Thomas Mifflin Assumed Office: Dec. 21, 1790 – Dec. 17, 1799. Succeeded by: Thomas McKean. Party Affiliation: Federalist. D.O.B: January 10, 1744.
Fun Fact: The Continental Army's first Quarter-General during the War of Independence.
Thomas McKean Assumed Office: Dec. 17, 1799 – Dec. 20, 1808. Succeeded by: Simon Snyder. Party Affiliation: Federalist/D-R. D.O.B: March 17, 1734.
Fun Fact: At the age of eighty, he led a Philadelphia citizens group to organize a strong defense during the War of 1812.
Simon Snyder Assumed Office: Dec. 20, 1808 – Dec. 16, 1817. Succeeded by: William Findlay. Party Affiliation: Republican/Democrat. D.O.B: November 5, 1759.
Fun Fact: A street in south Philadelphia was named in his honor.
William Findlay Assumed Office: Dec. 16, 1817 – Dec. 19, 1820. Succeeded by: Joseph Hiester. Party Affiliation: Republican/Democrat. D.O.B: June 20, 1768.
Fun Fact: Tried to construct a canal and turnpike, but were not acted on because of the Panic of 1819.
Joseph Hiester Assumed Office: Dec. 19, 1820 – Dec. 16, 1823. Succeeded by: John Andrew Shulze. Party Affiliation: Republican/Democrat. D.O.B: November 18, 1752.
Fun Fact: Known as "Old German Gray," and was captured and imprisoned by the British.
William Findlay Assumed Office: Dec. 16, 1823 – Dec. 15, 1829. Succeeded by: George Wolf. Party Affiliation: Republican/Democrat. D.O.B: July 19, 1775.
Fun Fact: Shulze Hall, located on the campus of Penn State University, was named in his honor.
George Wolf Assumed Office: Dec. 15, 1829 – Dec. 15, 1835. Succeeded by: Joseph Ritner. Party Affiliation: Republican/Democrat. D.O.B: August 12, 1777.
Fun Fact: Began Pennsylvania's first statewide public school system.
Joseph Ritner Assumed Office: Dec. 15, 1835 – Jan. 15, 1839. Succeeded by: David Rittenhouse Porter. Party Affiliation: Anti-Mason. D.O.B: March 25, 1780.
Fun Fact: The last Governor to serve under the PA Constitution of 1790, which limited Governors to two terms.
David Rittenhouse Porter Assumed Office: Jan. 15, 1839 – Jan. 21, 1845. Succeeded by: Francis Rawn Shunk. Party Affiliation: Republican/Democrat. D.O.B: October 31, 1788.
Fun Fact: Established an iron business in Harrisburg and experimented with one of the first furnaces to use coal.
Rawn Shunk Assumed Office: Jan. 21, 1845 – July 9, 1848. Succeeded by: William Freame Johnston. Party Affiliation: Democrat. D.O.B: August 7, 1788.
Fun Fact: Mobilized Pennsylvania's volunteer quota for the Mexican War.
William Freame Johnston Assumed Office: Jan. 26, 1848 – Jan. 20, 1852. Succeeded by: William Bigler. Party Affiliation: Whig. D.O.B: November 29, 1808.
Fun Fact: Began the editing and printing of documentation of Pennsylvania's early history in what became the Pennsylvania Archives.
William Bigler Assumed Office: Jan. 20, 1852 – Jan. 16, 1855. Succeeded by: James Pollock. Party Affiliation: Democrat. D.O.B: January 11, 1814.
Fun Fact: State school for mentally challenged children was founded. A railroad linking Philadelphia and Pittsburgh was completed.
James Pollock Assumed Office: Jan. 16, 1855 – Jan. 19, 1858. Succeeded by: William Fisher Packer. Party Affiliation: Whig. D.O.B: September 11, 1810.
Fun Fact: Originated the motto, "In God We Trust," Founder and Trustee of the Pennsylvania Military College.
William Fisher Packer Assumed Office: Jan. 19, 1858 – Jan. 15, 1861. Succeeded by: Andrew Gregg Curtin. Party Affiliation: Democrat. D.O.B: April 2, 1807.
Fun Fact: Co-Founder of the Keystone Gazette. Became the first President of the Susquehanna Railroad Company.
Andrew Gregg Curtin Assumed Office: Jan. 15, 1861 – Jan. 15, 1867. Succeeded by: John White Geary. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: April 22, 1817.
Fun Fact: He became known as "The Soldier's Friend." He guided key efforts for the war through supplies, transport, and established a system of PA state schools for war orphans after the war ended.
John White Geary Assumed Office: Jan. 15, 1867 – Jan. 21, 1873. Succeeded by: John Frederick Hartranft. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: December 30, 1819.
