List of colonial governors of Pennsylvania

This is a list of colonial governors of Pennsylvania.

Proprietors

Three generations of Penns acted as proprietors of the Province of Pennsylvania and the Lower Counties (Delaware) from the founding of the colony until the American Revolution removed them from power and property. William Penn was granted the new proprietary colony in 1681 by Charles II of England in payment for debts owed to Penn's father. After Penn became ill in 1712, his second wife Hannah Callowhill Penn served as acting proprietor.

After William's death in 1718, interest in the proprietorship passed to his three sons by Hannah: John Penn "the American", Thomas Penn, and Richard Penn, Sr., with John inheriting the largest share and becoming the chief proprietor. When John died without children, his brother Thomas inherited his share and became chief proprietor.

When Richard Penn, Sr. died, his share passed to his son Governor John Penn. When Thomas Penn died, his share (and the chief proprietorship) passed to his son John Penn "of Stoke".

#	Chief proprietor	Years	Percentage interest	Other proprietors
1	William Penn	1681–1718	100%	Hannah Penn served as acting proprietor after 1712
2	John Penn ("the American")	1718–1746	50%	25%: Thomas Penn, 25%: Richard Penn, Sr.
3	Thomas Penn	1746–1775	75%	25%: Richard Penn, Sr. (1746–71), Governor John Penn (1771–75)
4	John Penn "of Stoke"	1775–1776	75%	25%: Governor John Penn

Governors

The government of Colonial Pennsylvania (and the Lower Counties) was conducted by a set of administrators in the name of the proprietors.

#	Name	Title	Term	Seat
1	William Markham	Deputy Governor	1681–1682	Philadelphia
2	William Penn	Proprietor	1682	Philadelphia
3	Thomas Lloyd	President of Council	1684–1688	Philadelphia
4	John Blackwell	Deputy Governor	1688	Philadelphia
5	Thomas Lloyd	Deputy Governor	1690	Philadelphia
6	William Markham	Deputy Governor	1691	Philadelphia
7	Benjamin Fletcher	Governor	1693	New York
8	William Markham	Deputy Governor	1693	Philadelphia
9	Samuel Carpenter	Deputy Governor	1694–1698	Philadelphia
10	William Penn	Proprietor	1699	Philadelphia
11	Andrew Hamilton	Deputy Governor	1701–1703	Philadelphia
12	Edward Shippen	President of Council	1703–1704	Philadelphia
13	John Evans	Deputy Governor	1704–1709	Philadelphia
14	Charles Gookin	Deputy Governor	1709–1717	Philadelphia
15	William Keith	Deputy Governor	1717–1726	Philadelphia
16	Patrick Gordon	Deputy Governor	1726–1736	Philadelphia
17	James Logan	President of Council	1736	Philadelphia
18	George Thomas	Deputy Governor	1738–1747	Philadelphia
19	Anthony Palmer	President of Council	1747	Philadelphia
20	James Hamilton	Deputy Governor	1748–1754	Philadelphia
21	Robert Hunter Morris	Deputy Governor	1754–1756	Philadelphia
22	William Denny	Deputy Governor	1756–1759	Philadelphia
23	James Hamilton	Deputy Governor	1759–1763	Philadelphia
24	John Penn	Lieutenant Governor	1763–1771	Philadelphia
25	Richard Penn	Lieutenant Governor	1771–1773	Philadelphia
26	John Penn	Lieutenant Governor	1773–1776	Philadelphia

During the British occupation of Philadelphia from 26 September 1777 until June 1778, Joseph Galloway was "in charge of policing the city, and of imports and exports".

See also

• List of governors of Pennsylvania

Sources

• Miller, Randall M. and William Pencak, eds. Pennsylvania: A History of the Commonwealth. University Park: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002.
• Treese, Lorett. The Storm Gathering: The Penn Family and the American Revolution. University Park: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1992. ISBN 0-271-00858-X.