List of governors of Maryland

The governor of Maryland heads the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Maryland and is commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[1] The governor is the highest-ranking official in the state, and the constitutional powers of Maryland's governors make them among the most powerful governors in the United States.[2]

List of Governors

  Federalist (8)   Democratic-Republican (9)   Anti-Jacksonian (3)   Jacksonian (1)   Whig (3)   Democratic (29)   Constitutional Union (1)   Republican (9)

Governor[3] Term in office[4] Party Term Previous office[4] Lieutenant governor[5][a]
1   Thomas Johnson
November 4, 1732 – October 26, 1819
(Aged 86)
March 21, 1777
–
November 12, 1779
Independent 1
(1777)
Continental Congress
(1774–1775)
None
2
(1778)
2 Thomas Sim Lee
October 29, 1745 – November 9, 1819
(Aged 74)
November 12, 1779
–
November 22, 1782
Independent 3
(1779)
Governor's Executive Council
(1777–1779)
4
(1780)
5
(1781)
3 William Paca
October 31, 1740 – October 13, 1799
(Aged 58)
November 22, 1782
–
November 26, 1785
Independent 6
(1782)
Maryland State Senator
(1777–1779)
7
(1783)
8
(1784)
4 William Smallwood
1732 – February 14, 1792
(Aged 59–60)
November 26, 1785
–
November 24, 1788
Independent 9
(1785)
Colonel
Continental Army

Maryland State Delegate
(1761–1774)

10
(1786)
11
(1787)
5   John Eager Howard
June 4, 1752 – October 12, 1827
(Aged 75)
November 24, 1788
–
November 14, 1791
Federalist 12
(1788)
Captain
Continental Army

Continental Congress
(1787–1788)

13
(1789)
14
(1790)
6 George Plater
November 8, 1735 – February 10, 1792
(Aged 56)
November 14, 1791
–
February 10, 1792
Federalist 15
(1791)
Maryland State Senator
(1777–1790)
James Brice
August 26, 1746 – July 11, 1801
(Aged 55)
February 10, 1792
–
April 5, 1792[b]
Federalist Mayor of Annapolis

(1782–1783; 1787–1788)

7 Thomas Sim Lee
October 29, 1745 – November 9, 1819
(Aged 74)
April 5, 1792
–
November 14, 1794
Federalist 16
(1792)
Governor of Maryland
(1779–1782)

Continental Congress
(1783–1784)

