List of Governors of Colorado
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Party | Governors |
|---|---|
| Democratic | 21 |
| Republican | 19 |
| Populist | 1 |
The following is a list of the Governors of the State of Colorado, as well as the Territory of Colorado and the extralegal Territory of Jefferson.
- The region that would become Colorado was part of four different U.S. territories before the Colorado Territory was organized on February 28, 1861. See the lists of governors for the territories of New Mexico, Utah, Kansas, and Nebraska.
- Prior to the Mexican Cession on 1848-05-26, much of the region that would become Colorado was nominally part of the Spanish and Mexican territory of Santa Fé de Nuevo México. See the Spanish governors of New Mexico.
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The Provisional Government of the Territory of Jefferson was organized on 1859-10-24.[1] The Jefferson Territory included all of the present State of Colorado, but it extended about 3 miles (5 km) farther east, 138 miles (222 km) farther north, and about 50 miles (80 km) farther west. The Jefferson Territory was never recognized by the Federal Government of the United States, but many of the laws enacted by the Jefferson Territory were later affirmed or reenacted by the Colorado General Assembly.
| # | Name | Took office | Left office | Party | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Williamson Steele | November 7, 1859 | June 6, 1861 | Democratic | [2][3] |
The Territory of Colorado was formed on 1861-02-28, from parts of the Territory of New Mexico, the Territory of Utah, the Territory of Nebraska, and the unorganized territory that was previously the western portion of the Territory of Kansas.[4] The borders of the new territory were the same as the present state.
| # | Name | Took office | Left office | Party | Appointed by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | William Gilpin | March 25, 1861[A] | March 26, 1862 | Republican | Abraham Lincoln | [5][6] |
| 2 | John Evans | March 26, 1862[A] | October 17, 1865 | Republican | Abraham Lincoln | [7] |
| 3 | Alexander Cummings | October 17, 1865[D] | April 24, 1867 | Republican | Andrew Johnson | |
| 4 | Alexander Cameron Hunt | April 24, 1867[D] | June 14, 1869 | Republican | Andrew Johnson | |
| 5 | Edward M. McCook | June 14, 1869[E] | 1873 | Republican | Ulysses S. Grant | [8] |
| 6 | Samuel Hitt Elbert | April 4, 1873[F] | 1874 | Republican | Ulysses S. Grant | [9] |
| 7 | Edward M. McCook | June 19, 1874[E] | March 29, 1875 | Republican | Ulysses S. Grant | |
| 8 | John Long Routt | March 29, 1875 | August 1, 1876 | Republican | Ulysses S. Grant |
The State of Colorado was admitted to the Union on 1876-08-01.[10]
- ^ J.E. Wharton and D.O. Wilhelm (1866). History of Denver with a Full and Complete Business Directory (HTML). Leona L. Gustafson. Retrieved on 2007-11-29.
- ^ The formation of the territory as well as the election for governor were held on the same day, October 24, 1859. Steele opened the legislature on November 7, 1859; assuming he would not have taken office on election day, this is the date used.
- ^ Robert Williamson Steele proclaimed Jefferson Territory dissolved on June 6, 1861, several months after the official formation of Colorado Territory.
- ^ Thirty-sixth United States Congress (1861-02-28). An Act to provide a temporary Government for the Territory of Colorado (PDF). State of Colorado, Department of Personnel and Administration, Colorado State Archives. Retrieved on 2007-11-29.
- ^ The territory was formed on February 28, 1861, but no governor was appointed until March 25, 1861. Gilpin himself did not arrive in the territory until May 27, 1861.
- ^ Removed from office for improper financial drafts from the federal treasury.
- ^ Resigned at the request of President Johnson following the Sand Creek Massacre. The resignation was requested on July 18, 1865.
- ^ Removed from office by petition.[E]
- ^ Records show Elbert served "less than a year", but his successor was only appointed in June 19, which was 14 months after Elbert took office.[F]
- ^ President of the United States of America (1876-08-01). Proclamation of the Admission of Colorado to the Union (php). The American Presidency Project. Retrieved on 2007-11-29.
- ^ a b c The 1904 election was rife with fraud and controversy. Alva Adams won election, but soon after he took office, the Republican legislature declared James Peabody to be the actual winner, on the condition that Peabody immediately resign. Since Peabody had been governor for a few moments before resigning, it was his lieutenant governor, Jesse McDonald, that succeeded to the governorship. In all, Colorado had three governors on March 17, 1905.
- ^ Resigned to take elected seat in the United States Senate.
- ^ a b c As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
- ^ Resigned to take seat on the United States District Court for the District of Colorado.
- ^ Resigned to be Director of the Office of Energy Policy.
- ^ Governor Ritter's first term expires in 2011; he is not yet term limited.
This is a table of congressional offices held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Colorado. * denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.
| Name | Gubernatorial term | Other offices held |
|---|---|---|
| Charles Spalding Thomas | 1899–1901 | U.S. Senator |
| John Franklin Shafroth | 1909–1913 | U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator |
| Edwin Carl Johnson | 1933–1937, 1955–1957 | U.S. Senator* |
As of September 2007, four former governors were alive, the oldest being John David Vanderhoof (1973–1975, born 1922). The most recent governor to die was John Arthur Love (1963–1973), on January 21, 2002.
| Name | Gubernatorial term | Date of birth |
|---|---|---|
| John David Vanderhoof | 1973–1975 | May 27, 1922 |
| Richard Douglas Lamm | 1975–1987 | August 12, 1935 |
| Roy R. Romer | 1987–1999 | October 31, 1928 |
| William Forrester Owens | 1999–2007 | October 22, 1950 |
- Colorado gubernatorial election, 2006
- Governor of Colorado
- History of Colorado
- Law and government of Colorado
- Lieutenant Governor of Colorado
- State of Colorado
- Territory of Colorado
- Territory of Jefferson
- [A] 1 2 Houston Jr., Robert B. (2005). Two Colorado Odysseys: Chief Ouray Porter Nelson, 3. ISBN 0595358608.
- [B] ^ McGinnis, Ralph Y.; Calvin N. Smith (1994). Abraham Lincoln and the Western Territories. Rowman & Littlefield, 58. ISBN 0830412476.
- [C] ^ Correspondence from W. H. Seward to Gov. John Evans, re: Request by President for Resignation - 7/18/1865. Colorado State Archives. Retrieved on 2007-09-01.
- [D] 1 2 Alexander Cummings. Colorado State Archives. Retrieved on 2007-09-01.
- [E] 1 2 3 Edward Moody McCook. Colorado State Archives. Retrieved on 2007-09-01.
- [F] 1 1 Samuel Hitt Elbert. Colorado State Archives. Retrieved on 2007-09-01.
- [G] ^ John L. Routt. Colorado State Archives. Retrieved on 2007-09-01.
- [H] ^ Governors of Colorado. National Governors Association. Retrieved on 2007-09-01.
- Office of the Governor of the State of Colorado
- Biographies of the Governors of Colorado from the Colorado State Archives
- The Territorial Governors Collection from the Colorado State Archives
- Colorado Constitution, Article IV - Executive Department
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