List of colonial governors of New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
The territory of the present United States
state of New Hampshire
has a colonial history dating back to the 1620s. This history is significantly bound to that of the neighboring Massachusetts
, whose colonial precursors either claimed the New Hampshire territory, or shared governors with it. First settled in the 1620s under a land grant to John Mason, the colony consisted of a small number of settlements near the seacoast before growing further inland in the 18th century. Mason died in 1635, and the colonists appropriated a number of his holdings. In 1641 the New Hampshire colonists agreed to be ruled by Massachusetts Bay Colony
, which also claimed the territory. Massachusetts governed the New Hampshire settlements until 1680, when it became the royally chartered Province of New Hampshire
. In 1686 the territory became part of the Dominion of New England
, which was effectively disbanded in 1689 following the 1688 Glorious Revolution
in England. After an interregnum under de facto rule from Massachusetts, Samuel Allen
, who had acquired the Mason land claims, became governor. From 1699 to 1741 the governorships of New Hampshire and the Province of Massachusetts Bay
were shared.
Boundary disputes
between the two colonies prompted King George II
to appoint separate governors in 1741, commissioning Portsmouth native Benning Wentworth
as governor. In 1775, with the advent of the American Revolutionary War
, the province's last royal governor, John Wentworth, fled the colony. Under a state constitution drafted in early 1776, Meshech Weare
was chosen the first President of the independent state of New Hampshire.
s were issued in 1622 to John Mason and Sir Ferdinando Gorges
for the territory between the Merrimack
and Sagadahoc (Kennebec
) rivers, roughly encompassing present-day New Hampshire
and western Maine
. Settlers, whose early leaders included David Thomson, Edward Hilton, and Thomas Hilton, began settlements on the New Hampshire coast and islands as early as 1623, that eventually expanded along the shores of the Piscataqua River
and the Great Bay
. Mason and Gorges, neither of whom ever came to New England, divided their claims along the Piscataqua River in 1629. Mason took the territory between the Piscataqua and Merrimack, and called it "New Hampshire", after the English county of Hampshire
.
Conflicts between holders of grants issued by Mason and Gorges concerning their boundaries eventually led to a need for more active management. Captain Walter Neale
was appointed in 1630 by the proprietors of the Strawbery Banke
(or "Lower") plantation (present-day Portsmouth
and nearby communities) as agent and governor of that territory. Neale returned to England in 1633, and John Mason appointed Francis Williams to govern the lower plantation in 1634. Early New Hampshire historian Jeremy Belknap
called Williams the governor of the lower plantation, and claimed that he served until the New Hampshire plantations came under Massachusetts rule, at which time he became a magistrate in the Massachusetts government. However, Belknap's claim is disputed by historian Charles Tuttle, who observes that there are no records prior to 1640 in which Mason or Gorges refer to Williams as governor. Tuttle claims that Mason appointed Henry Josselyn
to succeed Neale, and that Mason's widow appointed Francis Norton, a Massachusetts resident, in 1638 to oversee the estate's interests, although when his stewardship ends is unclear.
. The exact date of his appointment is uncertain. He was known to be in the area in 1629 and 1631, when Belknap suggests he was appointed governor by Mason and Gorges. He received a more definite appointment for administration of this plantation by 1633, when he was commissioned by by Lords Brooke
and Say and Sele
, who had purchased land in the area from Mason.
The territory then comprised modern-day Dover
, Durham
, and Stratham
. Wiggin is styled in some histories as a governor, and was referred to in contemporary documentation as "[having the] power of Governor hereabouts". However, his powers appear to have been limited to transacting the proprietors' business, including the granting of land, and the proprietors themselves did not possess the power of government. Wiggin and Walter Neale apparently disagreed on territorial boundaries of their respective domains, and supposedly almost came to blows, although whether this occurred in 1632 or 1633 is unclear. In the fall of 1637 the upper communities banded together and formed a government headed by the Rev. George Burdett
.
. The towns of New Hampshire sent representatives to the Massachusetts legislature, and were governed by its governors, who were elected annually.
issued a royal charter for the Province of New Hampshire. John Cutt
was appointed president, and took office on January 21, 1680. He was succeeded after his death by his deputy, Richard Waldron
. At the urging of the heirs of John Mason, who were trying to recover their inherited claims, Charles issued a new charter in 1682, with Edward Cranfield
as lieutenant governor. This government survived until the Dominion of New England
was introduced in 1686, although Cranfield departed the province in 1685, replaced in the interim by his deputy, Walter Barefoote
.
