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This is a chronological listing of the Presidents and Governors 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 with usage in the rest of the states. The Presidents were particularly weak executive officials, being elected by the legislature, having no legislative veto, ineligible for immediate reelection, and whose actions required the approval of an executive Privy Council . Starting in 1792 the Governor was popularly elected and the Privy Council was abolished, but it wasn't until 1897 that a veto or election to a second term was possible. As a result, the office was part time and largely ceremonial until the mid twentieth century.
Presidents under the Constitution of 1776
The General Assembly chose the State President for a term of three years.
#
Name
Took Office
Left Office
Party [ 1]
Residence
County
Occupation
notes
1
John McKinly
Feb. 12 , 1777
Sep. 22 , 1777
no parties
Wilmington
New Castle
Physician
resigned [ 2]
2
Thomas McKean
Sep. 22 , 1777
Oct. 20 , 1777
no parties
New Castle
New Castle
Lawyer
acting
3
George Read
Oct. 20 , 1777
Mar. 31 , 1778
no parties
New Castle
New Castle
Lawyer
acting
4
Caesar Rodney
Mar. 31 , 1778
Nov. 6 , 1781
no parties
Dover
Kent
Lawyer
5
John Dickinson
Nov. 13 , 1781
Nov. 4 , 1782
no parties
Wilmington
New Castle
Lawyer
resigned
6
John Cook
Nov. 4 , 1782
Feb. 1 , 1783
no parties
Smyrna
Kent
Farmer
acting
7
Nicholas Van Dyke
Feb. 1 , 1783
Oct. 27 , 1786
no parties
New Castle
New Castle
Lawyer
8
Thomas Collins
Oct. 27 , 1786
Mar. 29 , 1789
no parties
Smyrna
Kent
Lawyer
died in office
9
Jehu Davis
Mar. 29 , 1789
Jun. 2 , 1789
no parties
Milford
Kent
Farmer
acting
10
Joshua Clayton
Jun. 2 , 1789
Jan. 15 , 1793
no parties
Pencader
New Castle
Physician
Governors under the Constitution of 1792
Elections were held the first week of October. The Governor took office the third Tuesday in January, for a term of three years.
#
Name
Took Office
Left Office
Party
Residence
County
Occupation
notes
10
Joshua Clayton
Jan. 15 , 1793
Jan. 19 , 1796
Federalist
Pencader
New Castle
Physician
11
Gunning Bedford, Sr.
Jan. 19 , 1796
Sep. 28 , 1797
Federalist
New Castle
New Castle
Lawyer
died in office
12
Daniel Rogers
Sep. 28 , 1797
Jan. 15 , 1799
Federalist
Milford
Sussex
Miller
acting
13
Richard Bassett
Jan. 15 , 1799
Feb. 20 , 1801
Federalist
Pencader
New Castle
Lawyer
resigned
14
James Sykes, Jr.
Mar. 4 , 1801
Jan. 19 , 1802
Federalist
Dover
Kent
Physician
acting
15
David Hall
Jan. 19 , 1802
Jan. 15 , 1805
Democratic- Republican
Lewes
Sussex
Lawyer
16
Nathaniel Mitchell
Jan. 15 , 1805
Jan. 19 , 1808
Federalist
Laurel
Sussex
Lawyer
17
George Truitt
Jan. 19 , 1808
Jan. 15 , 1811
Federalist
Felton
Kent
Farmer
18
Joseph Haslet
Jan. 15 , 1811
Jan. 18 , 1814
Democratic- Republican
Cedar Creek
Sussex
Farmer
19
Daniel Rodney
Jan. 18 , 1814
Jan. 21 , 1817
Federalist
Lewes
Sussex
Merchant
20
John Clark
Jan. 21 , 1817
Jan. 15 , 1820
Federalist
Blackbird
New Castle
Farmer
Henry Molleston
Federalist
Dover
Kent
Physician
died [ 3]
21
Jacob Stout
Jan. 18 , 1820
Jan. 16 , 1821
Federalist
Smyrna
Kent
Farmer
acting
22
John Collins
Jan. 16 , 1821
Apr. 16 , 1822
Democratic- Republican
Laurel
Sussex
Miller
died in office
23
Caleb Rodney
Apr. 23 , 1822
Jan. 21 , 1823
Federalist
Lewes
Sussex
Merchant
acting
24
Joseph Haslet
Jan. 21 , 1823
Jun. 20 , 1823
Democratic- Republican
Cedar Creek
Sussex
Farmer
died in office
25
Charles Thomas
Jun. 24 , 1823
Jan. 20 , 1824
Democratic- Republican
New Castle
New Castle
Lawyer
acting
26
Samuel Paynter
Jan. 20 , 1824
Jan. 16 , 1827
Federalist
Broadkill
Sussex
Merchant
27
Charles Polk, Jr.
