U.S. Virgin Islands

U.S. Virgin Islands

[Denmark]

1684 - 31 Mar 1917

[Danish
West Indies 1798 - c.1842]

1798 - c.1842 Danish West Indies

[United
States flag]

Adopted 31 Mar 1917

[Flag of
United States Virgin Islands]

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); 1849-1917 Danish West
Indies Dalare (DWID); 1784-1849
Danish West Indies Rigsdaler
(DWIR)
National Holiday: 4 Jul (1776)
U.S. Independence Day
--------------------------------------
Local Holiday: 31 Mar (1917)
Transfer Day Population: 87,146 (2020)

GDP: $3.87 billion (2016) Exports: $1.81 billion (2016)
Imports: $2.49 billion (2016) Ethnic groups: black 76%, white 15.6%, Asian 1.4%,
other 4.9%, mixed 2.1% (2010)
note: 17.4% self-identify as Latino.

Total Police Forces: 295 (2012)
U.S. Forces: 31 (2023)
Defense is the Responsibility of the U.S.
Merchant marine: 1,868 ships (2019) Religions: Protestant 65.5%, Roman Catholic 27.1%,
other Christian 1.8%, unaffiliated 3.7%, other
religion 1.9% (2010)

International Organizations/Treaties: AOSIS (observer), 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.c.1625 - 1631 English colony on St. Croix(Saint Cruse) (destroyed by the Spanish in 1631). 1642 - 1645 English (on east end) and Dutch (west end) colonies on St. Croix. 1645 - Aug 1650 English colony on St. Croix. Aug 1650 - Aug 1650 Spanish occupy the English St. Croix colony.Aug 1650 French rule on Saint-Croix (Santa Cruz).24 May 1651 Compagnie des Îles de l'Amérique sells right to administer Saint-Croix (and other islands) to the Order of the Knights of Malta. 24 May 1651 - 4 Jan 1666 Knights of Malta administer Saint-Croix. 4 Jan 1666 - Jan 1696 French rule on St. Croix (abandoned Jan 1696).1666 - 1668 Danish colony on St. Thomas. 25 May 1672 Danish rule on St. Thomas (under Danish West IndiaCompany [Dansk-Vestindisk Kompagni] to 1754). 7 May 1684 Danish rule on St. Johns (St. Jans) disputed by England until 1672 (settled 25 Mar 1718).Jan 1696 - 1735 St. Croix abandoned.13 Jun 1733 Denmark purchases St. Croix from France. 8 Jan 1735 Saint Croix(Santa Cruz) a Danish colony. 24 Aug 1754 Danish Crown colony (Danish West Indies [Dansk Vestindien]).1755 - 1862 Separate administration for Saint Thomas-Saint John subject to Danish West Indies. 1 Apr 1801 - 16 Feb 1802 British occupation(St. Thomas on 29 Mar 1801). 25 Dec 1807 - 15 Apr 1815 British occupation (St. Thomas on 22 Dec 1807).24 Oct 1867 First U.S. attempt to purchase the islands. 24 Jan 1902 Second U.S. attempt to purchase the islands. 22 Dec 1916 Purchased from Denmark by United States.31 Mar 1917 U.S. sovereignty, end of Danish administration (Virgin Islands of the United States).31 Mar 1917 - 30 Jan 1931 Administered by U.S. Navy.30 Jan 1931 - 4 Jan 1971 Administered by U.S. Department of Interior 19 Jun 1944 Water Island is purchased by U.S.