. After the dominion collapsed in April 1689, the New Hampshire communities were left without government. Although they briefly established a government in January 1690, they petitioned Massachusetts for protection, and Massachusetts Governor Simon Bradstreet
de facto governed the colony from March 1690.
was the governor of New Hampshire. For most of his tenure, he remained in London, pursuing legal actions relevant to proprietary land claims he had purchased from the Masons, but he came to the colony briefly before the arrival of his replacement as governor, the Earl of Bellomont
. From 1699 to 1741, the governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay
was also commissioned as governor of New Hampshire. The lieutenant governor controlled the province, acting as governor unless the commissioned governor was present. In 1741 the governance of Massachusetts and New Hampshire was divided. As a result, during the tenures of the last two governors, Benning
and John Wentworth, the role of the lieutenant governor diminished. John Temple
, the last lieutenant governor, apparently held the office in title only.
One commission was issued but not used. On February 8, 1715/6, Colonel Elizeus Burgess was appointed to succeed Joseph Dudley
as governor of both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Before coming to North America, Burgess was bribed by Massachusetts operatives to resign his commissions; Colonel Samuel Shute
was then chosen to replace Dudley.
The column labeled "Commissioned" indicates the date when the governor's commission was issued in London, and does not represent when the governor arrived in the province to formally take up the government. The column labeled "Left office" shows the date when the individual was replaced by the arrival of his successor, with a few exceptions. Two governors, Bellomont and William Burnet
, died while still holding their commissions (although neither was in the province at the time). Governor Shute effectively abandoned his office by abruptly departing Boston for England on January 1, 1723. His administration effectively came to an end then, but he was technically the office holder until Burnet was commissioned in 1728. The last governor, John Wentworth
, fled the province in August 1775, after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War
brought threats to his rule and family. The province was thereafter governed provisionally until January 1776, when Meshech Weare
was elected the independent state's first president under a new state constitution.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
has a colonial history dating back to the 1620s. This history is significantly bound to that of the neighboring Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, whose colonial precursors either claimed the New Hampshire territory, or shared governors with it. First settled in the 1620s under a land grant to John Mason, the colony consisted of a small number of settlements near the seacoast before growing further inland in the 18th century. Mason died in 1635, and the colonists appropriated a number of his holdings. In 1641 the New Hampshire colonists agreed to be ruled by Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
, which also claimed the territory. Massachusetts governed the New Hampshire settlements until 1680, when it became the royally chartered Province of New Hampshire
Province of New Hampshire
The Province of New Hampshire is a name first given in 1629 to the territory between the Merrimack and Piscataqua rivers on the eastern coast of North America. It was formally organized as an English royal colony on October 7, 1691, during the period of English colonization...
. In 1686 the territory became part of the Dominion of New England
Dominion of New England
The Dominion of New England in America was an administrative union of English colonies in the New England region of North America. The dominion was ultimately a failure because the area it encompassed was too large for a single governor to manage...
, which was effectively disbanded in 1689 following the 1688 Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
in England. After an interregnum under de facto rule from Massachusetts, Samuel Allen
Samuel Allen (New Hampshire)
Samuel Allen was an English proprietor and governor of the Province of New Hampshire. Born in London, he was a successful merchant, who in 1691 purchased the proprietary claims of the heirs of the colony's founder, John Mason. He was commissioned governor of the province in 1692 by William and...
, who had acquired the Mason land claims, became governor. From 1699 to 1741 the governorships of New Hampshire and the Province of Massachusetts Bay
Province of Massachusetts Bay
The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland...
were shared.
Boundary disputes
Northern boundary of Massachusetts
The northern boundary of the U.S. state of Massachusetts adjoins two other states - Vermont and New Hampshire. The majority of the line is roughly a straight line from the northwest corner of the state east to a point north of Lowell...
between the two colonies prompted King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
to appoint separate governors in 1741, commissioning Portsmouth native Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth was the colonial governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766.-Biography:The eldest child of the John Wentworth who had been Lieutenant Governor, he was born and died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Wentworth graduated from Harvard College in 1715...
as governor. In 1775, with the advent of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, the province's last royal governor, John Wentworth, fled the colony. Under a state constitution drafted in early 1776, Meshech Weare
Meshech Weare
Meshech Weare was an American farmer, lawyer and revolutionary statesman from Seabrook, New Hampshire. He served as the first President of New Hampshire from 1776 to 1785.-Family life:...
was chosen the first President of the independent state of New Hampshire.
