Gubernatorial History

Fifty-nine individuals have held the office of Governor of Kentucky. Prior to a 1992 amendment to the state's constitution, a Governor was prohibited from succeeding himself in office, though four men – Isaac Shelby, John LaRue Helm, James B. McCreary and A.B. "Happy" Chandler – served multiple non-consecutive terms. Paul E. Patton was the first Kentucky Governor eligible for a second consecutive term under the amendment and won his reelection bid in 1999. Steve Beshear also was elected to a second term in 2011. James Garrard succeeded himself in 1800, prior to the constitutional provision prohibiting it. First adopted in 1792, the Kentucky Constitution has been rewritten three times and amended many more. Governor Andy Beshear is the first child of a previous Governor to be elected to the office.

The portrait paintings shown below are courtesy of the Kentucky Historical Society and can be viewed in the Kentucky Hall of Governors at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History.


Governor Andy Beshear

Andy Beshear

2019-Present

Image of Matthew Bevin

Matthew Bevin

2015 – 2019

Image of Steven L. Beshear

Steven L. Beshear

2007 – 2015

Image of Ernie Fletcher

Ernie Fletcher

2003 – 2007

Image of Paul E. Patton

Paul E. Patton

1995 – 2003

Image of Brereton C. Jones

Brereton C. Jones

1991 – 1995

Image of Wallace G. Wilkinson

Wallace G. Wilkinson

1987 – 1991

Image of Martha Layne Collins

Martha Layne Collins

1983 – 1987

Image of John Y. Brown Jr.

John Y. Brown Jr.

1979 – 1983

Image of Julian Carroll

Julian Carroll

1974 – 1979

Image of Wendell H. Ford

Wendell H. Ford

1971 – 1974

Image of Louie B. Nunn

Louie B. Nunn

1967 – 1971

Image of Edward T. Breathitt

Edward T. Breathitt

1963 – 1967

Image of Bert T. Combs

Bert T. Combs

1959 – 1963

Image of A.B. “Happy” Chandler

A.B. “Happy” Chandler

1955 – 1959

Image of Lawrence Wetherby

Lawrence Wetherby

1950 – 1955

Image of Earle C. Clements

Earle C. Clements

1947 – 1950

Image of Simeon S. Willis

Simeon S. Willis

1943 – 1947

Image of Keen Johnson

Keen Johnson

1939 – 1943

Image of A.B. “Happy” Chandler

A.B. “Happy” Chandler

1935 – 1939

Image of Ruby Laffoon

Ruby Laffoon

1931-1935

Image of Flem D. Sampson

Flem D. Sampson

1927 – 1931

Image of William J. Fields

William J. Fields

1923 – 1927

Image of Edwin P. Morrow

Edwin P. Morrow

1919 – 1923

Image of James D. Black

James D. Black

1919

Image of Augustus Owsley Stanley

Augustus Owsley Stanley

1915 – 1919

Image of James Bennett McCreary

James Bennett McCreary

1911 – 1915

Image of Augustus Everett Willson

Augustus Everett Willson

1907 – 1911

Image of John Crepps Wickliffe Beckham

John Crepps Wickliffe Beckham

1900 – 1907

Image of William Justus Goebel

William Justus Goebel

1900

Image of William S. Taylor

William S. Taylor

1899 – 1900

Image of William O’Connell Bradley

William O’Connell Bradley

1895 – 1899

Image of John Young Brown

John Young Brown

1891 – 1895

Image of Simon Bolivar Buckner

Simon Bolivar Buckner

1887 – 1891

Image of James Proctor Knott

James Proctor Knott

1883 – 1887

Image of Luke Pryor Blackburn

Luke Pryor Blackburn

1879 – 1883

Image of James Bennett McCreary

James Bennett McCreary

1875 – 1879

Image of Preston Hopkins Leslie

Preston Hopkins Leslie

1871 – 1875

Image of John White Stevenson

John White Stevenson

1867 – 1871

Image of John LaRue Helm

John LaRue Helm

1867

Image of Thomas Elliott Bramlette

Thomas Elliott Bramlette

1863 – 1867

Image of James Fisher Robinson

James Fisher Robinson

1862 – 1863

Image of Beriah Magoffin

Beriah Magoffin

1859 – 1862

Image of Charles Slaughter Morehead

Charles Slaughter Morehead

1855 – 1859

Image of Lazarus Whitehead Powell

Lazarus Whitehead Powell

1851 – 1855

Image of John LaRue Helm

John LaRue Helm

1850 – 1851

Image of John Jordan Crittenden

John Jordan Crittenden

1848 – 1850

Image of William Owsley

William Owsley

1844 – 1848

Image of Robert Perkins Letcher

Robert Perkins Letcher

1840 – 1844

Image of Charles Anderson Wickliffe

Charles Anderson Wickliffe

1839 – 1840

Image of James Clark

James Clark

1836 – 1839

Image of James Turner Morehead

James Turner Morehead

1834 – 1836

Image of John Breathitt

John Breathitt

1832 – 1834

Image of Thomas Metcalfe

Thomas Metcalfe

1828 – 1832

Image of Joseph Desha

Joseph Desha

1824 – 1828

Image of John Adair

John Adair

1820 – 1824

Image of Gabriel Slaughter

Gabriel Slaughter

1816 – 1820

Image of George Madison

George Madison

1816

Image of Isaac Shelby

Isaac Shelby

1812 – 1816

Image of Charles Scott

Charles Scott

1808 – 1812

Image of Christopher Greenup

Christopher Greenup

1804 – 1808

Image of James Garrard

James Garrard

1796 – 1804

Image of Isaac Shelby

Isaac Shelby

1792 – 1796