Governors of Virginia COLONY AND STATE. I. VIRGINIA IN THE TIME OF ELIZABETH. SIR WALTER RALEIGH, Lord Proprietor of Virginia.... 1584-1590 Ralph Lane, Governor of Raleigh's First Colony on Roanoke Island, N. C.....1585-1586 John White, Governor of Raleigh's Second Colony... II. VIRGINIA UNDER THE LONDON COMPANY, 1606-1624. 1587-1590 SIR THOMAS SMITH, President and Treasurer of the London Company. 1606-1618 1607-1608 .1608-1609 1609-1610 1609-1618 John Ratcliffe, President of the Council, resident in Virginia.. Captain John Smith, President of the Council, resident in Virginia.. Captain George Percy, President of the Council, resident in Virginia... THOMAS WEST, LORD DE LA WARR, Governor and Captain-General.. Sir Thomas Gates, Lieutenant General, and Deputy-Governor....... May to June, 1610 Thomas West, Lord De La Warr, Governor resident in Virginia, June, 1610, March, 1611 Captain George Yeardley, Deputy or Lieutenant-Governor.. Sir Thomas Dale, High Marshal and acting Governor.... Sir Thomas Gates, Acting Governor... Sir Thomas Dale, Acting Governor.. Captain George Yeardley, Deputy or Lieutenant-Governor. March to May, 1611 ...May to August, 1611 1611-1613 1613-1616 1616-1617 .1618-1624 .1617-1619 SIR EDWIN SANDYS, President and Treasurer of the London Company. Captain Nathaniel Powell, President of the Council in Virginia and Acting SIR GEORGE YEARDLEY, Governor and Captain-General. April 9 to April 19, 1619 III. VIRGINIA UNDER THE KING, 1624-1652. SIR FRANCIS WYATT, Governor and Captain-General. *It is difficult to make a clear and comprehensive list of the governors of Virginia, for the reason that the person bearing the title of governor often resided in England, while the real official head, residing in Virginia, was a deputy. The history of Virginia executives divides itself into nine heads, including the period of attempted colonization in the time of Elizabeth, though the real history of Virginia begins with the London Company, whose rule lasted for eighteen years, under two presidents or treasurers-Sir. Thomas Smith and Sir Edwin Sandys--neither of whom visited the colony. Therefore, the early government of Virginia was intended to be a colonial council, with a president, often spoken of as governor. The first man ever to have the title of "governor" was Lord Delaware, appointed by the London Company, in 1609, to hold office for life. He held this position for nine years, dying 1618. He resided in Virginia only nine months, and for the balance of the nine years was represented by a deputy. In 1624, the London Company lost its charter, and Virginia then passed into the hands of the King, who, from time to time, appointed royal governors. These governors often resided in England, and were represented in Virginia by deputies. Virginia still retained a SIR JOHN HARVEY, Governor and Captain-General... .1628-1639 Doctor John Pott, President of the Council and Acting Governor.... 1629-1630 1630-1635 Captain John West, President of the Council and Acting Governor.. .1635-1636 1636-1639 .1639-1642 .1642-1644 1644-1645 1645-1652 IV. VIRGINIA UNDER THE COMMONWEALTH (CROMWELL). 1652-1660. RICHARD BENNETT, Governor, elected by the Assembly.. .1652-1655 CAPTAIN SAMUEL MATTHEWS, Governor, elected by Assembly.. 1655-1658 .1658-1660 March to July, 1660 V. VIRGINIA A ROYAL PROVINCE, 1660-1776. SIR WILLIAM BERKELEY, Governor.. 1660-1677 Colonel Francis Morryson,* or Morrison, Deputy or Lieutenant-Governor......1661-1662 SIR HERBERT JEFFRIES, Lieutenant-Governor and Governor........ .1677-1678 Sir Henry Chicheley, Deputy-Governor... .1678-1680 THOMAS LORD CULPEPER (Baron of Thorsway), Governor.. .1680-1683 1683-1684 Francis, Lord Howard (Baron Effingham), Lieutenant-Governor... GOERGE HAMILTON DOUGLAS,† (Earl of Orkney), Governor-in-Chief.. 1697-1737 Sir Francis Nicholson, Lieutenant-Governor... 1698-1705 Edward Nott, Lieutenant-Governor.. .1705-1710 Edmund Jennings, President of the Council and Acting Governor.. Robert Carter, President of the Council and Acting Governor. .1726-1727 William Gooch, Lieutenant-Governor.. .1727-1737 WILLIAM ANNE KEPPEL,† (Second Earl of Albemarle), Governor-in Chief.. .1737-1754 William Gooch, Lieutenant-Governor.. .1737-1740 resident council, and if, for any reason, the governor or deputy governor was absent from the colony, the president of the council was the acting governor. In 1652, Virginia passed under the Commonwealth (Cromwell), and the General Assembly, by its own authority, elected four governors. From 1660 to 1776 Virginia was again under the rule of the King, who appointed the governors. During this period there were only ten governors of Virginia, but a great number of deputies. Of these governors, Sir William Berkeley, Sir Herbert Jeffries, Lord Culpeper and Sir Edmund Andros were residents of Virginia the greater portion of their terms. But the Earl of Orkney, the Earle of Albemarle, the Earl of Loudoun and Sir Jeffrey Amherst, governors from 1697 to 1763, never came to Virginia, and were represented by deputies. The last two governors to be appointed by the King, Lord Botetourt and Lord Dunmore, resided in Virginia during their term of office. *Acted as governor while Berkeley was on a visit to England. †Never came to Virginia. Commissary James Blair, President of the Council and Acting Governor.... .1740-1741 William Gooch, Lieutenant-Governor... .1741-1749 John Robinson, President of the Council and Acting Governor.. .1749-1749 1749-1751 Lewis Burwell, President of the Council.. .1751-1751 Robert Dinwiddie, Lieutenant-Governor. .1751-1756 JOHN CAMPBELL,‡ Earl of London, Governor-General of all the American Colonies... Robert Dinwiddie, Lieutenant-Governor.... 