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New Hampshire: Colonial Governors: 1692-1775

Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of New Hampshire
13/12 Aug 1692 - 14/24 Dec 1697 John Usher [1]
14/24 Dec 1697 - 15/25 Sep 1698 William Partridge [2]
Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of New Hampshire
15/25 Sep 1698 - 31 Jul/10 Aug 1699 Samuel Allen
31 Jul/10 Aug 1699 - 5/16 Mar 1701 Richard Coote, Earl of Bellomont [3]
Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of New Hampshire
5/16 Mar 1701 - 13/24 Jul 1702 William Partridge  [4]
Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of New Hampshire in New England [5]
13/24 Jul 1702 - 13/24 Oct 1715 Joseph Dudley [6][7]
Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of New Hampshire
13/24 Oct 1715 - 17/28 Oct 1716 George Vaughan [7]
Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of New Hampshire in New England [5]
17/28 Oct 1716 - 2/13 Nov 1728 Samuel Shute [8]
2/13 Nov 1728 - 7/18 Sep 1729 William Burnet [9]
Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of New Hampshire
7/18 Sep 1729 - 25 Aug/5 Sep 1730 John Wentworth [10]
Captain General, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Province of New Hampshire in New England [11]
25 Aug/5 Sep 1730 - 12/23 Dec 1741 Jonathan Belcher [12]
12/23 Dec 1741 - 13 Jun 1767 Benning Wentworth
13 Jun 1767 - 23 Aug 1775 John Wentworth [13][14]
  1. President of the Council of the Province of New Hampshire (in dissidence) *
    • Jan 1697 - 14/24 Dec 1697
    • John Hincks
    • * William Partridge was commissioned Lieutenant Governor (26 Jun/6 Jul 1696) and arrived in New Hampshire in Jan 1697, but deferred to publish his commission. Acting on royal instructions to Partridge, concerning the revocation of the commission of Usher, the Council assumed executive authority and Hincks took over the presidency. Usher refused to recognize the authority of either Partridge or the Council and continued to exercise the functions of Lieutenant Governor, mostly residing in Boston.
  2. The commission of Partridge was read and proclaimed at Portsmouth on 14/24 Dec 1697 and he took the oaths prescribed by law on the same day. Usher protested against this action, claiming that Partridge violated the procedures of oath-taking.
  3. Also in New York and Massachusetts.
  4. Lieutenant Governor Partridge exercised the functions of Governor during the absence of the Earl of Bellomont 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 Partridge continued in office without taking any new oaths as those which he had previously taken were regarded as sufficient.
  5. Also in official use: Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of New Hampshire in New England.
  6. Also in the Dominion of New England and Massachusetts.
  7. Elizeus Burges was appointed Governor by a royal commission (Feb 1715) including a clause, revocating the commission of Dudley, and George Vaughan was appointed Lieutenant Governor to serve in case of the death or absence of Burges. Anticipating the arrival of Burges, Vaughan took the oath of offce (13/24 Oct 1715) and assumed the government, although the commission of Dudley remained technically valid since the commission of Burges was not published. Burges declined to serve and his commission was eventually revoked on the publication of the commission of Samuel Shute (17/28 Oct 1716).
  8. Also in Massachusetts.
  9. Also in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
  10. Lieutenant Governor Wentworth exercised the functions of Governor during the absence of Burnet who served concurrently as Governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Burnet died in Boston on 7/18 Sep 1729 and Wentworth continued in office without taking any new oaths as those which he had previously taken were regarded as sufficient.
  11. Also in official use: Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of New Hampshire in New England; Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Province of New Hampshire in New England.
  12. Also in Massachusetts and New Jersey.
  13. Namesake of Lieutenant Governor John Wentworth (7/18 Sep 1729 - 25 Aug/5 Sep 1730).
  14. Wentworth took refuge at Fort William and Mary on 13 Jun 1775 and then sailed for Boston on 23 Aug 1775.