Lower plantation governors, 1630–1641
Permanent English settlement began after land grantLand grant
A land grant is a gift of real estate – land or its privileges – made by a government or other authority as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service...
s were issued in 1622 to John Mason and Sir Ferdinando Gorges
Ferdinando Gorges
Sir Ferdinando Gorges , the "Father of English Colonization in North America", was an early English colonial entrepreneur and founder of the Province of Maine in 1622, although Gorges himself never set foot in the New World.-Biography:...
for the territory between the Merrimack
Merrimack River
The Merrimack River is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
and Sagadahoc (Kennebec
Kennebec River
The Kennebec River is a river that is entirely within the U.S. state of Maine. It rises in Moosehead Lake in west-central Maine. The East and West Outlets join at Indian Pond and the river then flows southward...
) rivers, roughly encompassing present-day New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and western Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. Settlers, whose early leaders included David Thomson, Edward Hilton, and Thomas Hilton, began settlements on the New Hampshire coast and islands as early as 1623, that eventually expanded along the shores of the Piscataqua River
Piscataqua River
The Piscataqua River, in the northeastern United States, is a long tidal estuary formed by the confluence of the Salmon Falls and Cocheco rivers...
and the Great Bay
Great Bay (New Hampshire)
Great Bay is a tidal estuary located in Strafford and Rockingham counties in eastern New Hampshire, United States. The bay occupies over , not including its several tidal river tributaries. Its outlet is at Hilton Point in Dover, New Hampshire, where waters from the bay flow into the Piscataqua...
. Mason and Gorges, neither of whom ever came to New England, divided their claims along the Piscataqua River in 1629. Mason took the territory between the Piscataqua and Merrimack, and called it "New Hampshire", after the English county of Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
.
Conflicts between holders of grants issued by Mason and Gorges concerning their boundaries eventually led to a need for more active management. Captain Walter Neale
Walter Neale
Walter Neale was an English military officer and an explorer and colonial administrator in the territory of New England that later became New Hampshire....
was appointed in 1630 by the proprietors of the Strawbery Banke
Strawbery Banke
Strawbery Banke is an outdoor history museum located in the South End historic district of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It is the oldest neighborhood in New Hampshire to be settled by Europeans, and the earliest neighborhood remaining in the present-day city of Portsmouth...
(or "Lower") plantation (present-day Portsmouth
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
and nearby communities) as agent and governor of that territory. Neale returned to England in 1633, and John Mason appointed Francis Williams to govern the lower plantation in 1634. Early New Hampshire historian Jeremy Belknap
Jeremy Belknap
Jeremy Belknap was an American clergyman and historian. His great achievement was the "History of New Hampshire", published in three volumes between 1784 and 1792. This work is the first modern history written by an American, embodying a new rigor in research, annotation, and reporting.Jeremy was...
called Williams the governor of the lower plantation, and claimed that he served until the New Hampshire plantations came under Massachusetts rule, at which time he became a magistrate in the Massachusetts government. However, Belknap's claim is disputed by historian Charles Tuttle, who observes that there are no records prior to 1640 in which Mason or Gorges refer to Williams as governor. Tuttle claims that Mason appointed Henry Josselyn
Henry Josselyn
Henry Josselyn was an early settler of northern New England. He was first retained by John Mason, the proprietor of the territory that later became New Hampshire, to administer his holdings...
to succeed Neale, and that Mason's widow appointed Francis Norton, a Massachusetts resident, in 1638 to oversee the estate's interests, although when his stewardship ends is unclear.
| Governor | Took office | Left office | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walter Neale Walter Neale Walter Neale was an English military officer and an explorer and colonial administrator in the territory of New England that later became New Hampshire.... |
1630 | 1633 | |
| Francis Williams | 1634? | 1641 | |
| Henry Josselyn Henry Josselyn Henry Josselyn was an early settler of northern New England. He was first retained by John Mason, the proprietor of the territory that later became New Hampshire, to administer his holdings... |
1634 | 1638 | |
| Francis Norton | 1638 | 1640? |
Upper plantation governors, 1631–1641
The first governor of the "Dover" or "Upper Plantation" was Captain Thomas WigginThomas Wiggin
Captain Thomas Wiggin , often known as Governor Thomas Wiggin, was the first governor of the Upper Plantation of New Hampshire, a settlement that later became part of the Province of New Hampshire in 1679.-Life:Thomas Wiggin first appears in colonial records as a signatory to the Wheelwright Deed...
