List of governors of Oregon explained

The governor of Oregon is the head of government of the U.S. state of Oregon.

List of governors

The Oregon Country was obtained by the United States on January 30, 1819, as a shared region with the United Kingdom. The Oregon Treaty ended the sharing and formally established the borders on June 15, 1846.^[1]

The Champoeg Meetings, including a constitutional committee, held from February 1841 until May 1843, served as a de facto government before the government was officially established. While early attempts at establishing a government had been unsuccessful because of discontent between English American and French Canadian settlers over the question of whom they should choose as governor, several other officers were elected at these meetings, including Ira Babcock as Supreme Judge. For lack of a government, the Supreme Judge also received executive and legislative duties.^{[2] [3]}

The meetings at Champoeg led up to the first constitution of the Oregon Country and several petitions for U.S. territorial status. The resulting acts created a provisional government on July 5, 1843. The first leaders of this government were an elected three-person Executive Committee. Later, George Abernethy was elected governor, and served from June 3, 1845, to March 3, 1849, though this government was never recognized by the federal government.

Oregon Territory

The region was organized as Oregon Territory on August 14, 1848. During its history it had five governors appointed by the president of the United States.

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"

Governor	Term in office	Appointing President
1	data-sort-value="Lane, Joseph"		Joseph Lane	- June 18, 1850
2	data-sort-value="Gaines, John"		John P. Gaines	- May 16, 1853
3	data-sort-value="Lane, Joseph"		Joseph Lane	- May 18, 1853
4	data-sort-value="Davis, John"		John Wesley Davis	- August 1, 1854
5	data-sort-value="Curry, George"		George Law Curry	- July 8, 1858

State of Oregon

The state of Oregon was admitted to the Union on February 14, 1859.

The 1857 Constitution of Oregon provided for the election of a governor every four years, to serve no more than eight out of any twelve years.^[4] This length and limit have never been changed. It is one of the few states without a lieutenant governor. The office would devolve upon the secretary of state upon vacancy^[5] until a 1920 amendment put the president of the Senate first in the line of succession,^[6] and a 1972 amendment returned the secretary of state to the front.^[7]

!scope="colgroup" colspan="3"

