Agents and Governors of Liberia - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The following is a list of Agents and Governors of Liberia, made up of the 14 agents and two governors of the American Colonization Society

American Colonization Society

The American Colonization Society , founded in 1816, was the primary vehicle to support the "return" of free African Americans to what was considered greater freedom in Africa. It helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22 as a place for freedmen...

from 1822 until Liberia's independence in 1847. The last governor, Joseph Jenkins Roberts

Joseph Jenkins Roberts

Joseph Jenkins Roberts was the first and seventh President of Liberia. Born free in Norfolk, Virginia, USA, Roberts emigrated to Liberia in 1829 as a young man. He opened a trading store in Monrovia, and later engaged in politics...

also served as the first president of Liberia after independence was won.

The colors indicate the ethnicity of each agent or governor.

List of Agents and Governors of Liberia

No.	Name	Took office	Left office	Ethnicity	Agent or Governor
Cape Mesurado Colony
1	Eli Ayers Eli Ayers Eli Ayers was a physician and the first colonial agent of the American Colonization Society in what would later become Liberia. He was born in 1778 in Shiloh in New Jersey and married Elizabeth West in 1812. He practiced medicine in Woodbury, New Jersey. On August 7, 1821 he left New York for West...	December 15, 1821	April 25, 1822	White	Colonial Agent
2	Frederick James Frederick James Frederick E. James was an American artist. He was noted for his depictions of 18th-century American life....	April 25, 1822	June 4, 1822	Black	Colonial Agent
3	Elijah Johnson Elijah Johnson Elijah Johnson was an African American who was one of the first colonial agents of the American Colonization Society in what later became Liberia. He was probably born in New Jersey, received some limited schooling in New Jersey and New York, served as a soldier in the War of 1812 and studied for...	June 4, 1822	August 8, 1822	Black	Colonial Agent
4	Jehudi Ashmun Jehudi Ashmun Jehudi Ashmun was a religious leader and social reformer who became involved in the American Colonization Society...	August 8, 1822	April 2, 1823	White	Colonial Agent
5	Elijah Johnson Elijah Johnson Elijah Johnson was an African American who was one of the first colonial agents of the American Colonization Society in what later became Liberia. He was probably born in New Jersey, received some limited schooling in New Jersey and New York, served as a soldier in the War of 1812 and studied for...	April 2, 1823	August 14, 1823	Black	Colonial Agent
6	Jehudi Ashmun Jehudi Ashmun Jehudi Ashmun was a religious leader and social reformer who became involved in the American Colonization Society...	August 14, 1823	August 15, 1824	White	Colonial Agent
Colony of Liberia
7	Jehudi Ashmun Jehudi Ashmun Jehudi Ashmun was a religious leader and social reformer who became involved in the American Colonization Society...	August 15, 1824	March 26, 1828	White	Colonial Agent
8	Lott Cary Lott Cary Lott Cary was an African-American Baptist minister and lay physician, who was instrumental in the founding of the Colony of Liberia in Africa. Born into slavery, he purchased his freedom...	March 26, 1828	November 8, 1828	Black	Colonial Agent
9	Colston Waring	November 8, 1828	December 22, 1828	Black	Colonial Agent
10	Richard Randall	December 22, 1828	April 19, 1829	White	Colonial Agent
11	Joseph Mechlin, Jr.	April 19, 1829	February 27, 1830	White	Colonial Agent
12	John Anderson	February 27, 1830	April 12, 1830	Black	Colonial Agent
13	Anthony D. Williams	April 13, 1830	December 4, 1830	Black	Colonial Agent
14	Joseph Mechlin, Jr.	December 4, 1830	September 24, 1833	White	Colonial Agent
15	George McGill McGill family (Monrovia) The McGill family of Monrovia, Liberia was a free African American mulatto family from Baltimore, Maryland which immigrated to Monrovia in the 19th century. The McGills were one of the most prominent early Americo-Liberian families and they were one of the early American settlers of Liberia...	September 24, 1833	January 1, 1834	Black	Colonial Agent
16	John B. Pinney	January 1, 1834	May 10, 1835	White	Colonial Agent
17	Nathaniel Brander Nathaniel Brander Nathaniel Brander was a Liberian politician and jurist who served as the first Vice President of Liberia , under President Joseph Jenkins Roberts.-Early life:...	May 10, 1835	August 12, 1835	Black	Colonial Agent
18	Ezekiel Skinner	August 12, 1835	September 25, 1836	White	Colonial Agent
19	Anthony D. Williams	September 25, 1836	April 1, 1839	Black	Colonial Agent
Commonwealth of Liberia
20	Thomas Buchanan Thomas Buchanan (Governor of Liberia) Thomas Buchanan was the second governor of Liberia and a cousin of James Buchanan, President of the United States. He came to Liberia as the envoy of the American Colonization Society in the 1830s. He worked first as an administrator in Grand Bassa, which later had its capital named Buchanan in...	April 1, 1839	September 3, 1841	White	Governor
21	Joseph Jenkins Roberts Joseph Jenkins Roberts Joseph Jenkins Roberts was the first and seventh President of Liberia. Born free in Norfolk, Virginia, USA, Roberts emigrated to Liberia in 1829 as a young man. He opened a trading store in Monrovia, and later engaged in politics...	September 3, 1841	January 3, 1848	Black	Governor

Became the first president of Liberia in January 1848

List of Agents and Governors of Liberia

See also