<P> In 1702 , both divisions of New Jersey were reunited as one royal colony by Queen Anne with a royal governor appointed by the Crown . Until 1738 , this Province of New Jersey shared its royal governor with the neighboring Province of New York . The Province of New Jersey was governed by appointed governors until 1776 . William Franklin , the province 's last royal governor before the American Revolution ( 1775 -- 83 ) , was marginalized in the last year of his tenure , as the province was run de facto by the Provincial Congress of New Jersey . In June 1776 , the Provincial Congress formally deposed Franklin and had him arrested , adopted a state constitution , and reorganized the province into an independent state . The constitution granted the vote to all inhabitants who had a certain level of wealth , including single women and blacks ( until 1807 ) . The newly formed State of New Jersey elected William Livingston as its first governor on 31 August 1776 -- a position to which he would be reelected until his death in 1790 . New Jersey was one of the original Thirteen Colonies , and was the third colony to ratify the constitution forming the United States of America . It thereby was admitted into the new federation as a state on 18 December 1787 . On 20 November 1789 New Jersey became the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights . </P>
<P> In 1702 , both divisions of New Jersey were reunited as one royal colony by Queen Anne with a royal governor appointed by the Crown . Until 1738 , this Province of New Jersey shared its royal governor with the neighboring Province of New York . The Province of New Jersey was governed by appointed governors until 1776 . William Franklin , the province 's last royal governor before the American Revolution ( 1775 -- 83 ) , was marginalized in the last year of his tenure , as the province was run de facto by the Provincial Congress of New Jersey . In June 1776 , the Provincial Congress formally deposed Franklin and had him arrested , adopted a state constitution , and reorganized the province into an independent state . The constitution granted the vote to all inhabitants who had a certain level of wealth , including single women and blacks ( until 1807 ) . The newly formed State of New Jersey elected William Livingston as its first governor on 31 August 1776 -- a position to which he would be reelected until his death in 1790 . New Jersey was one of the original Thirteen Colonies , and was the third colony to ratify the constitution forming the United States of America . It thereby was admitted into the new federation as a state on 18 December 1787 . On 20 November 1789 New Jersey became the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights . </P>
who was the first govener of new jersey
who was the first govener of new jersey
William Livingston
William Livingston