List of Governors of California by age
Encyclopedia
This is a list of California Governors by age.
The youngest living former Governor is Arnold Schwarzenegger
, born July 30, 1947 (aged ), followed by Gray Davis
, born December 26, 1942 (aged ). Incumbent Governor Jerry Brown
, born April 7, 1938 (aged ) is the median age of living Governors. The oldest living former governor is George Deukmejian
, born June 6, 1928 (aged ). Pete Wilson
is the second-oldest, five years younger than Deukmejian. Wilson was born August 23, 1933 (aged ).
The shortest-lived governor was J. Neely Johnson
, who died at the age of 47 years, 29 days. The longest-lived governor was Ronald Reagan
, who died at the age of 93 years and 120 days. Pat Brown
was the second longest-lived, almost 3 years short of Reagan. The oldest living governor, George Deukmejian
, will tie Brown if he lives to April 3, 2019 and tie Reagan if he lives to October 4, 2021. The second oldest living governor, Pete Wilson
, will tie Brown if he lives to June 19, 2024 and tie Reagan if he lives to December 21, 2026.
The median
age of accession is roughly 48 years, which falls between John Bigler
(19th youngest) and William Irwin (20th). The youngest person to become Governor was J. Neely Johnson
(30 years, 160 days). The oldest person to become Governor is Jerry Brown
on January 3, 2011, who became Governor at 72 years, 271 days old.
Ironically, Jerry Brown
was also the sixth-youngest person to become Governor in 1975, at 36 years, 275 days old (his third term began 28 years to the day after his second term expired). J. Neely Johnson
, John G. Downey
, Milton Latham
, John McDougall, and Frederick Low
, in that order, were younger than Brown when they took the oath of office; Leland Stanford
was more than a year older (see table below). Jerry Brown became the oldest person to become Governor in 2011, at 72 years, 271 days, which is 36 years, 4 days after he first became Governor in 1975. The next oldest person to become Governor, Frank Merriam
, was more than 4 years younger than Brown. Washington Bartlett
, Culbert Olson
, James Rolph
, Robert Waterman
, and George Stoneman
were the next oldest governors.
The youngest living former Governor is Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
, born July 30, 1947 (aged ), followed by Gray Davis
Gray Davis
Joseph Graham "Gray" Davis, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who served as California's 37th Governor from 1999 until being recalled in 2003...
, born December 26, 1942 (aged ). Incumbent Governor Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
, born April 7, 1938 (aged ) is the median age of living Governors. The oldest living former governor is George Deukmejian
George Deukmejian
Courken George Deukmejian, Jr. born June 6, 1928) is an Armenian American politician from California who as a Republican served as the 35th Governor of California and as California Attorney General .-Early life:...
, born June 6, 1928 (aged ). Pete Wilson
Pete Wilson
Peter Barton "Pete" Wilson is an American politician from California. Wilson, a Republican, served as the 36th Governor of California , the culmination of more than three decades in the public arena that included eight years as a United States Senator , eleven years as Mayor of San Diego and...
is the second-oldest, five years younger than Deukmejian. Wilson was born August 23, 1933 (aged ).
The shortest-lived governor was J. Neely Johnson
J. Neely Johnson
John Neely Johnson was an American lawyer and politician. He was elected as the fourth governor of California from 1856 to 1858, and later appointed justice to the Nevada Supreme Court from 1867 to 1871...
, who died at the age of 47 years, 29 days. The longest-lived governor was Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, who died at the age of 93 years and 120 days. Pat Brown
Pat Brown
Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown, Sr. was the 32nd Governor of California, serving from 1959 to 1967, and the father of current Governor of California Jerry Brown.-Background:...
was the second longest-lived, almost 3 years short of Reagan. The oldest living governor, George Deukmejian
George Deukmejian
Courken George Deukmejian, Jr. born June 6, 1928) is an Armenian American politician from California who as a Republican served as the 35th Governor of California and as California Attorney General .-Early life:...
, will tie Brown if he lives to April 3, 2019 and tie Reagan if he lives to October 4, 2021. The second oldest living governor, Pete Wilson
Pete Wilson
Peter Barton "Pete" Wilson is an American politician from California. Wilson, a Republican, served as the 36th Governor of California , the culmination of more than three decades in the public arena that included eight years as a United States Senator , eleven years as Mayor of San Diego and...
, will tie Brown if he lives to June 19, 2024 and tie Reagan if he lives to December 21, 2026.
The median
Median
In probability theory and statistics, a median is described as the numerical value separating the higher half of a sample, a population, or a probability distribution, from the lower half. The median of a finite list of numbers can be found by arranging all the observations from lowest value to...
age of accession is roughly 48 years, which falls between John Bigler
John Bigler
John Bigler was an American lawyer, politician and diplomat. A Democrat, he served as the third Governor of California from 1852 to 1856 and was the first California governor to complete an entire term in office successfully, as well as the first to win re-election...