17
(1793)
8 John Hoskins Stone
1750 – October 5, 1804
(Aged 53–54)
November 14, 1794
–
November 17, 1797
Federalist 18
(1794)
Maryland State Delegate
(1790)
19
(1795)
20
(1796)
9   John Henry
November 1750 – December 16, 1798
(Aged 48)
November 17, 1797
–
November 14, 1798
Democratic-Republican 21
(1797)
Maryland State Senator
(1789–1797)
10   Benjamin Ogle
January 27, 1749 – July 7, 1809
(Aged 60)
November 14, 1798
–
November 10, 1801
Federalist 22
(1798)
None
23
(1799)
24
(1800)
11   John F. Mercer
May 17, 1759 – July 30, 1821
(Aged 62)
November 10, 1801
–
November 13, 1803
Democratic-Republican 25
(1801)
U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 2nd
(1793–1794)
26
(1802)
12 Robert Bowie
March 1750 – January 8, 1818
(Aged 67)
November 15, 1803
–
November 10, 1806
Democratic-Republican 27
(1803)
Maryland State Delegate
(1801–1803)
28
(1804)
29
(1805)
13 Robert Wright
November 20, 1752 – September 7, 1826
(Aged 73)
November 12, 1806
–
June 9, 1809
Democratic-Republican 30
(1806)
U.S. Senator
from Maryland
(1801–1806)
31
(1807)
32
(1808)
14 Edward Lloyd V
July 22, 1779 – June 2, 1834
(Aged 54)
June 9, 1809
–
November 16, 1811
Democratic-Republican 33
(1809)
Maryland State Delegate
(1800–1805)
34
(1810)
15   Levin Winder
September 4, 1757 – July 1, 1819
(Aged 61)
November 25, 1812
–
January 2, 1816
Federalist 36
(1812)
Maryland State Delegate
(1806–1809)
37
(1813)
38
(1814)
16 Charles Carnan Ridgely
December 6, 1760 – July 17, 1829
(Aged 68)
January 2, 1816
–
January 8, 1819
Federalist 39
(1816)
Maryland State Senator
(1796–1800)
40
(1817)
41
(1818)
17 Charles Goldsborough
July 15, 1765 – December 13, 1834
(Aged 69)
January 8, 1819
–
December 20, 1819
Federalist 42
(1819)
U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 8th
(1805–1817)
18   Samuel Sprigg
1783 – April 21, 1855
(Aged 71–72)
December 20, 1819
–
December 16, 1822
Democratic-Republican 43
(1819)
None
44
(1820)
45
(1821)
19 Samuel Stevens Jr.
July 13, 1778 – February 7, 1860
(Aged 81)
December 16, 1822
–
January 9, 1826
Democratic-Republican 46
(1822)
Maryland State Delegate
(1819–1820)
47
(1823)
48
(1824)
20 Joseph Kent
January 14, 1779 – November 24, 1837
(Aged 58)
January 9, 1826
–
January 15, 1829
Democratic-Republican 49
(1826)
U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 2nd
(1819–1826)
50
(1827)
51
(1828)
21   Daniel Martin
December 1780 – July 11, 1831
(Aged 50)
January 15, 1829
–
January 15, 1830
Anti-Jacksonian 52
(1829)
Maryland State Delegate
(1819–1820)
22   Thomas King Carroll
April 29, 1793 – October 3, 1873
(Aged 80)
January 15, 1830
–
January 13, 1831
Jacksonian 53
(1830)
Maryland State Delegate
(1816–1817)
23   Daniel Martin
December 1780 – July 11, 1831
(Aged 50)
January 13, 1831
–
July 11, 1831
Anti-Jacksonian 54
(1831)
Maryland State Delegate
(1819–1820)
24 George Howard
November 21, 1789 – August 2, 1846
(Aged 56)
July 11, 1831
–
January 17, 1833
Anti-Jacksonian None
55
(1832)
25   James Thomas
March 11, 1785 – December 25, 1845
(Aged 60)
January 17, 1833
–
January 14, 1836
Whig 56
(1833)
Maryland State Senator
(1826–1831)
57
(1834)
58
(1835)
26 Thomas Veazey
January 31, 1774 – July 1, 1842
(Aged 68)
January 14, 1836
–
January 7, 1839
Whig 59
(1836)
Maryland State Delegate
(1811–1812)
60
(1837)
61
(1838)
27   William Grason
March 11, 1788 – July 2, 1868
(Aged 80)
January 7, 1839
–
January 3, 1842
[c]
Democratic 62
(1838)
Maryland State Delegate
(1837)
28 Francis Thomas
February 3, 1799 – January 22, 1876
(Aged 76)
January 3, 1842
–
January 6, 1845
Democratic 63
(1841)
U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 6th
(1835–1841)
29   Thomas Pratt
February 18, 1804 – November 9, 1869
(Aged 65)
January 6, 1845
–
January 3, 1848
Whig 64
(1844)
Maryland State Delegate
(1832–1835)
30   Philip F. Thomas
September 12, 1810 – October 2, 1890
(Aged 80)
January 3, 1848
–
January 6, 1851
Democratic 65
(1847)
U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 1st
(1839–1841)
31 Enoch Lowe
August 10, 1820 – August 23, 1892
(Aged 72)
January 6, 1851
–
January 11, 1854
Democratic 66
(1850)
Maryland State Delegate
(1845)
32 Thomas Watkins Ligon
May 10, 1810 – January 12, 1881
(Aged 70)
January 11, 1854
–
January 13, 1858
Democratic 67
(1853)
U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 3rd
(1845–1849)
33   Thomas H. Hicks
September 2, 1798 – February 14, 1865
(Aged 66)
January 13, 1858
–
January 8, 1862
Constitutional Union 68
