List of Governors of Mississippi

Governor of Mississippi
Coat of arms of the State of Mississippi
Incumbent Phil Bryant since January 10, 2012
Style	The Honorable
Residence	Mississippi Governor's Mansion
Term length	Four years, renewable once
Inaugural holder	David Holmes
Formation	1817 Constitution of Mississippi
Succession	Every four years, unless reelected
Salary	$122,160 (2013)^[1]

The Governor of Mississippi is the head of the executive branch of Mississippi's state government^[2] and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.^[2] The governor has a duty to enforce state laws,^[3] and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Mississippi Legislature,^[4] to convene the legislature at any time,^[5] and, except in cases of treason or impeachment, to grant pardons and reprieves.^[6]

To be elected governor, a person must be at least 30 years old, and must have been a citizen of the United States for twenty years and a resident of Mississippi for at least five years at the time of inauguration.^[7] The Constitution of Mississippi, ratified in 1890, calls for a four-year term for the governor. He may be reelected once.^[2] The original constitution of 1817 had only a two-year term for governor; this was expanded to four years in the 1868 constitution.^[8] The lieutenant governor is elected at the same time as the governor and serves as president of the Mississippi Senate.^[9] When the office of governor becomes vacant for any reason, the lieutenant governor becomes governor for the remainder of the term.^[10]

Since Mississippi became a state, it has had 64 governors, including 55 Democrats and 5 Republicans. Democrats dominated after retaking control of the state legislature; they passed a constitution in 1890 that disfranchised most African Americans, excluding them from the political system for nearly 70 years, and made it a one-party state. The state's longest-serving governor was John M. Stone, who served two terms over ten years (his second term was extended to six years by a transitional provision in the 1890 constitution^[11]). The shortest-serving governor was James Whitfield, who served 1 ¹⁄₂ months from 1851 to 1852. The current governor is Republican Phil Bryant, who took office January 10, 2012.

Governors of Mississippi Territory, 1798–1817 1
Governors of the State of Mississippi, 1817–present 2
Other high offices held 3
Living former governors 4
See also 5
Notes 6
References 7

Governors of Mississippi Territory, 1798–1817

Prior to 1804, when the United States acquired it in the Louisiana Purchase, parts of Mississippi were part of the state of List of Governors of Georgia for this period.
In 1810 the southern bit of Mississippi was part of the self-proclaimed and short-lived Republic of West Florida. It had one president, Fulwar Skipwith.
Prior to proclaiming itself as a republic, this bit was part of the overall territory of West Florida; see List of Colonial Governors of Florida.

Parties

Democratic-Republican Federalist

#		Took office	Left office	Party
1	Winthrop Sargent	May 7, 1798	May 25, 1801	Federalist
2	William C. C. Claiborne	May 25, 1801	March 1, 1805	Democratic-Republican
3	Robert Williams	March 1, 1805	March 7, 1809	Democratic-Republican
4	David Holmes	March 7, 1809	December 10, 1817	Democratic-Republican

