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 Jimmy Carter, aged 100 years, 31 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 | 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 | August 18, 2023 | Al Quie | Minnesota | September 18, 1923 | 1979–1983 | Independent-Republican |
August 18, 2023 | Present | Jimmy Carter | Georgia | October 1, 1924 | 1971–1975 | 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 | Jimmy Carter | October 1, 1924 | 1971–1975 | Georgia | Democratic | 100 years, 31 days |
2 | George Ariyoshi | March 12, 1926 | 1974–1986 | Hawaii | Democratic | 98 years, 234 days |
3 | George Nigh | June 9, 1927 | 1963, 1979–1987 | Oklahoma | Democratic | 97 years, 145 days |
4 | Roy Romer | October 31, 1928 | 1987–1999 | Colorado | Democratic | 96 years, 1 day |
5 | Douglas Wilder | January 17, 1931 | 1990–1994 | Virginia | Democratic | 93 years, 289 days |
6 | Kenneth M. Curtis | February 8, 1931 | 1967–1975 | Maine | Democratic | 93 years, 267 days |
7 | Philip Noel | June 6, 1931 | 1973–1977 | Rhode Island | Democratic | 93 years, 148 days |
8 | Thomas P. Salmon | August 19, 1932 | 1973–1977 | Vermont | Democratic | 92 years, 74 days |
9 | Richard Riley | January 2, 1933 | 1979–1987 | South Carolina | Democratic | 91 years, 304 days |
10 | Buddy MacKay | March 22, 1933 | 1998–1999 | Florida | Democratic | 91 years, 224 days |
11 | Frank Murkowski | March 28, 1933 | 2002–2006 | Alaska | Republican | 91 years, 218 days |
12 | Pete Wilson | August 23, 1933 | 1991–1999 | California | Republican | 91 years, 70 days |
13 | Madeleine Kunin | September 28, 1933 | 1985–1991 | Vermont | Democratic | 91 years, 34 days |
14 | Michael Dukakis | November 3, 1933 | 1975–1979, 1983–1991 | Massachusetts | Democratic | 90 years, 364 days |
15 | George Ryan | February 24, 1934 | 1999–2003 | Illinois | Republican | 90 years, 251 days |
16 | Edward D. DiPrete | July 8, 1934 | 1985–1991 | Rhode Island | Republican | 90 years, 116 days |
17 | Fob James | September 15, 1934 | 1979–1983, 1995–1999 | Alabama | Democratic Republican |
90 years, 47 days |
18 | Arne Carlson | September 24, 1934 | 1991–1999 | Minnesota | Independent-Republican/Republican | 90 years, 38 days |
19 | Bob Martinez | December 25, 1934 | 1987–1991 | Florida | Republican | 89 years, 312 days |
20 | Thomas Kean | April 21, 1935 | 1982–1990 | New Jersey | Republican | 89 years, 194 days |
21 | James G. Martin | December 11, 1935 | 1985–1993 | North Carolina | Republican | 88 years, 326 days |
22 | Joe Frank Harris | February 16, 1936 | 1983–1991 | Georgia | Democratic | 88 years, 259 days |
23 | Robert List | September 1, 1936 | 1979–1983 | Nevada | Republican | 88 years, 61 days |
24 | Martha Layne Collins | December 7, 1936 | 1983–1987 | Kentucky | Democratic | 87 years, 330 days |
25 | Barbara Roberts | December 21, 1936 | 1991–1995 | Oregon | Democratic | 87 years, 316 days |
– | Carlos S. Camacho | February 27, 1937 | 1978–1982 | Northern Mariana Islands | Democratic | 87 years, 248 days |
26 | Jim Hunt | May 16, 1937 | 1977–1985, 1993–2001 | North Carolina | Democratic | 87 years, 169 days |
27 | Paul E. Patton | May 26, 1937 | 1995–2003 | Kentucky | Democratic | 87 years, 159 days |
28 | Jay Rockefeller | June 18, 1937 | 1977–1985 | West Virginia | Democratic | 87 years, 136 days |
29 | Richard Bryan | July 16, 1937 | 1983–1989 | Nevada | Democratic | 87 years, 108 days |
30 | Dick Celeste | November 11, 1937 | 1983–1991 | Ohio | Democratic | 86 years, 356 days |
31 | Jerry Brown | April 7, 1938 | 1975–1983, 2011–2019 | California | Democratic | 86 years, 208 days |
