Agents and governors of Liberia

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Map of the Colony of Liberia, 1839.

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.

The colors indicate the race of each agent or governor.

## List of Agents and Governors of Liberia

[edit]

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

[edit]

* Americo-Liberians
* History of Liberia
* Mississippi-in-Africa
* Republic of Maryland (Maryland-in-Africa)

## References

[edit]

* 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.

*[No.]: Number