List of governors of South Carolina

South Carolina was one of the original Thirteen Colonies and was admitted as a state on May 23, 1788.^[1] Before it declared its independence, South Carolina was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain. It seceded from the Union on December 20, 1860,^[2] and was a founding member of the Confederate States of America on February 4, 1861.^[3] Following the end of the American Civil War, South Carolina during Reconstruction was part of the Second Military District, which exerted some control over governor appointments and elections. South Carolina was readmitted to the Union on July 9, 1868.^[4]

Under the first constitution of South Carolina, a president of the state was elected for a term of two years, who then could not run again until four years had passed. The 1865 constitution briefly increased terms to four years, but that was changed in the 1868 constitution back to two years, with no term limit. An amendment in 1926 increased term lengths to four years, but limited governors to not being able to succeed themselves; an amendment in 1981 allowed governors to succeed themselves once. The 1776 constitution created the office of vice-president, renamed to lieutenant governor in 1778, to succeed to the governorship should it become vacant.^[5]

Governors of the State of South Carolina

No.	Governor[a]			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor[b][c]
31			John Rutledge (1739–1800) [6]	March 26, 1776[7] – March 6, 1778 (resigned)[d]	None[9]	1776		Henry Laurens
32			Rawlins Lowndes (1721–1800) [10]	March 6, 1778[7] – January 9, 1779 (did not run)	None[9]	1778[e]		James Parsons
31			John Rutledge (1739–1800) [6]	January 9, 1779[7] – January 31, 1782 (term-limited)[f][g]	None[9]	1779		Thomas Bee
								Christopher Gadsden
33			John Mathews (1744–1802) [12]	January 31, 1782[7] – February 5, 1783 (did not run)	None[9]	1782[h]		Richard Hutson
34			Benjamin Guerard (1740–1788) [13]	February 5, 1783[14] – February 10, 1785 (term-limited)[g]	None[9]	1783		Richard Beresford
							Vacant
								William Moultrie
35			William Moultrie (1730–1805) [15][16]	February 10, 1785[17] – February 21, 1787 (term-limited)[g]	None[9]	1785		Charles Drayton
36			Thomas Pinckney (1750–1828) [18]	February 21, 1787[19] – January 26, 1789 (term-limited)[g]	None[9]	1787		Thomas Gadsden
37			Charles Pinckney (1757–1824) [20][21]	January 26, 1789[22] – December 5, 1792 (term-limited)[i]	None[9]	1789		Alexander Gillon
						1791
35			William Moultrie (1730–1805) [15][16]	December 5, 1792[15] – December 17, 1794 (term-limited)[i]	Federalist[24]	1792		James Ladson
38			Arnoldus Vanderhorst (1748–1815) [25][26]	December 17, 1794[25] – December 8, 1796 (term-limited)[i]	Federalist[24]	1794		Lewis Morris
37			Charles Pinckney (1757–1824) [20][21]	December 8, 1796[27] – December 19, 1798 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic- Republican[24]	1796		Robert Anderson
39			Edward Rutledge (1749–1800) [28][29]	December 19, 1798[30] – January 23, 1800 (died in office)	Federalist[24]	1798		John Drayton[j]
40			John Drayton (1766–1822) [31][32]	January 23, 1800[31] – December 8, 1802 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic- Republican[9]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1800		Richard Winn
41			James Burchill Richardson (1770–1836) [33][34]	December 8, 1802[33] – December 7, 1804 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic- Republican[9]	1802		Ezekiel Pickens
42			Paul Hamilton (1762–1816) [35][36]	December 7, 1804[35] – December 9, 1806 (resigned)[k]	Democratic- Republican[9]	1804		Thomas Sumter Jr.
37			Charles Pinckney (1757–1824) [20][21]	December 9, 1806[20] – December 10, 1808 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic- Republican[9]	1806		John Hopkins
40			John Drayton (1766–1822) [31][32]	December 10, 1808[41] – December 10, 1810 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic- Republican[9]	1808		Frederick Nance
43			Henry Middleton (1770–1846) [42][43]	December 10, 1810[44] – December 10, 1812 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic- Republican[9]	1810		Samuel Farrow
