ENS
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Erik Nielsen Smit
Governor of St. Thomas
Term
1665-05-06 – 1666-06-12
#1•st thomas
Heritage
Virgin Islands governance timeline
Every recorded administration, from company rule to elected government.
This chronology preserves separate early island administrations, acting appointments, British occupations, Danish Crown rule, United States naval government, appointed civilian governors, and every elected governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
115
Records
1665–now
Coverage
Complete chronology
115 administration records
JH
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administrationActing / interim
Jesper Høyer
Acting Governor of St. Thomas
Term
1666-06-16 – 1667
#2•st thomas
KJS
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administrationActing / interim
Kjeld Jensen Slagelse
Acting Governor of St. Thomas
Term
1667 – 1668
#3•st thomas
JID
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Jørgen Iversen Dyppel
Governor of St. Thomas
Term
1672-05-25 – 1680-07-05
#4•st thomas
NE
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Nicolai Esmit
Governor of St. Thomas
Term
1680-07-05 – 1682-11
#5•st thomas
AE
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Adolph Esmit
Governor of St. Thomas
Term
1682-11 – 1684-05-07
#6•st thomas
GM
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Gabriel Milan
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1684-05-07 – 1686-02-27
#7•st thomas st john
MM
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administrationActing / interim
Mikkel Mikkelsen
Interim Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1686-02-27 – 1686-06-29
#8•st thomas st john
CH
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Christopher Heins
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1686-06-29 – 1687-03
#9•st thomas st john
AE
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administrationActing / interim
Adolph Esmit
Interim Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1687-03 – 1688-10
#10•st thomas st john
CH
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Christopher Heins
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1688-10 – 1689-10
#11•st thomas st john
JL
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Johan Lorensen
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1689-10 – 1692-09-17
#12•st thomas st john
Fdl
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Frans de la Vigne
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1692-09-17 – 1693-04-07
#13•st thomas st john
JL
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Johan Lorensen
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1693-04-07 – 1702-02-19
#14•st thomas st john
CH
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Claus Hansen
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1702-02-19 – 1706-02-08
#15•st thomas st john
JMv
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Joachim Melchior von Holten
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1706-02-08 – 1708-12-21
#16•st thomas st john
DM
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administrationActing / interim
Diderich Mogensen
Interim Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1708-12-21 – 1710
#17•st thomas st john
MKC
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Mikkel Knudsen Crone
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1710 – 1716-08-08
#18•st thomas st john
EB
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Erich Bredal
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1716-08-08 – 1724-04
#19•st thomas st john
St. John was occupied during his administration in 1718.
FM
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Friderich Moth
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1724-04 – 1727-05
#20•st thomas st john
HvS
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Hendrich von Suhm
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1727-05 – 1733-02-21
#21•st thomas st john
PG
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Phillip Gardelin
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1733-02-21 – 1736-02-21
#22•st thomas st john
The 1733 St. John revolt occurred during his administration.
FM
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Frederik Moth
Governor of St. Croix
Term
1735 – 1736
#23•st croix
GHN
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administrationActing / interim
Gregers Høeg Nissen
Interim Governor of St. Croix
Term
1736 – 1744
#24•st croix
FM
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Friderich Moth
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1736-02-21 – 1744-04-13
#25•st thomas st john
JS
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Jacob Schönemann
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1740 – 1744
#26•st thomas st john
PJL
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administrationActing / interim
Poul Jensen Lindemark
Interim Governor of St. Croix
Term
1744 – 1747
#27•st croix
CvS
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Christian von Schweder
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1744-04-13 – 1747-04-25
#28•st thomas st john
JH
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Jens Hansen
Governor of St. Croix
Term
1747 – 1751
#29•st croix
CS
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Christian Suhm
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John
Term
1747-04-25 – 1758
#30•st thomas st john
PC
Portrait not yet verified
Danish company administration
Peter Clausen
Governor of St. Croix
Term
1751 – 1755
#31•st croix
CLv
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Christian Leberecht von Prøck
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1755 – 1766
#32•territory
PC
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Peter Clausen
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1766 – 1770
#33•territory
FCM
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Frederik Christian Moth
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1770 – 1772
#34•territory
UWv
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Ulrich Wilhelm von Roepstorff
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1772 – 1773
#35•territory
HLE
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Henrik Ludvig Ernst von Schimmelmann
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1773 – 1773
#36•territory
PC
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Peter Clausen
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1773 – 1784
#37•territory
HLE
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Henrik Ludvig Ernst von Schimmelmann
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1784 – 1787
#38•territory
EFv
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Ernst Frederik von Walterstorff
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1787 – 1794
#39•territory
WAL
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Wilhelm Anton Lindemann
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1794 – 1796
#40•territory
TdM
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Thomas de Malleville
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1796 – 1798
#41•territory
WAL
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Wilhelm Anton Lindemann
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1798 – 1801
