List of colonial governors of Massachusetts
Massachusetts Bay Colony: 1629–86, 1689–92
The Massachusetts Bay Company was established in 1628 and was funded in part by investors in the failed Dorchester Company. In that year, the company elected Matthew Cradock as its governor and received a grant from the Plymouth Council for New England for land roughly between the Charles and Merrimack Rivers.

List of colonial governors of Massachusetts

Section Title: Massachusetts Bay Colony: 1629–86, 1689–92
Table Section Text: The Massachusetts Bay Company was established in 1628 and was funded in part by investors in the failed Dorchester Company. In that year, the company elected Matthew Cradock as its governor and received a grant from the Plymouth Council for New England for land roughly between the Charles and Merrimack Rivers.

Governor	Took office	Left office	Deputy governor

Matthew Cradock	1628	October 20, 1629	Thomas Goffe

John Endecott	A head and shoulders portrait of Endecott. He wears a black magistrate's robe, with a falling collar or clerical rabat of gray.	April 30, 1629	June 12, 1630	None

John Winthrop	The bearded Winthrop wears a black magistrate's robe with lace collar and shirt cuffs visible.	October 20, 1629	May 14, 1634	John Humphrey (1629–30)

Thomas Dudley (1630–34)

Thomas Dudley	May 14, 1634	May 6, 1635	Roger Ludlow

John Haynes	May 6, 1635	May 25, 1636	Richard Bellingham

Sir Henry Vane the Younger	Head-only portrait of Vane with long hair and a lace collar.	May 25, 1636	May 17, 1637	John Winthrop

John Winthrop	May 17, 1637	May 13, 1640	Thomas Dudley

Thomas Dudley	May 13, 1640	June 2, 1641	Richard Bellingham

Richard Bellingham	June 2, 1641	May 18, 1642	John Endecott

John Winthrop	May 18, 1642	May 29, 1644	John Endecott

John Endecott	May 29, 1644	May 14, 1645	John Winthrop

Thomas Dudley	May 14, 1645	May 6, 1646	John Winthrop

John Winthrop	May 6, 1646	May 2, 1649	Thomas Dudley

John Endecott	May 2, 1649	May 22, 1650	Thomas Dudley

Thomas Dudley	May 22, 1650	May 7, 1651	John Endecott

John Endecott	May 7, 1651	May 3, 1654	Thomas Dudley

Richard Bellingham	May 3, 1654	May 23, 1655	John Endecott

John Endecott	May 23, 1655	May 3, 1665	Richard Bellingham

Richard Bellingham	May 3, 1665	December 12, 1672	Francis Willoughby (1665–71)

John Leverett (1671–72)

John Leverett	A three-quarter length engraved portrait of Leverett in full military uniform. His right hand rests on a knight's helmet, and his left is on his hip, holding gloves.	December 12, 1672 (acting until May 7, 1673)	May 28, 1679	Samuel Symonds (1673–78)

Simon Bradstreet (1678–79)

Simon Bradstreet	A head and shoulders portrait of Bradstreet, who wears a gold-peach robe over a black shirt and white cravat. His shoulder-length hair is topped with a small black cap.	May 28, 1679	May 25, 1686	Thomas Danforth

Dominion of New England	The seal of the Dominion of New England. The text around its border reads (in abbreviated Latin) "HIB : REX : FIDEI : DEFEN · JACOBUS : II : D : G : MAG : BRIT: FRAN".	May 25, 1686	April 18, 1689	Not applicable

Simon Bradstreet	April 18, 1689	May 14, 1692	Thomas Danforth

Sources unless otherwise cited: Capen, pp. 53–54; Hart, p. 1:607

Sentence(s)

Matthew Cradock was the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Company.
Matthew Cradock was the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Company.
Matthew Cradock was the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Company.

final_sentence: Matthew Cradock was the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Company.
final_sentence: Matthew Cradock was the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Company.
final_sentence: Matthew Cradock was the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Company.