1756-1763 .1756-1758 John Blair, President of the Council and Acting Governor. Francis Fauquier, Lieutenant-Governor.. SIR JEFFREY AMHERST,‡ Governor-in-Chief... January to June, 1758 .1758-1868 ..March to October, 1768 John Blair, President of the Council and Acting Governor.. NORBORNE BERKELEY (Baron de Botetourt), Governor-in-chief... William Nelson, President of the Council and Acting Governor........ JOHN MURRAY (Earl Dunmore), Governor-in-chief...... VI. VIRGINIA IN REVOLT-THE CONVENTION PERIOD. Peyton Randolph, President of Virginia Conventions of .1763-1768 .1768-1770 .1770-1771 .1771-1776 1774, March, 1775, and July, 1775 Edmond Pendleton, President of the Conventions........May, 1776, and December, 1777 GEORGE WILLIAM SMITH,† as Senior member of the Council of State, ..November to December, 1811 PEYTON RANDOLPH,† as Senior Member of the Council of State, Acting JAMES BARBOUR, Governor... .December 26, 1811, to January 3, 1812 .1812-1814 *Resigned to become Secretary of State under Madison. †From 1776 to 1852 the governors were elected by the legislature, and were assisted in their executive duties by a council of State. On the resignation or death of a governor, the senior councillor acted as governor until the election of one by the legislature. Therefore, on the resignation of Monroe, George William Smith acted as governor, but when he was burned to death in the Richmond Theatre, he in turn was succeeded by Peyton Randolph, till the legislature elected James Barbour. Never came to Virginia. WILSON CARY NICHOLAS, Governor... JAMES P. PRESTON, Governor. THOMAS MANN RANDOLPH, Governor.. JAMES PLEASANTS, Jr., Governor. JOHN TYLER, Governor.. WILLIAM B. GILES, Governor. JOHN FLOYD, Governor.. LITTLETON WALLER TAZEWELL ‡Governor..... WYNDHAM ROBERTSON,‡ as Senior Member of Council, Acting Governor.. DAVID CAMPBELL, Governor. THOMAS WALLER GILMER,** Governor. 1814-1816 .1816-1819 .1819-1822 .1822-1825 .1825-1827 1827-1830 .1830-1834 1834-1836 April, 1836, to March, 1837 JOHN MERCER PATTON, as Senior member of the Council, Acting Gov ernor.. .1837-1840 .1840-1841 March, 1831, 1841 JOHN RUTHERFORD,** as Senior member of the Council, Acting Governor.. 1841-1842 JOHN M. GREGORY,'" as Senior member of the Council, Acting Governor ** †Tazewell resigned, and Robertson acted as governor till the legislature met and elected David Campbell. **Governor Gilmer resigned on account of disagreement with the legislature. The legislature was unabl for twenty-one months to elect a governor, so the senior councillors, Patton, Rutherford, and Gregory, were acting governors. Proclamations by the Governor. Fire Prevention Day. Whereas, Virginia annually suffers heavy property losses and loss of life due to preventable fires; and Whereas, It is not less than a public duty now in the hour of our national readjustment to conserve the material resources of the Commonwealth and to protect the lives of our citizens than during the war; now Therefore, I, Westmoreland Davis, Governor of Virginia, do hereby designate Thursday, October 9, 1919, as Fire Prevention Day in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and I urge all public officials, State and local, and all citizens of the State on this day to direct their united as well as their individual and personal attention to providing against destruction of life and property by fire. To this end I request that there be a general State-wide clean-up of waste and rubbish in all public and private places that fire risks may be reduced and the public health promoted; that all heating apparatus, chimneys, electric wiring and ventilating systems be thoroughly inspected and placed in safe repair; that general educational exercises be held from time to time beginning on Fire Prevention Day in all the counties, cities and towns especially in the public schools, to impress upon the people the importance of this great work of conservation. Given under my hand and under the Lesser Seal of the Commonwealth this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and nineteen, and in the one hundred and forty-fourth year of the Commonwealth. By the Governor: Secretary of the Commonwealth. WESTMORELAND DAVIS, Governor. Jewish Relief Campaign. Whereas, The Jewish people of Europe and Asia who fought with the allies for liberty and humanity have suffered a terrible persecution and now face death by starvation and untold privations; and Whereas, These greviously wronged and oppressed people of necessity now must look to the United States for relief, and a committee of responsible persons has been organized in Virginia to assist in raising an equitable portion of the necessary funds; now Therefore, I, Westmoreland Davis, Governor of Virginia, do hereby designate October 14-24, 1919, as the official Jewish Relief Campaign dates in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and I earnestly urge upon all citizens of the Commonwealth, irrespective of race or creed, to contribute as liberally as their respective means will permit to this most worthy and deserving cause. Given under my hand, and under the Lesser Seal of the Commonwealth, at Richmond. this second day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and nineteen, and in the one hundred and forty-fourth year of the Commonwealth. WESTMORELAND DAVIS, By the Governor: Governor. B. O. JAMES, Secretary of the Commonwealth. |