List of governors of Missouri

Governor of Missouri
Incumbent
Mike Parson
since June 1, 2018
StyleThe Honorable
ResidenceMissouri Governor's Mansion
Term lengthFour years, renewable once
PrecursorGovernor of Missouri Territory
Inaugural holderAlexander McNair
FormationSeptember 18, 1820
(203 years ago)
 (1820-09-18) Constitution of Missouri
DeputyLieutenant Governor of Missouri
SalaryUS$133,820.88 per year
(2013)
Websitegovernor.mo.gov

The governor of Missouri is the head of government of the U.S. state of Missouri and the commander-in-chief of the Missouri National Guard. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Missouri Legislature, to convene the legislature and grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment.

The current governor is Republican Mike Parson, who took office on June 1, 2018.

List of governors

Louisiana was purchased from France in 1803, with it being proclaimed in St. Louis in Upper Louisiana on March 10, 1804, by Amos Stoddard, who remained as military commander of the region until October 1, 1804, when Orleans Territory was split from it. The remainder was designated the District of Louisiana and placed under the jurisdiction of Indiana Territory and its governor, William Henry Harrison.

Louisiana Territory and Missouri Territory

The District of Louisiana was organized as Louisiana Territory on July 4, 1805; it was renamed Missouri Territory on June 4, 1812, after the admission of the state of Louisiana. It had four governors appointed by the president of the United States, including both Meriwether Lewis and William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Governors of Louisiana and Missouri Territory
No. Governor Term in office Appointed by
1 James Wilkinson
(1757–1825)
July 4, 1805

March 3, 1807
(successor appointed)
Thomas Jefferson
2 Meriwether Lewis
(1774–1809)
March 3, 1807

October 11, 1809
(died in office)
Thomas Jefferson
3 Benjamin Howard
(1760–1814)
April 18, 1810

October 31, 1812
(resigned)
James Madison
4 William Clark
(1770–1838)
July 1, 1813

September 18, 1820
(lost election)
James Madison
James Monroe

State of Missouri

Missouri was admitted to the union on August 10, 1821.

The original constitution of 1820 created the offices of governor and lieutenant governor, to serve terms of four years without being able to succeed themselves. Terms were shortened to 2 years in 1865, with a limit of serving no more than four out of every six years. They were returned in 1875 to the four-year term and limit on succession of the 1820 constitution, and the term limit changed to two terms in 1965. Originally, the lieutenant governor would act as governor in the event of a vacancy; a 1968 amendment made it so that the lieutenant governor becomes governor in that situation.

An unelected group proclaimed Missouri's secession from the Union on October 31, 1861, and it was admitted to the Confederate States of America on November 28, 1861. The Confederate government elected two governors, but it never held much control over the state.

Governors of the State of Missouri
No. Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor
1   Alexander McNair
(1775–1826)
September 18, 1820

November 17, 1824
(term-limited)
Democratic-
Republican
1820   William Henry Ashley
2 Frederick Bates
(1777–1825)
November 17, 1824

August 4, 1825
(died in office)
Democratic-
Republican
1824 Benjamin Harrison Reeves
(resigned July 1825)
Vacant
3 Abraham J. Williams
(1781–1839)
August 4, 1825

January 20, 1826
(successor took office)
Democratic-
Republican
President of
the Senate
acting
4 John Miller
(1781–1846)
January 20, 1826

November 21, 1832
(term-limited)
Democratic 1825
(special)
1828 Daniel Dunklin
5 Daniel Dunklin
(1790–1844)
November 21, 1832

September 30, 1836
(resigned)
Democratic 1832 Lilburn Boggs
6 Lilburn Boggs
(1796–1860)
September 30, 1836

November 18, 1840
(term-limited)
Democratic Lieutenant
governor
acting
Acting as governor
1836 Franklin Cannon
7 Thomas Reynolds
(1796–1844)
November 18, 1840

February 9, 1844
(died in office)
Democratic 1840 Meredith Miles Marmaduke
8 Meredith Miles Marmaduke
(1791–1864)
February 9, 1844

November 20, 1844
(successor took office)
Democratic Lieutenant
governor
acting
Acting as governor
9 John Cummins Edwards
(1804–1888)
November 20, 1844

