List of governors of Delaware
This is a list of the Presidents and Governors of the State of Delaware.
The Governor serves as head of the executive branch of the state's government, and was called President under the Delaware Constitution of 1776. With the Delaware Constitution of 1792 the name was changed to conform to usage in the rest of the U.S. states.[citation needed] The Presidents were particularly weak executive officials, being elected by the Delaware General Assembly, having no legislative veto, ineligible for immediate reelection, and whose actions required the approval of an executive Privy Council.[citation needed] Starting in 1792 the Governor was popularly elected and the Privy Council was abolished,[citation needed] but it wasn't until 1897 that a legislative veto or election to a second term was possible.[citation needed] As a result, the office was part time and largely ceremonial until the mid twentieth century.[citation needed]
List of Governors
Presidents under the Constitution of 1776
The General Assembly chose the State President for a term of three years. [citation needed]
Governors under the Constitution of 1792
Elections were held the first Tuesday of October. The Governor took office the third Tuesday in January, for a term of three years. If the governor did not complete their term, the president of the State Senate succeeded to the office.
Governors under the Constitution of 1831
Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. The Governor takes office the third Tuesday in January, for a term of four years. If the governor did not complete their term, the president of the State Senate succeeded to the office.
# | Picture | Name | Birth / Death | Term of Office | Party | Residence Occupation |
Other offices | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
29 | Caleb P. Bennett | November 11, 1758– July 11, 1836 |
January 15, 1833– July 11, 1836 |
Democratic | Wilmington, New Castle Co. soldier |
died in office | ||
30 | Charles Polk, Jr. | November 14, 1788– October 27, 1857 |
July 11, 1836– January 17, 1837 |
Whig | Milford, Kent Co. farmer |
State Senator State Representative |
[15] | |
31 | Cornelius P. Comegys | January 15, 1780– January 27, 1851 |
January 17, 1837– January 19, 1841 |
Whig | Little Creek, Kent Co. farmer |
State Representative State Treasurer |
||
32 | William B. Cooper | December 16, 1771– April 29, 1849 |
January 19, 1841– January 21, 1845 |
Whig | Laurel, Sussex Co. farmer |
State Representative | ||
33 | Thomas Stockton | April 1, 1781– March 2, 1846 |
January 21, 1845– March 2, 1846 |
Whig | New Castle, New Castle Co. soldier |
died in office | ||
34 | Joseph Maull | September 6, 1781– May 3, 1846 |
March 2, 1846– May 3, 1846 |
Whig | Lewes, Sussex Co. physician |
State Senator | died in office [16] | |
35 | William Temple | February 28, 1814– May 28, 1863 |
May 6, 1846– January 19, 1847 |
Whig | Smyrna, Kent Co. merchant |
U.S. Representative State Senator State Representative |
[17] | |
36 | William Tharp | November 27, 1803– January 9, 1865 |
January 19, 1847– January 21, 1851 |
Democratic | Milford, Kent Co. farmer |
State Senator | ||
37 | William H. H. Ross | June 2, 1814– June 30, 1887 |
January 21, 1851– January 14, 1855 |
Democratic | Seaford, Sussex Co. farmer |
|||
38 | Peter F. Causey | January 11, 1801– February 17, 1871 |
January 14, 1855– January 18, 1859 |
American | Milford, Sussex Co. merchant |
State Representative | ||
39 | File:WilliamBurton.jpg | William Burton | October 16, 1789– August 5, 1866 |
January 18, 1859– January 20, 1863 |
Democratic | Milford, Sussex Co. physician |
||
40 | William Cannon | March 15, 1809– March 1, 1865 |
January 20, 1863– March 1, 1865 |
Republican | Bridgeville, Sussex Co. farmer |
State Representative State Treasurer |
died in office | |
41 | Gove Saulsbury | May 29, 1815– July 31, 1881 |
March 1, 1865– January 17, 1871 |
Democratic | Dover, Kent Co. physician |
State Senator | [18] | |
42 | James Ponder | October 31, 1819– November 5, 1897 |
January 17, 1871– January 19, 1875 |
