Massachusetts: Colonial Governors: 1689-1776 - Archontology
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Massachusetts: Colonial Governors: 1689-1776
Governor of the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay in New England
7/17 Jun 1689 - 16/26 May 1692 Simon Bradstreet
Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England
16/26 May 1692 - 18/28 Feb 1695 Sir William Phips
Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England
18/28 Feb 1695 - 26 May/8 Jun 1699 William Stoughton [1]
Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England
26 May/8 Jun 1699 - 5/16 Mar 1701 Richard Coote, Earl of Bellomont [2]
Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England
5/16 Mar 1701 - 7/18 Jul 1701 William Stoughton  [3]
Council [4]
10/21 Jul 1701 - 11/22 Jun 1702  
Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England
11/22 Jun 1702 - 3/14 Feb 1715 Joseph Dudley [5][6]
Council
3/14 Feb 1715 - 21 Mar/1 Apr 1715  
Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England
21 Mar/1 Apr 1715 - 9/20 Nov 1715 Joseph Dudley 
Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England
9/20 Nov 1715 - 5/16 Oct 1716 William Tailer [7]
Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England
5/16 Oct 1716 - 19/30 Jul 1728 Samuel Shute [8]
19/30 Jul 1728 - 7/18 Sep 1729 William Burnet [9]
Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England
7/18 Sep 1729 - 11/22 Jun 1730 William Dummer [10]
11/22 Jun 1730 - 10/21 Aug 1730 William Tailer  [11]
Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England
10/21 Aug 1730 - 14/25 Aug 1741 Jonathan Belcher [12]
14/25 Aug 1741 - 3 Aug 1757 William Shirley
3 Aug 1757 - 2 Aug 1760 Thomas Pownall
2 Aug 1760 - 14 Mar 1771 Francis Bernard
14 Mar 1771 - 17 May 1774 Thomas Hutchinson
17 May 1774 - Mar 1776 Thomas Gage [13][14]
  1. In office as Lieutenant Governor 16/26 May 1692 - 7/18 Jul 1701.
  2. Also in New York and New Hampshire.
  3. Lieutenant Governor Stoughton exercised the functions of Governor during the absence of the Earl of Bellomont (17/28 Jul 1700 - 5/16 Mar 1701) who served concurrently as Governor of New York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The Earl of Bellomont died in New York on 5/16 Mar 1701 and the fact of his death was communicated to the Council of Massachusetts on 24 Mar/4 Apr 1701. Stoughton continued in office without taking any new oaths as those which he had previously taken were regarded as sufficient.
  4. After the death of Stoughton (7/18 Jul 1701) the government devolved on the Council which issued a proclamation to that effect on 10/21 Jul 1701.
  5. Also in the Dominion of New England and New Hampshire.
  6. Royal Commission of Joseph Dudley was considered to have expired on 1/12 Feb 1715 in accordance with a resolution passed by the Council 3/14 Feb 1715.
  7. In office as Lieutenant Governor 4/15 Oct 1711 - 5/16 Oct 1716; pending the installation of Elizeus Burges who never took office.
  8. Also in New Hampshire.
  9. Also in New York, New Jersey and New Hampshire.
  10. In office as Lieutenant Governor 5/16 Oct 1716 - 11/22 Jun 1730 (sworn in 10/21 Sep 1729).
  11. In office as Lieutenant Governor 11/22 Jun 1730 - 1/12 Mar 1732; pending the installation of Jonathan Belcher.
  12. Also in New Hampshire and New Jersey.
  13. The Provincial Congress of Massachusetts passed a resolve withdrawing the recognition of the Governor on 5 May 1775. Acting on the recommendations of the Continental Congress of 9 Jun 1775, the Provincial Congress declared the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor vacant on 20 Jun 1775.
  14. Gage sailed for England on 10 Oct 1775. Lieutenant Governor Thomas Oliver was sworn in on 25 Oct 1775 and assumed the government in absence of Gage until the evacuation of the British troops from Boston in March 1776.
Last update: 13 Dec 2023
https://www.archontology.org/nations/us/massachusetts/00_1689_1776_g.php