#42•territory
FF
Portrait not yet verified
British occupation
Francis Fuller
British Governor during occupation
Term
1801 – 1802
#43•territory
EFv
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Ernst Frederik von Walterstorff
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1802 – 1803
#44•territory
BFv
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Balthazar Frederik von Mühlenfels
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1802 – 1807
#45•territory
HCL
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Hans Christopher Lillienskjøld
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1807 – 1807
#46•territory
HB
Portrait not yet verified
British occupation
Henry Bowyer
British Governor during occupation
Term
1807 – 1808
#47•territory
GWR
Portrait not yet verified
British occupation
George William Richard Harcourt
British Governor during occupation
Term
1808 – 1812
#48•territory
ES
Portrait not yet verified
British occupationActing / interim
Edward Scott
Acting British Governor during occupation
Term
1812 – 1813
#49•territory
GWR
Portrait not yet verified
British occupation
George William Ramsay
British Governor during occupation
Term
1813 – 1815
#50•territory
PLv
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Peter Lotharius von Oxholm
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1815 – 1816
#51•territory
JHC
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Johan Henrik Christian von Stabel
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1816 – 1816
#52•territory
ABB
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Adrian Benjamin Bentzon
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1816 – 1819
#53•territory
JHC
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Johan Henrik Christian von Stabel
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1819 – 1820
#54•territory
CAR
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Carl Adolph Rothe
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1820 – 1822
#55•territory
JFB
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Johan Frederik Bardenfleth
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1822 – 1827
#56•territory
PCF
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administrationActing / interim
Peter Carl Frederik von Scholten
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1827 – 1831
#57•territory
JS
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administrationActing / interim
Johannes Søbøtker
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1831 – 1832
#58•territory
PCF
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administrationActing / interim
Peter Carl Frederik von Scholten
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1832 – 1834
#59•territory
JS
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Johannes Søbøtker
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1834 – 1836
#60•territory
PCF
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Peter Carl Frederik von Scholten
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1836 – 1848-07-06
#61•territory
Proclaimed emancipation on July 3, 1848.
FvO
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administrationActing / interim
Frederik von Oxholm
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1848 – 1848
#62•territory
PH
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Peder Hansen
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1848 – 1851
#63•territory
HDF
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Hans Ditmar Frederik Feddersen
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1851 – 1855
#64•territory
JFS
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Johan Frederik Schlegel
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1855 – 1861
#65•territory
WLB
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Wilhelm Ludvig Birch
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1861 – 1871
#66•territory
JC
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
John Christmas
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1871 – 1871
#67•territory
FEB
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administrationActing / interim
Frantz Ernst Bille
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1871 – 1872
#68•territory
JAS
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administrationActing / interim
Johan August Stakeman
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1872 – 1872
#69•territory
JAG
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Janus August Garde
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1872 – 1876
#70•territory
CAF
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administrationActing / interim
Carl Anton Frederik Christian Hattensen
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1876 – 1876
#71•territory
JAG
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Janus August Garde
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1876 – 1881
#72•territory
CHA
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Christian Henrik Arendrup
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1881 – 1884
#73•territory
PMS
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administrationActing / interim
Peter Mathias Simonsen Andersen
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1884 – 1885
#74•territory
CHA
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Christian Henrik Arendrup
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1885 – 1888
#75•territory
PMS
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administrationActing / interim
Peter Mathias Simonsen Andersen
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1888 – 1889
#76•territory
CHA
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Christian Henrik Arendrup
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1889 – 1893
#77•territory
CEH
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Carl Emil Hedemann
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1893 – 1903
#78•territory
HA
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Herman August
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1903 – 1904
#79•territory
FTM
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Frederik Theodor Martin Mortensen Nordlien
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1904 – 1905
#80•territory
CMT
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Christian Magdalus Thestrup Cold
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1905 – 1908
#81•territory
PCL
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Peter Carl Limpricht
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1908 – 1911
#82•territory
LCH
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Lars Christian Helweg-Larsen
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1911 – 1915
#83•territory
RB
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administrationActing / interim
Reimund Baumann
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1915 – 1915
#84•territory
LCH
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Lars Christian Helweg-Larsen
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies
Term
1915 – 1916
#85•territory
HGH
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administration
Henning G. H. Stærdahl
Governor of the Danish West Indies
Term
1916 – 1917-03-31
#86•territory
Last Danish governor at Transfer.
