U.S. Virgin Islands
 

1684 - 31 Mar 1917          1798 - c.1842  Danish West Indies                        Adopted 31 Mar 1917                   Adopted 17 May 1921   Map of the Virgin Islands Hear National Anthem  "The Star Spangled Banner" Hear Local Anthem  "The Virgin Islands March" Adopted 1963 Organic Act (22 Jul 1954) -------------------- U.S. Constitution Capital: Charlotte Amalie (Christiansted 1755-1871; Amalienborg 1691-1755; Taphaus 1674-1691; Bassin 1650-1696) Currency: US Dollar (USD) National Holiday: 4 Jul (1776) U.S. Independence Day --------------------------------------- Local Holiday: 31 Mar (1917) Transfer Day Population: 109,840 (2008) GDP: $3.08 billion (2006) Exports: $10.47 billion (2005) Imports: $10.24 billion (2005) Ethnic groups: black 76.2%, white 13.1%, mixed race 3.5%, Asian 1.1%, other  6.1% (2000) Total Police Forces: N/A Defense is the Responsibility of the U.S. Merchant marine: None (2008)  Religions: Christian 96.3% (of which Protestant  [including 13% Anglican] 51%, Roman Catholic 27.5%,  independent Christian 12.2%), nonreligious 2.2%,  other 1.5% (2000) International Organizations/Treaties: Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WFTU U.S. Virgin Islands  Index Chronology 14 Nov 1493                St. Croix discovered by Columbus and claimed                              for Spain, named Isla de Santa Cruz; the                              islands named Las Islas Once Mil Virgenes. 22 Jun 1587 - ....         English colony on St. Croix.  1625 - 1645                Separate English (on east end) and Dutch (west                              end) colonies on St. Croix.  1645 - 1650                English colony on St. Croix.  1650                       Spanish destroy English St. Croix settlements. 1650                       French rule on St. Croix (Santa Cruz). 1651 - 1665                Knights of Malta rule on St. Croix. 1665                       French rule on St. Croix (abandoned Jan 1696). 1665 - 1667                Danish colony on St. Thomas.  25 May 1672                Danish rule on St. Thomas (Danish West India                              Company [Dansk-Vestindisk Kompagni] rule).  1684                       Danish rule on St. Johns (St. Jans) disputed                              by England until 1672 (settled 25 Mar 1718). 1695 - 1733                St. Croix abandoned. 13 Jun 1733                Denmark purchases St. Croix from France. 24 Aug 1754                Danish Crown colony (Danish West Indies). 1756 - 1862                Separate administration for Saint Thomas-Saint                              John subject to Danish West Indies. 28 Mar 1801 - 16 Feb 1802  British occupation. 21 Dec 1807 - 20 Nov 1815  British occupation. 12 Dec 1916                Purchased from Denmark by U.S.  31 Mar 1917                U.S. sovereignty; end of Danish administration.                              (U.S. Virgin Islands). 31 Mar 1917 - 30 Jan 1931  Administered by U.S. Navy. 30 Jan 1931                Administered by U.S. Department of Interior. Saint Thomas- Saint John (1666-1862)

Governors (of St Croix)
16.. - 1645                Brainsby (English)                 (d. 1645)
16.. - 1645                Capoen (Dutch)                     (d. 1645)
1650 - 16..                de Vaugalan
1651 - 1665                Philippe de Longvilliers,          (b. 1583 - d. 1660)
                             chevalier de Poincy
1665 - 1674                chevalier Dubois                   (d. 1674)
1679 - 1694                de La Saulaye                      (d. 1694)
1695 - Jan 1696            Joseph d'Honon de Galiffet
Jan 1696 -  8 Jan 1735     Vacant
 8 Jan 1735 - 1736         Frederik Moth                      (b. 1694 - d. 1746)
24 Feb 1736 - 1744         Gregers Hög Nissen 
16 Apr 1744 - 1747         Poul Jensen Lindemark              (d. 1747)
15 May 1747 - Dec 1751     Jens Hansen
Dec 1751 - 1756            Peter Clausen                      (b. 1721 - d. 1784)
Governors-general 
1756 - 1766                Christian Leberecht von Prøck      (b. 1718 - d. 1780)
1766 - 1771                Peter Clausen (1st time)           (s.a.)