Governors of the State of Mississippi, 1817–present

Parties

No party/Provisional Federalist Democratic-Republican Democratic Whig Republican

#		Took office	Left office	Party	Lt. Governor		Term	Notes
1	David Holmes	December 10, 1817	January 5, 1820	Democratic-Republican		Duncan Stewart	1	^{[N 1]}
2	George Poindexter	January 5, 1820	January 7, 1822	Democratic-Republican		James Patton	2
3	Walter Leake	January 7, 1822	November 17, 1825	Democratic-Republican		David Dickson	3	^{[N 2]}
3	Walter Leake	January 7, 1822	November 17, 1825	Democratic-Republican		Gerard Brandon	4	^{[N 2]}
4	Gerard Brandon	November 17, 1825	January 7, 1826	Democratic	—		4	^{[N 3]}
5	David Holmes	January 7, 1826	July 25, 1826	Democratic		Gerard Brandon	5	^{[N 4]}
6	Gerard Brandon	July 25, 1826	January 9, 1832	Democratic	—		5
						Abram M. Scott	6
						Abram M. Scott	7
7	Abram M. Scott	January 9, 1832	July 12, 1833	Democratic		Fountain Winston^{[N 5]}	8	^{[N 2]}
7	Abram M. Scott	January 9, 1832	July 12, 1833	Democratic	—			^{[N 2]}
8	Charles Lynch	July 12, 1833	November 20, 1833	Democratic	—			^{[N 6]}
9	Hiram Runnels	November 20, 1833	November 20, 1835	Democratic	—
9	Hiram Runnels	November 20, 1833	November 20, 1835	Democratic	—		9
10	John A. Quitman	December 3, 1835	January 7, 1836	Whig	—		9	^{[N 6]}
11	Charles Lynch	January 7, 1836	January 8, 1838	Democratic	—		10
12	Alexander G. McNutt	January 8, 1838	January 10, 1842	Democratic	—		11
12	Alexander G. McNutt	January 8, 1838	January 10, 1842	Democratic	—		12
13	Tilghman Tucker	January 10, 1842	January 10, 1844	Democratic	—		13
14	Albert G. Brown	January 10, 1844	January 10, 1848	Democratic	—		14
14	Albert G. Brown	January 10, 1844	January 10, 1848	Democratic	—		15
15	Joseph W. Matthews	January 10, 1848	January 10, 1850	Democratic	—		16
16	John A. Quitman	January 10, 1850	February 3, 1851	Democratic	—		17	^{[N 7]}
17	John I. Guion	February 3, 1851	November 4, 1851	Democratic	—			^{[N 8]}
18	James Whitfield	November 24, 1851	January 10, 1852	Democratic	—			^{[N 9]}
19	Henry S. Foote	January 10, 1852	January 5, 1854	Union Democratic	—		18	^{[N 10]}
20	John J. Pettus	January 5, 1854	January 10, 1854	Democratic	—		18	^{[N 9]}
21	John J. McRae	January 10, 1854	November 16, 1857	Democratic	—		19	^{[N 11]}
21	John J. McRae	January 10, 1854	November 16, 1857	Democratic	—		20	^{[N 11]}
22	William McWillie	November 16, 1857	November 21, 1859	Democratic	—		21
23	John J. Pettus	November 21, 1859	November 16, 1863	Democratic	—		22
23	John J. Pettus	November 21, 1859	November 16, 1863	Democratic	—		23
24	Charles Clark	November 16, 1863	May 22, 1865	Democratic	—		24	^{[N 12]}
25	William L. Sharkey	June 13, 1865	October 16, 1865	Provisional	—			^{[N 13]}^{[N 14]}
26	Benjamin G. Humphreys	October 16, 1865	June 15, 1868	Democratic	—			^{[N 15]}
26	Benjamin G. Humphreys	October 16, 1865	June 15, 1868	Democratic	—		25	^{[N 15]}
27	Adelbert Ames	June 15, 1868	March 10, 1870	Military	—		25	^{[N 13]}^{[N 16]}
28	James L. Alcorn	March 10, 1870	November 30, 1871	Republican		Ridgley C. Powers	26	^{[N 17]}
29	Ridgley C. Powers	November 30, 1871	January 4, 1874	Republican		Alexander K. Davis^{[N 18]}	26	^{[N 19]}
30	Adelbert Ames	January 4, 1874	March 29, 1876	Republican		Alexander K. Davis^{[N 18]}	27	^{[N 20]}
31	John M. Stone	March 29, 1876	January 29, 1882	Democratic	—		27	^{[N 21]}
31	John M. Stone	March 29, 1876	January 29, 1882	Democratic		William H. Sims	28	^{[N 21]}
32	Robert Lowry	January 2, 1882	January 13, 1890	Democratic		G. D. Shands	29
32	Robert Lowry	January 2, 1882	January 13, 1890	Democratic		G. D. Shands	30
33	John M. Stone	January 13, 1890	January 20, 1896	Democratic		M. M. Evans	31	^{[N 22]}
34	Anselm J. McLaurin	January 20, 1896	January 16, 1900	Democratic		J. H. Jones	32
35	Andrew H. Longino	January 16, 1900	January 19, 1904	Democratic		James T. Harrison	33
36	James K. Vardaman	January 19, 1904	January 21, 1908	Democratic		John Prentiss Carter	34
37	Edmond Noel	January 21, 1908	January 16, 1912	Democratic		Luther Manship	35
38	Earl L. Brewer	January 16, 1912	January 18, 1916	Democratic		Theodore G. Bilbo	36
39	Theodore G. Bilbo	January 18, 1916	January 18, 1920	Democratic		Lee M. Russell	37
40	Lee M. Russell	January 18, 1920	January 18, 1924	Democratic		Homer H. Casteel	38
41	Henry L. Whitfield	January 22, 1924	March 18, 1927	Democratic		Dennis Murphree	39	^{[N 2]}
42	Dennis Murphree	March 18, 1927	January 16, 1928	Democratic	—		39	^{[N 19]}
43	Theodore G. Bilbo	January 16, 1928	January 19, 1932	Democratic		Cayton B. Adam	40
44	Martin Sennett Conner	January 19, 1932	January 21, 1936	Democratic		Dennis Murphree	41
45	Hugh L. White	January 26, 1936	January 16, 1940	Democratic		Jacob Buehler Snider	42
46	Paul B. Johnson, Sr.	January 16, 1940	December 26, 1943	Democratic		Dennis Murphree	43	^{[N 2]}
47	Dennis Murphree	December 26, 1943	January 18, 1944	Democratic	—		43	^{[N 19]}
48	Thomas L. Bailey	January 18, 1944	November 2, 1946	Democratic		Fielding L. Wright	44	^{[N 2]}
49	Fielding L. Wright	November 2, 1946	January 22, 1952	Democratic	—		44	^{[N 23]}
49	Fielding L. Wright	November 2, 1946	January 22, 1952	Democratic		Sam Lumpkin	45	^{[N 23]}
50	Hugh L. White	January 22, 1952	January 17, 1956	Democratic		Carroll Gartin	46
51	James P. Coleman	January 17, 1956	January 19, 1960	Democratic		Carroll Gartin	47
52	Ross R. Barnett	January 19, 1960	January 21, 1964	Democratic		Paul B. Johnson, Jr.	48
53	Paul B. Johnson, Jr.	January 21, 1964	January 16, 1968	Democratic		Carroll Gartin	49
53	Paul B. Johnson, Jr.	January 21, 1964	January 16, 1968	Democratic	—		49
54	John Bell Williams	January 16, 1968	January 18, 1972	Democratic		Charles L. Sullivan	50
55	William Waller	January 18, 1972	January 20, 1976	Democratic		William F. Winter	51
56	Cliff Finch	January 20, 1976	January 22, 1980	Democratic		Evelyn Gandy	52
57	William Winter	January 22, 1980	January 10, 1984	Democratic		Brad Dye	53
58	William Allain	January 10, 1984	January 12, 1988	Democratic			54
59	Ray Mabus	January 12, 1988	January 14, 1992	Democratic			55
60	Kirk Fordice	January 14, 1992	January 11, 2000	Republican		Eddie Briggs	56
60	Kirk Fordice	January 14, 1992	January 11, 2000	Republican		Ronnie Musgrove	57
61	Ronnie Musgrove	January 11, 2000	January 13, 2004	Democratic		Amy Tuck^{[N 24]}	58
62	Haley Barbour	January 13, 2004	January 10, 2012	Republican		Amy Tuck^{[N 24]}	59	^{[N 25]}
62	Haley Barbour	January 13, 2004	January 10, 2012	Republican		Phil Bryant	60	^{[N 25]}
63	Phil Bryant	January 10, 2012	Incumbent	Republican		Tate Reeves	61