Fun Fact: He sponsored a bill that significantly improved mine safety and tax incentives for businesses in Pennsylvania.
John Frederick Hartranft Assumed Office: Jan. 21, 1873 – Jan. 18, 1876. Succeeded by: Henry Marty Hoyt. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: December 16, 1830.
Fun Fact: Was an advocate of technical training, local political reform, banking regulation, and reorganization of the PA National Guard.
Henry Martyn Hoyt Assumed Office: Jan. 21, 1879 – Jan. 16, 1883. Succeeded by: James Addams Beaver. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: June 8, 1830.
Fun Fact: Responsible for the construction of a new reformatory for youthful offenders that emphasized training and education as rehabilitation techniques.
James Addams Beaver Assumed Office: Jan. 18, 1887 – Jan. 20, 1891. Succeeded by: Robert Emory Pattison. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: October 21, 1837.
Fun Fact: He focused on ballot reform, the misuses of money in politics, and the equalization of tax burdens.
Robert Emory Pattison Assumed Office: Jan. 20, 1891 – Jan. 15, 1895. Succeeded by: Daniel Hartman Hastings. Party Affiliation: Democrat. D.O.B: December 8, 1850.
Fun Fact: Wounded in battle numerous times, he lost one leg. Improved Pennsylvania's roads and educational institutes and reduced the state's debt.
Daniel Hartman Hastings Assumed Office: Jan. 15, 1895 – Jan. 17, 1899. Succeeded by: William Alexis Stone. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: February 26, 1849.
Fun Fact: Became a hero for taking charge of relief efforts following the devastating Johnstown Flood of 1889.
William Alexis Stone Assumed Office: Jan. 17, 1899 – Jan. 20, 1903. Succeeded by: Samuel Whitaker Pennypacker. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: April 18, 1846.
Fun Fact: Eliminated the $3 million debt that had been hanging over state government.
Samuel Whitaker Pennypacker Assumed Office: Jan. 20, 1903 – Jan. 15, 1907. Succeeded by: Edwin Sydney Stuart. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: April 9, 1843.
Fun Fact: Established the Pennsylvania State Police to curtail abuses by police forces employed by coal and iron companies in the state.
Edwin Sydney Stuart Assumed Office: Jan. 15, 1907 – Jan. 17, 1911. Succeeded by: John Kinley Tener. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: December 28, 1853.
Fun Fact: Helped investigate key officials that had inflated costs for construction of the new State Capitol.
John Kinley Tener Assumed Office: Jan. 17, 1911 – Jan. 19, 1915. Succeeded by: Martin Grove Brumbaugh. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: July 25, 1863.
Fun Fact: Served as President of the National Baseball League for five years beginning in 1913 when he was Governor.
Martin Grove Brumbaugh Assumed Office: Jan. 19, 1915 – Jan. 21, 1919. Succeeded by: William Cameron Sproul. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: April 14, 1862.
Fun Fact: Served as the Superintendent of Philadelphia's public school system. The Governor vetoed more than four hundred bills.
William Cameron Sproul Assumed Office: Jan. 21, 1919 – Jan. 16, 1923. Succeeded by: John Stuchell Fisher. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: September 16, 1870.
Fun Fact: While he was Governor, the state assembly endorsed the eighteenth and nineteenth amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
John Stuchell Fisher Assumed Office: Jan. 18, 1927 – Jan. 20, 1931. Succeeded by: Gifford Pinchot. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: May 25, 1867.
Fun Fact: Studied forestry in Europe, becoming the Forester of PA in 1920.
Gifford Pinchot Assumed Office: Jan. 16, 1923 – Jan. 18, 1927, Jan. 20, 1931 – Jan. 15, 1935. Succeeded by: George Howard Earle III. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: August 11, 1865.
Fun Fact: Focused on fiscal policy, public works, conservation, and electoral reform to eliminated fraud, which ultimately resulted in the use of voting machines.
George Howard Earle III Assumed Office: Jan. 15, 1935 – Jan. 17, 1939. Succeeded by: Arthur Horace James. Party Affiliation: Democrat. D.O.B: December 5, 1890.
Fun Fact: Legislation was passed assessing the state's first gasoline and cigarette taxes. Earle also cleared the way for construction of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Arthur Horace James Assumed Office: Jan. 17, 1939 – Jan. 19, 1943. Succeeded by: Edward Martin. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: July 14, 1883.
Fun Fact: Created the PA Department of Commerce and the Anthracite Emergency Commission.
Edward Marin Assumed Office: Jan. 19, 1943 – Jan. 2, 1947. Succeeded by: John Cromwell Bell. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: December 18, 1879.