32 | Neil Abercrombie | June 26, 1938 | 2010–2014 | Hawaii | Democratic | 86 years, 128 days |
33 | Bruce Babbitt | June 27, 1938 | 1978–1987 | Arizona | Democratic | 86 years, 127 days |
34 | Steve Cowper | August 21, 1938 | 1986–1990 | Alaska | Democratic | 86 years, 72 days |
35 | Allen I. Olson | November 5, 1938 | 1981–1985 | North Dakota | Republican | 85 years, 362 days |
36 | Kay A. Orr | January 2, 1939 | 1987–1991 | Nebraska | Republican | 85 years, 304 days |
37 | Kit Bond | March 6, 1939 | 1973–1977, 1981–1985 | Missouri | Republican | 85 years, 240 days |
38 | Martin J. Schreiber | April 8, 1939 | 1977–1979 | Wisconsin | Democratic | 85 years, 207 days |
39 | Chuck Robb | June 26, 1939 | 1982–1986 | Virginia | Democratic | 85 years, 128 days |
40 | Mike Castle | July 2, 1939 | 1985–1992 | Delaware | Republican | 85 years, 122 days |
John H. Sununu | 1983–1989 | New Hampshire | Republican | |||
42 | Garrey Carruthers | August 29, 1939 | 1987–1991 | New Mexico | Republican | 85 years, 64 days |
43 | Mike Sullivan | September 22, 1939 | 1987–1995 | Wyoming | Democratic | 85 years, 40 days |
44 | Ben Cayetano | November 14, 1939 | 1994–2002 | Hawaii | Democratic | 84 years, 353 days |
45 | Gaston Caperton | February 21, 1940 | 1989–1997 | West Virginia | Democratic | 84 years, 254 days |
46 | Lamar Alexander | July 3, 1940 | 1979–1987 | Tennessee | Republican | 84 years, 121 days |
47 | John W. Carlin | August 3, 1940 | 1979–1987 | Kansas | Democratic | 84 years, 90 days |
48 | Ted Kulongoski | November 5, 1940 | 2003–2011 | Oregon | Democratic | 83 years, 362 days |
49 | David Boren | April 21, 1941 | 1975–1979 | Oklahoma | Democratic | 83 years, 194 days |
50 | Toney Anaya | April 29, 1941 | 1983–1987 | New Mexico | Democratic | 83 years, 186 days |
51 | Ben Nelson | May 17, 1941 | 1991–1999 | Nebraska | Democratic | 83 years, 168 days |
52 | Ted Strickland | August 4, 1941 | 2007–2011 | Ohio | Democratic | 83 years, 89 days |
– | Carl Gutierrez | October 15, 1941 | 1995–2003 | Guam | Democratic | 83 years, 17 days |
53 | Tommy Thompson | November 19, 1941 | 1987–2001 | Wisconsin | Republican | 82 years, 348 days |
54 | Bob Taft | January 8, 1942 | 1999–2007 | Ohio | Republican | 82 years, 297 days |
55 | Butch Otter | May 3, 1942 | 2007–2019 | Idaho | Republican | 82 years, 182 days |
56 | John Ashcroft | May 9, 1942 | 1985–1993 | Missouri | Republican | 82 years, 176 days |
57 | Parris Glendening | June 11, 1942 | 1995–2003 | Maryland | Democratic | 82 years, 143 days |
58 | James J. Blanchard | August 8, 1942 | 1983–1991 | Michigan | Democratic | 82 years, 85 days |
59 | Nathan Deal | August 25, 1942 | 2011–2019 | Georgia | Republican | 82 years, 68 days |
– | Sila María Calderón | September 23, 1942 | 2001–2005 | Puerto Rico | Popular Democratic | 82 years, 39 days |
60 | Donald Carcieri | December 16, 1942 | 2003–2011 | Rhode Island | Republican | 81 years, 321 days |
61 | Gray Davis | December 26, 1942 | 1999–2003 | California | Democratic | 81 years, 311 days |
62 | Tony Knowles | January 1, 1943 | 1994–2002 | Alaska | Democratic | 81 years, 305 days |
63 | Robert J. Bentley | February 3, 1943 | 2011–2017 | Alabama | Republican | 81 years, 272 days |
64 | Jim Risch | May 3, 1943 | 2006–2007 | Idaho | Republican | 81 years, 182 days |
– | Ralph D. Hough | May 21, 1943 | 1993 | New Hampshire | Republican | 81 years, 164 days |
65 | Jim Guy Tucker | June 13, 1943 | 1992–1996 | Arkansas | Democratic | 81 years, 141 days |
66 | Bob Kerrey | August 27, 1943 | 1983–1987 | Nebraska | Democratic | 81 years, 66 days |
