List of Governors of Tennessee
State of Tennessee
Parties Democratic-Republican Democratic Whig Unionist/Military Republican

List of Governors of Tennessee

Section Title: State of Tennessee
Table Section Text: Parties Democratic-Republican Democratic Whig Unionist/Military Republican

#	Picture	Governor (Birth–Death)	Term of Office	Party	State of Birth	Occupation	Lt. Governor	Notes

1	-	John Sevier (1745–1815)	March 30, 1796 – September 23, 1801	Democratic-Republican	VA	Soldier, pioneer	None

2	-	Archibald Roane (1760–1819)	September 23, 1801 – September 23, 1803	Democratic-Republican	PA	Lawyer

1	-	John Sevier (1745–1815)	September 23, 1803 – September 20, 1809	Democratic-Republican	VA	Soldier, pioneer

3	-	Willie Blount (1768–1835)	September 20, 1809 – September 27, 1815	Democratic-Republican	NC	Lawyer, planter

4	-	Joseph McMinn (1758–1824)	September 27, 1815 – October 1, 1821	Democratic-Republican	PA	Merchant

5	-	William Carroll (1788–1844)	October 1, 1821 – October 1, 1827	Democratic-Republican	PA	Merchant, soldier

6	-	Sam Houston (1793–1863)	October 1, 1827 – April 16, 1829	Democratic-Republican	VA	Lawyer

7	-	William Hall (1775–1856)	April 16, 1829 – October 1, 1829	Democratic	NC	Planter, soldier

5	-	William Carroll (1788–1844)	October 1, 1829 – October 12, 1835	Democratic	PA	Merchant, soldier

8	-	Newton Cannon (1781–1841)	October 12, 1835 – October 14, 1839	Whig	NC	Planter

9	-	James K. Polk (1795–1849)	October 14, 1839 – October 15, 1841	Democratic	NC	Lawyer/President

10	-	James C. Jones (1809–1859)	October 15, 1841 – October 14, 1845	Whig	TN	Lawyer

11	-	Aaron V. Brown (1795–1859)	October 14, 1845 – October 17, 1847	Democratic	VA	Lawyer

12	-	Neill S. Brown (1810–1886)	October 17, 1847 – October 16, 1849	Whig	TN	Lawyer

13	-	William Trousdale (1790–1872)	October 16, 1849 – October 16, 1851	Democratic	NC	Lawyer

14	-	William B. Campbell (1807–1867)	October 16, 1851 – October 17, 1853	Whig	TN	Lawyer

15	-	Andrew Johnson (1808–1875)	October 17, 1853 – November 3, 1857	Democratic	NC	Tailor, President

16	-	Isham G. Harris (1818–1897)	November 3, 1857 – March 12, 1862	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, U.S. Senator

15	-	Andrew Johnson (1808–1875)	March 12, 1862 – March 4, 1865	Unionist/Military	NC	Tailor, President

—	-	Edward H. East (1830–1904)	March 4, 1865 – April 5, 1865	Republican	TN	Lawyer

17	-	William G. Brownlow (1805–1877)	April 5, 1865 – February 25, 1869	Republican	VA	Editor, preacher

18	-	Dewitt Clinton Senter (1830–1898)	February 25, 1869 – October 10, 1871	Republican	TN	Lawyer

19	-	John C. Brown (1827–1889)	October 10, 1871 – January 18, 1875	Democratic	TN	Lawyer

20	-	James D. Porter (1828–1912)	January 18, 1875 – February 16, 1879	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, educator

21	-	Albert S. Marks (1836–1891)	February 16, 1879 – January 17, 1881	Democratic	KY	Lawyer, chancellor

22	-	Alvin Hawkins (1821–1905)	January 17, 1881 – January 15, 1883	Republican	KY	Lawyer, judge

23	-	William B. Bate (1826–1905)	January 15, 1883 – January 17, 1887	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, U.S. Senator

24	-	Robert Love Taylor (1850–1912)	January 17, 1887 – January 19, 1891	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, U.S. Senator

25	-	John P. Buchanan (1847–1930)	January 19, 1891 – January 16, 1893	Democratic	TN	Farmer

