List of oldest living United States governors

The following are lists of the politicians who were or are the longest living and oldest still-living governors of each U.S. state. The current oldest living U.S. state governor is George Ariyoshi (born March 12, 1926), aged 98 years, 295 days, Governor of Hawaii from 1974 to 1986. The second oldest living U.S. state governor is George Nigh (born June 9, 1927), aged 97 years, 206 days, Governor of Oklahoma in 1963 and from 1979 to 1987. Albert Rosellini (1910–2011), the Governor of Washington from 1957 to 1965, lived the longest lifespan of any governor, having died at the age of 101 years, 262 days.

Territorial governors are included in italics.

Longest living U.S. governors[edit]

Start date	End date	Governor	State	Birth date	Gubernatorial term(s)	Party
December 7, 1787	December 12, 1787	Thomas Collins^[1]	Delaware	1732	1786–1789	No party
December 12, 1787	April 17, 1790	Benjamin Franklin^[2]	Pennsylvania	January 17, 1706	1785–1788	No party
April 17, 1790	July 25, 1790	William Livingston	New Jersey	November 30, 1723	1776–1790	Federalist
July 25, 1790	October 8, 1793	Josiah Bartlett	New Hampshire	November 21, 1729	1790–1794	Democratic-Republican
October 8, 1793	October 2, 1803	Samuel Adams^[3]	Massachusetts	September 27, 1722	1794–1797	Democratic-Republican
October 2, 1803	February 13, 1813	Samuel Ashe	North Carolina	March 24, 1725	1795–1798	Democratic-Republican
February 13, 1813	August 17, 1816	Samuel Johnston	North Carolina	December 15, 1733	1787–1789	Federalist
August 17, 1816	June 24, 1817	Thomas McKean	Pennsylvania	March 19, 1734	1799–1808	Democratic-Republican
June 24, 1817	September 18, 1819	John Langdon	New Hampshire	June 26, 1741	1785–1786 1788–1789 1805–1809 1810–1812	Democratic-Republican
September 18, 1819	March 19, 1829	John Tayler	New York	July 4, 1742	1817	Democratic-Republican
March 19, 1829	May 17, 1829	John Jay	New York	December 12, 1745	1795–1801	Federalist
May 17, 1829	June 10, 1832	Joseph Hiester	Pennsylvania	November 18, 1752	1820–1823	Democratic-Republican
June 10, 1832	September 24, 1834	Jonas Galusha	Vermont	February 11, 1753	1809–1813 1815–1820	Democratic-Republican
September 24, 1834	December 11, 1838	Isaac Tichenor	Vermont	February 8, 1754	1797–1807 1808–1809	Federalist
December 11, 1838	April 7, 1844	Morgan Lewis	New York	October 16, 1754	1804–1807	Democratic-Republican
April 7, 1844	December 22, 1850	William Plumer	New Hampshire	June 25, 1759	1812–1813, 1816–1819	Democratic-Republican
December 22, 1850	December 25, 1862	Joshua Hall	Maine	October 22, 1768	1830	Democratic
December 25, 1862	October 16, 1869	Joseph Ritner	Pennsylvania	March 25, 1780	1835–1839	Anti-Masonic
October 16, 1869	February 3, 1870	Allen Trimble	Ohio	November 24, 1783	1822, 1826–1830	National Republican
February 3, 1870	October 10, 1870	Mordecai Bartley	Ohio	December 16, 1783	1844–1846	Whig
October 10, 1870	November 1, 1874	Enos T. Throop	New York	August 21, 1784	1829–1832	Democratic
November 1, 1874	February 27, 1877	Joseph Johnson	Virginia	December 19, 1785	1852–1856	Democratic
February 27, 1877	December 18, 1885	Hiland Hall	Vermont	July 20, 1795	1858–1860	Republican
December 18, 1885	April 27, 1894	Nathaniel S. Berry	New Hampshire	September 1, 1796	1861–1863	Republican
April 27, 1894	June 13, 1896	Alpheus Felch	Michigan	September 28, 1804	1846–1847	Democratic
June 13, 1896	August 23, 1898	Moody Currier	New Hampshire	April 22, 1806	1885–1887	Republican
