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New Jersey: Governors: 1703-1776

The styles of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and President of the Council in the table are rendered in generic form, though their actual usage varied over time. References to Her/His Majesty's Province were shortened to the Province, while Governor-in-Chief was expanded to Governor and Commander-in-Chief. During the period 1703–1736, when the Governor of New Jersey also held the governorship of New York, references to the Province of New York were likewise included.
Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty's Province of Nova Cæsarea or New Jersey, and Territories thereon depending in America
14/25 Aug 1703 - 20/31 Dec 1708 Edward Hyde, Viscount Cornbury [1]
20/31 Dec 1708 - 6/17 May 1709 John Lovelace, Baron Lovelace of Hurley [1]
Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty's Province of Nova Cæsarea or New Jersey, and Territories thereon depending in America
6/17 May 1709 - c. 25 Jun/6 Jul 1710 Richard Ingoldsby [1][2]
Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over Her/His Majesty's Province of Nova Cæsarea or New Jersey, and Territories thereon depending in America
c. 25 Jun/6 Jul 1710 - 22 Sep/3 Oct 1720 Robert Hunter [1][3]
Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of Nova-Cæsarea or New-Jersey, and Territories thereon depending in America
22 Sep/3 Oct 1720 - 24 Apr/5 May 1728 William Burnet [4]
24 Apr/5 May 1728 - 1/12 Jul 1731 John Montgomerie [1]
President of His Majesty's Council for the Province of New Jersey and the Territories depending thereon in America
1/12 Jul 1731 - 7/18 Aug 1732 Lewis Morris
Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of Nova-Cæsarea or New-Jersey, and Territories thereon depending in America
7/18 Aug 1732 - 10/21 Mar 1736 William Cosby [1]
President of His Majesty's Council and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Province of Nova Cæsarea or New Jersey
10/21 Mar 1736 - 28 Mar/8 Apr 1736 John Anderson [5]
28 Mar/8 Apr 1736 - 29 Aug/3 Sep 1738 John Hamilton [6][7]
Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of Nova-Cæsarea or New-Jersey, and Territories thereon depending in America
29 Aug/3 Sep 1738 - 21 May/1 Jun 1746 Lewis Morris  [8]
President of His Majesty's Council and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Province of Nova Cæsarea or New Jersey
21 May/1 Jun 1746 - 17/28 Jun 1747 John Hamilton  [9]
17/28 Jun 1747 - 10/21 Aug 1747 John Reading [10]
Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of Nova-Cæsarea or New-Jersey, and Territories thereon depending in America
10/21 Aug 1747 - 31 Aug 1757 Jonathan Belcher [11]
President of His Majesty's Council and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Province of Nova Cæsarea or New Jersey
31 Aug 1757 - 22 Sep 1757 John Reading  [12]
Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of Nova Cæsarea or New Jersey, and Territories thereon depending in America
22 Sep 1757 - 16 Jun 1758 Thomas Pownall [13][14]
Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of Nova-Cæsarea or New-Jersey, and Territories thereon depending in America
16 Jun 1758 - 4 Jul 1760 Francis Bernard [13]
4 Jul 1760 - 29 Oct 1761 Thomas Boone [15]
29 Oct 1761 - 25 Feb 1763 Josiah Hardy
25 Feb 1763 - 17 Jun 1776 William Franklin [16]
  1. Also in New York.
  2. Following the death of Lovelace, the functions of Governor devolved on the Lieutenant Governor Ingoldsby, who might have taken the oath of office c. 25 May/5 Jun 1709. The commission of Ingoldsby as Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey was revoked by a royal warrant of 29 Oct/9 Nov 1709, but it appears that it was not delivered to New Jersey before the installation of Hunter.
  3. Hunter had his commission as Governor of New York read and published on 14/25 Jun 1710, taking the oath of office on the same day. Then he proceeded to New Jersey where his commission as Governor or New Jersey was proclaimed. The minutes of the Council of New Jersey for year 1710 are largely missing, but Hunter was absent from the meetings of the New York Council between 22 Jun/3 Jul 1710 and 29 Jun/10 Jul 1710, thus implying that Hunter's commission was read and published in New Jersey c. 25 Jun/6 Jul 1710.
    Following the departure of Hunter, who sailed for England, the functions of Governor devolved on:
    President of His Majesty's Council for the Province of New Jersey and the Territories depending thereon in America
    17/28 Jul 1719 - 22 Sep/3 Oct 1720
    Lewis Morris
  4. Also in New York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
  5. Following the death of Cosby, the functions of Governor devolved on the President of the Council Anderson, who took the oath of office on 16/27 Mar 1736.
  6. Following the death of Anderson, the functions of President devolved on the councillor named next in the instructions to Governor Cosby. Hamilton took the oath of office on 31 Mar/11 Apr 1736.
  7. Lewis Morris was the councillor named first in the instructions to Cosby, which entitled him to assume the presidency upon Cosby's death. However, he was absent at that time and only returned to press his claim at the Council meeting of 20/31 Oct 1736. In the Council's view, Morris's claim would have been valid had he been in New Jersey when Cosby died, but his absence without leave caused him to forfeit his place. Nevertheless, Morris continued to demand the transfer of government and even issued two proclamations on 25 Oct/5 Nov 1736 styling himself President of the Council, though he never succeeded in assuming office.
  8. John West, Lord De La Warr was commissioned Governor of New Jersey (draft commission dated 21 Jul 1737 Old Style), but he never went to New Jersey, and his commission was revoked when Morris's commission was read and published on 29 Aug/3 Sep 1738.
  9. Following the death of Morris, the functions of Governor devolved on the President of the Council Hamilton, who took the oath of office on 4/15 Jun 1746.
  10. Following the death of Hamilton, the functions of President devolved on the councillor named next in the instructions to Governor Morris. Reading took the oath of office c. 20 Jun/1 Jul 1747.
  11. Also in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
  12. Following the death of Belcher and in the absence of Lieutenant Governor Pownall from New Jersey, the functions of Governor devolved on the President of the Council, Reading, who took the oath of office on 9 Sep 1757. Pownall arrived and took the oath on 22 Sep 1757.
  13. Also in Massachusetts.
  14. Pownall was commissioned as Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey on 22 May 1755 and was entitled to succeed Governor Belcher in case of the latter's death or absence from New Jersey. Subsequently, Pownall was commissioned as Governor of Massachusetts Bay and took office on 3 Aug 1757. Following the death of Belcher, he travelled to New Jersey where he was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor on 22 Sep 1757, but was compelled to return to Massachusetts, and the functions of Governor of New Jersey devolved on:
    President of His Majesty's Council and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Province of Nova Cæsarea or New Jersey
    23 Sep 1757 - 16 Jun 1758
    John Reading
  15. Also in South Carolina.
  16. Franklin was taken into custody on orders of the Provincial Congress of New Jersey and brought from Perth Amboy to Burlington for examination. On 21 Jun 1776, the Congress ordered his confinement and sent him to Connecticut, where he was imprisoned.
Last update: 14 Sep 2025
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