December 27, 1848
(term-limited)
Democratic 1844 James Young
10 Austin Augustus King
(1802–1870)
December 27, 1848

January 3, 1853
(term-limited)
Democratic 1848 Thomas Lawson Price
11 Sterling Price
(1809–1867)
January 3, 1853

January 5, 1857
(term-limited)
Democratic 1852 Wilson Brown
(died August 27, 1855)
Vacant
12 Trusten Polk
(1811–1876)
January 5, 1857

February 27, 1857
(resigned)
Democratic 1856 Hancock Lee Jackson
13 Hancock Lee Jackson
(1796–1876)
February 27, 1857

October 22, 1857
(successor took office)
Democratic Lieutenant
governor
acting
Acting as governor
14 Robert Marcellus Stewart
(1815–1871)
October 22, 1857

January 3, 1861
(term-limited)
Democratic 1857
(special)
Hancock Lee Jackson
15 Claiborne Fox Jackson
(1806–1862)
January 3, 1861

July 31, 1861
(office declared vacant)
Democratic 1860 Thomas Caute Reynolds
16 Hamilton Rowan Gamble
(1798–1864)
July 31, 1861

January 31, 1864
(died in office)
Unionist Provisional
governor
elected by
convention
Willard Preble Hall
17 Willard Preble Hall
(1820–1882)
January 31, 1864

January 2, 1865
(successor took office)
Unionist Lieutenant
governor
acting
Acting as governor
18 Thomas Clement Fletcher
(1827–1899)
January 2, 1865

January 12, 1869
(term-limited)
Republican 1864 George Smith
19 Joseph W. McClurg
(1818–1900)
January 12, 1869

January 9, 1871
(lost election)
Republican 1868 Edwin O. Stanard
20 Benjamin Gratz Brown
(1826–1885)
January 9, 1871

January 8, 1873
(did not run)
Liberal
Republican
1870 Joseph J. Gravely
(died April 28, 1872)
Vacant
21 Silas Woodson
(1819–1896)
January 8, 1873

January 12, 1875
(did not run)
Democratic 1872 Charles Phillip Johnson
22 Charles Henry Hardin
(1820–1892)
January 12, 1875

January 8, 1877
(did not run)
Democratic 1874 Norman Jay Coleman
23 John S. Phelps
(1814–1886)
January 8, 1877

January 10, 1881
(term-limited)
Democratic 1876 Henry Clay Brockmeyer
24 Thomas Theodore Crittenden
(1832–1909)
January 10, 1881

January 12, 1885
(term-limited)
Democratic 1880 Robert Alexander Campbell
25 John S. Marmaduke
(1833–1887)
January 12, 1885

December 28, 1887
(died in office)
Democratic 1884 Albert P. Morehouse
26 Albert P. Morehouse
(1835–1891)
December 28, 1887

January 14, 1889
(lost nomination)
Democratic Lieutenant
governor
acting
Acting as governor
27 David R. Francis
(1850–1927)
January 14, 1889

January 9, 1893
(term-limited)
Democratic 1888 Stephen Hugh Claycomb
28 William J. Stone
(1848–1918)
January 9, 1893

January 11, 1897
(term-limited)
Democratic 1892 John Baptiste O'Meara
29 Lawrence Vest Stephens
(1858–1923)
January 11, 1897

January 14, 1901
(term-limited)
Democratic 1896 August Henry Bolte
30 Alexander Monroe Dockery
(1845–1926)
January 14, 1901

January 9, 1905
(term-limited)
Democratic 1900 John Adams Lee
(resigned April 25, 1903)
Thomas L. Rubey
(appointed April 25, 1903)
31 Joseph W. Folk
(1869–1923)
January 9, 1905

January 11, 1909
(term-limited)
Democratic 1904 John C. McKinley
32 Herbert S. Hadley
(1872–1927)
January 11, 1909

January 13, 1913
(term-limited)
Republican 1908 Jacob F. Gmelich
33 Elliott Woolfolk Major
(1864–1949)
January 13, 1913

January 8, 1917
(term-limited)
Democratic 1912 William Rock Painter
34 Frederick D. Gardner
(1869–1933)
January 8, 1917