Saint
Thomas-
Saint John
(1666-1862)

Brandenburg
Factory
(1685-1715)

Governors (of St. Croix) 16.. - 1631 Hawley (English) (brother of Barbados governor Henry Hawley)1631 - 1641 abandoned1641 - 1645 William Caverly (English) (did not come to island)Feb 1641 - 1645 Thomas Brainsby (English) (d. 1645) (deputy governor, acting for Caverly)Apr 1642 - 1645 Louys Capoen (Dutch) (d. 1645) 1645 - Aug 1650 ..... (English) Aug 1650 .... (Spanish) Aug 1650 - 1650 de Vaugalan (d. 1651)Dec 1650 - 1651 Auger (or Augé, Oger) 1651 .... [name unknown] (d. 1651)1651 - 1658 Philippe de Longvilliers, (b. 1583 - d. 1660) chevalier de Poincy (also governor of Martinique)1658 - c.1676 chevalier Dubois 24 Apr 1679 - 1694 de La Saulaye (d. 1694) 1 Jan 1695 - 21 Aug 1695 de Laurière (d. 1696)21 Aug 1695 de Boissiraimé (d. 1698) (did not take office but kept title to 1698) 1695 - Jan 1696 Joseph d'Honon de Gallifet (acting)(b. 1655 - d. 1706) Jan 1696 - 8 Jan 1735 abandoned Governors 8 Jan 1735 - 20 Feb 1736 Frederik von Moth (Friedrich Moth)(b. 1694 - d. 1746) 24 Feb 1736 - 16 Apr 1744 Gregers Høeg Nissen (interim) (b. 1709 - d. 1772) 16 Apr 1744 - 15 May 1747 Poul Jensen Lindemark (interim) (b. 1717 - d. 1747) 15 May 1747 - 22 Dec 1751 Jens Hansen (b. 1719 - d. 1754) 22 Dec 1751 - 6 Aug 1755 Peter Clausen (1st time) (b. 1721 - d. 1784) Governors-general 6 Aug 1755 - 7 Aug 1766 Christian Leberecht Baron von (b. 1718 - d. 1780) Prøck 7 Aug 1766 - 4 May 1770 Peter Clausen (2nd time) (s.a.) 4 May 1770 - 1 Mar 1772 Frederik Christian Moth (b. 1730 - d. 1808) 1 Mar 1772 - 31 Jul 1773 Ulrich Wilhelm von Roepstorff (b. 1730 - d. 1821) 31 Jul 1773 - 25 Oct 1773 Henrik Ludvig Ernst von (b. 1743 - d. 1793) Schimmelmann (1st time) 28 Oct 1773 - 24 Jun 1784 Peter Clausen (3rd time) (s.a.) 25 Jun 1784 - 31 Dec 1787 Henrik Ludvig Ernst von (s.a.) Schimmelmann (2nd time) 31 Dec 1787 - 25 Jul 1794 Ernst Frederik von Walterstorff (b. 1755 - d. 1820) (1st time) 25 Jul 1794 - 8 May 1796 Wilhelm Anton Lindemann (1st time) (b. 1739 - d. 1801) 8 May 1796 - 26 Oct 1798 Thomas de Malleville (b. 1739 - d. 1801) 27 Oct 1798 - 1 Apr 1801 Wilhelm Anton Lindemann (2nd time) (s.a.) 1 Apr 1801 - 16 Feb 1802 Francis Fuller (b. 17.. - d. 1841) (British governor)16 Feb 1802 - 16 Feb 1803 Ernst Frederik von Walterstorff (s.a.) (2nd time) 16 Feb 1803 - 22 Mar 1807 Balthazar