List of colonial governors of South Carolina

This is a list of colonial governors of the Province of South Carolina and preceding British colonies in the same region from 1670 to 1775.

Proprietary Period (1670-1719)

Governors of the Proprietary Period for the most part were appointed either by the Proprietors or the Grand Council convening in Charleston.

# Name Took Office Left Office Notes
1 William Sayle March 15, 1670 March 4, 1671 Chosen by Sir John Yeamans
2 Joseph West March 4, 1671 April 19, 1672 1st time, Appointed by Council
3 John Yeamans April 19, 1672 August 1674 Appointed by Proprietors
Joseph West August 13, 1674 October 1682 2nd time, Appointed by Council
4 Joseph Morton October 1682 August 1684 1st time, Appointed by Proprietors
5 Richard Kyrle August 1684 August 1684 Appointed by Proprietors
Joseph West August 30, 1684 July 1, 1685 3rd time, Appointed by Council
6 Robert Quary July 1684 October 1685 Appointed by Council
Joseph Morton October 1685 November 1686 2nd time, Appointed by Council
7 James Colleton November 1686 1690 Appointed by Proprietors
8 Seth Sothell 1690 1692 Claimed Governoship as a Proprietor
9 Philip Ludwell April 11, 1692 May 1693 Appointed by Proprietors
10 Thomas Smith May 1693 November 16, 1694 Appointed by Council
11 Joseph Blake November 1694 August 17, 1695 1st time, Appointed by Council
12 John Archdale August 17, 1695 October 29, 1696 Appointed by Proprietors
Joseph Blake October 29, 1696 September 7, 1700 2nd time, Appointed by Governor Archdale
13 James Moore September 11, 1700 March 1703 Appointed by Council
14 Nathaniel Johnson March 1703 November 26, 1709 Appointed by Proprietors
15 Edward Tynte November 26, 1709 June 26, 1710 Appointed by Proprietors
16 Robert Gibbes June 1710 March 19, 1712 Appointed by Council
17 Charles Craven March 19, 1712 April 23, 1716 Appointed by Proprietors
18 Robert Daniell April 25, 1716 1717 Appointed by Governor Craven
19 Robert Johnson 1717 December 21, 1719 1st time, Appointed by Proprietors

Royal Period (1719-1776)

Governors of the Royal Period were appointed by the British government under the control of the Board of Trade.

# Name Took Office Left Office Notes
20 James Moore II December 21, 1719 May 30, 1721 Appointed by Convention
21 Francis Nicholson May 30, 1721 May 7, 1725 Left for England in 1725, not removed until 1729
22 Arthur Middleton May 7, 1725 December 1730 Acting Governor until Johnson arrived
Robert Johnson December 15, 1730 May 3, 1735 2nd time
23 Thomas Broughton May 3, 1735 November 22, 1737 Acting Governor after Johnson died
24 William Bull November 22, 1737 December 17, 1743 Acting Governor after Broughton died
Samuel Horsey Appointed Governor in 1738, never served
25 James Glen December 17, 1743 June 1, 1756 Appointed Governor in 1738, arrived in 1743
26 William Henry Lyttleton June 1, 1756 April 5, 1760
Thomas Pownall Appointed Governor in 1760, never served
27 William Bull II April 5, 1760 December 22, 1761 1st time, Acting Governor until Boone arrived
28 Thomas Boone December 22, 1761 May 14, 1764
William Bull II May 1764 June 1766 2nd time, Acting Governor until Montagu arrived
29 Charles Greville Montagu June 12, 1766 May 1768 1st time
William Bull II May 1768 October 30, 1768 3rd time, Acting Governor during Montagu's absence
Charles Greville Montagu October 30, 1768 July 31, 1769 2nd time
William Bull II July 31, 1769 September 15, 1771 4th time, Acting Governor during Montagu's absence
Charles Greville Montagu September 15, 1771 March 6, 1773 3rd time
William Bull II March 6, 1773 June 18, 1775 5th time, Acting Governor during Montagu's absence
30 William Campbell June 18, 1775 September 15, 1775
Henry Laurens 1775 1776 President of the Committee on Safety after Campbell's flight to England

See also