August 23, 1898	February 28, 1899	James Madison Wells	Louisiana	January 8, 1808	1865–1867	Republican
February 28, 1899	July 9, 1902	William Marvin	Florida	April 14, 1808	1865	Democratic
July 9, 1902	April 27, 1909	Frederick Holbrook	Vermont	February 15, 1813	1861–1863	Republican
April 27, 1909	February 3, 1912	Frederick Robie	Maine	August 12, 1822	1885–1887	Republican
February 3, 1912	June 4, 1912	Royal C. Taft	Rhode Island	February 14, 1823	1888–1889	Republican
June 4, 1912	January 8, 1914	Simon Bolivar Buckner	Kentucky	April 1, 1823	1887–1891	Democratic
January 8, 1914	May 16, 1920	Levi P. Morton	New York	May 16, 1824	1895–1896	Republican
May 16, 1920	April 4, 1923	Horace Boies	Iowa	December 7, 1827	1890–1894	Democratic
April 4, 1923	April 3, 1924	Ebenezer J. Ormsbee	Vermont	June 8, 1834	1886–1888	Republican
April 3, 1924	January 28, 1925	Augustus O. Bourn	Rhode Island	October 1, 1834	1883–1885	Republican
January 28, 1925	April 12, 1933	Adelbert Ames	Mississippi	October 31, 1835	1868–1870 1874–1876	Republican
April 12, 1933	October 30, 1939	Roswell K. Colcord	Nevada	April 25, 1839	1891–1895	Republican
October 30, 1939	August 23, 1945	Martin Frederick Ansel	South Carolina	December 12, 1850	1907–1911	Democratic
August 23, 1945	September 6, 1946	John I. Cox	Tennessee	November 23, 1855	1905–1907	Democratic
September 6, 1946	April 11, 1949	Chase Osborn	Michigan	January 22, 1860	1911–1913	Republican
April 11, 1949	May 9, 1958	Fenimore Chatterton	Wyoming	July 21, 1860	1903–1905	Republican
May 9, 1958	August 12, 1958	Augustus Owsley Stanley	Kentucky	May 21, 1867	1915–1919	Democratic
August 12, 1958	May 19, 1966	Theodore F. Green	Rhode Island	October 2, 1867	1933–1937	Democratic
May 19, 1966	June 12, 1969	Percival Proctor Baxter	Maine	November 22, 1876	1921–1925	Republican
June 12, 1969	December 19, 1977	Nellie Tayloe Ross	Wyoming	November 29, 1876	1925–1927	Democratic
December 19, 1977	March 3, 1980	Forrest C. Donnell	Missouri	August 20, 1884	1941–1945	Republican
March 3, 1980	October 12, 1987	Alf Landon	Kansas	September 9, 1887	1933–1937	Republican
October 12, 1987	April 21, 1990	Frank Lausche	Ohio	November 14, 1895	1945–1947 1949–1957	Democratic
April 21, 1990	June 10, 1993	Milward Simpson	Wyoming	November 12, 1897	1955–1959	Republican
June 10, 1993	October 20, 1996	J. Bracken Lee	Utah	January 7, 1899	1949–1957	Republican
October 20, 1996	November 5, 2000	Jimmie Davis	Louisiana	September 11, 1899	1944–1948 1960–1964	Democratic
November 5, 2000	June 26, 2003	Strom Thurmond	South Carolina	December 5, 1902	1947–1951	Democratic
June 26, 2003	April 19, 2004	Frank B. Morrison	Nebraska	May 20, 1905	1961–1967	Democratic
April 19, 2004	November 15, 2004	Elmer L. Andersen	Minnesota	June 17, 1909	1961–1963	Republican
November 15, 2004	October 10, 2011	Albert Rosellini	Washington	January 21, 1910	1957–1965	Democratic
October 10, 2011	April 10, 2015	Raúl Héctor Castro	Arizona	June 12, 1916	1975–1977	Democratic
April 10, 2015	February 4, 2016	Edgar Whitcomb	Indiana	November 6, 1917	1969–1973	Republican
February 4, 2016	January 17, 2017	David P. Buckson	Delaware	July 25, 1920	1960–1961	Republican
January 17, 2017	June 4, 2021	John M. Patterson	Alabama	September 27, 1921	1959–1963	Democratic
June 4, 2021	August 18, 2023	Al Quie	Minnesota	September 18, 1923	1979–1983	Republican
August 18, 2023	December 29, 2024	Jimmy Carter	Georgia	October 1, 1924	1971–1975	Democratic
December 29, 2024	present	George Ariyoshi	Hawaii	March 12, 1926	1974–1986	Democratic

