List of Governors of Dakota Territory
Ten individuals served as Governors of Dakota Territory during its existence as an organized incorporated territory of the United States between March 2, 1861, and November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota. Additionally, one person served as provisional governor prior to, and one served as acting governor during this period. The territorial governor was appointed by the President of the United States and served at the president's pleasure.
Provisional governor
Though Dakota Territory did not officially come into existence until March 2, 1861, a provisional legislature formed in January 1859 and elected Wilmot Brookings as territorial governor. However, the federal government refused to acknowledge either the provisional government or its territorial governor as official.
Territorial governors
Governor | In office | Party | Appointing president | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | William Jayne[1] (1826–1916) |
May 27, 1861 – March 4, 1863 Resigned |
Republican | Abraham Lincoln | ||
2 | Newton Edmunds[2] (1819–1908) |
October 17, 1863 – September 3, 1866 Dismissed | ||||
3 | Andrew J. Faulk[3] (1814–1898) |
September 3, 1866 – May 10, 1869 Dismissed |
Andrew Johnson | |||
4 | John A. Burbank[4] (1827–1905) |
May 10, 1869 – April 1873 Dismissed |
Ulysses S. Grant | |||
– | Edwin S. McCook (1837–1873) |
April 1873 – September 11, 1873 Died |
Independent | Acting governor | ||
(4) | John A. Burbank[4] (1827–1905) |
October 1873 – January 1, 1874 Resigned |
Republican | Ulysses S. Grant | ||
5 | John L. Pennington (1829–1900) |
January 1, 1874 – April 12, 1878 Dismissed | ||||
6 | William A. Howard (1813–1880) |
April 12, 1878 – April 10, 1880 Died |
Rutherford B. Hayes | |||
7 | Nehemiah G. Ordway (1828–1907) |
June 1, 1880 – June 25, 1884 Dismissed | ||||
8 | Gilbert A. Pierce (1839–1901) |
June 25, 1884 – February 5, 1887 Resigned |
Chester A. Arthur | |||
9 | Louis K. Church (1846–1898) |
February 21, 1887 – March 9, 1889 Resigned |
Democratic | Grover Cleveland | ||
10 | Arthur C. Mellette (1842–1896) |
March 9, 1889 – November 2, 1889 Became 1st Governor of South Dakota |
Republican | Popularly elected |
Governors after statehood
References
- "William A. Jayne". State Historical Society of North Dakota. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- "Newton Edmunds". State Historical Society of North Dakota. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- "Andrew Jackson Faulk". State Historical Society of North Dakota. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- "John A. Burbank". State Historical Society of North Dakota. Retrieved October 18, 2016.