January 10, 1921
(term-limited)
Democratic 1916 Wallace Crossley
35 Arthur M. Hyde
(1877–1947)
January 10, 1921

January 12, 1925
(term-limited)
Republican 1920 Hiram Lloyd
36 Sam Aaron Baker
(1874–1933)
January 12, 1925

January 14, 1929
(term-limited)
Republican 1924 Philip Allen Bennett
37 Henry S. Caulfield
(1873–1966)
January 14, 1929

January 9, 1933
(term-limited)
Republican 1928 Edward Henry Winter
38 Guy Brasfield Park
(1872–1946)
January 9, 1933

January 11, 1937
(term-limited)
Democratic 1932 Frank Gaines Harris
(died December 30, 1944)
39 Lloyd C. Stark
(1886–1972)
January 11, 1937

February 26, 1941
(term-limited)
Democratic 1936
40 Forrest C. Donnell
(1884–1980)
February 26, 1941

January 8, 1945
(term-limited)
Republican 1940
Vacant
41 Phil M. Donnelly
(1891–1961)
January 8, 1945

January 10, 1949
(term-limited)
Democratic 1944 Walter Naylor Davis
42 Forrest Smith
(1886–1962)
January 10, 1949

January 12, 1953
(term-limited)
Democratic 1948 James T. Blair Jr.
43 Phil M. Donnelly
(1891–1961)
January 12, 1953

January 14, 1957
(term-limited)
Democratic 1952
44 James T. Blair Jr.
(1902–1962)
January 14, 1957

January 9, 1961
(term-limited)
Democratic 1956 Edward V. Long
(resigned September 23, 1960)
Vacant
45 John M. Dalton
(1900–1972)
January 9, 1961

January 11, 1965
(term-limited)
Democratic 1960 Hilary A. Bush
46 Warren E. Hearnes
(1923–2009)
January 11, 1965

January 8, 1973
(term-limited)
Democratic 1964 Thomas Eagleton
(resigned December 27, 1968)
Vacant
1968 William S. Morris
47 Kit Bond
(b. 1939)
January 8, 1973

January 10, 1977
(lost election)
Republican 1972 Bill Phelps
48 Joseph P. Teasdale
(1936–2014)
January 10, 1977

January 12, 1981
(lost election)
Democratic 1976
49 Kit Bond
(b. 1939)
January 12, 1981

January 14, 1985
(did not run)
Republican 1980 Ken Rothman
50 John Ashcroft
(b. 1942)
January 14, 1985

January 11, 1993
(term-limited)
Republican 1984 Harriett Woods
1988 Mel Carnahan
51 Mel Carnahan
(1934–2000)
January 11, 1993

October 16, 2000
(died in office)
Democratic 1992 Roger B. Wilson
1996
52 Roger B. Wilson
(b. 1948)
October 16, 2000

January 8, 2001
(did not run)
Democratic Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor
Vacant
Joe Maxwell
(appointed November 15, 2000)
53 Bob Holden
(b. 1949)
January 8, 2001

January 10, 2005
(lost nomination)
Democratic 2000
54 Matt Blunt
(b. 1970)
January 10, 2005

January 12, 2009
(did not run)
Republican 2004 Peter Kinder
55 Jay Nixon
(b. 1956)
January 12, 2009

January 9, 2017
(term-limited)
Democratic 2008
2012
56 Eric Greitens
(b. 1974)
January 9, 2017

June 1, 2018
(resigned)
Republican 2016 Mike Parson
57 Mike Parson
(b. 1955)
June 1, 2018

Incumbent
Republican Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor
Vacant
Mike Kehoe
(appointed June 18, 2018)
2020

Confederate governors

Thomas Caute Reynolds, 2nd Confederate governor of Missouri

During the Civil War, after the capture of Jefferson City by the Union, a constitutional convention declared the office then held by Governor Claiborne Fox Jackson to be vacant. In October, Jackson, Lieutenant Governor Thomas Caute Reynolds, and some members of the General Assembly, organized at Neosho and passed an Ordinance of Secession. This Confederate government never displaced the government in Jefferson City, and Missouri remained in the Union through the entire war. Jackson continued on as governor until his death on December 6, 1862, at which time Reynolds took over, serving until he fled to Mexico in June 1865 after the end of the war.

See also


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