Democratic | Milton, Sussex Co. merchant |
State Senator State Representative |
||
43 | John P. Cochran | February 7, 1809– December 27, 1898 |
January 19, 1875– January 21, 1879 |
Democratic | Middletown, New Castle Co. farmer |
|||
44 | John W. Hall | January 1, 1817– January 23, 1893 |
January 21, 1879– January 16, 1883 |
Democratic | Frederica, Kent Co. merchant |
State Senator | ||
45 | Charles C. Stockley | November 6, 1819– April 20, 1901 |
January 16, 1883– January 18, 1887 |
Democratic | Georgetown, Sussex Co. farmer |
State Senator | ||
46 | Benjamin T. Biggs | October 1, 1821– December 25, 1893 |
January 18, 1887– January 20, 1891 |
Democratic | Middletown, New Castle Co. farmer |
U. S. Representative | ||
47 | Robert J. Reynolds | March 17, 1838– June 10, 1909 |
January 20, 1891– January 15, 1895 |
Democratic | Petersburg, Kent Co. farmer |
State Representative State Treasurer |
||
48 | Joshua H. Marvil | September 3, 1825– April 8, 1895 |
January 15, 1895– April 8, 1895 |
Republican | Laurel, Sussex Co. farmer |
died in office | ||
49 | William T. Watson | June 22, 1849– April 14, 1917 |
April 8, 1895– January 19, 1897 |
Democratic | Milford, Kent Co. banker |
State Senator | [19] | |
50 | Ebe W. Tunnell | December 31, 1844– December 13, 1917 |
January 19, 1897– January 15, 1901 |
Democratic | Lewes, Sussex Co. merchant |
State Representative |
Governors under the Constitution of 1897
Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. The Governor takes office the third Tuesday in January, for a term of four years. If the governor does not complete the term, the lieutenant governor succeeds to the office.
Summaries
TOTAL Governors: 70 |
TOTAL Governors: 70 |
TOTAL Governors: 70 |
|
Colonial Governors
for Dutch Directors-General 1624-1664.
for Swedish Directors 1638-1655.
for New York Proprietary Governors 1664-1682.
for the Penn family Proprietors and the Penn Proprietary Lieutenant Governors 1682-1776.
Notes
- ^ Before 1792 shading indicates association with loose factions that were precursors to parties.
- ^ McKinly was captured and taken prisoner by the British.
- ^ succeeded to office upon the capture of Governor McKinly, and resigned upon the return of George Read, the righful successor to McKinly
- ^ succeeded to office upon the resignation of Governor McLean
- ^ resigned to accept election as President of Pennsylvania
- ^ succeeded to office upon the resignation of Governor Dickinson
- ^ succeeded to office upon the death of Governor Collins
- ^ succeeded to office upon the death of Governor Bedford
- ^ resigned to accept appointment to U.S. District Court
- ^ succeeded to office upon the resignation of Governor Bassett
- ^ Molleston died before taking office. He never served as Governor.
- ^ succeeded to office upon the death of Governor-elect Molleston
- ^ succeeded to office upon the death of Governor Collins
- ^ succeeded to office upon the death of Governor Haslet
- ^ succeeded to office upon the death of Governor Bennett
- ^ succeeded to office upon the death of Governor Stockton, then died in office himself.
- ^ succeeded to office upon the death of Governor Maull
- ^ succeeded to office upon the death of Governor Cannon, then was elected to office in his own right
- ^ succeeded to office upon the death of Governor Marvil
- ^ resigned office to begin term in the U.S. Senate
- ^ succeeded to office upon the resignation of Governor Boggs
- ^ resigned office to begin term in the U.S. House of Representatives
- ^ succeeded to office upon the resignation of Governor Castle
- ^ resigned office to begin term in the U.S. Senate
- ^ present term ends January 20, 2009
- ^ succeeded to office upon the resignation of Governor Carper, then assumed office in her own right
- ^ Tables includes Joshua Clayton (Federalist), Charles Polk (Federalist), Elbert Carvel (Democratic) only once, and Henry Molleston, who never took office.
References
- Martin, Roger A. (1984). A History of Delaware Through its Governors. Wilmington, Delaware: McClafferty Press.
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External links