26	-	Peter Turney (1827–1903)	January 16, 1893 – January 21, 1897	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, judge

24	-	Robert Love Taylor (1850–1912)	January 21, 1897 – January 16, 1899	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, U.S. Senator

27	-	Benton McMillin (1845–1933)	January 16, 1899 – January 19, 1903	Democratic	KY	Lawyer, diplomat

28	-	James B. Frazier (1856–1937)	January 19, 1903 – March 21, 1905	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, U.S. Senator

29	-	John I. Cox (1855–1946)	March 21, 1905 – January 17, 1907	Democratic	TN	Lawyer

30	-	Malcolm R. Patterson (1861–1935)	January 17, 1907 – January 26, 1911	Democratic	AL	Lawyer, judge

31	-	Ben W. Hooper (1870–1957)	January 26, 1911 – January 17, 1915	Republican	TN	Lawyer

32	-	Thomas C. Rye (1863–1953)	January 17, 1915 – January 15, 1919	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, judge

33	-	Albert H. Roberts (1868–1946)	January 15, 1919 – January 15, 1921	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, judge

34	-	Alfred A. Taylor (1848–1931)	January 15, 1921 – January 16, 1923	Republican	TN	Lawyer

35	-	Austin Peay (1876–1927)	January 16, 1923 – October 3, 1927	Democratic	KY	Lawyer

36	-	Henry Hollis Horton (1866–1934)	October 3, 1927 – January 17, 1933	Democratic	AL	Lawyer, farmer

37	-	Hill McAlister (1875–1959)	January 17, 1933 – January 15, 1937	Democratic	TN	Lawyer

38	-	Gordon Browning (1889–1976)	January 15, 1937 – January 16, 1939	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, judge

39	-	Prentice Cooper (1895–1969)	January 16, 1939 – January 16, 1945	Democratic	TN	Lawyer

40	-	Jim Nance McCord (1879–1968)	January 16, 1945 – January 16, 1949	Democratic	TN	Editor

38	-	Gordon Browning (1889–1976)	January 16, 1949 – January 15, 1953	Democratic	TN	Lawyer, Judge

Walter M. Haynes

41	-	Frank G. Clement (1920–1969)	January 15, 1953 – January 19, 1959	Democratic	TN	Lawyer	Jared Maddux

42	-	Buford Ellington (1907–1972)	January 19, 1959 – January 15, 1963	Democratic	MS	Farmer	William D. Baird

41	-	Frank G. Clement (1920–1969)	January 15, 1963 – January 16, 1967	Democratic	TN	Lawyer	James L. Bomar, Jr.

Jared Maddux

42	-	Buford Ellington (1907–1972)	January 16, 1967 – January 16, 1971	Democratic	MS	Farmer	Frank Gorrell

43	-	Winfield Dunn (b. 1927)	January 16, 1971 – January 18, 1975	Republican	MS	Dentist	John S. Wilder

44	-	Ray Blanton (1930–1996)	January 18, 1975 – January 17, 1979	Democratic	TN	Farmer, businessman

45	-	Lamar Alexander (b. 1940)	January 20, 1979 – January 17, 1987	Republican	TN	Lawyer, U.S. Senator

46	Ned R. McWherter speaking at a ceremony, Dec 17, 1988.JPEG	Ned McWherter (1930–2011)	January 17, 1987 – January 21, 1995	Democratic	TN	Businessman

47	-	Don Sundquist (b. 1936)	January 21, 1995 – January 18, 2003	Republican	IL	Businessman

48	-	Phil Bredesen (b. 1943)	January 18, 2003 – January 15, 2011	Democratic	NJ	Businessman

Ron Ramsey

49	-	Bill Haslam (b. 1958)	January 15, 2011 – January 19, 2019	Republican	TN	Businessman

Randy McNally

50	-	Bill Lee (b. 1959)	January 19, 2019 – present	Republican	TN	Businessman

Sentence(s)

James K. Polk was governor of Tennessee (1839–1841).

final_sentence: James K. Polk was governor of Tennessee (1839–1841).