(1857)
Maryland State Delegate
(1830–1836)
34   Augustus Bradford
January 9, 1806 – March 1, 1881
(Aged 75)
January 8, 1862
–
January 10, 1866
Republican N/A Baltimore County Clerk of Courts
(1845–1851)
35 Thomas Swann
March 3, 1809 – July 24, 1883
(Aged 74)
January 10, 1866
–
January 13, 1869
Republican Mayor of Baltimore
(1856–1860)
  Christopher C. Cox[d]
36   Oden Bowie
November 10, 1826 – December 4, 1894
(Aged 68)
January 13, 1869
–
January 10, 1872
Democratic 69
(1867)
Maryland State Senator
(1867–1869)
None
37 William Pinkney Whyte
August 9, 1824 – March 17, 1908
(Aged 83)
January 10, 1872
–
March 4, 1874
Democratic 70
(1871)
U.S. Senator
from Maryland
(1868–1869)
38 James Black Groome
April 4, 1838 – October 5, 1893
(Aged 55)
March 4, 1874
–
January 12, 1876
Democratic Maryland State Delegate
(1872–1874)
39 John Lee Carroll
September 30, 1830 – February 27, 1911
(Aged 80)
January 12, 1876
–
January 14, 1880
Democratic 71
(1875)
Maryland State Senator
(1867–1876)
40 William T. Hamilton
September 8, 1820 – October 26, 1888
(Aged 68)
January 14, 1880
–
January 9, 1884
Democratic 72
(1879)
U.S. Senator
from Maryland
(1869–1875)
41 Robert Milligan McLane
June 23, 1815 – April 16, 1898
(Aged 82)
January 9, 1884
–
March 27, 1885
Democratic 73
(1883)
U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 4th
(1879–1883)
42 Henry Lloyd
February 21, 1852 – December 20, 1920
(Aged 68)
March 27, 1885
–
January 11, 1888
Democratic Maryland State Senator
(1882–1885)
43 Elihu Emory Jackson
November 3, 1837 – December 27, 1907
(Aged 70)
January 11, 1888
–
January 13, 1892
Democratic 74
(1887)
Maryland State Senator
(1884–1886)
44 Frank Brown
August 8, 1846 – February 3, 1920
(Aged 73)
January 13, 1892
–
January 8, 1896
Democratic 75
(1891)
Maryland State Delegate
(1876–1878)
45   Lloyd Lowndes Jr.
February 21, 1845 – January 8, 1905
(Aged 59)
January 8, 1896
–
January 10, 1900
Republican 76
(1895)
U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 6th
(1873–1875)
46   John W. Smith
February 5, 1845 – April 19, 1925
(Aged 80)
January 10, 1900
–
January 13, 1904
Democratic 77
(1899)
U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 1st
(1899–1900)
47 Edwin Warfield
May 7, 1848 – March 31, 1920
(Aged 71)
January 13, 1904
–
January 8, 1908
Democratic 78
(1903)
Maryland State Senator
(1881–1887)
48 Austin Lane Crothers
May 17, 1860 – May 25, 1912
(Aged 52)
January 8, 1908
–
January 10, 1912
Democratic 79
(1907)
Maryland State Delegate
(1897–1900)
49   Phillips Lee Goldsborough
August 6, 1865 – October 22, 1946
(Aged 81)
January 10, 1912
–
January 12, 1916
Republican 80
(1911)
Comptroller of Maryland
(1898–1900)
50   Emerson Harrington
March 26, 1864 – December 15, 1945
(Aged 81)
January 12, 1916
–
January 14, 1920
Democratic 81
(1915)
Comptroller of Maryland
(1912–1916)
51 Albert Ritchie
August 29, 1876 – February 24, 1936
(Aged 59)
January 14, 1920
–
January 9, 1935
Democratic 82
(1919)
Attorney General of Maryland
(1915–1919)
83
(1923)
84
(1926)
85
(1930)
52   Harry Nice
December 5, 1877 – February 25, 1941
(Aged 63)
January 9, 1935
–
January 11, 1939
Republican 86
(1934)
Baltimore City Alderman
(1903–1905)
53   Herbert O'Conor
November 17, 1896 – March 4, 1960
(Aged 63)
January 11, 1939
–
January 3, 1947
Democratic 87
(1938)
Attorney General of Maryland
(1935–1939)
88
(1942)
54 William Preston Lane Jr.
May 12, 1892 – February 7, 1967
(Aged 74)
January 3, 1947
–
January 10, 1951
Democratic 89
(1946)
Attorney General of Maryland
(1930–1934)
55   Theodore Roosevelt McKeldin
November 20, 1900 – August 10, 1974
(Aged 73)
January 10, 1951
–
January 14, 1959
Republican 90
(1950)
Mayor of Baltimore
(1943–1947)
91
(1954)
56   John Millard Tawes
April 8, 1894 – June 25, 1979
(Aged 85)
January 14, 1959
–
January 25, 1967
Democratic 92
(1958)
Comptroller of Maryland
(1950–1959)
93
(1962)
57   Spiro T. Agnew
November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996
(Aged 77)
January 25, 1967
–
January 7, 1969
Republican 94
(1966)
Baltimore County Executive
(1962–1966)
58   Marvin Mandel
April 19, 1920 – August 30, 2015
(Aged 95)
January 7, 1969
–
January 17, 1979
Democratic 95
(1969)[e]
Speaker of the Maryland
House of Delegates
(1964–1969)
  Blair Lee III
96
(1970)
97
(1974)
Blair Lee III
May 19, 1916 – October 25, 1985
(Aged 69)
June 4, 1977
–
January 15, 1979[f]
Democratic Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
(1971–1979)
Blair Lee III