↑ First governor following ratification of the Constitution.
↑ Became oldest living governor upon Pennsylvania's ratification of the Constitution.
↑ Became oldest living governor upon taking office.

Oldest living U.S. governors[edit]

These are the 100 oldest living United States governors, current or former. The longevity in this table is calculated as of January 1, 2025. Territorial governors are included but not ranked.

Key

	Incumbent

Rank	Governor	Date of birth	Gubernatorial term(s)	State	Party	Lifespan
1	George Ariyoshi	(1926-03-12)March 12, 1926	1974–1986	Hawaii	Democratic	98 years, 295 days
2	George Nigh	(1927-06-09)June 9, 1927	1963 1979–1987	Oklahoma	Democratic	97 years, 206 days
3	Roy Romer	(1928-10-31)October 31, 1928	1987–1999	Colorado	Democratic	96 years, 62 days
4	Douglas Wilder	(1931-01-17)January 17, 1931	1990–1994	Virginia	Democratic	93 years, 350 days
5	Kenneth M. Curtis	(1931-02-08)February 8, 1931	1967–1975	Maine	Democratic	93 years, 328 days
6	Philip Noel	(1931-06-06)June 6, 1931	1973–1977	Rhode Island	Democratic	93 years, 209 days
7	Thomas P. Salmon	(1932-08-19)August 19, 1932	1973–1977	Vermont	Democratic	92 years, 135 days
8	Richard Riley	(1933-01-02)January 2, 1933	1979–1987	South Carolina	Democratic	91 years, 365 days
9	Buddy MacKay	(1933-03-22)March 22, 1933	1998–1999	Florida	Democratic	91 years, 285 days
10	Frank Murkowski	(1933-03-28)March 28, 1933	2002–2006	Alaska	Republican	91 years, 279 days
11	Pete Wilson	(1933-08-23)August 23, 1933	1991–1999	California	Republican	91 years, 131 days
12	Madeleine Kunin	(1933-09-28)September 28, 1933	1985–1991	Vermont	Democratic	91 years, 95 days
13	Michael Dukakis	(1933-11-03)November 3, 1933	1975–1979 1983–1991	Massachusetts	Democratic	91 years, 59 days
14	George Ryan	(1934-02-24)February 24, 1934	1999–2003	Illinois	Republican	90 years, 312 days
15	Edward D. DiPrete	(1934-07-08)July 8, 1934	1985–1991	Rhode Island	Republican	90 years, 177 days
16	Fob James	(1934-09-15)September 15, 1934	1979–1983 1995–1999	Alabama	Democratic/ Republican	90 years, 108 days
17	Arne Carlson	(1934-09-24)September 24, 1934	1991–1999	Minnesota	Republican	90 years, 99 days
18	Bob Martinez	(1934-12-25)December 25, 1934	1987–1991	Florida	Republican	90 years, 7 days
19	Thomas Kean	(1935-04-21)April 21, 1935	1982–1990	New Jersey	Republican	89 years, 255 days
20	James G. Martin	(1935-12-11)December 11, 1935	1985–1993	North Carolina	Republican	89 years, 21 days
21	Joe Frank Harris	(1936-02-16)February 16, 1936	1983–1991	Georgia	Democratic	88 years, 320 days
22	Robert List	(1936-09-01)September 1, 1936	1979–1983	Nevada	Republican	88 years, 122 days
23	Martha Layne Collins	(1936-12-07)December 7, 1936	1983–1987	Kentucky	Democratic	88 years, 25 days