67 | Phil Bredesen | November 21, 1943 | 2003–2011 | Tennessee | Democratic | 80 years, 346 days |
– | Joseph Franklin Ada | December 3, 1943 | 1987–1995 | Guam | Republican | 80 years, 334 days |
68 | Ed Rendell | January 5, 1944 | 2003–2011 | Pennsylvania | Democratic | 80 years, 301 days |
69 | Frank Keating | February 10, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Oklahoma | Republican | 80 years, 265 days |
70 | Mike Hayden | March 16, 1944 | 1987–1991 | Kansas | Republican | 80 years, 230 days |
71 | Angus King | March 31, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Maine | Independent | 80 years, 215 days |
– | Pedro Rosselló | April 5, 1944 | 1993–2001 | Puerto Rico | New Progressive | 80 years, 210 days |
72 | Jim Geringer | April 24, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Wyoming | Republican | 80 years, 191 days |
73 | Steve Beshear | September 21, 1944 | 2007–2015 | Kentucky | Democratic | 80 years, 41 days |
74 | Jan Brewer | September 26, 1944 | 2009–2015 | Arizona | Republican | 80 years, 36 days |
75 | Bob Riley | October 3, 1944 | 2003–2011 | Alabama | Republican | 80 years, 29 days |
76 | Kay Ivey | October 15, 1944 | 2017–Present | Alabama | Republican | 80 years, 17 days |
77 | Donald DiFrancesco | November 20, 1944 | 2001–2002 | New Jersey | Republican | 79 years, 347 days |
78 | Jim Gibbons | December 16, 1944 | 2007–2011 | Nevada | Republican | 79 years, 321 days |
79 | Bob Miller | March 30, 1945 | 1989–1999 | Nevada | Republican | 79 years, 216 days |
80 | George Pataki | June 24, 1945 | 1995–2006 | New York | Republican | 79 years, 130 days |
81 | Bill Weld | July 31, 1945 | 1991–1997 | Massachusetts | Republican | 79 years, 93 days |
82 | Fife Symington | August 12, 1945 | 1991–1997 | Arizona | Republican | 79 years, 81 days |
83 | Tom Ridge | August 26, 1945 | 1995–2001 | Pennsylvania | Republican | 79 years, 67 days |
84 | Jim Doyle | November 23, 1945 | 2003–2011 | Wisconsin | Democratic | 78 years, 344 days |
– | Benigno Fitial | November 27, 1945 | 2006–2013 | Northern Mariana Islands | Republican | 78 years, 340 days |
85 | Don Siegelman | February 24, 1946 | 1999–2003 | Alabama | Democratic | 78 years, 251 days |
86 | John D. Waiheʻe III | May 19, 1946 | 1986–1994 | Hawaii | Democratic | 78 years, 166 days |
87 | Jodi Rell | June 16, 1946 | 2004–2011 | Connecticut | Republican | 78 years, 138 days |
88 | George W. Bush | July 6, 1946 | 1995–2000 | Texas | Republican | 78 years, 118 days |
89 | Jim Edgar | July 22, 1946 | 1991–1999 | Illinois | Republican | 78 years, 102 days |
90 | Ed Schafer | August 8, 1946 | 1992–2000 | North Dakota | Republican | 78 years, 85 days |
91 | Bill Clinton | August 19, 1946 | 1979–1981, 1983–1992 | Arkansas | Democratic | 78 years, 74 days |
92 | Christine Todd Whitman | September 26, 1946 | 1994–2001 | New Jersey | Republican | 78 years, 36 days |
93 | Terry Branstad | November 17, 1946 | 1983–1999, 2011–2017 | Iowa | Republican | 77 years, 350 days |
94 | Richard Codey | November 27, 1946 | 2004–2006 | New Jersey | Democratic | 77 years, 340 days |
95 | Sonny Perdue | December 20, 1946 | 2003–2011 | Georgia | Republican | 77 years, 317 days |
96 | Mike Beebe | December 28, 1946 | 2007–2015 | Arkansas | Democratic | 77 years, 309 days |
97 | Jon Corzine | January 1, 1947 | 2006–2010 | New Jersey | Democratic | 77 years, 305 days |
98 | Mike DeWine | January 5, 1947 | 2019–Present | Ohio | Republican | 77 years, 301 days |
99 | Bev Perdue | January 14, 1947 | 2009–2013 | North Carolina | Democratic | 77 years, 292 days |
100 | Tom Carper | January 23, 1947 | 1993–2001 | Delaware | Democratic | 77 years, 283 days |