, 23 days |
43 | Lamar Alexander | July 3, 1940 | 1979–1987 | ![]() |
Republican | 84 years, 256 days |
44 | John W. Carlin | August 3, 1940 | 1979–1987 | ![]() |
Democratic | 84 years, 225 days |
45 | Ted Kulongoski | November 5, 1940 | 2003–2011 | ![]() |
Democratic | 84 years, 131 days |
46 | Toney Anaya | April 29, 1941 | 1983–1987 | ![]() |
Democratic | 83 years, 321 days |
47 | Ben Nelson | May 17, 1941 | 1991–1999 | ![]() |
Democratic | 83 years, 303 days |
48 | Ted Strickland | August 4, 1941 | 2007–2011 | ![]() |
Democratic | 83 years, 224 days |
– | Carl Gutierrez | October 15, 1941 | 1995–2003 | ![]() |
Democratic | 83 years, 152 days |
49 | Tommy Thompson | November 19, 1941 | 1987–2001 | ![]() |
Republican | 83 years, 117 days |
50 | Bob Taft | January 8, 1942 | 1999–2007 | ![]() |
Republican | 83 years, 66 days |
51 | Butch Otter | May 3, 1942 | 2007–2019 | ![]() |
Republican | 82 years, 317 days |
52 | John Ashcroft | May 9, 1942 | 1985–1993 | ![]() |
Republican | 82 years, 311 days |
53 | Parris Glendening | June 11, 1942 | 1995–2003 | ![]() |
Democratic | 82 years, 278 days |
54 | James J. Blanchard | August 8, 1942 | 1983–1991 | ![]() |
Democratic | 82 years, 220 days |
55 | Nathan Deal | August 25, 1942 | 2011–2019 | ![]() |
Republican | 82 years, 203 days |
– | Sila María Calderón | September 23, 1942 | 2001–2005 | ![]() |
Popular Democratic | 82 years, 174 days |
56 | Donald Carcieri | December 16, 1942 | 2003–2011 | ![]() |
Republican | 82 years, 90 days |
57 | Gray Davis | December 26, 1942 | 1999–2003 | ![]() |
Democratic | 82 years, 80 days |
58 | Tony Knowles | January 1, 1943 | 1994–2002 | ![]() |
Democratic | 82 years, 74 days |
59 | Robert J. Bentley | February 3, 1943 | 2011–2017 | ![]() |
Republican | 82 years, 41 days |
60 | Jim Risch | May 3, 1943 | 2006–2007 | ![]() |
Republican | 81 years, 317 days |
– | Ralph D. Hough | May 21, 1943 | 1993 | ![]() |
Republican | 81 years, 299 days |
61 | Bob Kerrey | August 27, 1943 | 1983–1987 | ![]() |
Democratic | 81 years, 201 days |
62 | Phil Bredesen | November 21, 1943 | 2003–2011 | ![]() |
Democratic | 81 years, 115 days |
– | Joseph Franklin Ada | December 3, 1943 | 1987–1995 | ![]() |
Republican | 81 years, 103 days |
63 | Ed Rendell | January 5, 1944 | 2003–2011 | ![]() |
Democratic | 81 years, 70 days |
64 | Frank Keating | February 10, 1944 | 1995–2003 | ![]() |
Republican | 81 years, 34 days |
65 | Mike Hayden | March 16, 1944 | 1987–1991 | ![]() |
Republican | 81 years, 0 days |
66 | Angus King | March 31, 1944 | 1995–2003 | ![]() |
Independent | 80 years, 350 days |
– | Pedro Rosselló | April 5, 1944 | 1993–2001 | ![]() |
New Progressive | 80 years, 345 days |
67 | Jim Geringer | April 24, 1944 | 1995–2003 | ![]() |
Republican | 80 years, 326 days |
68 | Steve Beshear | September 21, 1944 | 2007–2015 | ![]() |
Democratic | 80 years, 176 days |
69 | Jan Brewer | September 26, 1944 | 2009–2015 | ![]() |
Republican | 80 years, 171 days |
70 | Bob Riley | October 3, 1944 | 2003–2011 | ![]() |