1770 - 1772                Frederik Moth                      (b. 1750 - d. 1806)
1772 - 1773                Ulrich Wilhelm von Roepstorff      (b. 1730 - d. 1821)
Jul 1773 - Oct 1773        Henrik Ludvig Ernst von            (b. 1743 - d. 1793)
                             Schimmelmann (1st time)
1773 - 1784                Peter Clausen (2nd  time)          (s.a.)
1784 - 1787                Henrik Ludvig Ernst von            (s.a.)
                             Schimmelmann (2nd time)
1787 - 1794                Ernst Frederik von Walterstorff    (b. 1755 - d. 1820)
                             (1st time)
1794 - 1796                Wilhelm Anton Lindemann (1st time) (b. 1739 - d. 1801)
1796 - 1799                Thomas de Malleville               (b. 1739 - d. 1801)
1799 - 28 Mar 1801         Wilhelm Anton Lindemann (2nd time) (s.a.)
28 Mar 1801 - 1802         Thomas Trigge                      (b. 17.. - d. 1814)
16 Feb 1802 - 27 Oct 1802  Ernst Frederik von Walterstorff    (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
27 Oct 1802 - 1807         Balthazar Frederik Mühlenfels      (b. 17.. - d. 1807)
Mar 1807 - 21 Dec 1807     Hans Christopher Lillienskjøld     (b. 1762 - d. 1837)
Dec 1807 - 1808            Henry Bowyer                       (b. 17.. - d. 1808)
1808 - 1815                ....
1815 - 1816                Peter Lotharius von Oxholm         (b. 1753 - d. 1827)
May 1816 - Jul 1816        Johan Henrik von Stabel            (b. 1774 - d. 1831)
1816 - 1820                Adrian Benjamin Bentzon            (b. 1777 - d. 1827)
1820 - 1822                Carl Adolph Rothe                  (b. 1767 - d. 1834)
1822 - 1827                Johan Frederik Bardenfleth         (b. 1772 - d. 1833)
1827 - Jul 1848            Peter Carl Frederik von Scholten   (b. 1784 - d. 1854)
Jul 1848 - Nov 1848        Frederik von Oxholm (acting)       (b. 1801 - d. 1871)
Nov 1848 - 1851            Peder Hansen                       (b. 1798 - d. 1880)
                             (Government Commissioner)
1851 - 1855                Hans Ditmar Frederik Feddersen     (b. 1805 - d. 1863)
1855 - 1861                Johan Frederik Schlegel            (b. 1817 - d. 1896)
1861 - 1871                Vilhelm Ludvig Birch               (b. 1817 - d. 1871)
Feb 1871 - Jun 1871        John Christmas                     (b. 1799 - d. 1873)
1871 - 1872                Frantz Ernst Bille (acting)        (b. 1832 - d. 1918) 
Jul 1872 - Sep 1872        Johan August Stakeman (acting)     (b. 1805 - d. 1891)
1872 - 1881                Janus August Garde                 (b. 1823 - d. 1893)
1881 - 1893                Christian Henrik Arendrup          (b. 1837 - d. 1913)
1893 - 1903                Carl Emil Hedemann                 (b. 1837 - d. 1913)
1903 - 1904                Herman August Jürs                 (b. 1838 - d. 1918)
1904 - 1905                Frederik Theodor Martin Mortensen  (b. 1854 - d. 1924)
                             Nordlien
1905 - 1908                Christian Magdalus Thestrup Gold   (b. 1863 - d. 1934)
1908 - 1911                Peter Carl Limpricht               (b. 1838 - d. 1912)
1911 - 1916                Lars Christian Helweg-Larsen       (b. 1860 - d. 1934)
1916 - 31 Mar 1917         Henri Konow (acting)               (b. 1862 - d. 1939)
Governors
31 Mar 1917 - Apr 1917     Edwin Taylor Pollock (acting)      (b. 1870 - d. 1943)
Apr 1917 - 1919            James Harrison Oliver              (b. 1857 - d. 1928)
1919 - 1921                Joseph Wallace Oman                (b. 1864 - d. 1941)
