Governors of Mississippi Territory
Name Term Party Life
Winthorp Sargent 07 May 1798 - 25 May 1801 Federalist  
William C. C. Claiborne 25 May 1801 - 01 Mar. 1805 Democrat  
Robert Williams 01 Mar. 1805 - 07 Mar. 1809 Democrat  
David Holmes 07 Mar. 1809 - 10 Dec. 1817 Democrat 10 March 1769 - 20 Aug. 1832
Governors of the State of Mississippi
Name Term Party Life
David Holmesa 10 Dec. 1817 - 05. Jan. 1820 Democrat see above (s.a.)
George Poindexter 05 Jan. 1820 - 07 Jan. 1822 Democrat ?? ??? 1779 - 5 Sept. 1853
Walter Leakeb 07 Jan. 1822 - 17 Nov. 1825 Democrat 25 May 1762 - 17 Nov. 1825
Gerard Brandon 17 Nov. 1825 - 07 Jan. 1826 Democrat 15 Sept. 1788 - 28 March 1850
David Holmes 07 Jan. 1826 - 25 Jul. 1826 Democrat s.a.
Gerard Brandon 25 Jul. 1826 - 09 Jan. 1832 Democrat s.a.
Abram M. Scott 09 Jan. 1832 - 12 Jul. 1833 Democrat ?? ??? 1785 - 12 Jul. 1833
Charles Lynch 12 Jul. 1833 - 20 Nov. 1833 Democrat ?? ??? 1783 - 09 Feb. 1853
Hiram Runnels 20 Nov. 1833 - 03 Dec. 1835 Democrat 17 Dec. 1796 - 17 Dec. 1857
John A. Quitman 03 Dec. 1835 - 07 Jan. 1836 Whig 1 Sep. 1799 - 17 Jul. 1858
Charles Lynch 07 Jan. 1836 - 08 Jan. 1838 Democrat s.a.
Alexander G. McNutt 08 Jan. 1838 - 10 Jan. 1842 Democrat 3 Jan. 1803 - 22 Oct. 1848
Tilghman Tucker 10 Jan. 1842 - 10 Jan. 1844 Democrat 5 Feb. 1802 - 30 Apr. 1859
Albert G. Brown 10 Jan. 1844 - 10 Jan. 1848 Democrat 31 May 1813 - 12 Jun. 1880
Joseph W. Matthews 10 Jan. 1848 - 10 Jan. 1850 Democrat ?? ??? 1812 - 27 Aug. 1862
John A. Quitman 10 Jan. 1850 - 3 Feb. 1851 Democrat s.a.
John I. Guion 3 Feb. 1851 - 4 Nov. 1851a Democrat 18 Nov. 1802 - 26 Jun. 1856
James Whitfield 24 Nov. 1851 - 10 Jan. 1852 Democrat 15 Dec. 1791 - 25 Jun. 1875
Henry S. Foote 10 Jan. 1852 - 5 Jan. 1854 Union-Democrat 28 Feb. 1804 - 19 May 1880
John J. Pettus 5 Jan. 1854 - 10 Jan. 1854 Democrat 9 Oct. 1813 - ?? ??? 1867
John J. McRae 10 Jan. 1854 - 16 Nov. 1857 Democrat 10 Jan. 1815 - 31 May 1868
William McWillie 16 Nov. 1857 - 21 Nov. 1859 Democrat 17 Nov. 1795 - 3 Mar. 1869
John J. Pettus 21 Nov. 1859 - 16 Nov. 1863 Democrat s.a.
Charles Clark 16 Nov. 1863 - 13 Jun. 1865 Democrat 19 Feb. 1810 - 18 Dec. 1877
William L. Sharkey 13 Jun. 1865 - 16 Oct. 1865 Provisional 12 Jul. 1798 - 30 Mar. 1873
Benjamin G. Humphreys 16 Oct. 1865 - 15 Jun. 1868 Democrat 26 Aug. 1808 - 20 Dec. 1882;
Adelbert Ames 15 Jun. 1868 - 10 Mar. 1870 Military 31 Oct. 1835 - 12 Apr. 1933
James L. Alcorn 10 Mar. 1870 - 30 Nov. 1871 Republican 4 Nov. 1816 - 19 Dec. 1894
Ridgely C. Powers 30 Nov. 1871 - 4 Jan. 1874 Republican 24 Dec. 1836 - 11 Nov. 1912
Adelbert Ames 4 Jan. 1874 - 20 Mar. 1876 Republican s.a.
