Kirk E. Francis Sr.
In 2006, when I was inaugurated into the office of the Chief of the Penobscot Nation, I realized that growing up on this reservation surrounded by extraordinary people had brought me to this place. Being raised on Indian Island was a privilege that I didn’t take lightly.
On Oak Hill, the highest place on the Island , I was surrounded by many elders who shaped the youth in the community. It was those teachings that guided me to run for office of Chief of the Penobscot Nation.
I cannot express the gratitude I have for the people of the Penobscot Nation for entrusting me with the responsibility to lead this great nation. I am honored to be included in the company of the men and women who have served as leaders in the community.
Our past chiefs have been both elected, like me, or were part of the traditional hereditary system, where the chief line followed a distinguished bloodline. It is these ancestors who worked hard to ensure that the Penobscot Nation remained a sovereign entity with a distinct culture and history. I have learned a lot from our past chiefs, the six still alive today and the written history of many others. Their guidance ensures that proper decisions are made for the next seven generations. In our history, there are letters from Penobscot chiefs from the late 1700s to modern day that address many of the same issues that we continue to fight today.
Today, the methods are much different but the issues and what we want for results remain the same. Economically, the Penobscot Nation is in a better place today. My predecessors had to rely on their instincts and had to constantly think about how to ensure the very survival of our people — culturally, spiritually, and physically. Those leaders were the glue that bound this community together in our darkest days. And it is the strength of these great leaders that allows me to fight for the success of the Penobscot Nation and our people today. Their past efforts and tough decisions have given me this opportunity, and as a tribal citizen, the right to exist as a Penobscot.
I know that my time as Chief has to provide for opportunity and progress for our Nation. With gratitude to the past, and with an eye to the future, this tribal administration is able to work for future generations and to do so as Penobscots, with our customs and traditions that make us who we are intact
| Years | Chief/Governor | First Lady | Sub-Chief/Lt. Governor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–2018 | Kirk E. Francis, Sr. | Shannon L. Blais | William Q. Thompson / Mark Sockbeson |
| 2010–2014 | Kirk E. Francis, Sr. | Shannon L. Blais | William Q. Thompson |
| 2008–2010 | Kirk E. Francis, Sr. | Shannon L. Blais | William Q. Thompson |
| 2006–2008 | Kirk E. Francis, Sr. | Shannon L. Blais | Dennis Pehrson Sr. |
| 2004–2006 | James G. Sappier | Bonnie Jameson | Mike Bear |
| 2002–2004 | Barry L. Dana | Lori A. Thomas Later | Mike Bear |
| 2000–2002 | Barry L. Dana | Lori A. Thomas Later | Mike Bear |
| 1998–2000 | Richard Hamilton | — | Ann Irene Pardilla |
| 1996–1998 | Francis D. Mitchell | Edwina Bear | Brenda Fields |
| 1994–1996 | Richard Hamilton | — | Arnold Neptune |