Frederikvon Mühlenfels (b. 1754 - d. 1807) 22 Mar 1807 - 21 Dec 1807 Hans Christopher Lillienskjøld (b. 1762 - d. 1837) 25 Dec 1807 - 28 Apr 1808 Henry Bowyer (British governor) (b. 17.. - d. 1808) 28 Apr 1808 - 19 Dec 1812 George William Richard Harcourt (b. 1775 - d. 1812) (British governor) 19 Dec 1812 - 1 May 1813 Edward Scott(acting) (British governor) 1 May 1813 - 15 Apr 1815 George William Ramsay (b. 1761 – d. 1819) (British governor) 1 Apr 1815 - 1 May 1816 Peter Lotharius von Oxholm (b. 1753 - d. 1827) 1 May 1816 - 1 Jul 1816 Johan Henrik Christian von Stabel (b. 1774 - d. 1831) (1st time) 1 Jul 1816 - 26 Jun 1819 Adrian Benjamin Bentzon (b. 1777 - d. 1827) 27 Jun 1819 - 16 Oct 1820 Johan Henrik Christian von Stabel (s.a.) (2nd time)16 Oct 1820 - 5 Jul 1822 Carl Adolph Rothe (b. 1767 - d. 1834) 5 Jul 1822 - 14 Jul 1827 Johan Frederik Bardenfleth (b. 1772 - d. 1833) 14 Jul 1827 - 24 Apr 1831 Peter Carl Frederik von Scholten (b. 1784 - d. 1854) (1st time)(acting) 24 Apr 1831 - 18 Jul 1832 Johannes Søbøtker (1st time) (b. 1777 - d. 1854) (acting) 19 Jul 1832 - 22 Mar 1834 Peter Carl Frederik von Scholten (s.a.) (3rd time)(acting) 22 Mar 1834 - 14 Jan 1836 Johannes Søbøtker (2nd time) (s.a.) 14 Jan 1836 - 6 Jul 1848 Peter Carl Frederik von Scholten (s.a.) (2nd time) 8 Jul 1848 - 27 Nov 1848 Frederik von Oxholm (acting) (b. 1801 - d. 1871) Government Commissioner 27 Nov 1848 - 24 Jun 1851 Peder Hansen (b. 1798 - d. 1880) Governors-general 24 Jun 1851 - 27 Apr 1855 Hans Ditmar Frederik Feddersen (b. 1805 - d. 1863) 27 Apr 1855 - 31 May 1861 Johan Frederik Schlegel (b. 1817 - d. 1896) 31 May 1860 - 25 Feb 1871 Wilhelm Ludvig Birch (b. 1817 - d. 1871) 26 Feb 1871 - 30 Jun 1871 John Christmas (b. 1799 - d. 1873) 30 Jun 1871 - 1 Jul 1872 Frantz Ernst Bille (acting) (b. 1832 - d. 1918) 1 Jul 1872 - 24 Sep 1872 Johan August Stakeman (acting) (b. 1805 - d. 1891) 25 Sep 1872 - 5 Jan 1876 Janus August Garde (1st time) (b. 1823 - d. 1893) 5 Jan 1876 - 16 Sep 1876 Carl Anton Frederik Christian (b. 1828 - d. 1884) Hattensen (1st time)(acting) 16 Sep 1876 - 23 Mar 1881 Janus August Garde (2nd time) (s.a.) 24 Mar 1881 - 15 Apr 1881 Carl Anton Frederik Christian (s.a.) Hattensen (2nd time)(acting)15 Apr 1881 - 24 Oct 1884 Christian Henrik Arendrup (b. 1837 - d. 1913) (1st time)25 Oct 1884 - 20 May 1885 Peter Mathias