Agents and governors of Liberia

(Redirected from Colonial heads of Liberia)

This article lists the agents and governors of Liberia, consisting of fourteen agents and two governors of the American Colonization Society from 1822 until Liberian independence in 1847. The last governor, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, also served as the first president of Liberia after independence was gained in 1847.

Map of the Colony of Liberia, 1839.

The colors indicate the race of each agent or governor.

List of Agents and Governors of Liberia

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Status
  Denotes Acting Colonial Agent
Symbols

Died in office

No. Portrait Name

(Birth–Death)

Term of office Race Title
Took office Left office Time in office
Cape Mesurado Colony
1   Eli Ayers
(1778–1822)
15 December 1821 25 April 1822[†] 131 days White Colonial Agent
2   Frederick James
Acting Colonial Agent
25 April 1822 4 June 1822 40 days Black
3   Elijah Johnson
(1789–1849)
Acting Colonial Agent
4 June 1822 8 August 1822 65 days Black
4   Jehudi Ashmun
(1794–1828)
Acting Colonial Agent
8 August 1822 2 April 1823 237 days White
(3)   Elijah Johnson
(1789–1849)
Acting Colonial Agent
2 April 1823 14 August 1823 134 days Black
(4)   Jehudi Ashmun
(1794–1828)
Acting Colonial Agent
14 August 1823 15 August 1824 1 year,
1 day
White
Colony of Liberia
(4)   Jehudi Ashmun
(1794–1828)
15 August 1824 26 March 1828 3 years,
224 days
White Colonial Agent
5   Lott Cary
(vice-agent)
(1780–1828)
26 March 1828 8 November 1828 227 days Black
6   Colston Waring
(vice-agent)
8 November 1828 22 December 1828 44 days Black
7   Richard Randall
(1796–1829)
22 December 1828 19 April 1829[†] 118 days White
8   Joseph Mechlin Jr.
(unknown–1839)
19 April 1829 27 February 1830 314 days White
9   John Anderson 27 February 1830 12 April 1830 44 days White
10   Anthony D. Williams
(vice-agent)
(1799–1860)
13 April 1830 4 December 1830 235 days Black
(8)   Joseph Mechlin Jr.
(unknown–1839)
4 December 1830 24 September 1833 2 years,
293 days
White
11   George McGill
(vice-agent)
24 September 1833 1 January 1834 99 days Black
12   John B. Pinney
(1806–1882)
1 January 1834 10 May 1835 1 year,
130 days
White
13   Nathaniel Brander
(vice-agent)
(1796–unknown)
10 May 1835 12 August 1835 94 days Black
14   Ezekiel Skinner
(1777–1885)
12 August 1835 25 September 1836 1 year,
63 days
White
(10)   Anthony D. Williams
(vice-agent then lieutenant governor)
(1799–1860)
25 September 1836 1 April 1839 2 years,
189 days
Black
Commonwealth of Liberia
1   Thomas Buchanan
(1808–1841)
1 April 1839 3 September 1841[†] 2 years,
154 days
White Governor
2   Joseph Jenkins Roberts[A]
(1809–1876)
3 September 1841 3 January 1848 6 years,
121 days
Black
[A] Became the first president of Liberia in January 1848

See also

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References

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  • Dunn, Elwood (2001). Historical Dictionary of Liberia. The Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland and London.
  • Karnga, Abayomi (1926). History of Liberia. D.H. Tyte & Co.
  • Cahoon, Ben (2000). "Leaders of Liberia". www.worldstatesmen.org. Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 21 March 2008.