. The exact date of his appointment is uncertain. He was known to be in the area in 1629 and 1631, when Belknap suggests he was appointed governor by Mason and Gorges. He received a more definite appointment for administration of this plantation by 1633, when he was commissioned by by Lords Brooke
Robert Greville, 2nd Baron Brooke
Robert Greville, 2nd Baron Brooke was an English Civil War Roundhead General.Greville was the cousin and adopted son of Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke, and thus became 2nd Lord Brooke, and owner of Warwick Castle. He was born in 1607, and entered parliament for Warwickshire in 1628...
and Say and Sele
William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele
William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele was born at the family home of Broughton Castle near Banbury, in Oxfordshire. He was the only son of Richard Fiennes, seventh Baron Saye and Sele...
, who had purchased land in the area from Mason.
The territory then comprised modern-day Dover
Dover, New Hampshire
Dover is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, in the United States of America. The population was 29,987 at the 2010 census, the largest in the New Hampshire Seacoast region...
, Durham
Durham, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,664 people, 2,882 households, and 1,582 families residing in the town. The population density was 565.5 people per square mile . There were 2,923 housing units at an average density of 130.5 per square mile...
, and Stratham
Stratham, New Hampshire
Stratham is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 7,255 at the 2010 census. It is bounded on the west by the Squamscott River. The town is the home of the only U.S. Lindt & Sprüngli factory and the headquarters of the Timberland Corporation.-History:Stratham...
. Wiggin is styled in some histories as a governor, and was referred to in contemporary documentation as "[having the] power of Governor hereabouts". However, his powers appear to have been limited to transacting the proprietors' business, including the granting of land, and the proprietors themselves did not possess the power of government. Wiggin and Walter Neale apparently disagreed on territorial boundaries of their respective domains, and supposedly almost came to blows, although whether this occurred in 1632 or 1633 is unclear. In the fall of 1637 the upper communities banded together and formed a government headed by the Rev. George Burdett
George Burdett
George Burdett was the second colonial governor of the Upper Plantation of New Hampshire, later to become the Province of New Hampshire, between 1637 and 1640. Born in England, Burdett was a minister of the Church of England serving at Yarmouth...
.
| Governor | Took office | Left office | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Wiggin Thomas Wiggin Captain Thomas Wiggin , often known as Governor Thomas Wiggin, was the first governor of the Upper Plantation of New Hampshire, a settlement that later became part of the Province of New Hampshire in 1679.-Life:Thomas Wiggin first appears in colonial records as a signatory to the Wheelwright Deed... |
1633? | 1637 | |
| George Burdett George Burdett George Burdett was the second colonial governor of the Upper Plantation of New Hampshire, later to become the Province of New Hampshire, between 1637 and 1640. Born in England, Burdett was a minister of the Church of England serving at Yarmouth... |
1637 | 1641 |
Massachusetts governors, 1641–1680
Mason's widow decided in 1638 to abandon financial support of the colony. After shifting for themselves for a time (during which much of the Mason property was appropriated by the colonists), the plantations of New Hampshire agreed in 1641 to join with the Massachusetts Bay ColonyMassachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
. The towns of New Hampshire sent representatives to the Massachusetts legislature, and were governed by its governors, who were elected annually.