Governor	Term in office	Party	Election
1	data-sort-value="Whiteaker, John"			John Whiteaker ^[8]	- September 10, 1862	Democratic	1858
2	data-sort-value="Gibbs, A. C."			A. C. Gibbs ^[9]	^[10]  - September 12, 1866	Republican	1862
3	data-sort-value="Woods, George"			George Lemuel Woods ^[11]	^[12]  - September 14, 1870	Republican	1866
4			La Fayette Grover ^[13]	^[14]  - February 1, 1877	Democratic	1870
						1874
5	data-sort-value="Chadwick, Stephen"			Stephen F. Chadwick ^[15]	^[16]  - September 11, 1878	Democratic
6	data-sort-value="Thayer, W. W."			W. W. Thayer ^[17]	^[18]  - September 13, 1882	Democratic	1878
7	data-sort-value="Moody, Zenas"			Zenas Ferry Moody ^[19]	^[20]  - January 12, 1887	Republican	1882
8			Sylvester Pennoyer ^[21]	^[22]  - January 16, 1895	Democratic	1886
						1890
9	data-sort-value="Lord, William"			William Paine Lord ^[23]	^[24]  - January 10, 1899	Republican	1894
10	data-sort-value="Geer, Theodore"			Theodore Thurston Geer ^[25]	^[26]  - January 14, 1903	Republican	1898
11			George Earle Chamberlain ^[27]	^[28]  - March 1, 1909	Democratic	1902
						1906
12	data-sort-value="Benson, Frank"			Frank W. Benson ^[29]	^[30]  - June 16, 1910	Republican
13	data-sort-value="Bowerman, Jay"			Jay Bowerman ^[31]	^[32]  - January 10, 1911	Republican
14	data-sort-value="West, Oswald"			Oswald West ^[33]	^[34]  - January 12, 1915	Democratic	1910
15			James Withycombe ^[35]	^[36]  - March 3, 1919	Republican	1914
						1918
16	data-sort-value="Olcott, Ben"			Ben W. Olcott ^[37]	^[38]  - January 8, 1923	Republican
17	data-sort-value="Pierce, Walter"			Walter M. Pierce ^[39]	^[40]  - January 10, 1927	Democratic	1922
18	data-sort-value="Patterson, I. L."			I. L. Patterson ^[41]	^[42]  - December 21, 1929	Republican	1926
19	data-sort-value="Norblad, Albin"			Albin Walter Norblad Sr. ^[43]	^[44]  - January 12, 1931	Republican
20	data-sort-value="Meier, Julius"			Julius Meier ^[45]	^[46]  - January 14, 1935	Independent	1930
21	data-sort-value="Martin, Charles"			Charles Martin ^[47]	^[48]  - January 9, 1939	Democratic	1934
22	data-sort-value="Sprague, Charles"			Charles A. Sprague ^[49]	^[50]  - January 13, 1943	Republican	1938
23		Earl Snell ^[51]		^[52]  - October 28, 1947	Republican	1942
						1946
24	data-sort-value="Hall, John"			John Hubert Hall ^[53]	- January 10, 1949	Republican
25		Douglas McKay ^[54]		^[55]  - December 17, 1952	Republican	1948
						1950
26		Paul L. Patterson ^[56]		^[57]  - January 31, 1956	Republican
						1954
27	data-sort-value="Smith, Elmo"			Elmo Smith ^[58]	- January 14, 1957	Republican
28	data-sort-value="Holmes, Robert"			Robert D. Holmes ^[59]	^[60]  - January 12, 1959	Democratic	1956
29			Mark Hatfield ^[61]	^[62]  - January 9, 1967	Republican	1958
						1962
30			Tom McCall ^[63]	^[64]  - January 13, 1975	Republican	1966
						1970
31	data-sort-value="Straub, Robert"			Robert W. Straub ^[65]	^[66]  - January 8, 1979	Democratic	1974
32			Victor Atiyeh ^[67]	^[68]  - January 12, 1987	Republican	1978
						1982
33	data-sort-value="Goldschmidt, Neil"			Neil Goldschmidt ^[69]	^[70]  - January 14, 1991	Democratic	1986
34	data-sort-value="Roberts, Barbara"			Barbara Roberts ^[71]	^[72]  - January 9, 1995	Democratic	1990
35		John Kitzhaber ^[73]		^[74]  - January 13, 2003	Democratic	1994
						1998
36		Ted Kulongoski ^[75]		^[76]  - January 10, 2011	Democratic	2002
37		John Kitzhaber		^[77]  - February 18, 2015	Democratic	2010
38		Kate Brown ^[78]		^[79]  - January 9, 2023	Democratic
						2016
						2018
39	data-sort-value="Kotek, Tina"			Tina Kotek ^[80]	^[81]  - Incumbent	Democratic	2022

See also

• List of Oregon Legislative Assemblies

References

General

• Web site: Former Oregon Governors . June 11, 2023 . National Governors Association.
• Book: McMullin, Thomas A. . Biographical directory of American territorial governors . 1984 . Westport, CT : Meckler . 978-0-930466-11-4 . January 19, 2023.
• Book: Sobel, Robert . Biographical directory of the governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. III . Meckler Books . 1978 . 9780930466008 . March 25, 2023.
• Book: Dubin, Michael J. . United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776-1860: The Official Results by State and County . 2003 . McFarland . 978-0-7864-1439-0.
• Book: Dubin, Michael J. . United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1861-1911: The Official Results by State and County . 2014 . McFarland . 978-0-7864-5646-8 . en.
• Book: Kallenbach, Joseph Ernest . American State Governors, 1776-1976 . 1977 . Oceana Publications . 978-0-379-00665-0 . September 23, 2023.
• Book: Glashan, Roy R. . American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978 . 1979 . Meckler Books . 978-0-930466-17-6.
• Web site: Governor Records . July 15, 2010 . Oregon State Archives.
• Web site: Our Campaigns - Governor of Oregon - History . 2023-07-25 . www.ourcampaigns.com.

