Territorial Governors

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 McLain 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 (first term)
1-5-1931 to 1-2-1933

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

Philip Fox La Follette (second term)
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
1-6-2003 to 1-2-2011

Scott Walker
1-3-2011 to 1-6-2019

Tony Evers 
Inaugurated 1-7-2019

Learn More

View historical images of Wisconsin's governors

Read about the Wisconsin Executive Residence

Source: Wisconsin Blue Book