Other high offices held

This is a table of congressional, confederate, other governorships, and other federal offices held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Mississippi except where noted. * denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.

Governor	Gubernatorial term	U.S. Congress		Other offices held
Governor	Gubernatorial term	House	Senate	Other offices held
William C. C. Claiborne	1801–1805 (territorial)			U.S. Representative from Tennessee, U.S. Senator from Louisiana, Governor of Orleans Territory, Governor of Louisiana
Robert Williams	1805–1809 (territorial)			U.S. Representative from North Carolina
David Holmes (politician)	1809–1820 1826		S	U.S. Representative from Virginia
George Poindexter	1820–1822	H	S	Territorial Delegate, President pro tempore of the Senate
Walter Leake	1822–1825		S
John A. Quitman	1835–1836 1850–1851	H
Tilghman Tucker	1842–1844	H
Albert G. Brown	1844–1848	H	S	Confederate Senator
Henry S. Foote	1852–1854		S	Confederate Representative from Tennessee
John J. McRae	1854–1857	H	S	Confederate Representative
William McWillie	1857–1859	H
Adelbert Ames	1868–1870 1874–1876		S
James L. Alcorn	1870–1871		S*
Anselm J. McLaurin	1896–1900		S
James K. Vardaman	1904–1908		S
Theodore G. Bilbo	1916–1920 1928–1932		S
Paul B. Johnson, Sr.	1940–1943	H
James P. Coleman	1956–1960			Fifth Circuit Court Judge
John Bell Williams	1968–1972	H
Ray Mabus	1988–1992			Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, United States Secretary of the Navy

Living former governors

As of May 2015, there are four former governors who are currently living at this time, the oldest U.S. governor of Mississippi being William Winter (1980–1984, born 1923). The most recent U.S. governor of Mississippi to die was William Allain (1984–1988) on December 2, 2013. The most recently serving U.S. governor of Mississippi to die was Kirk Fordice, who left office on January 11, 2000, and died on September 7, 2004 at the age of seventy.

