Following is a list of Governors of Missouri since its territory became part of the United States. Missouri was part of the Louisiana Purchase in which the United States purchased from France in 1803. In its first year it was part of Louisiana. In 1804 all of the territory above what is modern-day Louisiana was broken off and administered by a governor based in St. Louis, Missouri until statehood. The current governor of Missouri is Jay Nixon. Nixon will not be eligible in the 2016 Missouri Gubernatorial Election due to term limits.