William John Bulow
United States Senator fromSouth Dakota
In office March 4, 1931 – January 3, 1943
Preceded by	William H. McMaster
Succeeded by	Harlan J. Bushfield
12th Governor of South Dakota
In office January 4, 1927 – January 6, 1931
Lieutenant	Hyatt E. Covey Clarence E. Coyne John T. Grigsby
Preceded by	Carl Gunderson
Succeeded by	Warren Green
Member of theSouth Dakota Senate
In office 1899
Personal details
Born	(1869-01-13)January 13, 1869 Moscow, Ohio, U.S.
Died	February 26, 1960(1960-02-26) (aged 91) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouses	Katherine Reedy Sarah Johnson Farrand
Alma mater	University of Michigan
Profession	Attorney

William John Bulow (January 13, 1869 – February 26, 1960) was an American politician and lawyer. He was the firstDemocrat to serve asGovernor of South Dakota, from 1927 to 1931. He received the highest number of votes of any Democratic candidate for governor in the state up to that time.^[1] Bulow then went on to serve as a member of theUnited States Senate from South Dakota from 1931 to 1943.

Bulow was born ofGerman ancestry to Joseph and Elizabeth (Ebendorf) Bulow nearMoscow inClermont County, Ohio, where he was raised and educated. In 1893, he graduated with a law degree from theUniversity of Michigan.^[2] He was twice married: to Katherine J. Reedy and to Sarah (Johnson) Farrand.^[3]

During 1893, Bulow moved toSouth Dakota. He resided inSioux Falls, where he worked for theJoe Kirby office. Then, he came by horse and carriage toBeresford, where he set up his own law office and helped to develop the town. He was elected to the state senate of theSouth Dakota Legislature in 1898.^[1] While residing in Beresford, Bulow spent twenty-five years as city attorney from 1902 to 1927, except while serving as mayor from 1912 to 1913. He also served as County Judge for Beresford in 1918.

In1924, following the death of the Democratic Party's gubernatorial nominee, Bulow was selected as the Party's replacement nominee.^[4] Bulow lost the general election in a landslide to Republican Lieutenant GovernorCarl Gunderson as aFarmer–Labor Party candidate siphoned off a significant share of the left-leaning vote. In1926, Bulow defeated Gunderson for re-election, and he was re-elected in1928. As governor, he pardoned the famous frontier gamblerPoker Alice after her conviction ofbootlegging and other charges related to running a house ofprostitution.

In 1930, rather than seek re-election as Governor, Bulowran for the U.S. Senate, and he narrowly defeated incumbent SenatorWilliam H. McMaster in the general election. He was narrowly re-elected in1936. In1942, however, Bulow faced strong opposition in the Democratic primary due to his opposition to the foreign policy of PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt. He lost renomination to former GovernorTom Berry in a landslide.

During his entire life, Bulow kept a legal residence in Beresford, South Dakota and voted by absentee ballot. After his loss in 1942, Bulow retired and spent the rest of his life residing inWashington, D.C. Bulow spent his last few years in failing health and was blind during his last four years. He was a member of theAlfalfa Club.^[5]

Beresford honored William J. Bulow in 1959 during the town's seventy-five year jubilee observance. The city's park was dedicated as "Bulow Park" on June 3, 1959.

Almost nine months later, Bulow died in Washington, D.C.; his body was returned to Beresford for burial at theSt. John Catholic Cemetery, where he was interred next to his first wife, Katherine (Reedy) Bulow. Years later, Bulow's house in Beresford, South Dakota was declared a historic landmark (Governor William J. Bulow House).

• United States Congress."William J. Bulow (id: B001055)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Listing for William J. Bulow's home on theNational Register of Historic Places
• National Governors Association

• 1869 births
• 1960 deaths
• 20th-century mayors of places in South Dakota
• People from Clermont County, Ohio
• American people of German descent
• American Lutherans
• Democratic Party United States senators from South Dakota
• Democratic Party governors of South Dakota
• Democratic Party South Dakota state senators
• South Dakota state court judges
• Politicians from Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• People from Beresford, South Dakota
• South Dakota lawyers
• University of Michigan Law School alumni
• 20th-century United States senators
• 19th-century members of the South Dakota Legislature

• Articles with short description
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