Republican | 80 years, 164 days |
71 | Kay Ivey | October 15, 1944 | 2017–Present | ![]() |
Republican | 80 years, 152 days |
72 | Donald DiFrancesco | November 20, 1944 | 2001–2002 | ![]() |
Republican | 80 years, 116 days |
73 | Jim Gibbons | December 16, 1944 | 2007–2011 | ![]() |
Republican | 80 years, 90 days |
74 | Bob Miller | March 30, 1945 | 1989–1999 | ![]() |
Republican | 79 years, 351 days |
75 | George Pataki | June 24, 1945 | 1995–2006 | ![]() |
Republican | 79 years, 265 days |
76 | Bill Weld | July 31, 1945 | 1991–1997 | ![]() |
Republican | 79 years, 228 days |
77 | Fife Symington | August 12, 1945 | 1991–1997 | ![]() |
Republican | 79 years, 216 days |
78 | Tom Ridge | August 26, 1945 | 1995–2001 | ![]() |
Republican | 79 years, 202 days |
79 | Jim Doyle | November 23, 1945 | 2003–2011 | ![]() |
Democratic | 79 years, 113 days |
– | Benigno Fitial | November 27, 1945 | 2006–2013 | ![]() |
Republican | 79 years, 109 days |
80 | Don Siegelman | February 24, 1946 | 1999–2003 | ![]() |
Democratic | 79 years, 20 days |
81 | John D. Waiheʻe III | May 19, 1946 | 1986–1994 | ![]() |
Democratic | 78 years, 301 days |
82 | George W. Bush | July 6, 1946 | 1995–2000 | ![]() |
Republican | 78 years, 253 days |
83 | Jim Edgar | July 22, 1946 | 1991–1999 | ![]() |
Republican | 78 years, 237 days |
84 | Ed Schafer | August 8, 1946 | 1992–2000 | ![]() |
Republican | 78 years, 220 days |
85 | Bill Clinton | August 19, 1946 | 1979–1981, 1983–1992 | ![]() |
Democratic | 78 years, 209 days |
86 | Christine Todd Whitman | September 26, 1946 | 1994–2001 | ![]() |
Republican | 78 years, 171 days |
87 | Terry Branstad | November 17, 1946 | 1983–1999, 2011–2017 | ![]() |
Republican | 78 years, 119 days |
88 | Richard Codey | November 27, 1946 | 2004–2006 | ![]() |
Democratic | 78 years, 109 days |
89 | Sonny Perdue | December 20, 1946 | 2003–2011 | ![]() |
Republican | 78 years, 86 days |
90 | Mike Beebe | December 28, 1946 | 2007–2015 | ![]() |
Democratic | 78 years, 78 days |
91 | Jon Corzine | January 1, 1947 | 2006–2010 | ![]() |
Democratic | 78 years, 74 days |
92 | Mike DeWine | January 5, 1947 | 2019–Present | ![]() |
Republican | 78 years, 70 days |
93 | Bev Perdue | January 14, 1947 | 2009–2013 | ![]() |
Democratic | 78 years, 61 days |
94 | Tom Carper | January 23, 1947 | 1993–2001 | ![]() |
Democratic | 78 years, 52 days |
95 | Mark Dayton | January 26, 1947 | 2011–2019 | ![]() |
Democratic | 78 years, 49 days |
96 | Jeanne Shaheen | January 28, 1947 | 1997–2003 | ![]() |
Democratic | 78 years, 47 days |
97 | Judd Gregg | February 14, 1947 | 1989–1993 | ![]() |
Republican | 78 years, 30 days |
– | Togiola Tulafono | February 28, 1947 | 2003–2013 | ![]() |
Democratic | 78 years, 16 days |
98 | John Kitzhaber | March 5, 1947 | 1995–2003, 2011–2015 | ![]() |
Democratic | 78 years, 11 days |
99 | Mitt Romney | March 12, 1947 | 2003–2007 | ![]() |
Republican | 78 years, 4 days |
100 | Christine Gregoire | March 24, 1947 | 2005–2013 | ![]() |
Democratic | 77 years, 357 days |