<Table> <Tr> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th> Governor </Th> <Th> Took office </Th> <Th> Left office </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Lewis Morris ( 1671 -- 1746 ) </Td> <Td> 1738 </Td> <Td> 1746 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Previously served in the Provincial Council , Assembly and as acting governor . </Li> <Li> Morris died in office in 1746 . </Li> <Li> Morris County , Morristown , Morris Plains , and Morris Township are named in his honour . </Li> <Li> Morris 's tenure was marked with bitter disputes and deadlocks between himself and factions in the colonial legislature -- so bitter that after his death when his widow requested the arrears on his salary , the legislature refused citing that the request was `` a subject so universally disliked ... there is none will say one Word in its Favour . '' </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> -- </Td> <Td> John Hamilton </Td> <Td> 1746 </Td> <Td> 1747 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> See notes above . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> -- </Td> <Td> John Reading ( 1686 -- 1767 ) </Td> <Td> 1747 </Td> <Td> 1747 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Acting governor in his role as President of Council . </Li> <Li> Readington Village and Readington Township in Hunterdon County was named in his honour . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Jonathan Belcher ( 1681 / 2 -- 1757 ) </Td> <Td> 1747 </Td> <Td> 1757 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Aided the early development of The College of New Jersey ( now Princeton University ) . </Li> <Li> Fortified the upper Delaware River valley to prevent Indian attacks during the French and Indian War . </Li> <Li> Thomas Pownall was appointed to be Belcher 's Lieutenant Governor ( 1755 -- 57 ) , the first since Richard Ingoldesby served under Lord Cornbury and Lord Lovelace , and the last until the state reinstated the office in 2010 . Pownall assumed the governorship of Massachusetts on August 3 , 1757 . </Li> <Li> Belcher died in office on 31 August 1757 . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> -- </Td> <Td> John Reading ( 1686 -- 1767 ) </Td> <Td> 1757 </Td> <Td> 1758 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> See notes above . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Francis Bernard ( 1712 -- 79 ) </Td> <Td> 1758 </Td> <Td> 1760 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Arrived in Perth Amboy , New Jersey , on 14 June 1758 . </Li> <Li> In late 1759 was appointed governor of Massachusetts . </Li> <Li> Bernardsville , a borough in Somerset County is named in his honour . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> -- </Td> <Td> Thomas Boone ( c. 1730 -- 1812 ) </Td> <Td> 1760 </Td> <Td> 1761 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Appointed in 1759 , but did not arrive in New Jersey until 10 May 1760 , and did not meet with the colonial assembly until 30 October 1760 . </Li> <Li> In 1761 , Boone was appointed Governor of South Carolina . </Li> <Li> Boonton in Morris County was named in his honour . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> -- </Td> <Td> Josiah Hardy ( 1715 -- 90 ) </Td> <Td> 1761 </Td> <Td> 1763 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Son of Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Hardy ( 1680 -- 1744 ) , Lord commissioner of the Admiralty , brother to Sir Charles Hardy ( 1716 -- 80 ) , Royal Governor of New York . </Li> <Li> Hardy gained `` a reputation for promptness , attentiveness and openness '' as New Jersey 's governor . </Li> <Li> Replaced in 1763 in an effort to impose greater imperial authority over the colonies following the French and Indian War . </Li> <Li> Hardyston Township in Sussex County was named in his honour . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> William Franklin ( c. 1730 -- 1814 ) </Td> <Td> 1763 </Td> <Td> 1776 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Despite his reputation for arrogance , stubbornness and a fiery temper , Franklin is considered one of the more popular and successful chief executives in New Jersey history . </Li> <Li> Issued charters to found Queen 's College ( now Rutgers University ) . </Li> <Li> Franklin was placed under house arrest by colonial militia in 1776 by the order of the Provincial Congress of New Jersey , an entity he referred to as an `` illegal assembly . '' </Li> <Li> Franklin Township and Franklin Lakes in Bergen County , and possibly Franklin Township in Somerset County , were named in his honour . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table>
