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, 241 days, Governor of Minnesota from 1979 to 1983. The second oldest living U.S. state governor is Jimmy Carter, aged 99 years, 228 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 | 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 | Age (years, days) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Al Quie | September 18, 1923 | 1979–1983 | Minnesota | Independent-Republican | 100 years, 241 days |
2 | Jimmy Carter | October 1, 1924 | 1971–1975 | Georgia | Democratic | 99 years, 228 days |
3 | Ted Schwinden | August 31, 1925 | 1981–1989 | Montana | Democratic | 98 years, 259 days |
4 | Daniel J. Evans | October 16, 1925 | 1965–1977 | Washington | Republican | 98 years, 213 days |
5 | George Ariyoshi | March 12, 1926 | 1974–1986 | Hawaii | Democratic | 98 years, 65 days |
6 | George Nigh | June 9, 1927 | 1963, 1979–1987 | Oklahoma | Democratic | 96 years, 342 days |
7 | Winfield Dunn | July 1, 1927 | 1971–1975 | Tennessee | Republican | 96 years, 320 days |
8 | Roy Romer | October 31, 1928 | 1987–1999 | Colorado | Democratic | 95 years, 198 days |
9 | Robert D. Fulton | May 13, 1929 | 1969 | Iowa | Democratic | 95 years, 3 days |
10 | Douglas Wilder | January 17, 1931 | 1990–1994 | Virginia | Democratic | 93 years, 120 days |
11 | Kenneth M. Curtis | February 8, 1931 | 1967–1975 | Maine | Democratic | 93 years, 98 days |
12 | Julian Carroll | April 16, 1931 | 1974–1979 | Kentucky | Democratic | 93 years, 30 days |
13 | Philip Noel | June 6, 1931 | 1973–1977 | Rhode Island | Democratic | 92 years, 345 days |
14 | Thomas P. Salmon | August 19, 1932 | 1973–1977 | Vermont | Democratic | 91 years, 271 days |
15 | Richard Riley | January 2, 1933 | 1979–1987 | South Carolina | Democratic | 91 years, 135 days |
16 | Buddy MacKay | March 22, 1933 | 1998–1999 | Florida | Democratic | 91 years, 55 days |
17 | Frank Murkowski | March 28, 1933 | 2002–2006 | Alaska | Republican | 91 years, 49 days |
18 | Pete Wilson | August 23, 1933 | 1991–1999 | California | Republican | 90 years, 267 days |
19 | Madeleine Kunin | September 28, 1933 | 1985–1991 | Vermont | Democratic | 90 years, 231 days |
20 | Michael Dukakis | November 3, 1933 | 1975–1979, 1983–1991 | Massachusetts | Democratic | 90 years, 195 days |
21 | George Ryan | February 24, 1934 | 1999–2003 | Illinois | Republican | 90 years, 82 days |
22 | Edward D. DiPrete | July 8, 1934 | 1985–1991 | Rhode Island | Republican | 89 years, 313 days |
N/A | Paul McDonald Calvo | July 25, 1934 | 1979–1983 | Guam | Republican | 89 years, 296 days |
23 | David Pryor | August 29, 1934 | 1975–1979 | Arkansas | Democratic | 89 years, 261 days |
24 | Fob James | September 15, 1934 | 1979–1983, 1995–1999 | Alabama | Democratic/
Republican |
89 years, 244 days |
25 | Arne Carlson | September 24, 1934 | 1991–1999 | Minnesota | Independent-Republican/Republican | 89 years, 235 days |
26 | Joseph E. Brennan | November 2, 1934 | 1979–1987 | Maine | Democratic | 89 years, 196 days |
27 | Bob Martinez | December 25, 1934 | 1987–1991 | Florida | Republican | 89 years, 143 days |
28 | Thomas Kean | April 21, 1935 | 1982–1990 | New Jersey | Republican | 89 years, 25 days |
29 | James G. Martin | December 11, 1935 | 1985–1993 | North Carolina | Republican | 88 years, 157 days |
30 | Joe Frank Harris | February 16, 1936 | 1983–1991 | Georgia | Democratic | 88 years, 90 days |
31 | Don Sundquist | March 15, 1936 | 1995–2003 | Tennessee | Republican | 88 years, 62 days |
32 | Robert List | September 1, 1936 | 1979–1983 | Nevada | Republican | 87 years, 258 days |
