List of Governors of Mississippi

Governors of Mississippi Territory, 1801–1817

Winthorp Sargent (Federalist) (7 May 1798–25 May 1801)
William C. C. Claiborne (Democrat) (25 May 1801–1 March 1805)
Robert Williams (Democrat) (1 March 1805–7 March 1809)
David Holmes (Democrat) (7 March 1809–10 December 1817)

Governors of the State of Mississippi, 1820–present

#	Name	Party	Term
1	David Holmes^a	Democrat	10 December 1817–5 January 1820
2	George Poindexter	Democrat	5 January 1820–7 January 1822
3	Walter Leake^b	Democrat	7 January 1822–17 November 1825
4	Gerard Brandon	Democrat	17 November 1825–7 January 1826
5	David Holmes	Democrat	7 January 1826–25 July 1826
6	Gerard Brandon	Democrat	25 July 1826–9 January 1832
7	Abram M. Scott	Democrat	9 January 1832–12 July 1833
8	Charles Lynch	Democrat	12 July 1833–20 November 1833
9	Hiram Runnels	Democrat	20 November 1833–3 December 1835
10	John A. Quitman	Whig	3 December 1835–7 January 1836
11	Charles Lynch	Democrat	7 January 1836–8 January 1838
12	Alexander G. McNutt	Democrat	8 January 1838–10 January 1842
13	Tilghman Tucker	Democrat	10 January 1842–10 January 1844
14	Albert G. Brown	Democrat	10 January 1844–10 January 1848
15	Joseph W. Matthews	Democrat	10 January 1848–10 January 1850
16	John A. Quitman	Democrat	10 January 1850–3 February 1851
17	John I. Guion	Democrat	3 February 1851–4 November 1851
18	James Whitfield	Democrat	24 November 1851–10 January 1852
19	Henry S. Foote	Union-Democrat	10 January 1852–5 January 1854
20	John J. Pettus	Democrat	5 January 1854–10 January 1854
21	John J. McRae	Democrat	10 January 1854–16 November 1857
22	William McWillie	Democrat	16 November 1857–21 November 1859
23	John J. Pettus	Democrat	21 November 1859–16 November 1863
24	Charles Clark^d	Democrat	16 November 1863–13 June 1865
25	William L. Sharkey	Provisional	13 June 1865–16 October 1865
26	Benjamin G. Humphreys^e	Democrat	16 October 1865–15 June 1868
27	Adelbert Ames	Military	15 June 1868–10 March 1870
28	James L. Alcorn	Republican	10 March 1870–30 November 1871
29	Ridgely C. Powers	Republican	30 November 1871–4 January 1874
30	Adelbert Ames	Republican	4 January 1874–20 March 1876
31	John M. Stone	Democrat	20 March 1876–9 January 1882
32	Robert Lowry	Democrat	9 January 1882–13 January 1890
33	John M. Stone	Democrat	13 January 1890–20 January 1896
34	Anselm J. McLaurin	Democrat	20 January 1896–16 January 1900
35	Andrew H. Longino	Democrat	16 January 1900–19 January 1904
36	James K. Vardaman	Democrat	19 January 1904–21 January 1908
37	Edmond Noel	Democrat	21 January 1908–16 January 1912
38	Earl L. Brewer	Democrat	16 January 1912–18 January 1916
39	Theodore G. Bilbo	Democrat	18 January 1916–18 January 1920
40	Lee M. Russell	Democrat	18 January 1920–18 January 1924
41	Henry L. Whitfield^b	Democrat	18 January 1924–18 March 1927
42	Dennis Murphree	Democrat	18 March 1927–16 January 1928
43	Theodore G. Bilbo	Democrat	16 January 1928–19 January 1932
44	Martin Sennett Conner	Democrat	19 January 1932–21 January 1936
45	Hugh L. White	Democrat	21 January 1936–16 January 1940
46	Paul B. Johnson, Sr.^b	Democrat	16 January 1940–26 December 1943
47	Dennis Murphree	Democrat	26 December 1943–18 January 1944
48	Thomas L. Bailey^b	Democrat	18 January 1944–2 November 1946
49	Fielding L. Wright	Democrat	2 November 1946–22 January 1952
50	Hugh L. White	Democrat	22 January 1952–17 January 1956
51	James P. Coleman	Democrat	17 January 1956–19 January 1960
52	Ross R. Barnett	Democrat	19 January 1960–21 January 1964
53	Paul B. Johnson, Jr.	Democrat	21 January 1964–16 January 1968
54	John Bell Williams	Democrat	16 January 1968–18 January 1972
55	William Waller	Democrat	18 January 1972–20 January 1976
56	Cliff Finch	Democrat	20 January 1976–22 January 1980
57	William Winter	Democrat	22 January 1980–10 January 1984
58	William Allain	Democrat	10 January 1984–12 January 1988
59	Ray Mabus	Democrat	12 January 1988–14 January 1992
60	Kirk Fordice	Republican	14 January 1992–11 January 2000
61	Ronnie Musgrove	Democrat	11 January 2000–13 January 2004
62	Haley Barbour	Republican	13 January 2004–present

Notes:
(a) David Holmes was inaugurated as the first state governor on 7 Oct. 1817, but Mississippi did not officially become a state until 10 Dec. 1817.
(b) Died in office, succeeded by Lt. Governor.
(c) Resigned from office, succeeded by Lt. Governor.
(d) Charles Clark was physically removed from office by Federal forces.
(e) Benjamin G. Humphreys was physically removed from office by armed forces under the orders of the U.S. military commander of Mississippi

List of Governors of Mississippi

Governors of Mississippi Territory, 1801–1817

Governors of the State of Mississippi, 1820–present

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