| Governor | Took office | Left office | Deputy governor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Dudley Thomas Dudley Thomas Dudley was a colonial magistrate who served several terms as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Dudley was the chief founder of Newtowne, later Cambridge, Massachusetts, and built the town's first home... |
May 13, 1640 | June 2, 1641 | Richard Bellingham Richard Bellingham Richard Bellingham was a colonial magistrate, lawyer, and several-time governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the last surviving signatory of the colonial charter at his death... |
|
| Richard Bellingham Richard Bellingham Richard Bellingham was a colonial magistrate, lawyer, and several-time governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the last surviving signatory of the colonial charter at his death... |
June 2, 1641 | May 18, 1642 | John Endecott John Endecott John Endecott was an English colonial magistrate, soldier and the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. During all of his years in the colony but one, he held some form of civil, judicial, or military high office... |
|
| John Winthrop John Winthrop John Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of... |
May 18, 1642 | May 29, 1644 | John Endecott John Endecott John Endecott was an English colonial magistrate, soldier and the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. During all of his years in the colony but one, he held some form of civil, judicial, or military high office... |
|
| John Endecott John Endecott John Endecott was an English colonial magistrate, soldier and the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. During all of his years in the colony but one, he held some form of civil, judicial, or military high office... |
May 29, 1644 | May 14, 1645 | John Winthrop John Winthrop John Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of... |
|
| Thomas Dudley Thomas Dudley Thomas Dudley was a colonial magistrate who served several terms as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Dudley was the chief founder of Newtowne, later Cambridge, Massachusetts, and built the town's first home... |
May 14, 1645 | May 6, 1646 | John Winthrop John Winthrop John Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of... |
|
| John Winthrop John Winthrop John Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of... |
May 6, 1646 | May 2, 1649 | Thomas Dudley Thomas Dudley Thomas Dudley was a colonial magistrate who served several terms as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Dudley was the chief founder of Newtowne, later Cambridge, Massachusetts, and built the town's first home... |
|
| John Endecott John Endecott John Endecott was an English colonial magistrate, soldier and the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. During all of his years in the colony but one, he held some form of civil, judicial, or military high office... |
May 2, 1649 | May 22, 1650 | Thomas Dudley Thomas Dudley Thomas Dudley was a colonial magistrate who served several terms as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Dudley was the chief founder of Newtowne, later Cambridge, Massachusetts, and built the town's first home... |
|
| Thomas Dudley Thomas Dudley Thomas Dudley was a colonial magistrate who served several terms as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Dudley was the chief founder of Newtowne, later Cambridge, Massachusetts, and built the town's first home... |
May 22, 1650 | May 7, 1651 | John Endecott John Endecott John Endecott was an English colonial magistrate, soldier and the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. During all of his years in the colony but one, he held some form of civil, judicial, or military high office... |
|
| John Endecott John Endecott John Endecott was an English colonial magistrate, soldier and the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. During all of his years in the colony but one, he held some form of civil, judicial, or military high office... |
May 7, 1651 | May 3, 1654 | Thomas Dudley Thomas Dudley Thomas Dudley was a colonial magistrate who served several terms as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Dudley was the chief founder of Newtowne, later Cambridge, Massachusetts, and built the town's first home... |
|
| Richard Bellingham Richard Bellingham Richard Bellingham was a colonial magistrate, lawyer, and several-time governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the last surviving signatory of the colonial charter at his death... |
May 3, 1654 | May 23, 1655 | John Endecott John Endecott John Endecott was an English colonial magistrate, soldier and the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. During all of his years in the colony but one, he held some form of civil, judicial, or military high office... |
|
| John Endecott John Endecott John Endecott was an English colonial magistrate, soldier and the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. During all of his years in the colony but one, he held some form of civil, judicial, or military high office... |
May 23, 1655 | May 3, 1665 | Richard Bellingham Richard Bellingham Richard Bellingham was a colonial magistrate, lawyer, and several-time governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the last surviving signatory of the colonial charter at his death... |
|
| Richard Bellingham Richard Bellingham Richard Bellingham was a colonial magistrate, lawyer, and several-time governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the last surviving signatory of the colonial charter at his death... |
May 3, 1665 | December 12, 1672 | Francis Willoughby (1665–71) | |
| John Leverett John Leverett John Leverett was an English colonial magistrate, merchant, soldier and governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Born in England, he came to Massachusetts as a teenager. He was a leading merchant in the colony, and served in its military... (1671–72) |
||||
| John Leverett John Leverett John Leverett was an English colonial magistrate, merchant, soldier and governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Born in England, he came to Massachusetts as a teenager. He was a leading merchant in the colony, and served in its military... |
December 12, 1672 (acting until May 7, 1673) | May 28, 1679 | Samuel Symonds (1673–78) | |
| Simon Bradstreet Simon Bradstreet Simon Bradstreet was a colonial magistrate, businessman, diplomat, and the last governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Arriving in Massachusetts on the Winthrop Fleet in 1630, Bradstreet was almost constantly involved in the politics of the colony but became its governor only in 1679... (1678–80) |
||||
| Simon Bradstreet Simon Bradstreet Simon Bradstreet was a colonial magistrate, businessman, diplomat, and the last governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Arriving in Massachusetts on the Winthrop Fleet in 1630, Bradstreet was almost constantly involved in the politics of the colony but became its governor only in 1679... |
 |
May 28, 1679 | January 21, 1680 | Thomas Danforth Thomas Danforth Thomas Danforth was a judge for the 1692 Salem witch trials in early colonial America.-Early life:He was born in Framlingham, Suffolk, England as the eldest son of Nicholas Danforth and Elizabeth Symmes... |
| Sources unless otherwise cited: Capen, pp. 53–54; Hart, p. 1:607 | ||||
First provincial period, 1680–1689
In 1679, King Charles IICharles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
issued a royal charter for the Province of New Hampshire. John Cutt
John Cutt
John Cutt was the first President of the Province of New Hampshire. John Cutt was born in Wales, emigrated to the colonies in 1646, and became a successful merchant and mill-owner in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was married to Hannah Starr, daughter of Dr...
was appointed president, and took office on January 21, 1680. He was succeeded after his death by his deputy, Richard Waldron
Richard Waldron
Major Richard Waldron dominated the society and economy of early colonial Dover, New Hampshire and had a substantial presence in greater New Hampshire and in neighbouring Massachusetts...