33 | Bob Graham | November 9, 1936 | 1979–1987 | Florida | Democratic | 87 years, 189 days |
34 | Martha Layne Collins | December 7, 1936 | 1983–1987 | Kentucky | Democratic | 87 years, 161 days |
35 | Barbara Roberts | December 21, 1936 | 1991–1995 | Oregon | Democratic | 87 years, 147 days |
N/A | Carlos S. Camacho | February 27, 1937 | 1978–1982 | Northern Mariana Islands | Democratic | 87 years, 79 days |
36 | Jim Hunt | May 16, 1937 | 1977–1985, 1993–2001 | North Carolina | Democratic | 87 years, 0 days |
37 | Paul E. Patton | May 26, 1937 | 1995–2003 | Kentucky | Democratic | 86 years, 356 days |
38 | Jay Rockefeller | June 18, 1937 | 1977–1985 | West Virginia | Democratic | 86 years, 333 days |
39 | Richard Bryan | July 16, 1937 | 1983–1989 | Nevada | Democratic | 86 years, 305 days |
40 | Dick Celeste | November 11, 1937 | 1983–1991 | Ohio | Democratic | 86 years, 187 days |
41 | Jerry Brown | April 7, 1938 | 1975–1983, 2011–2019 | California | Democratic | 86 years, 39 days |
42 | Neil Abercrombie | June 26, 1938 | 2010–2014 | Hawaii | Democratic | 85 years, 325 days |
43 | Bruce Babbitt | June 27, 1938 | 1978–1987 | Arizona | Democratic | 85 years, 324 days |
44 | Steve Cowper | August 21, 1938 | 1986–1990 | Alaska | Democratic | 85 years, 269 days |
45 | Allen I. Olson | November 5, 1938 | 1981–1985 | North Dakota | Republican | 85 years, 193 days |
46 | Kay A. Orr | January 2, 1939 | 1987–1991 | Nebraska | Republican | 85 years, 135 days |
47 | Kit Bond | March 6, 1939 | 1973–1977, 1981–1985 | Missouri | Republican | 85 years, 71 days |
48 | Martin J. Schreiber | April 8, 1939 | 1977–1979 | Wisconsin | Democratic | 85 years, 38 days |
49 | Chuck Robb | June 26, 1939 | 1982–1986 | Virginia | Democratic | 84 years, 325 days |
50 | Brereton C. Jones | June 27, 1939 | 1991–1995 | Kentucky | Democratic | 84 years, 324 days |
51 / 52 | Mike Castle | July 2, 1939 | 1985–1992 | Delaware | Republican | 84 years, 319 days |
John H. Sununu | 1983–1989 | New Hampshire | Republican | |||
53 | Garrey Carruthers | August 29, 1939 | 1987–1991 | New Mexico | Republican | 84 years, 261 days |
54 | Mike Sullivan | September 22, 1939 | 1987–1995 | Wyoming | Democratic | 84 years, 237 days |
55 | Ben Cayetano | November 14, 1939 | 1994–2002 | Hawaii | Democratic | 84 years, 184 days |
56 | Gaston Caperton | February 21, 1940 | 1989–1997 | West Virginia | Democratic | 84 years, 85 days |
57 | Neil Goldschmidt | June 16, 1940 | 1987–1991 | Oregon | Democratic | 83 years, 335 days |
58 | Lamar Alexander | July 3, 1940 | 1979–1987 | Tennessee | Republican | 83 years, 318 days |
59 | John W. Carlin | August 3, 1940 | 1979–1987 | Kansas | Democratic | 83 years, 287 days |
60 | Ted Kulongoski | November 5, 1940 | 2003–2011 | Oregon | Democratic | 83 years, 193 days |
61 | David Boren | April 21, 1941 | 1975–1979 | Oklahoma | Democratic | 83 years, 25 days |
62 | Toney Anaya | April 29, 1941 | 1983–1987 | New Mexico | Democratic | 83 years, 17 days |
63 | Ben Nelson | May 17, 1941 | 1991–1999 | Nebraska | Democratic | 82 years, 365 days |
64 | Ted Strickland | August 4, 1941 | 2007–2011 | Ohio | Democratic | 82 years, 286 days |
N/A | Carl Gutierrez | October 15, 1941 | 1995–2003 | Guam | Democratic | 82 years, 214 days |
65 | Tommy Thompson | November 19, 1941 | 1987–2001 | Wisconsin | Republican | 82 years, 179 days |
66 | Bob Taft | January 8, 1942 | 1999–2007 | Ohio | Republican | 82 years, 128 days |
67 | Butch Otter | May 3, 1942 | 2007–2019 | Idaho | Republican | 82 years, 13 days |
68 | John Ashcroft | May 9, 1942 | 1985–1993 | Missouri | Republican | 82 years, 7 days |
