Agents and governors of Liberia

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 of Liberia after independence was won.

The colors indicate the race of each agent or governor.

List of Agents and Governors of Liberia[]

No.	Name		Took office	Left office	Race		Position
Cape Mesurado Colony
1	Eli Ayers		15 December 1821	25 April 1822		White	Colonial Agent
2	(acting)		25 April 1822	4 June 1822		Black
3	Elijah Johnson (acting)		4 June 1822	8 August 1822		Black
4	Jehudi Ashmun (acting)		8 August 1822	2 April 1823		White
(3)	Elijah Johnson (acting)		2 April 1823	14 August 1823		Black
(4)	Jehudi Ashmun (assistant, acting)		14 August 1823	15 August 1824		White
Colony of Liberia
(4)	Jehudi Ashmun		15 August 1824	26 March 1828		White	Colonial Agent
5	Lott Cary (vice-agent)		26 March 1828	8 November 1828		Black
6	(vice-agent)		8 November 1828	22 December 1828		Black
7	Richard Randall		22 December 1828	19 April 1829		White
8	Joseph Mechlin Jr.		19 April 1829	27 February 1830		White
9			27 February 1830	12 April 1830		White
10	Anthony D. Williams (vice-agent)		13 April 1830	4 December 1830		Black
(8)	Joseph Mechlin Jr.		4 December 1830	24 September 1833		White
11	George McGill (vice-agent)		24 September 1833	1 January 1834		Black
12	John B. Pinney		1 January 1834	10 May 1835		White
13	Nathaniel Brander (vice-agent)		10 May 1835	12 August 1835		Black
14	Ezekiel Skinner		12 August 1835	25 September 1836		White
(10)	Anthony D. Williams (vice-agent then lieutenant governor)		25 September 1836	1 April 1839		Black
Commonwealth of Liberia
15	Thomas Buchanan		1 April 1839	3 September 1841		White	Governor
16	Joseph Jenkins Roberts[A]		3 September 1841	3 January 1848		Black

^[A] Became the first president of Liberia in January 1848

See also[]

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

References[]

• 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.