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Utah's Governors Since Statehood
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 HEBER MANNING WELLS
Governor: 1896-1905
Republican
(Lived: August 11, 1859-March 12, 1938)
When Utah achieved statehood in 1896, 36-year-old Wells, a Salt Lake City native, became Utah's first governor and the youngest to date. A former tax collector, city recorder, and secretary of the 1895 Utah Constitutional Convention, he was later involved in banking. Wells helped state government move from territorial to state status. He supported bills that affected education, agriculture, and the arts.
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 JOHN CHRISTOPHER CUTLER
Governor: 1905-1909
Republican
(Lived: February 5, 1846-July 30,1928)
Born in Sheffield, England, Cutler immigrated to Utah with his family in 1864. A successful businessman and president of the family dry goods business, he was also director of several banks, and insurance companies. As governor, Cutler began a state juvenile court system, ordered that state laws be compiled and coded, and created the state register of births and deaths.
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 WILLIAM SPRY
Governor: 1909-1917
Republican
(Lived: January 11, 1864 - April 21, 1929)
A native of Windsor, Berkshire, England, Spry came to Utah in 1875. After serving as a tax collector, Grantsville councilman, and a state legislator, Spry was appointed U.S. marshal for Utah in 1906. As governor, he is remembered for talking the legislature into appropriating money for the State Capitol. Also, he refused to intervene in the execution of radical labor leader Joe Hill.
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 SIMON BAMBERGER
Governor: 1917-1921
Democrat
(Lived: February 27, 1846 - October 6, 1926)
Bamberger, born in Eberstadt, Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, has the distinction of being Utah's first Democratic governor, first non-Mormon governor, and the oldest elected governor. He took office at the age of 71. The second Jew elected governor of any state in the U.S., he had earned a fortune in silver mining and railroading. A strong supporter of Prohibition, he promoted reforms, including establishment of a Public Utilities Commission, and a Department of Health.
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 CHARLES RENDELL MABEY
Governor: 1921-1925
Republican
(Lived: October 4, 1877-April 26, 1959)
Born in Bountiful, Utah, Mabey studied at the University of Utah and served in the Spanish American War and World War I. He was a banker, mayor, and educator. As Utah's fifth governor, Mabey was a strong supporter of education. Under his administration, new schools were built and standards for teacher certification improved. He also worked for new highway construction.
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 GEORGE HENRY DERN
Governor: 1925-1933
Democrat
(Lived: September 8, 1872 - August 27, 1936)
A native of Scribner, Dodge County, Nebraska, Dern was captain of the U of Nebraska football team during his college years. An important figure in Utah's mining industry, he served in the state senate before his election as governor. Dern revised Utah's tax laws to favor middle and lower income groups. He advocated unemployment insurance. Later, he served as Franklin D. Roosevelt's Secretary of War.
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 HENRY HOOPER BLOOD
Governor: 1933-1941
Democrat
(Lived: October 1, 1872-June 19, 1942)
Born in Kaysville, Blood had served on the Public Utilities Commission and as chairman of the State Road Commission before his election as governor. He supported Franklin D. Roosevelt?s programs during the Great Depression. He was able to obtain Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration projects for Utah. Dams and range improvements were high priorities during his administration. A 2 percent sales tax was adopted at his urging as a welfare measure. Blood was the first governor to occupy the Governor's Mansion, donated by the Thomas Kearns family to the state in 1937.
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 HERBERT BROWN MAW
Governor: 1941-1949
Democrat
(Lived: March 11, 1893-November 17, 1990)
An Ogden native, Maw served as an army chaplain during World War I before beginning a successful career as a university professor and attorney. Maw served 10 years in the Utah Senate and was its president during 1934-38. He helped to secure important military and defense facilities for the state during World War II.
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 JOSEPH BRACKEN LEE
Governor: 1949-1957
Republican
(Lived: January 7, 1899-October 20, 1996)
Born in Price, Lee was involved in the real estate and insurance business. He served as mayor of Price during 1936-47. As governor, Lee gained national attention almost immediately because of his battle against the federal income tax . Under his direction, Utah maintained its debt-free status. He later served as mayor of Salt Lake City during 1959-71.
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 GEORGE DEWEY CLYDE
Governor: 1957-1965
Republican
(Lived: July 21, 1898 - April 2, 1972)
Born near Springville, Utah Clyde became a recognized expert in water conservation and development. He taught engineering at Utah State University, worked for the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, and directed the Utah Water and Power Board before his election as governor. Clyde increased state funding for schools, highway construction, and state buildings. He also began the state library and the state park system.
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 CALVIN LEWELLYN RAMPTON
Governor: 1965-1977
Democrat
(Lived: November 6, 1913-)
A Bountiful native, Rampton was awarded the Bronze Star while serving in Europe during World War II. Utah's only three-term governor to date, he created the Industrial Promotion Council and the Utah Travel Council. Rampton supported important civil rights legislation and increased spending for education. He retired to a private law practice.
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 SCOTT MILNE MATHESON
Governor: 1977-1985
Democrat
(Lived: January 8, 1929 - October 7, 1990)
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Matheson began his law practice in Cedar City before serving as deputy Salt Lake County attorney and later as an attorney. He later worked as an attorney for the Union Pacific Railroad. As governor, Matheson defended Utah's rights against growing authority by federal agencies. Inflation, drought and flooding were challenging, and he cut state budgets and payrolls. Yet he did secure increased funding for education, health, and highways. He returned to private law practice and became national chair of the Democratic Policy Commission.
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 NORMAN HOWARD BANGERTER
Governor: 1985-1993
Republican
(Lived: January 4, 1933 -)
Bangerter grew up in Granger (now West Valley City). He served in the U. S. Army in Korea, 1953-54. A successful real estate developer and businessman, he was elected to the Utah House of Representatives in 1974. As governor, he began a campaign to rebuild the state's economy and to reduce the size and cost of state government. His three E's -- education, economic development, and efficiency in government-- won national recognition for the state as a good place to live and do business. Later, he became occupied with the environment as well as court, prison, and building needs. He returned to private business.
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 MICHAEL OKERLUND LEAVITT
Governor: 1993-2003
Republican
(Lived: February 11, 1951 -)
Born in Cedar City, Leavitt worked as an insurance executive and businessman. While governor, he worked to bring jobs and economic growth to Utah. His education program included Centennial Schools, a program to return power to parents and teachers at local schools. His Smart Sites initiative built public-private partnerships to deliver state services electronically. Leavitt held regional and national leadership roles and was on the executive committee of the National Governors Association and Republican Governors Association. The state received national and international recognition during his term, including Salt Lake City being named as the site for the 2002 Winter Olympics and as the best state to locate a business, best managed state, and most livable state. Leavitt resigned during his third term to head the Environmental Protection Agency.
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 OLENE S. WALKER
Governor: 2003 -2004
Republican
(Lived :
November 15, 1930 -)
The first female governor of Utah, Olene Walker was also Utah's first female lieutenant governor. She became governor in November 2003, when Governor Michael O. Leavitt resigned to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Born in Ogden, Utah, Walker served as a member of the Utah House of Representatives from 1981 to 1989. Her efforts led to the establishment of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This provides every child in Utah access to medical insurance. During her short term, Governor Walker accomplished much. She worked for better education and having every child learn to read well. She also worked for watershed protection, air quality measures, and opposition to high-level nuclear waste coming to Utah. |
Before Utah was a state, there were Territorial Governors. |
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