<Table> <Tr> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th> Governor </Th> <Th> Took office </Th> <Th> Left office </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Lewis Morris ( 1671 -- 1746 ) </Td> <Td> 1738 </Td> <Td> 1746 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Previously served in the Provincial Council , Assembly and as acting governor . </Li> <Li> Morris died in office in 1746 . </Li> <Li> Morris County , Morristown , Morris Plains , and Morris Township are named in his honour . </Li> <Li> Morris 's tenure was marked with bitter disputes and deadlocks between himself and factions in the colonial legislature -- so bitter that after his death when his widow requested the arrears on his salary , the legislature refused citing that the request was `` a subject so universally disliked ... there is none will say one Word in its Favour . '' </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> -- </Td> <Td> John Hamilton </Td> <Td> 1746 </Td> <Td> 1747 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> See notes above . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> -- </Td> <Td> John Reading ( 1686 -- 1767 ) </Td> <Td> 1747 </Td> <Td> 1747 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Acting governor in his role as President of Council . </Li> <Li> Readington Village and Readington Township in Hunterdon County was named in his honour . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Jonathan Belcher ( 1681 / 2 -- 1757 ) </Td> <Td> 1747 </Td> <Td> 1757 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Aided the early development of The College of New Jersey ( now Princeton University ) . </Li> <Li> Fortified the upper Delaware River valley to prevent Indian attacks during the French and Indian War . </Li> <Li> Thomas Pownall was appointed to be Belcher 's Lieutenant Governor ( 1755 -- 57 ) , the first since Richard Ingoldesby served under Lord Cornbury and Lord Lovelace , and the last until the state reinstated the office in 2010 . Pownall assumed the governorship of Massachusetts on August 3 , 1757 . </Li> <Li> Belcher died in office on 31 August 1757 . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> -- </Td> <Td> John Reading ( 1686 -- 1767 ) </Td> <Td> 1757 </Td> <Td> 1758 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> See notes above . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Francis Bernard ( 1712 -- 79 ) </Td> <Td> 1758 </Td> <Td> 1760 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Arrived in Perth Amboy , New Jersey , on 14 June 1758 . </Li> <Li> In late 1759 was appointed governor of Massachusetts . </Li> <Li> Bernardsville , a borough in Somerset County is named in his honour . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> -- </Td> <Td> Thomas Boone ( c. 1730 -- 1812 ) </Td> <Td> 1760 </Td> <Td> 1761 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Appointed in 1759 , but did not arrive in New Jersey until 10 May 1760 , and did not meet with the colonial assembly until 30 October 1760 . </Li> <Li> In 1761 , Boone was appointed Governor of South Carolina . </Li> <Li> Boonton in Morris County was named in his honour . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> -- </Td> <Td> Josiah Hardy ( 1715 -- 90 ) </Td> <Td> 1761 </Td> <Td> 1763 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Son of Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Hardy ( 1680 -- 1744 ) , Lord commissioner of the Admiralty , brother to Sir Charles Hardy ( 1716 -- 80 ) , Royal Governor of New York . </Li> <Li> Hardy gained `` a reputation for promptness , attentiveness and openness '' as New Jersey 's governor . </Li> <Li> Replaced in 1763 in an effort to impose greater imperial authority over the colonies following the French and Indian War . </Li> <Li> Hardyston Township in Sussex County was named in his honour . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> William Franklin ( c. 1730 -- 1814 ) </Td> <Td> 1763 </Td> <Td> 1776 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Despite his reputation for arrogance , stubbornness and a fiery temper , Franklin is considered one of the more popular and successful chief executives in New Jersey history . </Li> <Li> Issued charters to found Queen 's College ( now Rutgers University ) . </Li> <Li> Franklin was placed under house arrest by colonial militia in 1776 by the order of the Provincial Congress of New Jersey , an entity he referred to as an `` illegal assembly . '' </Li> <Li> Franklin Township and Franklin Lakes in Bergen County , and possibly Franklin Township in Somerset County , were named in his honour . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table>
who was the first governor of new jersey colony
who was the first governor of new jersey colony
Lewis Morris
Lewis Morris