24	Barbara Roberts	(1936-12-21)December 21, 1936	1991–1995	Oregon	Democratic	88 years, 11 days
N/A	Carlos S. Camacho	(1937-02-27)February 27, 1937	1978–1982	Northern Mariana Islands	Democratic	87 years, 309 days
25	Jim Hunt	(1937-05-16)May 16, 1937	1977–1985 1993–2001	North Carolina	Democratic	87 years, 230 days
26	Paul E. Patton	(1937-05-26)May 26, 1937	1995–2003	Kentucky	Democratic	87 years, 220 days
27	Jay Rockefeller	(1937-06-18)June 18, 1937	1977–1985	West Virginia	Democratic	87 years, 197 days
28	Richard Bryan	(1937-07-16)July 16, 1937	1983–1989	Nevada	Democratic	87 years, 169 days
29	Dick Celeste	(1937-11-11)November 11, 1937	1983–1991	Ohio	Democratic	87 years, 51 days
30	Jerry Brown	(1938-04-07)April 7, 1938	1975–1983 2011–2019	California	Democratic	86 years, 269 days
31	Neil Abercrombie	(1938-06-26)June 26, 1938	2010–2014	Hawaii	Democratic	86 years, 189 days
32	Bruce Babbitt	(1938-06-27)June 27, 1938	1978–1987	Arizona	Democratic	86 years, 188 days
33	Steve Cowper	(1938-08-21)August 21, 1938	1986–1990	Alaska	Democratic	86 years, 133 days
34	Allen I. Olson	(1938-11-05)November 5, 1938	1981–1985	North Dakota	Republican	86 years, 57 days
35	Kay A. Orr	(1939-01-02)January 2, 1939	1987–1991	Nebraska	Republican	85 years, 365 days
36	Kit Bond	(1939-03-06)March 6, 1939	1973–1977 1981–1985	Missouri	Republican	85 years, 301 days
37	Martin J. Schreiber	(1939-04-08)April 8, 1939	1977–1979	Wisconsin	Democratic	85 years, 268 days
38	Chuck Robb	(1939-06-26)June 26, 1939	1982–1986	Virginia	Democratic	85 years, 189 days
39	Mike Castle	(1939-07-02)July 2, 1939	1985–1992	Delaware	Republican	85 years, 183 days
40	John H. Sununu	(1939-07-02)July 2, 1939	1983–1989	New Hampshire	Republican	85 years, 183 days
41	Garrey Carruthers	(1939-08-29)August 29, 1939	1987–1991	New Mexico	Republican	85 years, 125 days
42	Mike Sullivan	(1939-09-22)September 22, 1939	1987–1995	Wyoming	Democratic	85 years, 101 days
43	Ben Cayetano	(1939-11-14)November 14, 1939	1994–2002	Hawaii	Democratic	85 years, 48 days
44	Gaston Caperton	(1940-02-21)February 21, 1940	1989–1997	West Virginia	Democratic	84 years, 315 days
45	Lamar Alexander	(1940-07-03)July 3, 1940	1979–1987	Tennessee	Republican	84 years, 182 days
46	John W. Carlin	(1940-08-03)August 3, 1940	1979–1987	Kansas	Democratic	84 years, 151 days
47	Ted Kulongoski	(1940-11-05)November 5, 1940	2003–2011	Oregon	Democratic	84 years, 57 days
48	David Boren	(1941-04-21)April 21, 1941	1975–1979	Oklahoma	Democratic	83 years, 255 days
49	Toney Anaya	(1941-04-29)April 29, 1941	1983–1987	New Mexico	Democratic	83 years, 247 days
50	Ben Nelson	(1941-05-17)May 17, 1941	1991–1999	Nebraska	Democratic	83 years, 229 days