. At the urging of the heirs of John Mason, who were trying to recover their inherited claims, Charles issued a new charter in 1682, with Edward Cranfield
Edward Cranfield
Edward Cranfield was an English colonial administrator. He was governor of the Province of New Hampshire from 1682 to 1685, in an administration that was marked by hostility between Cranfield and the colonists. He left New Hampshire in 1685 for Barbados, where he was appointed commissioner of...
as lieutenant governor. This government survived until the Dominion of New England
Dominion of New England
The Dominion of New England in America was an administrative union of English colonies in the New England region of North America. The dominion was ultimately a failure because the area it encompassed was too large for a single governor to manage...
was introduced in 1686, although Cranfield departed the province in 1685, replaced in the interim by his deputy, Walter Barefoote
Walter Barefoote
Walter Barefoote was colonist and deputy governor of the Province of New Hampshire. From 1685 to 1686 he served as acting governor of the province....
.
| Lieutenant-Governor | Commissioned | Took office | Left office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Cutt John Cutt John Cutt was the first President of the Province of New Hampshire. John Cutt was born in Wales, emigrated to the colonies in 1646, and became a successful merchant and mill-owner in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was married to Hannah Starr, daughter of Dr... (as president) |
September 18, 1679 | January 21, 1680 | March 1681 | |
| Richard Waldron Richard Waldron Major Richard Waldron dominated the society and economy of early colonial Dover, New Hampshire and had a substantial presence in greater New Hampshire and in neighbouring Massachusetts... (as president) |
January 22, 1680 | March 1681 | October 4, 1682 | |
| Edward Cranfield Edward Cranfield Edward Cranfield was an English colonial administrator. He was governor of the Province of New Hampshire from 1682 to 1685, in an administration that was marked by hostility between Cranfield and the colonists. He left New Hampshire in 1685 for Barbados, where he was appointed commissioner of... |
May 9, 1682 | October 4, 1682 | June 1685 | |
| Walter Barefoote Walter Barefoote Walter Barefoote was colonist and deputy governor of the Province of New Hampshire. From 1685 to 1686 he served as acting governor of the province.... (acting) |
– | June 1685 | May 25, 1686 | |
| Source unless otherwise cited: Fry, p. 523 | ||||
Dominion of New England and interregnum
From 1686 to 1689 the province was joined into the Dominion of New EnglandDominion of New England
The Dominion of New England in America was an administrative union of English colonies in the New England region of North America. The dominion was ultimately a failure because the area it encompassed was too large for a single governor to manage...
. After the dominion collapsed in April 1689, the New Hampshire communities were left without government. Although they briefly established a government in January 1690, they petitioned Massachusetts for protection, and Massachusetts Governor Simon Bradstreet
Simon Bradstreet
Simon Bradstreet was a colonial magistrate, businessman, diplomat, and the last governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Arriving in Massachusetts on the Winthrop Fleet in 1630, Bradstreet was almost constantly involved in the politics of the colony but became its governor only in 1679...
de facto governed the colony from March 1690.
