This is a list of colonial governors of South Carolina from 1670 to 1775. Until the beginning of the American Revolution in 1775, South Carolina was a colony of Great Britain. South Carolina was named in honor of King Charles II of England, who first formed the English colony, with Carolus being Latin for "Charles".[1]
Governors of the Proprietary Period were appointed either by the Proprietors or the Grand Council convening in Charles Town.[2] [3] In 1663, Charles II granted the land to eight Lords Proprietors in return for their financial and political assistance in restoring him to the throne in 1660.[4]
| 1 | William Sayle(1590-1671) | – March 4, 1671 | Appointed by John Yeamans | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Joseph West(?-1691) | – April 19, 1672 | 1st time | |
| 3 | John Yeamans(1611-1674) | – August 1674 | ||
| Joseph West(?-1691) | – October 1682 | 2nd time | ||
| 4 | Joseph Morton(?-1721) | – August 1684 | 1st time | |
| 5 | Richard Kyrle(1610-1684) | – August 30, 1684 | ||
| Joseph West(?-1691) | – July 1, 1685 | 3rd time | ||
| James II | ||||
| 6 | Robert Quary(1644-1712) | – October 1685 | ||
| Joseph Morton(?-1721) | – November 1686 | 2nd time | ||
| 7 | James Colleton(?-1706) | – 1690 | ||
| William III and Mary II | ||||
| 8 | Seth Sothell(?-1694) | – April 11, 1692 | ||
| 9 | Philip Ludwell(1638-1723) | – May 1693 | ||
| 10 | Thomas Smith(1648-1694) | – November 16, 1694 | ||
| 11 | Joseph Blake(?-1700) | – August 17, 1695 | 1st time | |
| 12 | John Archdale(1642-1717) | – October 29, 1696 | ||
| Joseph Blake(?-1700) | – September 7, 1700 | 2nd time | ||
| 13 | James Moore Sr.(1650-1706) | – March 1703 | ||
| Anne | ||||
| 14 | Nathaniel Johnson(1644-1712) | – November 26, 1709 | ||
| 15 | Edward Tynte(?-1710) | – July 26, 1710 | ||
| 16 | Robert Gibbes(1644-1715) | – March 19, 1712 | ||
| 17 | Charles Craven(1682-1715) | – April 23, 1716 | ||
| George I | ||||
| 18 | Robert Daniell(1646-1718) | – 1717 | ||
| 19 | Robert Johnson(1682-1735) | – December 21, 1719 | 1st time |
Governors of the Royal Period were appointed by the monarch in name but were selected by the British government under the control of the Board of Trade. Governors served as a viceroy to the British monarch. The governor could appoint provincial officials or suspend their offices on his own authority, except those offices named above that were also appointed by the crown. Legislative bills required royal assent from the governor and could be rejected; he could prorogue or dissolve the Commons House of Assembly on his own authority.[5]
| 20 | James Moore Jr.(1682-1724) | – May 30, 1721 | George I | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Francis Nicholson(1655-1728) | – May 7, 1725 | ||
| 22 | Arthur Middleton(1681-1737) | – December 15, 1730 | ||
| George II | ||||
| Robert Johnson(1682-1735) | – May 3, 1735 | 2nd time Died in office | ||
| 23 | Thomas Broughton(1668-1737) | – November 22, 1737 | Died in office | |
| 24 | William Bull(1682-1755) | – December 17, 1743 | ||
| 25 | James Glen(1701-1777) | – June 1, 1756 | ||
| 26 | William Henry Lyttleton(1724-1808) | – April 5, 1760 | ||
| 27 | William Bull II(1710-1791) | – December 22, 1761 | 1st time | |
| George III | ||||
| 28 | Thomas Boone(1730-1812) | – May 14, 1764 | Exiled to England | |
| William Bull II(1710-1791) | – June 12, 1766 | 2nd time | ||
| 29 | Charles Greville Montagu(1741-1784) | – May 1768 | 1st time | |
| William Bull II(1710-1791) | – October 30, 1768 | 3rd time | ||
| Charles Greville Montagu(1741-1784) | – July 31, 1769 | 2nd time | ||
| William Bull II(1710-1791) | – September 15, 1771 | 4th time | ||
| Charles Greville Montagu(1741-1784) | – March 6, 1773 | 3rd time | ||
| William Bull II(1710-1791) | – June 18, 1775 | 5th time | ||
| 30 | William Campbell(1730-1778) | – September 15, 1775 | Exiled to England; fled Charleston on HMS Tamar | |
| Henry Laurens(1724-1792) | – March 26, 1776 | As President of the South Carolina Committee on Safety after Campbell's departure | ||
| Monarchy abolished |