1921 - 1922                Sumner Ely Wetmore Kittelle        (b. 1867 - d. 1950)
1922 - 1923                Henry Hughes Hough                 (b. 1871 - d. 1943)
1923 - 1925                Philip Williams                    (b. 1869 - d. 1942)
12 Sep 1925 -  6 Jan 1927  Martin Edwin Trench                (b. 1869 - d. 1927) 
Jan 1927 - 18 Mar 1931     Waldo A. Evans                     (b. 1869 - d. 1936)
18 Mar 1931 - 21 Aug 1935  Paul Martin Pearson                (b. 1871 - d. 1938)  Rep
23 Jul 1935 - 21 Aug 1935  Robert W. Herrick                  (b. 1868 - d. 1938)
                             (acting for Pearson)
21 Aug 1935 - 14 Dec 1940  Lawrence William Cramer            (b. 1897 - d. 1978)  Dem
14 Dec 1940 -  3 Feb 1941  Robert Morss Lovett (acting)       (b. 1870 - d. 1956)  Dem
 3 Feb 1941 - 17 May 1945  Charles A. Harwood                 (b. 1880 - d. 1950)  Dem
17 May 1946 - 30 Nov 1949  William H. Hastie                  (b. 1904 - d. 1976)  Dem
30 Nov 1949 -  9 Apr 1954  Morris Fidanque de Castro          (b. 1902 - d. 1966)  Dem
                             (acting to 24 Mar 1950)
 9 Apr 1954 - 31 Aug 1955  Archibald "Archie" A. Alexander    (b. 1888 - d. 1958)  Rep
17 Oct 1955 - 25 Sep 1958  Walter A. Gordon                   (b. 1894 - d. 1976)  Rep
25 Sep 1958 -  5 Apr 1961  John David Merwin                  (b. 1921)            Rep
 5 Apr 1961 - 12 Feb 1969  Ralph M. Paiewonsky                (b. 1906 - d. 1991)  Dem
12 Feb 1969 -  1 Jul 1969  Cyril Emanuel King (1st time)      (b. 1921 - d. 1978)  Rep 
 1 Jul 1969 -  6 Jan 1975  Melvin Herbert Evans               (b. 1917 - d. 1984)  Rep
 6 Jan 1975 -  2 Jan 1978  Cyril Emanuel King (2nd time)      (s.a.)               ICM
 2 Jan 1978 -  5 Jan 1987  Juan Francisco Luis                (b. 1940)            ICM
 5 Jan 1987 -  5 Jan 1995  Alexander A. Farrelly              (b. 1923 - d. 2002)  Dem
 5 Jan 1995 -  4 Jan 1999  Roy L. Schneider                   (b. 1939)            Dem
 4 Jan 1999 -  1 Jan 2007  Charles Wesley Turnbull            (b. 1935)            Dem
 1 Jan 2007 -              John deJongh, Jr.                  (b. 1957)            Dem

Party abbreviations: Dem = Democratic Party (liberal-centerist); ICM = Independent Citizens' Movement (regionalist, split from Dem., est.1968); Rep = Republican Party (centerist, conservative)

30 Mar 1666 - 1667         Danish settlement on St. Thomas.
25 May 1672                Danish rule on St. Thomas.
1684                       Danish rule on St. John (St. Jan)(settled from 25 Mar 1718).
13 Nov 1733 - May 1734     St. John controlled by slaves during a rebellion.
1756                       Part of the Danish West Indies (s.a.), separate
                             administration continues until 1862.
28 Mar 1801 - 27 Mar 1802  British occupation.
21 Dec 1807 - 20 Nov 1815  British occupation.

Governors
Mar 1666 - 1666            Erik Nielsen Smit                  (d. 1666)
1666 - 1667                Kjeld Jensen Slagelse (acting)
26 May 1672 -  4 Jul 1680  Jørgen Iversen Dyppel              (b. 1638 - d. 1683)
 4 Jul 1680 - Nov 1682     Nicolaj Esmit
Nov 1682 -  7 May 1684     Adolph Esmit (1st time)
 7 May 1684 - 27 Feb 1686  Gabriel Milan                      (b. c.1631 - d. 1689)
27 Feb 1686 - 29 Jun 1686  Mikkel Mikkelsen (interim)
29 Jun 1686 - Mar 1687     Christopher Heins (1st time)       (d. 1689)
Mar 1687 - Oct 1688        Adolph Esmit (2nd time)
Oct 1688 - Oct 1689        Christopher Heins (2nd time)       (s.a.)