(Continued to serve as

Lieutenant Governor

while Acting Governor)

59 Harry Hughes
November 13, 1926 – March 13, 2019
(Aged 92)
January 17, 1979
–
January 20, 1987
Democratic 98
(1978)
Maryland State Senator
(1959–1971)
Samuel Bogley
99
(1982)
J. Joseph Curran Jr.
60 William Donald Schaefer
November 2, 1921 – April 18, 2011
(Aged 89)
January 20, 1987
–
January 18, 1995
Democratic 100
(1986)
Mayor of Baltimore
(1971–1987)
Melvin Steinberg
101
(1990)
61 Parris N. Glendening
June 11, 1942
(Age 84)
January 18, 1995
–
January 15, 2003
Democratic 102
(1994)
Prince George's County Executive
(1983–1994)
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
103
(1998)
62   Robert (Bob) Ehrlich Jr.
November 25, 1957
(Age 68)
January 15, 2003
–
January 17, 2007
Republican 104
(2002)
U.S. Representative
from Maryland's 2nd
(1995–2003)
  Michael Steele
63   Martin O'Malley
January 18, 1963
(Age 63)
January 17, 2007
–
January 21, 2015
Democratic 105
(2006)
Mayor of Baltimore
(1999–2007)
  Anthony G. Brown
106
(2010)
64   Lawrence (Larry) Hogan Jr.
May 25, 1956
(Age 70)
January 21, 2015
–
January 18, 2023
Republican 107
(2014)
Maryland Secretary of Appointments
(2003–2007)
  Boyd Rutherford
108
(2018)
65   Westley (Wes) Moore
October 15, 1978
(Age 47)
January 18, 2023
–
Incumbent
Democratic 109
(2022)
CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation
(2017–2021)
  Aruna Miller
  1. ↑ Maryland did not have a Lieutenant Governor until 1864; the office was abolished in 1867 and re-established in 1970.[6][7]
  2. ↑ Served as Acting Governor following the death of Governor George Plater.[8]
  3. ↑ First directly-elected Governor of Maryland.[9]
  4. ↑ The office of Lieutenant Governor was created under the Constitution of 1864, but abolished in 1867.[10]
  5. ↑ Elected by the Maryland General Assembly to fill the vacancy left by Spiro Agnew's resignation, following his election to the U.S. vice presidency. Mandel was elected to a full term in 1970.[11]
  6. ↑ Served as Acting Governor after Governor Marvin Mandel ran into legal problems and transferred over the powers of Governor to Blair Lee. Governor Mandel rescinded his appointment two days before the term ended.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Maryland Governor – Origin & Functions". Maryland Manual Online. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
  2. ↑ Prah, Pamela (March 9, 2007). "Massachusetts gov rated most powerful (archived)". Stateline.Org. Archived from the original on May 28, 2008. Retrieved June 25, 2007.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ↑ "Archives of Maryland Historical List Governors of Maryland, 1634--". Maryland State Archives. January 21, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Maryland : Past Governors Bios". National Governors Association. 2015. Archived from the original on November 3, 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Maryland Lieutenant Governors". Maryland State Archives. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  6. ↑ Dayhoff, Kevin (December 7, 2005). "Why We Have a Lieutenant Governor". The Tentacle. Archived from the original on April 2, 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  7. ↑ Papenfouse, Edward. The Archives of Maryland, new series, An Historical List of Public Officials of Maryland. Vol. I. Annapolis, MD: Maryland State Archives: 1990.
  8. ↑ Buchholz, Heinrich Ewald (1908). "Appendix B". Governors of Maryland: From the Revolution to the Year 1908 (Second ed.). Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins Company.
  9. ↑ Shaum, Jack (May 21, 2006). "Two Maryland Governors were Queen Anne's natives". The Star Democrat. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
  10. ↑ Smith, Herbert Charles; Willis, John T. (2012). "The Maryland Governor and the Executive Branch". Maryland Politics and Government: Democratic Dominance. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 978-0-8032-3790-2.
  11. ↑ Clymer, Adam (August 30, 2015). "Marvin Mandel, Progressive Maryland Governor Convicted of Fraud, Dies at 95". The New York Times. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Blair Lee III (1916–1985)". Maryland State Archives. Retrieved September 13, 2017.