| Governor | Took office | Left office | Lieutenant Governor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Dudley Joseph Dudley Joseph Dudley was an English colonial administrator. A native of Roxbury, Massachusetts and son of one of its founders, he had a leading role in the administration of the unpopular Dominion of New England , and served briefly on the council of the Province of New York, where he oversaw the trial... (as President of the Council of New England) |
May 25, 1686 | December 20, 1686 | William Stoughton William Stoughton (Massachusetts) William Stoughton was a colonial magistrate and admininstrator in the Province of Massachusetts Bay. He was in charge of what have come to be known as the Salem Witch Trials, first as the Chief Justice of the Special Court of Oyer and Terminer in 1692, and then as the Chief Justice of the... (as Deputy President) |
|
| Sir Edmund Andros Edmund Andros Sir Edmund Andros was an English colonial administrator in North America. Andros was known most notably for his governorship of the Dominion of New England during most of its three-year existence. He also governed at various times the provinces of New York, East and West Jersey, Virginia, and... |
 |
December 20, 1686 | April 18, 1689 | Francis Nicholson Francis Nicholson Francis Nicholson was a British military officer and colonial administrator. His military service included time in Africa and Europe, after which he was sent as leader of the troops supporting Sir Edmund Andros in the Dominion of New England. There he distinguished himself, and was appointed... (appointed April 1688) |
| Simon Bradstreet Simon Bradstreet Simon Bradstreet was a colonial magistrate, businessman, diplomat, and the last governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Arriving in Massachusetts on the Winthrop Fleet in 1630, Bradstreet was almost constantly involved in the politics of the colony but became its governor only in 1679... (as de facto governor) |
|
March 19, 1690 | 1692 | Thomas Danforth Thomas Danforth Thomas Danforth was a judge for the 1692 Salem witch trials in early colonial America.-Early life:He was born in Framlingham, Suffolk, England as the eldest son of Nicholas Danforth and Elizabeth Symmes... |
Second provincial period, 1692–1775
From 1692 to 1699, Samuel AllenSamuel Allen (New Hampshire)
Samuel Allen was an English proprietor and governor of the Province of New Hampshire. Born in London, he was a successful merchant, who in 1691 purchased the proprietary claims of the heirs of the colony's founder, John Mason. He was commissioned governor of the province in 1692 by William and...
was the governor of New Hampshire. For most of his tenure, he remained in London, pursuing legal actions relevant to proprietary land claims he had purchased from the Masons, but he came to the colony briefly before the arrival of his replacement as governor, the Earl of Bellomont
Richard Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont
Richard Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont , known as The Lord Coote between 1683 and 1689, was a member of the English Parliament and a colonial governor...
. From 1699 to 1741, the governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay
Province of Massachusetts Bay
The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland...
was also commissioned as governor of New Hampshire. The lieutenant governor controlled the province, acting as governor unless the commissioned governor was present. In 1741 the governance of Massachusetts and New Hampshire was divided. As a result, during the tenures of the last two governors, Benning
Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth was the colonial governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766.-Biography:The eldest child of the John Wentworth who had been Lieutenant Governor, he was born and died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Wentworth graduated from Harvard College in 1715...
and John Wentworth, the role of the lieutenant governor diminished. John Temple
John Temple (diplomat)
John Temple , sometimes known as Sir John Temple, 8th Baronet, was the first British consul-general to the United States....
, the last lieutenant governor, apparently held the office in title only.
One commission was issued but not used. On February 8, 1715/6, Colonel Elizeus Burgess was appointed to succeed Joseph Dudley
Joseph Dudley
Joseph Dudley was an English colonial administrator. A native of Roxbury, Massachusetts and son of one of its founders, he had a leading role in the administration of the unpopular Dominion of New England , and served briefly on the council of the Province of New York, where he oversaw the trial...
as governor of both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Before coming to North America, Burgess was bribed by Massachusetts operatives to resign his commissions; Colonel Samuel Shute
Samuel Shute
Samuel Shute was a military officer and royal governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. After serving in the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession, he was appointed by King George I as governor of Massachusetts in 1716...
was then chosen to replace Dudley.
The column labeled "Commissioned" indicates the date when the governor's commission was issued in London, and does not represent when the governor arrived in the province to formally take up the government. The column labeled "Left office" shows the date when the individual was replaced by the arrival of his successor, with a few exceptions. Two governors, Bellomont and William Burnet
William Burnet (administrator)
William Burnet was a British civil servant and colonial administrator who served as governor of New York and New Jersey and Massachusetts .-Early life:...
, died while still holding their commissions (although neither was in the province at the time). Governor Shute effectively abandoned his office by abruptly departing Boston for England on January 1, 1723. His administration effectively came to an end then, but he was technically the office holder until Burnet was commissioned in 1728. The last governor, John Wentworth
John Wentworth (governor)
Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet was the British colonial governor of New Hampshire at the time of the American Revolution. He was later also Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia.-Early life:...