| 1992–1994 | Geraldo R. Pardilla | Janet M. Lewey | Reuben E. Phillips |
| 1990–1992 | James G. Sappier | Bonnie Jameson | Phillip Guimond, Jr. / Gerardo R. Pardilla |
| 12/07/1989 | James G. Sappier | Bonnie Jameson | Phillip Guimond, Jr. |
Chosen at Special Election
| 09/12/1989–12/07/1989 | Phillip Guimond, Jr. (Acting Governor) | Lorena Loring | — | |
| 01/01/1988–09/12/1989 | Francis D. Mitchell | Edwina Bear | Phillip Guimond, Jr. | |
| 1986–1988 | James G. Sappier | Bonnie Jameson | Ann Irene Pardilla | |
| 1984–1986 | Timothy R. Love | Eva M. Ranco | James G. Sappier | |
| 1982–1984 | Timothy R. Love | Eva M. Ranco | Joseph Francis | |
| 1980–1982 | Timothy R. Love | Eva M. Ranco | Nicholas Sapiel | |
| 1978–1980 | Wilfred Pehrson | Joan Dorothy Lolar | Edwin Mitchell | |
| 1976–1978 | Nicholas Sapiel | Mary Arlene Ranco | Wilfred Pehrson | |
| 1974–1976 | Nicholas Sapiel | Mary Arlene Ranco | Peter S. Neptune | |
| 1972–1974 | Matthew P. Sappier | Helen Sullivan | Kenneth Nelson | |
| 1970–1972 | Francis J. Ranco | Mabel Dana | Frank V. Loring | |
| 1968–1970 | John M. Mitchell, Sr. | Mary E. Meader | Donald Daigle (resigned) / Harold Francis Sr. | |
| 1967–1968 | John M. Mitchell, Sr. | Mary E. Meader | Frederick Nicola | |
| 1965–1966 | Francis J. Ranco | Mabel Dana | Roy Dana | |
| 1963–1964 | Ernest Goslin | Helen M. Mitchell | Francis Tomer | |
| 1961–1962 | Albert J. Nicola | Lisa L. Heighe | Harold Francis | |
| 1959–1960 | Francis J. Ranco | Mabel Dana | John M. Mitchell, Sr. | |
| 1957–1958 | Francis J. Ranco | Mabel Dana | John M. Mitchell, Sr. | |
| 1955–1956 | Albert J. Nicola | Lisa L. Heighe | Eugene Loring | |
| 1953–1954 | Albert J. Nicola | Lisa L. Heighe | John S. Nelson | |
| 1951–1952 | Albert J. Nicola | Lisa L. Heighe | John M. Mitchell, Sr. | |
| 1949–1950 | Albert J. Nicola | Lisa | ||
| 1947–1948 | Albert J. Nicola | Lisa L. Heighe | Melvin Neptune | |
| 1945–1946 | James Lewis | Mary Josephine Ketchum | Harold Francis | |
| 1943–1944 | Theodore B. Mitchell | Mildred M. McKenney | John P. Ranco | |
| 1941–1942 | James Lewis | Mary Josephine Ketchum | Theodore B. Mitchell | |
| 1939–1940 | Horace Nelson | Philomeme Saulis | Andrew Dana | |
| 1937–1938 | James Lewis | Mary Josephine Ketchum | Horace N. Polchies | |
| 1935–1936 | Howard M. Ranco | Nora Mary Paul | Louis Lolar | |
| 1933–1934 | Howard M. Ranco | Nora Mary Paul | Louis Lolar |
Elected to succeed John T. Ranco
| 1933 | John T. Ranco (resigned) | Phoebe Leblanc | Louis Lolar |
Old Party and New Party Politics ceased to exist after 1931
| 1931–1932 | Louis Nicholas (New Party) | Susan Bernard | Newell A. Paul |
| 1929–1930 | George C. Dana (Old Party) | Julia F. Mitchell | Peter M. Nelson |
| 1928 | Louis Nicholas | Susan Bernard | — |
Chosen at Special Election 10/01-12/31/1928
| 1928 | Lester Bassett | Mary Ethel Totty | Acting Governor 02/05-10/01/1928 |
| 1927–1928 | Newell Tomer (New Party) | Louise Saul | Lester Bassett |
| 1925–1926 | John Nelson (Old Party) | Alphonsine Mary Oulette | Peter M. Nelson |
| 1923–1924 | Unknown (New Party) | — | — |
| 1921–1922 | Nicholas Solomon (Old Party) | Ellen Antoinette Francis | Theodore B. Mitchell |
