New York: Colonial Governors: 1691-1783The styles of the governors and lieutenant governors are normally appended with the references to other offices held concurrently (Vice Admiral and/or Chancellor). |
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| Captain General and Governor-in-Chief under their Most Sacred Majesties William and Mary, by the Grace of God, of England, Scotland, France and Ireland King and Queen, Defenders of the Faith, in and over the Province of New York and the Territories thereon depending in America | |
| 19/29 Mar 1691 - 23 Jul/2 Aug 1691 | Henry Sloughter |
| Council | |
| 23 Jul/2 Aug 1691 - 26 Jul/5 Aug 1691 | |
| Commander-in-Chief of the Province of New York [1] | |
| 26 Jul/5 Aug 1691 - 30 Aug/9 Sep 1692 | Richard Ingoldsby |
| Captain General and Governor-in-Chief of the Province of New York and the Territories and Tracts of Land depending thereon in America | |
| 30 Aug/9 Sep 1692 - 2/12 Apr 1698 | Benjamin Fletcher |
| Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America | |
| 2/12 Apr 1698 - 5/16 Mar 1701 | Richard Coote, Earl of Bellomont [2] |
| Council [3] | |
| 5/16 Mar 1701 - 19/30 May 1701 | |
| Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America (ex officio) | |
| 19/30 May 1701 - 3/14 May 1702 | John Nanfan |
| Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America | |
| 3/14 May 1702 - 18/29 Dec 1708 | Edward Hyde, Viscount Cornbury |
| 18/29 Dec 1708 - 6/17 May 1709 | John Lord Lovelace, Baron Lovelace of Hurley |
| President of the Council [4] | |
| 6/17 May 1709 - 9/20 May 1709 | Peter Schuyler |
| Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America (ex officio) | |
| 9/20 May 1709 - 17/28 Apr 1710 | Richard Ingoldsby |
| President of the Council | |
| 17/28 Apr 1710 - 14/25 Jun 1710 | Gerardus Beeckman |
| Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America | |
| 14/25 Jun 1710 - 17/28 Sep 1720 | Robert Hunter |
| 17/28 Sep 1720 - 15/26 Apr 1728 | William Burnet [5] |
| 15/26 Apr 1728 - 1/12 Jul 1731 | John Montgomerie |
| President of the Council | |
| 1/12 Jul 1731 - 1/12 Aug 1732 | Rip Van Dam |
| Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America | |
| 1/12 Aug 1732 - 10/21 Mar 1736 | William Cosby |
| President of the Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America | |
| 10/21 Mar 1736 - 30 Oct/10 Nov 1736 | George Clarke |
| Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America (ex officio) | |
| 30 Oct/10 Nov 1736 - 22 Sep/3 Oct 1743 | George Clarke [6] |
| Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of New York and Territories depending thereon in America | |
| 22 Sep/3 Oct 1743 - 10 Oct 1753 | George Clinton |
| 10 Oct 1753 - 12 Oct 1753 | Sir Danvers Osborn, Baronet |
| Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America (ex officio) | |
| 12 Oct 1753 - 3 Sep 1755 | James De Lancey |
| Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of New York and Territories depending thereon in America | |
| 3 Sep 1755 - 3 Jun 1757 | Sir Charles Hardy |
| Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America (ex officio) | |
| 3 Jun 1757 - 30 Jul 1760 | James De Lancey [7] |
| President of the Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America | |
| 4 Aug 1760 - 8 Aug 1761 | Cadwallader Colden [8] |
| Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America (ex officio) | |
| 8 Aug 1761 - 26 Oct 1761 | Cadwallader Colden |
| Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of New York and Territories depending thereon in America | |
| 26 Oct 1761 - 13 Nov 1765 | Robert Monckton |
| 13 Nov 1765 - 11 Sep 1769 | Sir Henry Moore, Baronet |
| Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America (ex officio) | |
| 12 Sep 1769 - 19 Oct 1770 | Cadwallader Colden [9] |
| Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of New York and Territories depending thereon in America | |
| 19 Oct 1770 - 9 Jul 1771 | John Murray, Earl of Dunmore |
| 9 Jul 1771 - 23 Mar 1780 | William Tryon |
| 23 Mar 1780 - 25 Nov 1783 | James Robertson [10] |
- The holder of the office of Commander-in-Chief was named the successor in case of the death of Govenor Sloughter in his commission of 4/14 Jan 1690. After the death of Sloughter, the Council met on 23 Jul/2 Aug 1691 to consider the transfer of government, but postponed the reading of commission. On 26 Jul/5 Aug 1691 the commission of Sloughter was read at the meeting of the Council which resolved nemine contradicente that Ingoldsby, who held only a commission of captain of the company of foot, is the Commander-in-Chief of the Province. Accordingly, Ingoldsby took the oath of office.
- Also in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
- The commission of the Earl of Bellomont of 18/28 Jun 1697 designated the Lieutenant Governor and, in case of his absence or death, the Council as the successor to the government of the Province. The eldest councilor was given the right to preside at the meetings. When Bellomont died on 5/16 Mar 1701, Lieutenant Governor Nanfan was absent in Barbados and the Council assumed executive authority. William Smith, the eldest member of the Council, was absent during the meeting on 5/16 Mar 1701 and 6/17 Mar 1701. He took the chair on 13/24 Mar 1701 and claimed the authority as the President of the Council, but the Council refused to grant him such powers and recognized him only as presiding officer. During the absences of Smith, Abraham De Peyster and Peter Schuyler served as presiding officers.
- The commission of Lovelace of 18/29 Dec 1708 designated the successors to the government of the Province in the following order: Lieutenant Governor, Commander-in-Chief, Eldest Councilor. Pending the arrival of Lieutenant Governor Ingoldsby, Schuyler assumed the executive authority.
- Also in New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
- John West, Lord De La Warr was commissioned Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of New York on 21 Jul/1 Aug 1737, but never took office. His commission was revoked on the date when the commission of Clinton was read and published (22 Sep/3 Oct 1743).
- Hardy requested to resign the government of New York in a letter sent to the Lords of Trade (2 Aug 1756) and was given permission by a royal order issued in March 1757. In anticipation of arrival of the order, Hardy announced his departure and transferred the seals, commission and instructions to Lieutenant Governor De Lancey at the meeting of the Council on 2 Jun 1757. De Lancey was sworn in on 3 Jun 1757. On 3 Mar 1761 the office of Governor of New York was recognized vacant "by the resignation of Sir Charles Hardy" at the meeting of the Board of Trade. However, the commission of Hardy remained valid until 26 Oct 1761 when it was revoked after the reading and publication of the commission of Monckton.
- De Lancey died on 30 Jul 1760 and his death was reported to the Council on the same day (Colden was absent). The commission and instructions to Hardy were read at the meeting of the Council on 4 Aug 1760 and Colden was sworn in.
- Moore died on 11 Sep 1769 and his death was reported to the Council on 12 Sep 1769 when the Great Seal was delivered to Lieutenant Governor Colden, whose commission was read. Colden took the oath of office on 13 Sep 1769.
- Robertson boarded a ship sailing for England on 16 Apr 1783. Lieutenant Governor Andrew Elliot was sworn in on 17 Apr 1783 and assumed the government in absence of Robertson until the evacuation of the British troops from New York on 25 Nov 1783.
Last update: 01 Jan 2024