44			Joseph Alston (1779–1816) [45][46]	December 10, 1812[45] – December 10, 1814 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic- Republican[9]	1812		Eldred Simkins
45			David Rogerson Williams (1776–1830) [47][48]	December 10, 1814[47] – December 5, 1816 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic- Republican[9]	1814		Robert Creswell
46			Andrew Pickens (1779–1838) [49][50]	December 5, 1816[49] – December 8, 1818 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic- Republican[9]	1816		John A. Cuthbert
47			John Geddes (1777–1828) [51][52]	December 8, 1818[53] – December 7, 1820 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic- Republican[9]	1818		William Youngblood
48			Thomas Bennett Jr. (1781–1865) [54][55]	December 7, 1820[56] – December 9, 1822 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic- Republican[9]	1820		William Pinckney
49			John Lyde Wilson (1784–1849) [57][58]	December 9, 1822[59] – December 3, 1824 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic- Republican[9]	1822		Henry Bradley
50			Richard Irvine Manning I (1789–1836) [60][61]	December 3, 1824[62] – December 11, 1826 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic- Republican[60]	1824		William A. Bull
51			John Taylor (1770–1832) [63][64]	December 11, 1826[65] – December 10, 1828 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic- Republican[63]	1826		James Witherspoon
52			Stephen Decatur Miller (1787–1838) [66][67]	December 10, 1828[68] – December 9, 1830 (term-limited)[i]	Nullifier[66]	1828		Thomas Williams
53			James Hamilton Jr. (1786–1857) [69][70]	December 9, 1830[71] – December 11, 1832 (term-limited)[i]	Nullifier[69]	1830		Patrick Noble
54			Robert Y. Hayne (1791–1839) [72][73]	December 11, 1832[74] – December 11, 1834 (term-limited)[i]	Nullifier[72]	1832		Charles Cotesworth Pinckney II
55			George McDuffie (1790–1851) [75][76]	December 11, 1834[77] – December 10, 1836 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic[9]	1834		Whitemarsh Benjamin Seabrook
56			Pierce Mason Butler (1798–1847) [78][79]	December 10, 1836[78] – December 10, 1838 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic[9]	1836		William DuBose
57			Patrick Noble (1787–1840) [80][81]	December 10, 1838[82] – April 7, 1840 (died in office)	Democratic[9]	1838		Barnabas Kelet Henagan
58			Barnabas Kelet Henagan (1798–1855) [83][84]	April 7, 1840[85] – December 10, 1840 (did not run)	Democratic[9]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
59			John Peter Richardson II (1801–1864) [86][87]	December 10, 1840[88] – December 10, 1842 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic[9]	1840		William K. Clowney
60			James H. Hammond (1807–1864) [89][90]	December 10, 1842[91] – December 10, 1844 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic[9]	1842		Isaac D. Witherspoon
61			William Aiken Jr. (1806–1887) [92][93]	December 10, 1844[94] – December 10, 1846 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic[9]	1844		J. F. Ervin
62			David Johnson (1782–1855) [95][96]	December 10, 1846[97] – December 14, 1848 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic[9]	1846		William Cain
63			Whitemarsh Benjamin Seabrook (1793–1855) [98][99]	December 14, 1848[100] – December 16, 1850 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic[9]	1848		William Henry Gist
64			John Hugh Means (1812–1862) [101][102]	December 16, 1850[103] – December 13, 1852 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic[9]	1850		Joshua John Ward
65			John Lawrence Manning (1816–1889) [104][105]	December 13, 1852[106] – December 13, 1854 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic[9]	1852		James Irby
66			James Hopkins Adams (1812–1861) [107][108]	December 13, 1854[109] – December 11, 1856 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic[9]	1854		Richard de Treville
67			Robert Francis Withers Allston (1801–1864) [110][111]	December 11, 1856[112] – December 13, 1858 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic[9]	1856		Gabriel Cannon