HK
Portrait not yet verified
Danish Crown administrationActing / interim
Henri Konow
Acting Governor of the Danish West Indies
Term
1916-12 – 1917-03-31
#87•territory
Assisted with the transfer to U.S. sovereignty.
ETP
Portrait not yet verified
United States naval administrationActing / interim
Edwin Taylor Pollock
Acting Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1917-03-31 – 1917-04-20
#88•territory
JHO
Portrait not yet verified
United States naval administration
James Harrison Oliver
Naval Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1917-04-20 – 1919-04-08
#89•territory
JWO
Portrait not yet verified
United States naval administration
Joseph Wallace Oman
Naval Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1919-04-08 – 1921-04-26
#90•territory
SEW
Portrait not yet verified
United States naval administration
Sumner Ely Wetmore Kittelle
Naval Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1921-04-26 – 1922-09-16
#91•territory
HHH
Portrait not yet verified
United States naval administration
Henry Hughes Hough
Naval Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1922-09-16 – 1923-12-03
#92•territory
PW
Portrait not yet verified
United States naval administration
Philip Williams
Naval Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1923-12-03 – 1925-09-11
#93•territory
MET
Portrait not yet verified
United States naval administration
Martin Edward Trench
Naval Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1925-09-12 – 1927-01-06
#94•territory
WAE
Portrait not yet verified
United States naval administration
Waldo A. Evans
Naval Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1927-01-19 – 1931-03-18
#95•territory
PMP
Portrait not yet verified
United States appointed civilian administration
Paul Martin Pearson
Appointed Civilian Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1931-03-18 – 1935-07-23
#96•territory
LWC
Portrait not yet verified
United States appointed civilian administration
Lawrence William Cramer
Appointed Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1935-08-21 – 1940-12-14
#97•territory
CH
Portrait not yet verified
United States appointed civilian administration
Charles Harwood
Appointed Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1941-02-03 – 1946-05-17
#98•territory
WHH
Portrait not yet verified
United States appointed civilian administration
William H. Hastie
Appointed Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1946-05-17 – 1949-10-21
#99•territory
First Black governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
MFd
Portrait not yet verified
United States appointed civilian administration
Morris Fidanque de Castro
Appointed Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1949-10-21 – 1954-04-09
#100•territory
First native-born Virgin Islander to serve as governor.
AA
Portrait not yet verified
United States appointed civilian administration
Archie Alexander
Appointed Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1954-04-09 – 1955-08-18
#101•territory
WAG
Portrait not yet verified
United States appointed civilian administration
Walter A. Gordon
Appointed Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1955-10-17 – 1958-09-25
#102•territory
JDM
Portrait not yet verified
United States appointed civilian administration
John David Merwin
Appointed Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1958-09-25 – 1961-04-05
#103•territory
RMP
Portrait not yet verified
United States appointed civilian administration
Ralph Moses Paiewonsky
Appointed Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1961-04-05 – 1969-02-12
#104•territory
CEK
Portrait not yet verified
United States appointed civilian administrationActing / interim
Cyril E. King
Acting Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1969-02-12 – 1969-07-01
#105•territory
MHE
Portrait not yet verified
United States appointed civilian administration
Melvin H. Evans
Appointed Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1969-07-01 – 1971-01-04
#106•territory
MHE
Portrait not yet verified
Elected territorial government
Melvin H. Evans
1st Elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1971-01-04 – 1975-01-06
#107•territory
Won the first popular gubernatorial election held November 3, 1970.
CEK
Portrait not yet verified
Elected territorial government
Cyril E. King
2nd Elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1975-01-06 – 1978-01-02
#108•territory
Died in office; Lieutenant Governor Juan F. Luis succeeded him.
JFL
Portrait not yet verified
Elected territorial government
Juan Francisco Luis
3rd Elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1978-01-02 – 1987-01-05
#109•territory
AAF
Portrait not yet verified
Elected territorial government
Alexander A. Farrelly
4th Elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1987-01-05 – 1995-01-02
#110•territory
RLS
Portrait not yet verified
Elected territorial government
Roy Lester Schneider
5th Elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1995-01-02 – 1999-01-04
#111•territory
CWT
Portrait not yet verified
Elected territorial government
Charles Wesley Turnbull
6th Elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
1999-01-04 – 2007-01-01
#112•territory
JPd
Portrait not yet verified
Elected territorial government
John P. de Jongh Jr.
7th Elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
2007-01-01 – 2015-01-05
#113•territory
KEM
Portrait not yet verified
Elected territorial government
Kenneth E. Mapp
8th Elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
2015-01-05 – 2019-01-07
#114•territory
ABJ
Portrait not yet verified
Elected territorial government
Albert Bryan Jr.
9th Elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Term
2019-01-07 – Present
#115•territory