Simonsen Andersen (b. 1841 - d. 1919) (1st time)(acing) 20 May 1885 - 5 Jul 1888 Christian Henrik Arendrup (s.a.) (2nd time) 5 Jul 1888 - 30 Jan 1889 Peter Mathias Simonsen Andersen (s.a.) (2nd time)(acing) 30 Jan 1889 - 22 Dec 1893 Christian Henrik Arendrup (s.a.) (3rd time) 22 Dec 1893 - 17 Apr 1903 Carl Emil Hedemann (b. 1837 - d. 1913) 17 Apr 1903 - 21 Jan 1904 Herman August Jürs (b. 1838 - d. 1918) 22 Jan 1904 - 2 Apr 1905 Frederik Theodor Martin Mortensen (b. 1854 - d. 1924) Nordlien 27 Apr 1905 - 21 Feb 1908 Christian Magdalus Thestrup Gold (b. 1863 - d. 1934) 21 Feb 1908 - 4 Aug 1911 Peter Carl Limpricht (b. 1838 - d. 1912) 7 Nov 1911 - 6 May 1915 Lars Christian Helweg-Larsen (b. 1860 - d. 1934) (1st time) 6 May 1915 - 28 Nov 1915 Reimund Baumann (acting) (b. 1874 - d. 1958)28 Nov 1915 - 3 Oct 1916 Lars Christian Helweg-Larsen (s.a.) (2nd time) 6 Oct 1916 - 31 Mar 1917 Henri Konow (acting) (b. 1862 - d. 1939) Governors 31 Mar 1917 - 8 Apr 1917 Edwin Taylor Pollock (acting) (b. 1870 - d. 1943) 9 Apr 1917 - 8 Apr 1919 James Harrison Oliver (b. 1857 - d. 1928) 8 Apr 1919 - 26 Apr 1921 Joseph Wallace Oman (b. 1864 - d. 1941) 26 Apr 1921 - 16 Sep 1922 Sumner Ely Wetmore Kittelle (b. 1867 - d. 1950) 16 Sep 1922 - 3 Dec 1923 Henry Hughes Hough (b. 1871 - d. 1943) 3 Dec 1923 - 11 Sep 1925 Philip Williams (b. 1869 - d. 1942) 12 Sep 1925 - 6 Jan 1927 Martin Edwin Trench (b. 1869 - d. 1927) 1 Mar 1927 - 18 Mar 1931 Waldo A. Evans (b. 1869 - d. 1936) 18 Mar 1931 - 23 Jul 1935 Paul Martin Pearson (b. 1871 - d. 1938) Rep 23 Jul 1935 - 21 Aug 1935 Robert W. Herrick (b. 1868 - d. 1938) Dem (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 Arthur Gordon (b. 1894 - d. 1976) Rep 25 Sep 1958 - 5 Apr 1961 John David Merwin (b. 1921 - d. 2013) Rep 5 Apr 1961 - 12 Feb 1969 Ralph Moses Paiewonsky (b. 1906 - d. 1991) Dem 12 Feb 1969 - 1 Jul 1969 Cyril Emanuel King (1st time) (b. 1921 - d. 1978) ICM (acting) 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 - d. 2011) ICM 5 Jan 1987 - 5 Jan 1995 Alexander A. Farrelly (b. 1923 - d. 2002) Dem 5 Jan 1995 - 4 Jan 1999 Roy Lester Schneider (b. 1939) Ind 4 Jan 1999 - 1 Jan 2007 Charles Wesley Turnbull (b. 1935 - d. 2022) Dem 1 Jan 2007 - 5 Jan 2015 John deJongh, Jr. (b. 1957) Dem 5 Jan 2015 - 7 Jan 2019 Kenneth Ezra Mapp (b. 1955) Ind 7 Jan 2019 - Albert Bryan, Jr. (b. 1968) Dem