68			William Henry Gist (1807–1874) [113][114]	December 13, 1858[115] – December 17, 1860 (term-limited)[i]	Democratic[9]	1858		M. E. Carn
69			Francis Wilkinson Pickens (d. 1869) [116][117]	December 17, 1860[118] – December 18, 1862 (term-limited)[l]	Democratic[9]	1860		W. W. Harllee
70			Milledge Luke Bonham (1813–1890) [120][121]	December 18, 1862[122] – December 19, 1864 (term-limited)[l]	Democratic[9]	1862		Plowden Weston (died)
							Vacant
71			Andrew Gordon Magrath (1813–1893) [123][124]	December 19, 1864[125] – May 28, 1865 (arrested and removed)[m]	Democratic[9]	1864		Robert McCaw
—	Vacant			May 28, 1865 – June 30, 1865	Office vacated after civil war		Vacant
72			Benjamin Franklin Perry (1805–1886) [126][127]	June 30, 1865[128] – November 29, 1865 (did not run)[126]	Provisional governor appointed by President
73			James Lawrence Orr (1822–1873) [129][130]	November 29, 1865[131] – July 9, 1868 (did not run)	Democratic[132]	1865		William Dennison Porter
74			Robert Kingston Scott (1826–1900) [133][134]	July 9, 1868[135] – December 3, 1872 (did not run)	Republican[9]	1868		Lemuel Boozer
						1870		Alonzo J. Ransier
75			Franklin J. Moses Jr. (1838–1906) [136][137]	December 3, 1872[138] – December 1, 1874 (lost nomination)	Republican[9]	1872		Richard Howell Gleaves
76			Daniel Henry Chamberlain (1835–1907) [139][140]	December 1, 1874[141] – April 11, 1877 (lost election)	Republican[9]	1874
						1876[n]
77			Wade Hampton III (1818–1902) [142][143]	December 14, 1876[144] – February 26, 1879 (resigned)[o]	Democratic[9]			William Dunlap Simpson
						1878
78			William Dunlap Simpson (1823–1890) [146][147]	February 26, 1879[145] – September 1, 1880 (resigned)[p]	Democratic[9]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
79			Thomas Bothwell Jeter (1827–1883) [148][149]	September 1, 1880[150] – November 30, 1880 (successor took office)	Democratic[9]	Succeeded from president pro tempore of the Senate
80			Johnson Hagood (1829–1898) [151][152]	November 30, 1880[153] – December 5, 1882 (did not run)[151]	Democratic[9]	1880		John Doby Kennedy
81			Hugh Smith Thompson (1836–1904) [154][155]	December 5, 1882[156] – July 10, 1886 (resigned)[q]	Democratic[9]	1882		John Calhoun Sheppard
						1884
82			John Calhoun Sheppard (1850–1931) [157][158]	July 10, 1886[159] – November 30, 1886 (lost nomination)[157]	Democratic[9]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
83			John Peter Richardson III (1831–1899) [160][161]	November 30, 1886[162] – December 4, 1890 (did not run)	Democratic[9]	1886		William Mauldin
						1888
84			Benjamin Tillman (1847–1918) [163][164]	December 4, 1890[165] – December 4, 1894 (did not run)[r]	Democratic[9]	1890		Eugene Gary
						1892		Washington Hodges Timmerman
85			John Gary Evans (1863–1942) [166][167]	December 4, 1894[168] – January 18, 1897 (did not run)	Democratic[9]	1894
86			William Haselden Ellerbe (1862–1899) [169][170]	January 18, 1897[171] – June 2, 1899 (died in office)	Democratic[9]	1896		Miles Benjamin McSweeney
						1898
87			Miles Benjamin McSweeney (1855–1909) [172][173]	June 2, 1899[174] – January 21, 1903 (did not run)	Democratic[9]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Robert B. Scarborough
						1900
88			Duncan Clinch Heyward (1864–1943) [175][176]	January 21, 1903[177] – January 15, 1907 (did not run)	Democratic[9]	1902		James H. Tillman
						1904		John Sloan
89			Martin Frederick Ansel (1850–1945) [178][179]	January 15, 1907[180] – January 17, 1911 (did not run)	Democratic[9]	1906		Thomas Gordon McLeod
						1908
90			Cole L. Blease (1868–1942) [181][182]	January 17, 1911[183] – January 14, 1915 (resigned)[s]	Democratic[9]	1910		Charles Aurelius Smith
						1912
91			Charles Aurelius Smith (1861–1916) [185][186]	January 14, 1915[184] – January 19, 1915 (successor took office)	Democratic[9]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
92			Richard Irvine Manning III (1859–1931) [187][188]	January 19, 1915[189] – January 21, 1919 (did not run)	Democratic[9]	1914		Andrew Bethea
						1916
93			Robert Archer Cooper (1874–1953) [190][191]	January 21, 1919[192] – May 20, 1922 (resigned)[t]	Democratic[9]	1918		J. T. Lyles
						1920		Wilson Godfrey Harvey