, fled the province in August 1775, after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
brought threats to his rule and family. The province was thereafter governed provisionally until January 1776, when Meshech Weare
Meshech Weare
Meshech Weare was an American farmer, lawyer and revolutionary statesman from Seabrook, New Hampshire. He served as the first President of New Hampshire from 1776 to 1785.-Family life:...
was elected the independent state's first president under a new state constitution.
| Governor | Commissioned | Left office | Lieutenant Governor | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel Allen Samuel Allen (New Hampshire) Samuel Allen was an English proprietor and governor of the Province of New Hampshire. Born in London, he was a successful merchant, who in 1691 purchased the proprietary claims of the heirs of the colony's founder, John Mason. He was commissioned governor of the province in 1692 by William and... |
March 1, 1691/2 | July 31, 1699 | John Usher (1692–97) | Allen was largely absentee, only arriving in the province in September 1698, well after Bellomont's appointment was known. | |
| William Partridge William Partridge (New Hampshire) William Partridge was an English colonial administrator. Born in Newbury, Massachusetts, he moved to the Province of New Hampshire, where he served as treasurer and magistrate before being appointed lieutenant governor .-References:*... (1699–1701) |
|||||
| Richard Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont Richard Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont Richard Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont , known as The Lord Coote between 1683 and 1689, was a member of the English Parliament and a colonial governor... |
June 18, 1697 | March 5, 1701/2 | Bellomont was only in the province from July 31 to August 18, 1699. He died on March 5, 1701/2. | ||
| Vacant | |||||
| Joseph Dudley Joseph Dudley Joseph Dudley was an English colonial administrator. A native of Roxbury, Massachusetts and son of one of its founders, he had a leading role in the administration of the unpopular Dominion of New England , and served briefly on the council of the Province of New York, where he oversaw the trial... |
April 1, 1702 | October 7, 1716 | John Usher (1702–1715) | ||
| Vacant | George Vaughan George Vaughan (New Hampshire) George Vaughan may be best known for being Lieutenant Governor of colonial New Hampshire for only one year. A graduate of Harvard College in 1696, he was also at various times a merchant, Colonel of militia, agent for the province to England, and counsellor.1Sources disagree regarding whether he... (1715–17) |
||||
| Samuel Shute Samuel Shute Samuel Shute was a military officer and royal governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. After serving in the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession, he was appointed by King George I as governor of Massachusetts in 1716... |
May 10, 1716 | January 1, 1723 | |||
| John Wentworth (elder) John Wentworth (Lieutenant-Governor) John Wentworth served as Lieutenant Governor for the Province of New Hampshire from 1717 to 1730.-Biography:... (1717–30) |
|||||
| Vacant | |||||
| William Burnet William Burnet (administrator) William Burnet was a British civil servant and colonial administrator who served as governor of New York and New Jersey and Massachusetts .-Early life:... |
 |
December 19, 1727? | September 7, 1729 | Burnet was only in the province from April to May 1729, and died the following September. | |
| Vacant | Wentworth's lieutenant governorship briefly overlapped Belcher's administration. | ||||
| Jonathan Belcher Jonathan Belcher Jonathan Belcher was colonial governor of the British provinces of Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, and New Jersey.-Early life:Jonathan Belcher was born in Cambridge, Province of Massachusetts Bay, in 1682... |
December 11, 1729 | December 12, 1741 | David Dunbar (1730–37) | ||
| Vacant | |||||
| Benning Wentworth Benning Wentworth Benning Wentworth was the colonial governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766.-Biography:The eldest child of the John Wentworth who had been Lieutenant Governor, he was born and died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Wentworth graduated from Harvard College in 1715... |
 |
June 4, 1741 | July 30, 1767 | Wentworth was a son of the elder John Wentworth John Wentworth (Lieutenant-Governor) John Wentworth served as Lieutenant Governor for the Province of New Hampshire from 1717 to 1730.-Biography:... . |
|
| John Temple John Temple (diplomat) John Temple , sometimes known as Sir John Temple, 8th Baronet, was the first British consul-general to the United States.... (titular only, 1762–74) |
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| John Wentworth (younger) John Wentworth (governor) Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet was the British colonial governor of New Hampshire at the time of the American Revolution. He was later also Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia.-Early life:... |
 |
August 11, 1766 | August 24, 1775 | Wentworth was grandson of the elder John Wentworth John Wentworth (Lieutenant-Governor) John Wentworth served as Lieutenant Governor for the Province of New Hampshire from 1717 to 1730.-Biography:... and nephew to Benning Wentworth Benning Wentworth Benning Wentworth was the colonial governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766.-Biography:The eldest child of the John Wentworth who had been Lieutenant Governor, he was born and died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Wentworth graduated from Harvard College in 1715... . |
|
| Source unless otherwise cited: The Federal and State Constitutions, Volume 4, pp. 2527–2531 | |||||