51	Ted Strickland	(1941-08-04)August 4, 1941	2007–2011	Ohio	Democratic	83 years, 150 days
N/A	Carl Gutierrez	(1941-10-15)October 15, 1941	1995–2003	Guam	Democratic	83 years, 78 days
52	Tommy Thompson	(1941-11-19)November 19, 1941	1987–2001	Wisconsin	Republican	83 years, 43 days
53	Bob Taft	(1942-01-09)January 9, 1942	1999–2007	Ohio	Republican	82 years, 358 days
54	Butch Otter	(1942-05-03)May 3, 1942	2007–2019	Idaho	Republican	82 years, 243 days
55	John Ashcroft	(1942-05-09)May 9, 1942	1985–1993	Missouri	Republican	82 years, 237 days
56	Parris Glendening	(1942-06-11)June 11, 1942	1995–2003	Maryland	Democratic	82 years, 204 days
57	James J. Blanchard	(1942-08-08)August 8, 1942	1983–1991	Michigan	Democratic	82 years, 146 days
58	Nathan Deal	(1942-08-25)August 25, 1942	2011–2019	Georgia	Republican	82 years, 129 days
N/A	Sila María Calderón	(1942-09-23)September 23, 1942	2001–2005	Puerto Rico	Popular Democratic	82 years, 100 days
59	Donald Carcieri	(1942-12-16)December 16, 1942	2003–2011	Rhode Island	Republican	82 years, 16 days
60	Gray Davis	(1942-12-26)December 26, 1942	1999–2003	California	Democratic	82 years, 6 days
61	Tony Knowles	(1943-01-01)January 1, 1943	1994–2002	Alaska	Democratic	82 years, 0 days
62	Robert J. Bentley	(1943-02-03)February 3, 1943	2011–2017	Alabama	Republican	81 years, 333 days
63	Jim Risch	(1943-05-03)May 3, 1943	2006–2007	Idaho	Republican	81 years, 243 days
64	Jim Guy Tucker	(1943-06-13)June 13, 1943	1992–1996	Arkansas	Democratic	81 years, 202 days
65	Bob Kerrey	(1943-08-27)August 27, 1943	1983–1987	Nebraska	Democratic	81 years, 127 days
66	Phil Bredesen	(1943-11-21)November 21, 1943	2003–2011	Tennessee	Democratic	81 years, 41 days
N/A	Joseph Franklin Ada	(1943-12-03)December 3, 1943	1987–1995	Guam	Republican	81 years, 29 days
67	Ed Rendell	(1944-01-05)January 5, 1944	2003–2011	Pennsylvania	Democratic	80 years, 362 days
68	Frank Keating	(1944-02-10)February 10, 1944	1995–2003	Oklahoma	Republican	80 years, 326 days
69	Mike Hayden	(1944-03-16)March 16, 1944	1987–1991	Kansas	Republican	80 years, 291 days
70	Angus King	(1944-03-31)March 31, 1944	1995–2003	Maine	Independent	80 years, 276 days
N/A	Pedro Rosselló	(1944-04-05)April 5, 1944	1993–2001	Puerto Rico	New Progressive	80 years, 271 days
71	Jim Geringer	(1944-04-24)April 24, 1944	1995–2003	Wyoming	Republican	80 years, 252 days
72	Steve Beshear	(1944-09-21)September 21, 1944	2007–2015	Kentucky	Democratic	80 years, 102 days
73	Jan Brewer	(1944-09-26)September 26, 1944	2009–2015	Arizona	Republican	80 years, 97 days
74	Bob Riley	(1944-10-03)October 3, 1944	2003–2011	Alabama	Republican	80 years, 90 days
75	Kay Ivey	(1944-10-15)October 15, 1944	2017–present	Alabama	Republican	80 years, 78 days