Party abbreviations: Dem= Democratic Party (liberal, center-left, pro-territory, est.1829);ICM= Independent Citizens' Movement of the Virgin Islands (Virgin Islandsregionalist, pro-commonwealth, split from Dem, est.1968); Ind = Independent;Rep= Republican Party (conservative, center-right, est.1854)

Saint Thomas and Saint John

[Denmark]

30 Mar 1666 - 1668 Danish settlement on St. Thomas (Sankt Thomas). 25 May 1672 Danish rule on St. Thomas(under Danish West India Company [Dansk-Vestindisk Kompagni] to 24 Aug 1754). 7 May 1684 Danish rule on St. Jan (St. John)(unsettled to 25 Mar 1718). 24 Nov 1685 - 1715 Brandenburg leases a factory on St. Thomas13 Nov 1733 - May 1734 St. John controlled by slaves during a rebellion. 1755 Part of the Danish West Indies (s.a.), separate administration continues until 1862. 29 Mar 1801 - 19 Feb 1802 British occupation. 22 Dec 1807 - 15 Apr 1815 British occupation.14 Apr 1862 End of separate government.

Governors 30 Mar 1666 - 12 Jun 1666 Erik Nielsen Schmidt (Smed) (d. 1666) (appointed 8 Jun 1665)16 Jun 1666 - 1667 Jesper Høyer (acting) (d. 1667)1667 - 1668? Kjeld Jensen Slagelse(acting) (d. 1672) 1668 - 1672 Abandoned25 May 1672 - 5 Jul 1680 Jørgen Iversen Dyppel (b. 1638 - d. 1683) (appointed 29 Apr 1671) 5 Jul 1680 - Nov 1682 Nicolaj Esmit (b. 1625 - d. af.1688) Nov 1682 - 13 Oct 1684 Adolph Esmit (1st time) (b. 1625/30 - d. 1699) (acting to 17/23 Jul 1683)13 Oct 1684 - 24 Feb 1686 Gabriel Milan (b. c.1631 - d. 1689) 24 Feb 1686 - 5 Jul 1686 Mikkel Mikkelsen (interim) (d. 1708) 5 Jul 1686 - 29 Feb 1687 Christopher Heins (1st time) (d. 1689) 29 Feb 1687- 24 Mar 1688 Adolph Esmit (2nd time)(interim) (s.a.)24 Mar 1688 - 7 Jul 1688 Iver Hoppe (b. 1649 - d. 1693) 7 Jul 1688 - 2 Oct 1689 Christopher Heins (2nd time) (s.a.) 5 Oct 1689 - 27 Sep 1692 Johan Lorensen (Lorentz)(1st time) (b. 16.. - d. 1702)27 Sep 1692 - 13 Sep 1694 Frans Delavigne (Frans de la Vigne) 13 Sep 1694 - 10 Jun 1702 Johan Lorensen(2nd time) (s.a.) 11 Jun 1702 - 8 Feb 1706 Claus Hansen (b. 16.. - d. 1706) (acting to 3 Nov 1704) 9 Feb 1706 - 21 Nov 1708 Joachim Melchior von Holten (b. 1671 - d. 1708) (Jokum Melchior) 22 Nov 1708 - 27 Mar 1710 Diderich (Didrik) Mogensen(interim) 27 Mar 1710 - 8 Aug 1716 Michel (Mikkel) Knudsen Crone (b. 16.. - d. 1716) 8 Aug 1716 - 1 May 1724 Erik Bredal (d. 1725) 1 May 1724 - 18 Sep 1724 Otto Jacob Thambsen (b. 1670 - d. 1724) 19 Sep 1724 - 14 May 1727 Frederik Moth (Frederik von Moth) (b. 1694 - d. 1746) (1st time) 14 May 1727 - 21 Feb 1733 Henrik von Suhm (b. 1693 - d. 1744) 23 Feb 1733 - 21 Feb 1736 Philip Gardelin (d. 1740) 22 Feb 1736 - 3 Apr 1744 Frederik Moth (2nd time) (s.a.) 3 Apr 1744 - 25 Apr 1747 Christian von Schweder 25 Apr 1747 - 1755 Christian Suhm (d. 1759)Commandants 1755 - 1 Jun 1758 Christian Suhm (s.a.) 1 Jun 1758 - 18 Oct 1760 Harrien Felchenhauer (Felschauer) (d. 1764) 18 Oct 1760 - 21 Apr 1764 John Georg von John (Johnn) (d. 1764) 23 Apr 1764 - 7 Nov 1764 Ditlev Wilhelm Wildthagen(acting) (d. 1764) 9 Nov 1764 - 29 Aug 1765 Peter Gynthelberg(acting) (b. 1728 - d. 1780) 29 Aug 1765 - 12 May 1766 Ulrich Wilhelm Roepstorff (b. 1730 - d. 1821) 12 May 1766 - 29 Apr 1773 Jens Nielsen Kragh (b. c.1729 - d. 1773) 30 Apr 1773 - 30 Dec 1773 Georg Høst (Jørgen Hjersing Høst) (b. 1734 - d. 1794) (acting)30 Dec 1773 - 7 Sep 1796 Thomas de Malleville (b. 1739 - d. 1798) 7 Sep 1796 - 4 Jan 1800 Baltharzar Frederik Mühlenfels (s.a.) 4 Jan 1800 - 28 Mar 1801 Casimir Wilhelm von Scholten (b. 1752 - d. 1810) (1st time) 29 Mar 1801 - 19 Feb 1802 John Clayton Cowell (b. 1762 - d. 1819) (British governor) 19 Feb 1802 - 16 Feb 1803 Wilhelm von Rømeling (b. 1758 - d. 1810) 16 Feb 1803 - 21 Dec 1807 Casimir Wilhelm von Scholten (s.a.) (2nd time) 21 Dec 1807 - 15 Apr 1815 Sir Fitzroy Jeffreys Grafton (b. 1770 - d. 1847) Maclean (British lieutenant governor) 15 Apr 1815 - 1 Jul 1818 Christian Ludvig von Holten (b. 1774 - d. 1829) (1st time) 1 Jul 1818 - 11 Feb 1820 Peter Carl Frederik von Scholten (s.a.) (1st time) 11 Feb 1820 - 31 Mar 1820 Christian Ludvig von Holten (s.a.) (2nd time) 1 Apr 1820 - 9 Jul 1820 Peter Carl Frederik von Scholten (s.a.) (2nd time) 9 Jul 1820 - 1 Jun 1822 Carl Gottlieb Fleischer (b. 17.. - d. 1822) 1 Jun 1822 - 30 Mar 1823 Carl Vilhelm Jessen (b. 1764 - d. 1823) 1 Apr 1823 - 3 Mar 1826 Peter Carl Frederik von Scholten (s.a.) (3rd time) 7 Mar 1826 - 7 Jul 1829 Johannes Söbötker (1st time) (b. 1777 - d. 1854) (acting) 7 Jul 1829 - 15 May 1830 Frederik Ludvig Christian Pentz (b. 1781 - d. 1834) Rosenørn (1st time) (acting to 20 Feb 1830) 15 May 1830 - 30 Jun 1830 Lewin Jürgen Rohde (Rothe) (b. 1786 - d. 1857) (1st time)(acting) 1 Jul 1830 - 30 Mar 1831 Frederik Ludvig Christian Pentz (s.a.) Rosenørn (2nd time) 30 Mar 1831 - 24 Jun 1831 Lewin Jürgen Rohde (Rothe) (s.a.) (2nd time)(acting) 24 Jun 1831 - 18 Jul 1832 Johannes Söbötker (2nd time) (s.a.) 19 Jul 1832 - 24 Jun 1834 Frederik Ludvig Christian Pentz (s.a.) Rosenørn (3rd time)(acting) 24 Jun 1834 - 1 Nov 1836 Frederik von Oxholm (1st time) (s.a.) 1 Nov 1836 - 8 Jul 1848 Johannes Söbötker (2nd time) (s.a.) 8 Jul 1848 - 1 Dec 1848 Hans Hendrik Berg (1st time) (b. 1789 - d. 1862) 1 Dec 1848 - 7 Oct 1852 Frederik von Oxholm (2nd time) (s.a.) 8 Oct 1853 - 14 Apr 1862 Hans Hendrik Berg (2nd time) (s.a.) 1862 - 1871 no commandant on St. Thomas/St. John

Brandenburg Factory

24 Nov 1685 - 1715 Brandenburg leases a factory on St. Thomas from Denmark; administered by the Brandenburg African Company (from 1701, Royal Prussian African Company).

Factors1686 - 1692 Jacques Barbott de la Porte (Laporte)1692 - 1702 Peter (Pedro) van Belle1703 - 1714 GisbertHoest (SievrtHoesz)1716 - 1735 Thomas Bordeaux (b. c.1683 - d. 1735)