69 | Parris Glendening | June 11, 1942 | 1995–2003 | Maryland | Democratic | 81 years, 340 days |
70 | James J. Blanchard | August 8, 1942 | 1983–1991 | Michigan | Democratic | 81 years, 282 days |
71 | Nathan Deal | August 25, 1942 | 2011–2019 | Georgia | Republican | 81 years, 265 days |
N/A | Sila María Calderón | September 23, 1942 | 2001–2005 | Puerto Rico | Popular Democratic | 81 years, 236 days |
72 | Donald Carcieri | December 16, 1942 | 2003–2011 | Rhode Island | Republican | 81 years, 152 days |
73 | Gray Davis | December 26, 1942 | 1999–2003 | California | Democratic | 81 years, 142 days |
74 | Tony Knowles | January 1, 1943 | 1994–2002 | Alaska | Democratic | 81 years, 136 days |
75 | Robert J. Bentley | February 3, 1943 | 2011–2017 | Alabama | Republican | 81 years, 103 days |
76 | Jim Risch | May 3, 1943 | 2006–2007 | Idaho | Republican | 81 years, 13 days |
N/A | Ralph D. Hough | May 21, 1943 | 1993 | New Hampshire | Republican | 80 years, 361 days |
77 | Jim Guy Tucker | June 13, 1943 | 1992–1996 | Arkansas | Democratic | 80 years, 338 days |
78 | Bob Kerrey | August 27, 1943 | 1983–1987 | Nebraska | Democratic | 80 years, 263 days |
79 | Phil Bredesen | November 21, 1943 | 2003–2011 | Tennessee | Democratic | 80 years, 177 days |
N/A | Joseph Franklin Ada | December 3, 1943 | 1987–1995 | Guam | Republican | 80 years, 165 days |
80 | Ed Rendell | January 5, 1944 | 2003–2011 | Pennsylvania | Democratic | 80 years, 132 days |
81 | Frank Keating | February 10, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Oklahoma | Republican | 80 years, 96 days |
82 | Mike Hayden | March 16, 1944 | 1987–1991 | Kansas | Republican | 80 years, 61 days |
83 | Angus King | March 31, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Maine | Independent | 80 years, 46 days |
N/A | Pedro Rosselló | April 5, 1944 | 1993–2001 | Puerto Rico | New Progressive | 80 years, 41 days |
84 | Jim Geringer | April 24, 1944 | 1995–2003 | Wyoming | Republican | 80 years, 22 days |
85 | Steve Beshear | September 21, 1944 | 2007–2015 | Kentucky | Democratic | 79 years, 238 days |
86 | Jan Brewer | September 26, 1944 | 2009–2015 | Arizona | Republican | 79 years, 233 days |
87 | Bob Riley | October 3, 1944 | 2003–2011 | Alabama | Republican | 79 years, 226 days |
88 | Kay Ivey | October 15, 1944 | 2017–present | Alabama | Republican | 79 years, 214 days |
89 | Donald DiFrancesco | November 20, 1944 | 2001–2002 | New Jersey | Republican | 79 years, 178 days |
90 | Jim Gibbons | December 16, 1944 | 2007–2011 | Nevada | Republican | 79 years, 152 days |
91 | Bob Miller | March 30, 1945 | 1989–1999 | Nevada | Democratic | 79 years, 47 days |
92 | George Pataki | June 24, 1945 | 1995–2006 | New York | Republican | 78 years, 327 days |
93 | Bill Weld | July 31, 1945 | 1991–1997 | Massachusetts | Republican | 78 years, 290 days |
94 | Fife Symington | August 12, 1945 | 1991–1997 | Arizona | Republican | 78 years, 278 days |
95 | Tom Ridge | August 26, 1945 | 1995–2001 | Pennsylvania | Republican | 78 years, 264 days |
96 | Jim Doyle | November 23, 1945 | 2003–2011 | Wisconsin | Democratic | 78 years, 175 days |
N/A | Benigno Fitial | November 27, 1945 | 2006–2013 | Northern Mariana Islands | Republican | 78 years, 171 days |
97 | Don Siegelman | February 24, 1946 | 1999–2003 | Alabama | Democratic | 78 years, 82 days |
98 | John D. Waiheʻe III | May 19, 1946 | 1986–1994 | Hawaii | Democratic | 77 years, 363 days |
99 | Jodi Rell | June 16, 1946 | 2004–2011 | Connecticut | Republican | 77 years, 335 days |
100 | George W. Bush | July 6, 1946 | 1995–2000 | Texas | Republican | 77 years, 315 days |