76	Donald DiFrancesco	(1944-11-20)November 20, 1944	2001–2002	New Jersey	Republican	80 years, 42 days
77	Jim Gibbons	(1944-12-16)December 16, 1944	2007–2011	Nevada	Republican	80 years, 16 days
78	Bob Miller	(1945-03-30)March 30, 1945	1989–1999	Nevada	Democratic	79 years, 277 days
79	George Pataki	(1945-06-24)June 24, 1945	1995–2006	New York	Republican	79 years, 191 days
80	Bill Weld	(1945-07-31)July 31, 1945	1991–1997	Massachusetts	Republican	79 years, 154 days
81	Fife Symington	(1945-08-12)August 12, 1945	1991–1997	Arizona	Republican	79 years, 142 days
82	Tom Ridge	(1945-08-26)August 26, 1945	1995–2001	Pennsylvania	Republican	79 years, 128 days
83	Jim Doyle	(1945-11-23)November 23, 1945	2003–2011	Wisconsin	Democratic	79 years, 39 days
N/A	Benigno Fitial	(1945-11-27)November 27, 1945	2006–2013	Northern Mariana Islands	Republican/Covenant	79 years, 35 days
84	Don Siegelman	(1946-02-24)February 24, 1946	1999–2003	Alabama	Democratic	78 years, 312 days
85	John D. Waiheʻe III	(1946-05-19)May 19, 1946	1986–1994	Hawaii	Democratic	78 years, 227 days
86	George W. Bush	(1946-07-06)July 6, 1946	1995–2000	Texas	Republican	78 years, 179 days
87	Jim Edgar	(1946-07-22)July 22, 1946	1991–1999	Illinois	Republican	78 years, 163 days
88	Ed Schafer	(1946-08-08)August 8, 1946	1992–2000	North Dakota	Republican	78 years, 146 days
89	Bill Clinton	(1946-08-19)August 19, 1946	1979–1981 1983–1992	Arkansas	Democratic	78 years, 135 days
90	Christine Todd Whitman	(1946-09-26)September 26, 1946	1994–2001	New Jersey	Republican	78 years, 97 days
91	Terry Branstad	(1946-11-17)November 17, 1946	1983–1999 2011–2017	Iowa	Republican	78 years, 45 days
92	Richard Codey	(1946-11-27)November 27, 1946	2002 2004–2006	New Jersey	Democratic	78 years, 35 days
93	Sonny Purdue	(1946-12-20)December 20, 1946	2003–2011	Georgia	Republican	78 years, 12 days
94	Mike Beebe	(1946-12-28)December 28, 1946	2007–2015	Arkansas	Democratic	78 years, 4 days
95	Jon Corzine	(1947-01-01)January 1, 1947	2006–2010	New Jersey	Democratic	78 years, 0 days
96	Mike DeWine	(1947-01-05)January 5, 1947	2019–present	Ohio	Republican	77 years, 362 days
97	Bev Perdue	(1947-01-14)January 14, 1947	2009–2013	North Carolina	Democratic	77 years, 353 days
98	Tom Carper	(1947-01-23)January 23, 1947	1993–2001	Delaware	Democratic	77 years, 344 days
99	Mark Dayton	(1947-01-26)January 26, 1947	2011–2019	Minnesota	Democratic–Farmer–Labor	77 years, 341 days
100	Jeanne Shaheen	(1947-01-28)January 28, 1947	1997–2003	New Hampshire	Democratic	77 years, 339 days

List of oldest living United States governors

Longest living U.S. governors[edit]

Oldest living U.S. governors[edit]

See also[edit]

📰 Article(s) of the same category(ies)[edit]