The Governor of the Colony of Virginia was the appointed head of government of the British Colony of Virginia. The title "Governor of Virginia" saw sporadic use beginning in 1585 to describe various kinds of leadership positions in the New World, including of the Roanoke Colony and the Virginia Company. The position was formally defined in 1624, when Virginia became a crown colony and its governor became an appointed position subordinate to the British Monarch.
As in other British colonies, the Governor had broad authority to impose the will of the Monarch on the colonists. The Governor was ex officio president of the General Court of Virginia and was advised by the Virginia Governor's Council. They also possessed veto power over the elected House of Burgesses.
Some Governors never visited the New World and governed through deputies resident in the colony. Others held the role for many years but were in Virginia for only a short portion of time and usually delegated responsibilities to others. Therefore, in many documents and references, the deputies and lieutenant governors who had the primary responsibility in Virginia are also often titled simply "governor."
Lord Dunmore served as the colony's last royal governor. His actions in the face of the crown's unpopularity, including dissolving the House of Burgesses and imposing martial law, proved deeply unpopular, leading to the Virginia Conventions. Dunmore fled in 1776, and the Convention formally recognized Patrick Henry as the first Governor of Virginia under the newly-established Constitution of Virginia. Though the office was de facto abolished during the Revolutionary War, Britain formally abolished the office following their recognition of American independence in the Treaty of Paris.
Governor of Virginia (1585–1590)
The first English attempt to colonize Virginia was the "Lost Colony" of Roanoke. Unsuccessful settlements were established under two different governors, and the final fate of the colonists remains unknown.
Sir Walter Raleigh, Governor of Virginia (1585–1590, absentee)
Sir Ralph Lane, Governor of Roanoke (Virginia) (1585–1586)
John White, Governor of Raleigh (Virginia) (1587–1590)
Virginia Company of London Governors (1607–1624)
From 1606 until 1624, Proprietary Governors oversaw the operation of the Virginia Colony. Most were styled "President of the Council", although some were styled "governor" by the proprietors.
President of the Council Edward Maria Wingfield (1607)
President of the Council John Ratcliffe (1608)
Acting President Matthew Scrivener (1608)
President of the Council John Smith (1608–1609)
President of the Council George Percy (1609–1610)
Lord Governor and Captain General Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr (1609–1618, sometimes absentee)
Deputy Governor Sir Thomas Gates (May–June 1610)