Governor	Gubernatorial term	Date of birth (and age)
William Winter	1980–1984	(1923-02-21) February 21, 1923
Ray Mabus	1988–1992	(1948-10-11) October 11, 1948
Ronnie Musgrove	2000–2004	(1956-07-29) July 29, 1956
Haley Barbour	2004–2012	(1947-10-22) October 22, 1947

Notes

^ David Holmes was inaugurated as the first state governor on October 7, 1817, but Mississippi did not officially become a state until December 10, 1817.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Died in office.
^ As lieutenant governor, filled term until next election.
^ Resigned due to illness.
^ The 1832 constitution abolished the office of lieutenant governor; the office was reinstated in 1868.
^ ^a ^b As president of the state senate, filled term until next election.
^ Resigned following an arrest for violating neutrality laws by assisting with the liberation of Cuba. He was found not guilty, but the political fallout led to his resignation.
^ As president of the senate, filled term until his senate term expired.
^ ^a ^b As president of the senate, filled unexpired term.
^ Resigned due to political tension over secession.
^ A constitutional amendment passed during McRae's second term moved the gubernatorial inauguration date from January to the prior November, shortening his term by two months. The date was restored to January in the 1868 constitution.^[12]
^ Charles Clark's term effective ended when he was arrested by Union forces.
^ ^a ^b Appointed by President Andrew Johnson following the end of the American Civil War.
^ Resigned.
^ Forced to resign and physically removed from office by federal forces after his government failed to comply with Reconstruction.
^ Left office as Reconstruction ended.
^ Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; Alcorn's senate term began March 4, 1871 but he delayed taking it, preferring to continue as governor.
^ Impeached and removed from office.
^ ^a ^b ^c As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
^ Impeached; made a deal with the legislature to resign, and all charges were dropped.
^ As president of the senate, filled unexpired term, and was later elected in his own right; since both the governor and lieutenant governor had been impeached, with the governor resigning and lieutenant governor being removed from office, Stone was next in line for governor.
^ The 1890 electoral term was extended to six years under the 1890 constitution in order to facilitate changes in the executive department.^[11]
^ As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term, and was later elected in his own right.
^ Changed parties in 2002.
^ Governor Barbour's first term expires in 2008; he won re-election to a second term, which expired in 2012.

References

General

"Governor Haley Barbour." State of Mississippi. Retrieved September 5, 2009.
"Governors of Mississippi." National Governors Association. Retrieved September 5, 2009.

Constitutions

"Constitution of the State of Mississippi" (current, 1890 with amendments). Mississippi Secretary of State (Education and Publications). Retrieved September 5, 2009.
"Constitution of the State of Mississippi" (1890). Mississippi History Now. Retrieved September 5, 2009.
"Constitution of the State of Mississippi" (1868). Mississippi History Now. Retrieved September 5, 2009.
"Constitution of the State of Mississippi" (1832). Mississippi History Now. Retrieved September 5, 2009.
"Constitution of the State of Mississippi" (1817). Mississippi History Now. Retrieved September 5, 2009.

Specific

^ "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c MS Const. art. V, § 116.
^ MS Const. art. V, § 123.
^ MS Const. art. IV, § 72.
^ MS Const. art. V, § 121.
^ MS Const. art. V, § 124.
^ MS Const. art. V, § 117.
^ MS Const. (1817) art. IV, § 1; MS Const. (1832) art. V, § 1; MS Const. (1868) art. V, § 1.
^ MS Const. art. V, § 128–129.
^ MS Const. art. V, § 131.
^ ^a ^b "John Marshall Stone." Mississippi History Now. Mississippi Historical Society. Retrieved September 5, 2009.
^ "John J. McRae." Mississippi History Now. Mississippi Historical Society. Retrieved September 5, 2009.

State of Mississippi

Jackson (capital)

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Mississippi statewide elected officials

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List of Governors of Mississippi