94			Wilson Godfrey Harvey (1866–1932) [193][194]	May 20, 1922[195] – January 16, 1923 (did not run)	Democratic[9]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
95			Thomas Gordon McLeod (1868–1932) [196][197]	January 16, 1923[198] – January 18, 1927 (did not run)	Democratic[9]	1922		E. B. Jackson
						1924
96			John Gardiner Richards Jr. (1864–1941) [199][200]	January 18, 1927[201] – January 20, 1931 (term-limited)[u]	Democratic[9]	1926		Thomas Bothwell Butler (died)
							Vacant
97			Ibra Charles Blackwood (1878–1936) [203][204]	January 20, 1931[205] – January 15, 1935 (term-limited)[u]	Democratic[9]	1930		James Sheppard
98			Olin D. Johnston (1896–1965) [206][207]	January 15, 1935[208] – January 17, 1939 (term-limited)[u]	Democratic[9]	1934		Joseph Emile Harley
99			Burnet R. Maybank (1899–1954) [209][210]	January 17, 1939[211] – November 4, 1941 (resigned)[v]	Democratic[9]	1938
100			Joseph Emile Harley (1880–1942) [212][213]	November 4, 1941[214] – February 27, 1942 (died in office)	Democratic[9]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
—	Vacant			February 27, 1942 – March 2, 1942	—	Office vacant after death[w]
101			Richard Manning Jefferies (1889–1964) [215][216]	March 2, 1942[w] – January 19, 1943 (did not run)	Democratic[9]	Succeeded from president pro tempore of the Senate
98			Olin D. Johnston (1896–1965) [206][207]	January 19, 1943[219] – January 2, 1945 (resigned)[x]	Democratic[9]	1942		Ransome Judson Williams
102			Ransome Judson Williams (1892–1970) [220][221]	January 2, 1945[222] – January 21, 1947 (lost nomination)	Democratic[9]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
103			Strom Thurmond (1902–2003) [223][224]	January 21, 1947[225] – January 16, 1951 (term-limited)[u]	Democratic[9]	1946		George Bell Timmerman Jr.
104			James F. Byrnes (1882–1972) [226][227]	January 16, 1951[228] – January 18, 1955 (term-limited)[u]	Democratic[9]	1950
105			George Bell Timmerman Jr. (1912–1994) [229][230]	January 18, 1955[231] – January 20, 1959 (term-limited)[u]	Democratic[9]	1954		Fritz Hollings
106			Fritz Hollings (1922–2019) [232][233]	January 20, 1959[234] – January 15, 1963 (term-limited)[u]	Democratic[9]	1958		Burnet R. Maybank Jr.
107			Donald S. Russell (1906–1998) [235][236]	January 15, 1963[237] – April 22, 1965 (resigned)[y]	Democratic[9]	1962		Robert Evander McNair
108			Robert Evander McNair (1923–2007) [238][239]	April 22, 1965[240] – January 19, 1971 (term-limited)[u]	Democratic[9]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1966		John C. West
109			John C. West (1922–2004) [241][242]	January 19, 1971[243] – January 15, 1975 (term-limited)[z]	Democratic[9]	1970		Earle Morris Jr.
110			James B. Edwards (1927–2014) [245][246]	January 15, 1975[247] – January 10, 1979 (term-limited)[z]	Republican[9]	1974		W. Brantley Harvey Jr.[aa]
111			Richard Riley (b. 1933) [248]	January 10, 1979[249] – January 14, 1987 (term-limited)[z]	Democratic[248]	1978		Nancy Stevenson
						1982		Michael R. Daniel
112			Carroll A. Campbell Jr. (1940–2005) [250]	January 14, 1987[251] – January 11, 1995 (term-limited)[z]	Republican[250]	1986		Nick Theodore[aa]
						1990
113			David Beasley (b. 1957) [252]	January 11, 1995[253] – January 13, 1999 (lost election)	Republican[252]	1994		Bob Peeler[ab]
114			Jim Hodges (b. 1956) [254]	January 13, 1999[255] – January 15, 2003 (lost election)	Democratic[254]	1998
115			Mark Sanford (b. 1960) [256]	January 15, 2003[257] – January 12, 2011 (term-limited)[z]	Republican[256]	2002		André Bauer
						2006
116			Nikki Haley (b. 1972) [258]	January 12, 2011[259] – January 24, 2017 (resigned)[ac]	Republican[258]	2010		Ken Ard
								Glenn F. McConnell
								Yancey McGill[aa]
						2014		Henry McMaster
117			Henry McMaster (b. 1947) [261]	January 24, 2017[260] – Incumbent[ad]	Republican[261]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Kevin L. Bryant
						2018		Pamela Evette
						2022

General

Specific

• Office of the Governor of South Carolina
• SCIway List of South Carolina Governors in Chronological Order
• "South Carolina's Colonial Governors" Preservation Society Halsey Map