Jan. 16 , 1827
Jan. 19 , 1830
Federalist
Milford
Kent
Farmer
28
David Hazzard
Jan. 19 , 1830
Jan. 15 , 1833
National Republican
Milton
Sussex
Merchant
Governors under the Constitution of 1831
Elections were held the first week of November. The Governor took office the third Tuesday in January, for a term of four years.
#
Name
Took Office
Left Office
Party
Residence
County
Occupation
notes
29
Caleb P. Bennett
Jan. 15 , 1833
Jul. 11 , 1836
Democratic
Wilmington
New Castle
Soldier
died in office
30
Charles Polk, Jr.
Jul. 11 , 1836
Jan. 17 , 1837
Whig
Milford
Kent
Farmer
acting
31
Cornelius P. Comegys
Jan. 17 , 1837
Jan. 19 , 1841
Whig
Little Creek
Kent
Farmer
32
William B. Cooper
Jan. 19 , 1841
Jan. 21 , 1845
Whig
Laurel
Sussex
Farmer
33
Thomas Stockton
Jan. 21 , 1845
Mar. 2 , 1846
Whig
New Castle
New Castle
Soldier
died in office
34
Joseph Maull
Mar. 2 , 1846
May 3 , 1846
Whig
Lewes
Sussex
Physician
acting [ 4]
35
William Temple
May 6 , 1846
Jan. 19 , 1847
Whig
Smyrna
Kent
Merchant
acting
36
William Tharp
Jan. 19 , 1847
Jan. 21 , 1851
Democratic
Milford
Kent
Farmer
37
William H.H. Ross
Jan. 21 , 1851
Jan. 14 , 1855
Democratic
Seaford
Sussex
Farmer
38
Peter F. Causey
Jan. 14 , 1855
Jan. 18 , 1859
American
Milford
Sussex
Merchant
39
William Burton
Jan. 18 , 1859
Jan. 20 , 1863
Democratic
Milford
Sussex
Physician
40
William Cannon
Jan. 20 , 1863
Mar. 1 , 1865
Republican
Bridgeville
Sussex
Farmer
died in office
41
Gove Saulsbury
Mar. 1 , 1865
Jan. 17 , 1871
Democratic
Dover
Kent
Physician
acting [ 5]
42
James Ponder
Jan. 17 , 1871
Jan. 19 , 1875
Democratic
Milton
Sussex
Merchant
43
John P. Cochran
Jan. 19 , 1875
Jan. 21 , 1879
Democratic
Middletown
New Castle
Farmer
44
John W. Hall
Jan. 21 , 1879
Jan. 16 , 1883
Democratic
Frederica
Kent
Merchant
45
Charles C. Stockley
Jan. 16 , 1883
Jan. 18 , 1887
Democratic
Georgetown
Sussex
Farmer
46
Benjamin T. Biggs
Jan. 18 , 1887
Jan. 20 , 1891
Democratic
Middletown
New Castle
Farmer
47
Robert J. Reynolds
Jan. 20 , 1891
Jan. 15 , 1895
Democratic
Petersburg
Kent
Farmer
48
Joshua H. Marvil
Jan. 15 , 1895
Apr. 8 , 1895
Republican
Laurel
Sussex
Farmer
died in office
49
William T. Watson
Apr. 8 , 1895
Jan. 19 , 1897
Democratic
Milford
Kent
Banker
acting
50
Ebe W. Tunnell
Jan. 19 , 1897
Jan. 15 , 1901
Democratic
Lewes
Sussex
Merchant
Governors under the Constitution of 1897
Elections are held the first week of November. The Governor takes office the third Tuesday in January, for a term of four years.
