Minnesota Governors, 1849-Present
Compiled by: Minnesota Legislative Reference Library
Compiled from: Minnesota legislative manuals and other sources, including
previous library compilations and several histories of Minnesota. While
efforts have been made to verify this information in more than one source,
the library cannot guarantee the accuracy of sources; errors are possible.
Please report any errors to the library staff.
Under PARTY: DFL=Democratic-Farmer-Labor, R=Republican, IR=Independent-Republican, A=Alliance, D=Democrat, C=Conservative, FL=Farmer-Labor, L=Liberal, P=Populist, W=Whig, DSR=Democratic Silver Republican
Where a name or party designation is not given in the list, it was not given authoritatively in the sources so far consulted. It may be available from other sources.
| ASSUMED OFFICE |
GOVERNOR | PARTY | RESIDENCE | OCCUPATION | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/6/2003 | Tim Pawlenty | R | Eagan | Lawyer | |
| 1/4/1999 | Jesse Ventura | Reform | Maple Grove | Radio Personality | |
| 1/7/1991 | Arne Carlson | IR | Shoreview | ||
| 1/3/1983 | Rudy Perpich | DFL | Hibbing | Dentist | |
| 1/4/1979 | Al Quie | IR | Dennison | Farmer | |
| 12/29/1976 | Rudy Perpich | DFL | Hibbing | Dentist | |
| 1/4/1971 | Wendell Anderson | DFL | St. Paul | Lawyer | |
| 1/2/1967 | Harold LeVander | R | South St. Paul | Lawyer | |
| 3/25/1963 | Karl Rolvaag | DFL | St. Paul | Logger, Miner, Ranch hand, insurance executive | |
| 1/2/1961 | Elmer Andersen | R | St. Paul | Business Excecutive | |
| 1/5/1955 | Orville Freeman | DFL | Minneapolis | Lawyer | |
| 9/27/1951 | C. Elmer Anderson | R | Brainerd | Magazine Distributer | |
| 1/8/1947 | Luther Youngdahl | R | Minneapolis | Lawyer | |
| 4/27/1943 | Edward Thye | R | Northfield | Farmer | |
| 1/2/1939 | Harold Stassen | R | South St. Paul | Lawyer | |
| 1/4/1937 | Elmer Benson | FL | Appleton | Banker, Businessman | |
| 8/24/1936 | Hjalmar Petersen | FL | Askov | Newspaperman | |
| 1/6/1931 | Floyd Olson | FL | Minneapolis | Salesman, Laborer, Miner, Lawyer | |
| 1/6/1925 | Theodore Christianson | R | Dawson | Editor, Publisher, Writer, Lawyer | |
| 1/5/1921 | J. A. O. Preus | R | Minneapolis | Lawyer, Businessman | |
| 12/30/1915 | J. A. A. Burnquist | R | St. Paul | Lawyer | |
| 1/5/1915 | Winfield Hammond | D | St. James | Teacher, Lawyer | |
| 9/21/1909 | A.O. Eberhart | R | Mankato | Lawyer, Insurance, Real Estate | |
| 1/4/1905 | John Johnson | D | St. Peter | Newspaper Editor | |
| 1/7/1901 | Samuel Van Sant | R | Winona | Log rafting company | |
| 1/2/1899 | John Lind | P/DSR | New Ulm | Lawyer, Teacher | |
| 1/31/1895 | D.M. Clough | R | Minneapolis | Lumberman | |
| 1/4/1893 | Knute Nelson | R | Alexandria | Lawyer | |
| 1/9/1889 | William Merriam | R | St. Paul | Banker | |
| 1/5/1887 | Andrew McGill | R | St. Peter | Teacher, Editor, Lawyer | |
| 1/10/1882 | Lucius Hubbard | R | Red Wing | Tinsmith, Editor, Grain Merchant, Miller | |
| 1/7/1876 | John Pillsbury | R | Minneapolis | Hardware Merchant, Lumberman, Flour Miller, Railroad Contractor | |
| 1/7/1874 | Cushman Davis | R | St. Paul | Lawyer | |
| 1/9/1870 | Horace Austin | R | St. Peter | Teacher, Lawyer | |
| 1/8/1866 | William Marshall | R | St. Anthony | Merchant, Farmer, Publisher, Banker | |
| 1/11/1864 | Stephen Miller | R | Worthington | Railroads, Merchant | |
| 7/10/1863 | Henry Swift | R | St. Peter | Teacher, Lawyer, Real Estate, Insurance | |
| 1/2/1860 | Alexander Ramsey | R | St. Paul | Lawyer | |
| 5/24/1858 | Henry Sibley | D | St. Paul | Fur Trader, Businessman | |
| TERRITORY | |||||
| 4/23/1857 | Samuel Medary | D | Teacher, Editor | ||
| 5/15/1853 | Willis Gorman | D | St. Paul | Lawyer | |
| 6/1/1849 | Alexander Ramsey | W | St. Paul | Lawyer | |