Specific

External links

• Office of the Governor of Oregon

Notes and References

1. Web site: Text of "Treaty with Great Britain, in Regard to Limits Westward of the Rocky Mountains" . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20090419184450/http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/br-1846.asp . April 19, 2009 . August 4, 2006 . The Avalon Project at Yale Law School.
2. http://www.oregon.gov/SOLL/docs/1841_1890/Bio/Backcock_Bio.pdf DR. IRA L. BABCOCK
3. https://books.google.com/books?id=_6CdzFrlfn4C&dq=william+johnson+high+sheriff+oregon&pg=PT237 A History of Oregon, 1792-1849
4. OR Const. art. V, § 1
5. https://books.google.com/books?id=qz00AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA38 OR Const. art. V, § 8, orig.
6. Web site: Oregon Line of Sucession to the Governorship, Measure 5 (May 1920) . 2023-06-09 . Ballotpedia . en.
7. Web site: Oregon Gubernatorial Line of Succession, Measure 8 (1972) . 2023-06-09 . Ballotpedia . en.
8. Web site: John Whiteaker . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
9. Web site: Addison C. Gibbs . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
10. News: 1862-09-12 . Inaugural of Governor Gibbs . 2 . Morning Oregonian . 2023-06-09.
11. Web site: George Lemuel Woods . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
12. News: 1866-09-14 . none . Judge Shattuck administered the oath to the Governor elect. Governor Woods then delivered his inaugural address... . 2 . Morning Oregonian . 2023-06-09.
13. Web site: Lafayette Grover . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
14. News: 1870-09-16 . Democratic Oregon . 2 . Albany Democrat . 2023-06-09.
15. Web site: Stephen Fowler Chadwick . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
16. News: 1877-02-16 . Proclamation by the Governor . 2 . The Albany Register . 2023-06-09.
17. Web site: William Wallace Thayer . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
18. News: 1878-09-12 . Oregon Legislature . 3 . Morning Oregonian . 2023-06-09.
19. Web site: Zenas Perry Moody . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
20. News: 1882-09-15 . Salem Correspondence . 2 . Albany Democrat . 2023-06-09.
21. Web site: Sylvester Pennoyer . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
22. News: 1887-01-13 . Inauguration of Sylvester Pennoyer as Governor . 1 . Statesman Journal . 2023-06-09.
23. Web site: William Paine Lord . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
24. News: 1895-01-17 . Mill Begins to Grind . 1 . The Morning Astorian . Associated Press . 2023-06-11.
25. Web site: Theodore T. Geer . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
26. News: 1899-01-11 . Governor Installed . 1 . The Morning Astorian . 2023-06-11.
27. Web site: George Earle Chamberlain . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
28. News: 1903-01-14 . Geo. E. Chamberlain Inaugurated Governor of the Oregon People . 1 . The Oregon Daily Journal . 2023-06-11.
29. Web site: Frank W. Benson . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
30. News: 1909-03-01 . F.W. Benson Became Oregon's Governor This Morning . 1 . The Capital Journal . 2023-06-11.
31. Web site: Jay Bowerman . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
32. News: 1910-06-17 . Bowerman Is Now Governor . 1 . Statesman Journal . 2023-06-11.
33. Web site: Oswald West . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
34. News: 1911-01-11 . Oswald West Steps In With Pledge of Square Deal . 1 . Statesman Journal . 2023-06-11.
35. Web site: James Withycombe . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
36. News: 1915-01-12 . Withycombe Is Governor of the State . 1 . The Oregon Daily Journal . 2023-06-11.
37. Web site: Ben Olcott . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
38. News: 1919-03-04 . Governor of Oregon Is Called . 1 . The Eugene Guard . 2023-06-11.
39. Web site: Walter Marcus Pierce . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
40. News: 1923-01-09 . Gov. Pierce Inaugurated . 1 . Statesman Journal . 2023-06-11.
41. Web site: Isaac Lee Patterson . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