Oct 1689 - 17 Sep 1692     Johan Lorensen (Lorentz)(1st time) (b. 16.. - d. 1702)
17 Sep 1692 -  7 Apr 1693  Frans de la Vigne
 7 Apr 1693 - 19 Feb 1702  Johan Lorensen (2nd time)          (s.a.)
19 Feb 1702 -  8 Feb 1706  Claus Hansen                       (b. 16.. - d. 1706)
 8 Feb 1706 - 21 Dec 1708  Joachim Melchior von Holten        (b. 1671 - d. 1708)
21 Dec 1708 - 1710         Diderich Mogensen (interim)
1710 -  8 Aug 1716         Mikkel Knudsen Crone               (b. 16.. - d. 1716)
 8 Aug 1716 - Apr 1724     Erik Bredal
May 1724 - Sep 1724        Otto Jacob Thambsen                (b. 1670 - d. 1724)
1724 - May 1727            Frederik Moth (1st time)           (s.a.)
May 1727 - 21 Feb 1733     Henrik von Suhm                    (b. 1693 - d. 1744)
21 Feb 1733 - 21 Feb 1736  Philip Gardelin                    (d. 1740)
21 Feb 1736 - 1740         Frederik Moth (2nd time)           (s.a.)
1740 - 1744                Jacob Schönemann
13 Apr 1744 - 25 Apr 1747  Christian von Schweder
25 Apr 1747 - 1758         Christian Suhm                     (d. 1759)
1758 - 1760                Harrien Felchenhauer               (d. 1764)
1760 - 1764                Johan Georg von John               (d. 1764)
Apr 1764 - Nov 1764        Ditlev Wilhelm Wildthagen          (d. 1764)
1764 - 1765                Peter Gynthelberg                  (b. 1728 - d. 1780)
1765 - 1766                Ulrich Wilhelm Roepstorff          (b. 1730 - d. 1821)
1766 - 1773                Jens Nielsen Kragh                 (b. c.1729 - d. 1773)
1773 - 1796                Thomas de Malleville               (b. 1739 - d. 1798)
1796 - 1800                Baltharzar Frederik Mühlenfels     (s.a.)
1800 - Mar 1801            Casimir Wilhelm von Scholten       (b. 1752 - d. 1810)
                             (1st time)
Mar 1801 - 1802            John Clayton Cowell
1802 - 1803                Willum von Rømeling                (b. 1758 - d. 18..)
1803 - Dec 1807            Casimir Wilhelm von Scholten       (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
Dec 1807 - 1815            McLean
1815 - 1818                Christian Ludvig von Holten        (b. 1774 - d. 1829)
                             (1st time)
1818 - 1820                Peter Carl Frederik von Scholten   (s.a.)
                             (1st time)
Feb 1820 - Mar 1820        Christian Ludvig von Holten        (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
Apr 1820 - Jul 1820        Peter Carl Frederik von Scholten   (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
1820 - 1822                Carl Gottlieb Fleischer            (d. 1822)
1822 - 1823                Carl Vilhelm Jessen                (b. 1764 - d. 1823)
1823 - 1826                Peter Carl Frederik von Scholten   (s.a.)
                             (3rd time)
1826 - 1829                Johannes Söbötker (1st time)       (b. 1777 - d. 1854)
1829 - 1834                Frederik Ludvig Christian Pentz    (b. 1781 - d. 1834)
                             Rosenørn
1834 - 1836                Frederik von Oxholm (1st time)     (s.a.)
1836 - 1848                Johannes Söbötker (2nd time)       (s.a.)
1848                       Hans Hendrik Berg (1st time)       (b. 1789 - d. 1862)
1848 - 1852                Frederik von Oxholm (2nd time)     (s.a.)
1853 - 1862                Hans Hendrik Berg (2nd time)       (s.a.)