Fun Fact: As governor, he urged greater funding for unemployment compensation, and liberated insurance benefits for occupational diseases.
John Cromwell Bell Assumed Office: Jan. 2, 1947 – Jan. 21, 1947. Succeeded by: James Henderson Duff. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: October 24, 1892.
Fun Fact: Resigned after 19 days to take a seat at the United States Senate.
James Henderson Duff Assumed Office: Jan. 21, 1947 – Jan. 16, 1951. Succeeded by: John Snyder Fine. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: January 21, 1883.
Fun Fact: He approved a measure ensuring women equal pay for equal work, and extending the permissible work-week for women from 40 to 48 hours.
John Snyder Fine Assumed Office: Jan. 16, 1951 – Jan. 18, 1955. Succeeded by: George Michael Leader. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: April 10, 1893.
Fun Fact: Gov. Fine established a committee to study governmental structure, reorganize the PA Department of Health, and continued efforts to improve education, mental health, anti-pollution, and highway programs.
George Michael Leader Assumed Office: Jan. 18, 1955 – Jan. 20, 1959. Succeeded by: David Leo Lawrence. Party Affiliation: Democrat. D.O.B: January 17, 1918.
Fun Fact: He modernized business methods used in government, installed uniform accounting methods, and established the first electronic computing system for statewide use.
David Leo Lawrence Assumed Office: Jan. 20, 1959 – Jan. 15, 1963. Succeeded by: William Warren Scranton. Party Affiliation: Democrat. D.O.B: June 18, 1889.
Fun Fact: Lawrence was elected Mayor of Pittsburgh in 1945 and won reelection four times, serving until he won the governorship.
William Warren Scranton Assumed Office: Jan. 15, 1963 – Jan. 17, 1967. Succeeded by: Raymond Philip Shafer. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: July 19, 1917.
Fun Fact: Major educational reforms were achieved, including the creation of a community college system, a state Board of Education, and the PA Higher Education Assistance Agency.
Raymond Philip Shafer Assumed Office: Jan. 17, 1967 – Jan. 19, 1971. Succeeded by: Milton Jerrold Shapp. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: March 5, 1917.
Fun Fact: Modernized the state's Constitution and reorganized the judicial system. Elected Allegheny College's 18th President in 1985.
Milton Jerrold Shapp Assumed Office: Jan. 19, 1971 – Jan. 16, 1979. Succeeded by: Richard Thornburgh. Party Affiliation: Democrat. D.O.B: June 25, 1912.
Fun Fact: Did away with state designations labeling children out of wedlock as "illegitimate," and gave $300 million in business tax breaks to small and medium sized businesses.
Richard Thornburgh Assumed Office: Jan. 16, 1979. Succeeded by: Robert Patrick Casey. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: July 16, 1932.
Fun Fact: Instrumental in establishing the Ben Franklin program, a well-received alliance between government, private industry, and research universities to foster high-tech enterprises.
Robert Patrick Casey Assumed Office: Jan. 20, 1987 – Jan. 17, 1995. Succeeded by: Tom Ridge. Party Affiliation: Democrat. D.O.B: January 9, 1932.
Fun Fact: Established PENNVEST, a $2.5 billion program to rebuild the state's clean water infrastructure.
Tom Ridge Assumed Office: Jan. 17, 1995 – Oct. 5, 2001. Succeeded by: Mark Schweiker. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: August 26, 1945.
Fun Fact: Made PA a technology leader, winning the nation's first model e-commerce law.
Mark Schweiker Assumed Office: Oct. 5, 2001 – Jan. 21, 2003. Succeeded by: Edward Rendell. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: January 31, 1953.
Fun Fact: Signed an executive order that established a security task force charged with creating a comprehensive anti-terrorism strategy.
Edward Rendell Assumed Office: Jan. 21, 2003 – Jan. 18, 2011. Succeeded by: Tom Corbett. Party Affiliation: Democrat. D.O.B: January 5, 1944.
Fun Fact: Adopted a prescription drug program for senior citizens, and an overhaul of management policies that resulted in increased women and minority owned businesses.
Tom Corbett Assumed Office: Jan. 18, 2011 – Jan. 20, 2015. Succeeded by: Tom Wolf. Party Affiliation: Republican. D.O.B: June 17, 1949.
Fun Fact: Gov. Corbett signed a $2.3 billion transportation bill to improve Pennsylvania's highways, bridges and mass-transit systems.
Tom Wolf Assumed Office: Jan. 20, 2015 - . Succeeded by: - . Party Affiliation: Democrat. D.O.B: November 17, 1948.
Fun Fact: Medical marijuana was legalized under Gov. Wolf.
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