John M. Stone 20 Mar. 1876 - 09 Jan. 1882 Democrat 30 Apr. 1830 - 2 Mar. 1900
Robert Lowry 09 Jan. 1882 - 13 Jan. 1890 Democrat 10 Mar. 1831 - 19 Jan. 1910
John M. Stone 13 Jan. 1890 - 20 Jan. 1896 Democrat s.a.
Anselm J. McLaurin 20 Jan. 1896 - 16 Jan. 1900 Democrat 26 Mar. 1848 - 22 Dec. 1922
Andrew H. Longino 16 Jan. 1900 - 19 Jan. 1904 Democrat 16 May 1855 - 24 Feb. 1942
James K. Vardaman 19 Jan. 1904 - 21 Jan. 1908 Democrat 26 Jul. 1861 - 25 Jun. 1930
Edmund Noel 21 Jan. 1908 - 16 Jan. 1912 Democrat 4 Mar. 1856 - 30 Jul. 1927
Earl L. Brewer 16 Jan. 1912 - 18 Jan. 1916 Democrat 11 Aug. 1869 - 10 Mar. 1942
Theodore G. Bilbo 18 Jan. 1916 - 18 Jan. 1920 Democrat 13 Oct. 1877 - 21 Aug. 1947
Lee M. Russell 18 Jan. 1920 - 18 Jan. 1924 Democrat 16 Nov. 1875 - 16 May 1943
Henry L. Whitfieldb 18 Jan. 1924 - 18 Mar. 1927 Democrat 20 Jun. 1868 - 18 Mar. 1927
Dennis Murphree 18 Mar. 1927 - 16 Jan. 1928 Democrat 06 Jan. 1886 - 09 Feb. 1949
Theodore G. Bilbo 16 Jan. 1928 - 19 Jan. 1932 Democrat s.a.
Martin Sennett Conner 19 Jan. 1932 - 21 Jan. 1936 Democrat 31 Aug. 1891 - 16 Sep. 1950
Hugh L. White 21 Jan. 1936 - 16 Jan. 1940 Democrat 19 Aug. 1881 - 20 Sep. 1965
Paul B. Johnson, Srb 16 Jan. 1940 - 26 Dec. 1943 Democrat 23 Mar. 1880 - 26 Dec. 1943
Dennis Murphree 26 Dec. 1943 - 18 Jan. 1944 Democrat s.a.
Thomas L. Baileyb 18 Jan. 1944 - 02 Nov. 1946 Democrat 06 Jan. 1888 - 02 November 1946
Fielding L. Wright 02 Nov. 1946 - 22 Jan. 1952 Democrat 18 May 1895 - 4 May 1956
Hugh L. White 22 Jan. 1952 - 17 Jan. 1956 Democrat s.a.
James P. Coleman 17 Jan. 1956 - 19 Jan. 1960 Democrat 9 Jan. 1914 - 28 Sept. 1991
Ross R. Barnett 19 Jan. 1960 - 21 Jan. 1964 Democrat 22 Jan. 1898 - 06 Nov. 1987
Paul B. Johnson, Jr 21 Jan. 1964 - 16 Jan. 1968 Democrat 23 Jan. 1916 - 14 Oct. 1985
John Bell Williams 16 Jan. 1968 - 18 Jan. 1972 Democrat 4 Dec. 1918 - 25 Mar. 1983
William Waller 18 Jan. 1972 - 20 Jan. 1976 Democrat b. 21 Oct. 1926
Cliff Finch 20 Jan. 1976 - 22 Jan. 1980 Democrat 4 Apr. 1927 - 22 Apr. 1986
William Winter 22 Jan. 1980 - 10 Jan. 1984 Democrat b. 21 Feb. 1924
William Allain 10 Jan. 1984 - 12 Jan. 1988 Democrat b. 14 Feb. 1928
Ray Mabus 12 Jan. 1988 - 14 Jan. 1992 Democrat b. 11 Oct. 1948
Kirk Fordice 14 Jan. 1992 - 11 Jan. 2000 Republican b. 10 Feb. 1934
Ronnie Musgrove 11 Jan. 2000 - 13 Jan. 2004 Democrat b. 19 Jul. 1956
Haley Barbour 13 Jan. 2004 - present Republican b. 22 Oct. 1947

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. See also: Mississippi, Lieutenant Governors of Mississippi