| 1919–1920 | Peter M. Nicola (New Party) | Madeline Ranco | — |
| 1917–1918 | Newell Francis (Old Party) | Julia F. Mitchell | Peter Neptune |
| 1915–1916 | Newell Lyon (New Party) | Elizabeth Chandler | Louis Ketchum |
| 1913–1914 | Horace Nicola (Old Party) | Martha Madeline Hubbard | Peter Neptune |
| 1911–1912 | Peter M. Nicola (New Party) | Madeline Ranco | Louis Ketchum |
| 1909–1910 | Sabattis Francis (Old Party) | Mary Ann Nicholas | John B. Mitchell |
| 1907–1908 | Joseph Francis (New Party) | Elizabeth Swassian | Gabriel Paul |
| 1905–1906 | Newell Francis (Old Party) | Julia F. Mitchell | Peter N. Neptune |
| 1904 | Newell Lyon (New Party) | Elizabeth Chandler | Lola Coley |
Chosen at Special Election 01/29/1904
| 12/26/1903–01/29/1904 | Lola Coley | Annie Francis | Acting Governor |
| 1903 | Sabattis Glossian (New Party) Died in office 12/26/1903 |
Mary Sockbesin | Lola Coley |
| 1901–1902 | Mitchell Attean (Old Party) | Mary Ranco | Frank Loring |
| 1899–1900 | Joseph Francis (New Party) | Elizabeth Swassian | Peter Nicola |
| 1897–1898 | Sabattis Francis (Old Party) | Mary Ann Nicholas | Peter W. Ranco |
| 1895–1896 | Francis P. Sockalexis (New Party) | Frances Sockbeson | John Saul |
| 1893–1894 | Sabattis M. Francis (Old Party) | Mary Ann Nicholas | Louis Peol Sock |
| 1891–1892 | Joseph Francis (New Party) | Elizabeth Swassian | Francis Sockalexis |
| 1889–1890 | Saul Neptune (Old Party) | Frances Neptune | Sabattis Dana |
| 1887–1888 | Joseph Francis (New Party) | Elizabeth Swassian | Francis Sockalexis |
| 1885–1886 | Stephen Stanislaus (Old Party) | Sylvia Solomon | Saul Neptune |
| 1883–1884 | Sockabesin Swassian (New Party) | Mary Susep | Swassian F. Susup |
| 1881–1882 | Stephen Stanislaus (Old Party) | Sylvia Solomon | Saul Neptune |
| 1880 | Sockabesin Swassian (New Party) | Mary Susep | Swassian F. Susup |
| 1879 | Stephen Stanislaus (Old Party) | Sylvia Solomon | Saul Neptune |
| 1878 | Joseph Susup Sockalexis (New Party) | Muddlin Glossian | Sockabesin Swassian |
| 1877 | Stephen Stanislaus (Old Party) | Sylvia Solomon | Saul Neptune |
Chosen at Special Election 01/04/1877
| 01/01/1877–01/04/1877 | Saul Neptune | Frances Neptune | Acting Governor |
| 1877 | Tomer Attean (Old Party) | Elizabeth Francis | Saul Neptune |
| 1876 | Joseph Susup Sockalexis (New Party) | Muddlin Glossian | Sockabesin Swasson |
| 1875 | Sabattis J. Mitchell (Old Party) | Elizabeth S. Francis | John Neptune |
| 1874 | Unknown (New Party) | Attean Orson Died in Office 01/12/1874 Sockabesin Swassian Chosen Special Election 03/20/1874 |
|
| 1873 | Saul Neptune (Old Party) | Frances Neptune | |
| 1872 | Joseph Susup Sockalexis (New Party) | Muddlin Glossian | Attean Orson |
| 1871 | Saul Neptune (Old Party) | ||
| 1870 | Attean Orson (New Party, Acting Governor 09/30/1870–12/31/1870) | ||
| 1870 | Tomer Sockalexis (New Party) | Attean Orson | |
| 1869 | Joseph Attean (Old Party) | Saul Neptune | |
| 1868 | Tomer Sockalexis (New Party) | Attean Orson | |
| 1867 | Joseph Attean (Old Party) | Saul Neptune | |
| 1816–1858 | John Attean | ||
| Attean Elmut | |||
| Joseph Orono | |||
| John Attean | |||
| Lolon Saguarrab | |||
| Wenonganet II | |||
| Wenonganet I |