#
Name
Took Office
Left Office
Party
Residence
County
Occupation
notes
51
John Hunn
Jan. 15 , 1901
Jan. 17 , 1905
Republican
Camden
Kent
Businessman
52
Preston Lea
Jan. 17 , 1905
Jan. 19 , 1909
Republican
New Castle
New Castle
Miller
53
Simeon S. Pennewill
Jan. 19 , 1909
Jan. 21 , 1913
Republican
Dover
Sussex
Farmer
54
Charles R. Miller
Jan. 21 , 1913
Jan. 16 , 1917
Republican
Wilmington
New Castle
Lawyer
55
John G. Townsend, Jr.
Jan. 16 , 1917
Jan. 18 , 1921
Republican
Shelbyville
Sussex
Farmer
56
William D. Denney
Jan. 18 , 1921
Jan. 20 , 1925
Republican
Dover
Kent
Businessman
57
Robert P. Robinson
Jan. 20 , 1925
Jan. 15 , 1929
Republican
Wilmington
New Castle
Banker
58
C. Douglass Buck
Jan. 15 , 1929
Jan. 19 , 1937
Republican
New Castle
New Castle
Engineer
59
Richard C. McMullen
Jan. 19 , 1937
Jan. 21 , 1941
Democratic
Wilmington
New Castle
Executive
60
Walter W. Bacon
Jan. 21 , 1941
Jan. 18 , 1949
Republican
Wilmington
New Castle
Accountant
61
Elbert N. Carvel
Jan. 18 , 1949
Jan. 20 , 1953
Democratic
Laurel
Sussex
Businessman
62
J. Caleb Boggs
Jan. 20 , 1953
Dec. 30 , 1960
Republican
Claymont
New Castle
Lawyer
resigned
63
David P. Buckson
Dec. 30 , 1960
Jan. 17 , 1961
Republican
Camden
Kent
Lawyer
acting
64
Elbert N. Carvel
Jan. 17 , 1961
Jan. 19 , 1965
Democratic
Laurel
Sussex
Businessman
65
Charles L. Terry, Jr.
Jan. 19 , 1965
Jan. 21 , 1969
Democratic
Dover
Kent
Lawyer
66
Russell W. Peterson
Jan. 21 , 1969
Jan. 16 , 1973
Republican
Wilmington
New Castle
Chemist
67
Sherman W. Tribbitt
Jan. 16 , 1973
Jan. 18 , 1977
Democratic
Odessa
New Castle
Merchant
68
Pierre S. du Pont, IV
Jan. 18 , 1977
Jan. 15 , 1985
Republican
Rockland
New Castle
Lawyer
69
Michael N. Castle
Jan. 15 , 1985
Dec. 31 , 1992
Republican
Wilmington
New Castle
Lawyer
resigned
70
Dale E. Wolf
Dec. 31 , 1992
Jan. 19 , 1993
Republican
Wilmington
New Castle
Executive
acting
71
Thomas R. Carper
Jan. 19 , 1993
Jan. 3 , 2001
Democratic
Wilmington
New Castle
Economist
resigned
72
Ruth Ann Minner
Jan. 3 , 2001
incumbent [ 6]
Democratic
Milford
Kent
Businesswoman
Notes
^ Before 1792 shading indicates association with loose factions that were precursors to parties.
^ McKinly was captured and taken prisoner by the British.
^ Molleston died before taking office. He never served as Governor.
^ Maull was acting Governor and then died in office himself.
^ Saulsbury completed Cannon's term and then was elected Governor for a complete term of his own.
^ present term ends January 20 , 2009
References
Martin, Roger A. (1984). A History of Delaware Through its Governors . McClafferty Press, Wilmington.
Pickett, Russell S. (2006). Delaware and U.S.History . Retrieved January 1, 2006.
Kestenbaum, Lawrence (2006). The Political Graveyard . Retrieved January 1, 2006.
See also