Governors and their Terms in Office

Territorial governors were appointed for a three-year term, and were authorized to veto territorial legislation, appoint lower level officials, and serve as commander in chief of the militia:

Henry Dodge
1836-1841
appointed by Andrew Jackson, April 30, 1836.

James Duane Doty
1841-1844
appointed by John Tyler, Sept. 30, 1841.

Nathaniel P. Talmadge
1844-1845
appointed by John Tyler, June 21, 1844.

Henry Dodge
1845-1848
appointed by James K. Polk, April 8, 1845.
 

State Governors: The Wisconsin Constitution provided for an elected governor to serve a two-year term, The following people have served as governor of the state of Wisconsin between the dates shown:

Nelson Dewey
6-7-1848 to 1-5-1852

Leonard James Farwell
1-5-1852 to 1-2-1854

William Augustus Barstow
1-2-1854 to 3-21-1856

Arthur MacArthur
3-21-1856 to 3-25-1856

Coles Bashford
3-25-1856 to 1-4-1858

Alexander William Randall
1-4-1858 to 1-6-1862

Louis Powell Harvey
1-6-1862 to 4-19-1862

Edward Salomon
4-19-1862 to 1-4-1864

James Taylor Lewis
1-4-1864 to 1-1-1866

Lucius Fairchild
1-1-1866 to 1-1-1872

Cadwallader Colden Washburn
1-1-1872 to 1-5-1874

William Robert Taylor
1-5-1874 to 1-3-1876

Harrison Ludington
1-3-1876 to 1-7-1878

William E. Smith
1-7-1878 to 1-2-1882

Jeremiah McClain Rusk
1-2-1882 to 1-7-1889

William D. Hoard
1-7-1889 to 1-5-1891

George Wilbur Peck
1-5-1891 to 1-7-1895

William H. Upham
1-7-1895 to 1-4-1897

Edward Scofield
1-4-1897 to 1-7-1901

Robert M. La Follette, Sr.
1-7-1901 to 1-1-1906

James O. Davidson
1-1-1906 to 1-2-1911

Francis Edward McGovern
1-2-1911 to 1-4-1915

Emanuel Lorenz Philipp
1-4-1915 to 1-3-1921

John James Blaine
1-3-1921 to 1-3-1927

Fred R. Zimmerman
1-3-1927 to 1-7-1929

Walter Jodok Kohler, Sr.
1-7-1929 to 1-5-1931

Philip Fox La Follette
1-5-1931 to 1-2-1933

Albert George Schmedeman
1-2-1933 to 1-7-1935

Philip Fox La Follette
1-7-1935 to 1-2-1939

Julius Peter Heil
1-2-1939 to 1-4-1943

Orland Steen Loomis
died Dec. 7, 1942, prior to inauguration

Walter Samuel Goodland
1-4-1943 to 3-12-1947

Oscar Rennebohm
3-12-1947 to 1-1-1951

Walter Jodok Kohler, Jr.
1-1-1951 to 1-7-1957

Vernon W. Thomson
1-7-1957 to 1-5-1959

Gaylord Anton Nelson
1-5-1959 to 1-7-1963

John W. Reynolds
1-7-1963 to 1-4-1965

Warren P. Knowles
1-4-1965 to 1-4-1971

Patrick J. Lucey
1-4-1971 to 7-6-1977

Martin J. Schreiber
7-6-1977 to 1-1-1979

Lee Sherman Dreyfus
1-1-1979 to 1-3-1983

Anthony Scully Earl
1-3-1983 to 1-5-1987

Tommy George Thompson
1-5-1987 to 2-1-2001

Scott McCallum
2-2-2001 to 1-5-2003

Jim Doyle
elected 1-6-2003
still in office January 2008



Wisconsin Blue Book, Wisconsin Historical Society, and Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia

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Note: The Wisconsin Blue Book is a biannual publication of the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. The Blue Book is an almanac containing information on the government, economics, demograpics, geography, and history of the state of Wisconsin. The Blue Book is published in the fall of every odd year, corresponding to the start of each new biennium of the Wisconsin state government. Since 1995, the Blue Book has been available in free electronic form. Hardcover editions of the book may be obtained by Wisconsin residents by contacting their Assembly representative or State Senator.