Name
Term
Party
Life
State of Birth
Occupation

William Blount 
September 20, 1790 – March 30, 1796 
Democratic-Republican 
1749–1800 
NC 
Soldier 

John Sevier 
March 30, 1796 – September 23, 1801 
Democratic-Republican 
1745–1815 
VA 
Soldier, pioneer  

Archibald Roane 
September 23, 1801 – September 23, 1803 
Democratic-Republican 
1760–1819 
PA 
Lawyer  

John Sevier 
September 23, 1803 – September 20, 1809 
Democratic-Republican 
1745–1815 
VA 
Soldier, pioneer  

Willie Blount 
September 20, 1809 – September 27, 1815 
Democratic-Republican 
1768–1835 
NC 
Lawyer, planter  

Joseph McMinn 
September 27, 1815 – October 1, 1821 
Democratic-Republican 
1758–1824 
PA 
Merchant  

William Carroll 
October 1, 1821–October 1, 1827 
Democratic-Republican 
1788–1844 
PA 
Merchant, soldier  

Sam Houston 
October 1, 1827 – April 16, 1829 
Democratic-Republican 
1793–1863 
VA 
Lawyer  

William Hall 
April 16, 1829 – October 1, 1829 
Democratic 
1775–1856 
NC 
Planter, soldier  

William Carroll 
October 1, 1829 – October 12, 1835 
Democratic 
1788–1844 
PA 
Merchant, soldier  

Newton Cannon 
October 12, 1835 – October 14, 1839 
Whig 
1781–1841 
NC 
Planter  

James K. Polk 
October 14, 1839 – October 15, 1841 
Democratic 
1795–1849 
NC 
Lawyer/President  

James C. Jones 
October 15, 1841 – October 14, 1845 
Whig 
1809–1859 
TN 
Lawyer  

Aaron V. Brown 
October 14, 1845 – October 17, 1847 
Democratic 
1795–1859 
VA 
Lawyer  

Neill S. Brown 
October 17, 1847 – October 16, 1849 
Whig 
1810–1886 
TN 
Lawyer  

William Trousdale 
October 16, 1849 – October 16, 1851 
Democratic 
1790–1872 
NC 
Lawyer  

William B. Campbell 
October 16, 1851 – October 17, 1853 
Whig 
1807–1867 
TN 
Lawyer  

Andrew Johnson 
October 17, 1853 – November 3, 1857 
Democratic 
1808–1875 
NC 
Tailor, President  

Isham G. Harris 
November 3, 1857 – March 12, 1862 
Democratic 
1818–1897 
TN 
Lawyer, U.S. Senator  

Andrew Johnson 
March 12, 1862 – March 4, 1865 
Democratic/Military 
1808–1875 
NC 
Tailor, President  

Edward H. East 
March 4, 1865 – April 5, 1865 
Republican 
1830–1904 

William G. Brownlow 
April 5, 1865 – February 25, 1869 
Republican 
1805–1877 
VA 
Editor, preacher  

Dewitt Clinton Senter 
February 25, 1869 – October 10, 1871 
Republican 
1830–1898 
TN 
Lawyer  

John C. Brown 
October 10, 1871 – January 18, 1875 
Democratic 
1827–1889 
TN 
Lawyer  

James D. Porter, Jr. 
January 18, 1875 – February 16, 1879 
Democratic 
1828–1912 
TN 
Lawyer, educator  

Albert S. Marks 
February 16, 1879 – January 17, 1881 
Democratic 
1836–1891 
KY 
Lawyer, chancellor  

Alvin Hawkins 
January 17, 1881 – January 15, 1883 
Republican 
1821–1905 
KY 
Lawyer, judge  

William B. Bate 
January 15, 1883 – January 17, 1887 
Democratic 
1826–1905 
TN 
Lawyer, U.S. Senator  

Robert Love Taylor
January 17, 1887 – January 19, 1891 
Democratic 
1850–1912 
TN 
Lawyer, U.S. Senator  

John P. Buchanan 
January 19, 1891 – January 16, 1893 
Farm-Labor 
1847–1930 
TN 
Farmer  

Peter Turney 
January 16, 1893 – January 21, 1897 
Democratic 
1827–1903 
TN 
Lawyer, judge  

Robert Love Taylor 
January 21, 1897 – January 16, 1899 
Democratic 
1850–1912 
TN 
Lawyer, U.S. Senator  

Benton McMillin 
January 16, 1899 – January 19, 1903 
Democratic 
1845–1933 
KY 
Lawyer, diplomat  

James B. Frazier 
January 19, 1903 – March 21, 1905 
Democratic 
1856–1937 
TN 
Lawyer, U.S. Senator  

John I. Cox 
March 21, 1905 – January 17, 1907 
Democratic 
1855–1946 
TN 
Lawyer  

Malcolm R. Patterson 
January 17, 1907 – January 26, 1911 
Democratic 
1861–1935 
AL 
Lawyer, judge  

Ben W. Hooper 
January 26, 1911 – January 17, 1915 
Republican 
1870–1957 
TN 
Lawyer  

Tom C. Rye 
January 17, 1915 – January 15, 1919 
Democratic 
1863–1953 
TN 
Lawyer, judge  

A. H. Roberts 
January 15, 1919 – January 15, 1921 
Democratic 
1868–1946 
TN 
Lawyer, judge  

Alfred A. Taylor 
January 15, 1921 – January 16, 1923 
Republican 
1848–1931 
TN 
Lawyer  

Austin Peay 
January 16, 1923 – October 3, 1927 
Democratic 
1876–1927 
KY 
Lawyer

Henry Hollis Horton 
October 3, 1927 – January 17, 1933 
Democratic 
1866–1934 
AL 
Lawyer, farmer  

Harry Hill McAlister 
January 17, 1933 – January 15, 1937 
Democratic 
1875–1959 
TN 
Lawyer  

Gordon Browning 
January 15, 1937 – January 16, 1939 
Democratic 
1889–1976 
TN 
Lawyer, judge  

Prentice Cooper 
January 16, 1939 – January 16, 1945 
Democratic 
1895–1969 
TN 
Lawyer  

Jim Nance McCord 
January 16, 1945 – January 16, 1949 
Democratic 
1879–1968 
TN 
Editor  

Gordon Browning 
January 16, 1949 – January 15, 1953 
Democratic 
1889–1976 
TN 
Lawyer, Judge  

Frank G. Clement 
January 15, 1953 – January 19, 1959 
Democratic 
1920–1969 
TN 
Lawyer  

Buford Ellington 
January 19, 1959 – January 15, 1963 
Democratic 1907–1972 
MS 
Farmer  

Frank G. Clement 
January 15, 1963 – January 16, 1967 
Democratic 1920–1969 
TN 
Lawyer  

Buford Ellington 
January 16, 1967 – January 16, 1971 
Democratic 1907–1972 
MS 
Farmer  

Winfield Dunn 
January 16, 1971 – January 18, 1975 
Republican b. 1927 
MS 
Dentist  

Ray Blanton 
January 18, 1975 – January 16, 1979 
Democratic 1930–1996 
TN 
Farmer, businessman  

Lamar Alexander 
January 16, 1979 – January 17, 1987 
Republican 
b. 1940 
TN 
Lawyer, US Senator  

Ned McWherter 
January 17, 1987 – January 21, 1995 
Democratic 
b. 1930 
TN 
Businessman  

Donald K. Sundquist 
January 21, 1995 – January 18, 2003 
Republican 
b. 1936 
IL 
Businessman  

Phil Bredesen 
January 18, 2003 – present 
Democratic 
b. 1943 
NJ 
Businessman 





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