42. News: 1927-01-10 . Patterson Takes Oath of Office . 1 . Medford Mail Tribune . Associated Press . 2023-06-11.
43. Web site: Albin Walter Norblad . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
44. News: 1929-12-22 . Governor Patterson Dead . 1 . The Klamath News . United Press . 2023-06-11.
45. Web site: Julius L. Meier . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
46. News: 1931-01-13 . Meier Inaugurated 20th Governor as Hundreds Jam Hall . 1 . Statesman Journal . 2023-06-12.
47. Web site: Charles Henry Martin . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
48. News: 1935-01-15 . Martin Steps Into Oregon’s Governorship . 1 . The Klamath News . United Press . 2023-06-12.
49. Web site: Charles Arthur Sprague . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
50. News: Applegate . Richard . 1939-01-09 . Taxation, Relief Stressed In Sprague's Message . 1 . Albany Democrat-Herald . United Press . 2023-06-12.
51. Web site: Earl Wilcox Snell . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
52. News: Bremer . Arthur . 1943-01-13 . Snell Sworn In As Oregon's New Governor . 1 . Albany Democrat-Herald . United Press . 2023-06-12.
53. Web site: John Hubert Hall . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
54. Web site: James Douglas McKay . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
55. News: Olson . James D. . 1949-01-10 . Douglas McKay Takes Oath as 25th Governor . 1 . The Capital Journal . 2023-06-12.
56. Web site: Paul Linton Patterson . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
57. News: 1952-12-17 . Paul Patterson Becomes Oregon Governor Today . 1 . Corvallis Gazette-Times . United Press . 2023-06-12.
58. Web site: Elmo Everett Smith . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
59. Web site: Robert Denison Holmes . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
60. News: Olson . James D. . 1957-01-14 . Holmes Takes Oath as First Demo Governor in 22 Years . 1 . The Capital Journal . 2023-06-12.
61. Web site: Mark Odom Hatfield . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
62. News: 1959-01-12 . Hatfield Takes Oath Before Joint Session . 1A . The Eugene Guard . United Press International . 2023-06-12.
63. Web site: Thomas Lawson McCall . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
64. News: Jepsen . Don . 1967-01-09 . McCall Sworn In; Calls for Income Tax Hike . 1 . The World . United Press International . 2023-06-12.
65. Web site: Robert William Straub . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
66. News: 1975-01-14 . 31st Governor . 1 . Statesman Journal . 2023-06-12.
67. Web site: Victor G. Atiyeh . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
68. News: Rosenberg . Martin . 1979-01-08 . Atiyeh Issues a Challenge to State . 1A . The Capital Journal . 2023-06-12.
69. Web site: Neil Goldschmidt . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
70. News: Howlett . Debbie . 1987-01-13 . Governor Waltzes into Office . 1A . Statesman Journal . 2023-06-12.
71. Web site: Barbara Roberts . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
72. News: Wirtz . Shawn . 1991-01-15 . Roberts looks ahead . 1A . Statesman Journal . 2023-06-12.
73. Web site: John A. Kitzhaber . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
74. News: Steves . David . 1995-01-10 . Kitzhaber Takes Reins . 1A . Statesman Journal . 2023-06-12.
75. Web site: Ted Kulongoski . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
76. News: Law . Steve . 2003-01-14 . Kulongoski Begins New Era . 1A . Statesman Journal . 2023-06-12.
77. News: Thompson Jr. . Dennis . 2011-01-11 . Kitzhaber Vows Reform As He Is Sworn In for His Third Term . 3A . Statesman Journal . 2023-06-12.
78. Web site: Kate Brown . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
79. News: Topaz . Jonathan . 2015-02-18 . Kate Brown sworn in as Oregon governor . en . Politico . 2023-06-12.
80. Web site: Tina Kotek . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
81. News: Griffin . Anna . Ehrlich . April . Tina Kotek sworn in as Oregon’s 39th governor, promises action on housing . en . 2023-06-12.