(19th youngest) and William Irwin (20th). The youngest person to become Governor was J. Neely Johnson
J. Neely Johnson
John Neely Johnson was an American lawyer and politician. He was elected as the fourth governor of California from 1856 to 1858, and later appointed justice to the Nevada Supreme Court from 1867 to 1871...
(30 years, 160 days). The oldest person to become Governor is Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
on January 3, 2011, who became Governor at 72 years, 271 days old.
Ironically, Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
was also the sixth-youngest person to become Governor in 1975, at 36 years, 275 days old (his third term began 28 years to the day after his second term expired). J. Neely Johnson
J. Neely Johnson
John Neely Johnson was an American lawyer and politician. He was elected as the fourth governor of California from 1856 to 1858, and later appointed justice to the Nevada Supreme Court from 1867 to 1871...
, John G. Downey
John G. Downey
John Gately Downey was an Irish-American politician and the seventh Governor of California from January 14, 1860 to January 10, 1862. Until the election of Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003, Downey was California's only foreign-born governor...
, Milton Latham
Milton Latham
Milton Slocum Latham was an American politician, and served as the sixth Governor of California and as a member of the federal U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. Latham holds the distinction of having the shortest governorship in California history, lasting for five days between...
, John McDougall, and Frederick Low
Frederick Low
Frederick Ferdinand Low was an American politician, US congressman and the ninth Governor of California.-Life:Born in Frankfort in 1828, Low attended the Hampden Academy in Hampden, Maine. Low moved to California, entering the shipping business in San Francisco in 1849...
, in that order, were younger than Brown when they took the oath of office; Leland Stanford
Leland Stanford
Amasa Leland Stanford was an American tycoon, industrialist, robber baron, politician and founder of Stanford University.-Early years:...
was more than a year older (see table below). Jerry Brown became the oldest person to become Governor in 2011, at 72 years, 271 days, which is 36 years, 4 days after he first became Governor in 1975. The next oldest person to become Governor, Frank Merriam
Frank Merriam
Frank Finley Merriam was an American politician who served as the 28th governor of California from June 2, 1934 until January 2, 1939...
, was more than 4 years younger than Brown. Washington Bartlett
Washington Bartlett
Washington Montgomery Bartlett was the 20th Mayor of San Francisco, California from 1883–1887 and was California's first and to date only Jewish Governor of California.- Life and career :...
, Culbert Olson
Culbert Olson
Culbert Levy Olson was an American lawyer and politician. A Democrat, Olson was involved in Utah and California politics and was elected as the 29th Governor of California from 1939 to 1943.-Personal background:...
, James Rolph
James Rolph
James “Sunny Jim” Rolph, Jr. was an American politician and a member of the Republican Party. He was elected to a single term as the 27th governor of California from January 6, 1931 until his death on June 2, 1934 at the height of the Great Depression...
, Robert Waterman
Robert Waterman (governor)
Robert Whitney Waterman was an American politician. He served as the 17th Governor of California from September 12, 1887 until January 8, 1891.-Early years:...
, and George Stoneman
George Stoneman
George Stoneman, Jr. was a career United States Army officer, a Union cavalry general in the American Civil War, and the 15th Governor of California between 1883 and 1887.-Early life:...
were the next oldest governors.
| # by age | Governor |
# in office |
Date of birth |
Date of inauguration |
Age at inauguration |
End of term |
Age at End of Term |
Date of death |
Length of retirement |
Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | |||||||||
| 2 | 7 | |||||||||
| 3 | 6 | |||||||||
| 4 | 2 | |||||||||
| 5 | 9 | |||||||||
| 6 | 34 | |||||||||
| 7 | 8 | |||||||||
| 8 | 14 | |||||||||
| 9 | 1 | |||||||||
| 10 | 10 | |||||||||
| 11 | 12 | |||||||||
| 12 | 19 | |||||||||
| 13 | 23 | |||||||||
| 14 | 21 | |||||||||
| 15 | 5 | |||||||||
| 16 | 11 | |||||||||
| 17 | 20 | |||||||||
| 18 | 22 | |||||||||
| 19 | 3 | |||||||||
| 20 | 13 | |||||||||
| 21 | 18 | |||||||||
| 22 | 30 | |||||||||
| 23 | 32 | |||||||||
| 24 | 35 | |||||||||
| 25 | 33 | |||||||||
| 26 | 37 | |||||||||
| 27 | 38 | |||||||||
| 28 | 31 | |||||||||
| 29 | 25 | |||||||||
| 30 | 24 | |||||||||
| 31 | 36 | |||||||||
| 32 | 26 | |||||||||
| 33 | 15 | |||||||||
| 34 | 17 | |||||||||
| 35 | 27 | |||||||||
| 36 | 29 | |||||||||
| 37 | 16 | |||||||||
| 38 | 28 | |||||||||
| 39 | 39 | |||||||||
| # by age | Governor |
# in office |
Date of birth |
Date of inauguration |
Age at inauguration |
End of term |
Age at End of Term |
Date of death |
Length of retirement |
Lifespan |
Reference
- JoinCalifornia.com - Dates of birth and death for Governors