GOVERNORS OF WEST VIRGINIA, 1863-2008 13 14 GOVERNORS OF WEST VIRGINIA, 1863-2008
GOVERNORS OF WEST VIRGINIA, 1863-2008
YEAR
NAME COUNTY POLITICS ELECTED NOTES
Boreman, Arthur I. ............................... Wood .............. R 1863-64-66 Unopposed in 1863 and 1864; resigned Feb. 26, 1869,
having been elected to U. S. Senate.
Farnsworth, Daniel D. T. ...................... Upshur ............ R 1869 State Senate 1863-1865; 1867-1870, President 1869-1870;
Governor Feb. 27, 1869 to March 3, 1869.
Stevenson, William E. .......................... Wood .............. R 1868 1st State Senate 1863-1868, President 1864-1868.
Jacob, John J. ........................................ Hampshire ...... D 1870-1872 Circuit Judge 1881-1888; House of Delegates 1868-1870,
1879.
Mathews, Henry M. .............................. Greenbrier ...... D 1876 Attorney General 1873-1877.
Jackson, Jacob B. ................................. Wood .............. D 1880 Prosecuting Attorney; House of Delegates 1875-1876.
Wilson, Emanual W.............................. Kanawha ......... D 1884 State Senate 1872-1876; Speaker, House of Delegates 1881.
Fleming, Aretas B................................. Marion ............ D 1888 Did not assume office until Feb. 6, 1890; House of
Delegates 1872-1875; Circuit Judge, 1878-1888.
MacCorkle, William A. ........................ Kanawha......... D 1892 State Senate 1910-1914.
Atkinson, George W. ............................ Ohio................ R 1896 House of Representatives 1889-1891.
White, Albert B. ................................... Wood .............. R 1900 Newspaper Publisher; banker; U. S. Senate 1921-1925.
Dawson, W. M. O. ................................ Preston ............ R 1904 Secretary of State 1897-1905.
Glasscock, William E. .......................... Monongalia .... R 1908 Lawyer; Circuit Clerk 1890-1902; Superintendent of Schools
1886-1890.
Hatfield, Henry D. ................................ McDowell ....... R 1912 Doctor; President, State Senate 1911; U. S. Senate 1929-
1935.
GOVERNORS OF WEST VIRGINIA, 1863-2008—(Continued)
Cornwell, John J. .................................. Hampshire ...... D 1916 Lawyer; Newspaper publisher; State Senate 1898-1906.
Morgan, E. Franklin ............................. Marion ............ R 1920 Chairman, Public Service Commission 1915-1919.
Gore, Howard M. ................................. Harrison .......... R 1924 U. S. Secretary of Agriculture 1924-1925.
Conley, William G................................ Kanawha ......... R 1928 Attorney General 1908-1912.
Kump, H. Guy ...................................... Randolph ........ D 1932 Judge, 20th Judicial Circuit 1928-1932.
Holt, Homer A. ..................................... Fayette ............ D 1936 Attorney General 1932-1936.
Neely, Matthew M. ............................... Marion ............ D 1940 House of Representatives 1913-1921; 1945-1946; U. S.
Senate 1923-1929; 1931-1941, 1949-1958.
Meadows, Clarence W.......................... Raleigh ........... D 1944 Attorney General 1936-1942.
Patteson, Okey L. ................................. Fayette ............ D 1948 Assistant to Governor Meadows 1945-1948.
Marland, William C. ............................. Wyoming ........ D 1952 Attorney General 1949-1952.
Underwood, Cecil H. ............................ Tyler ............... R 1956 House of Delegates, 12 years, 1944-1956.
Barron, William W. .............................. Randolph ........ D 1960 Attorney General 1957-1960.
Smith, Hulett C. .................................... Raleigh ........... D 1964 Commissioner of Department of Commerce 1961-1963.
Moore, Arch A., Jr. ............................... Marshall .......... R 1968-1972 House of Representatives 1957-1968.
Rockefeller, John D., IV ....................... Kanawha ......... D 1976-1980 House of Delegates 1966-1968; Secretary of State 1969-
1973; President, WV Wesleyan College 1973-1975.
Moore, Arch A., Jr. ............................... Marshall .......... R 1984 Previously elected Governor, 1968 and 1972—the first
Governor ever elected to 3 four-year terms.
Caperton, Gaston .................................. Kanawha ......... D 1988-1992 Businessman. Elected Governor on his first attempt at
public office.
Cecil H. Underwood ............................. Cabell ............. R 1996 Previously elected Governor 1956
Robert E. Wise Jr.................................. Kanawha ......... D 2000 Lawyer, State Senate, 1981-82
U. S. House of Representatives, 1982-2000
Joe Manchin III...................................... Marion.............. D 2004 House of Delegates, 1983-84
State Senate 1987-96
Secretary of State 2001-2004
