
John Woodrow Bonner (July 16, 1902 – March 28, 1970) was an American politician who served as the
13th Governor of Montana from January 3, 1949, to January 4, 1953. He was the first governor of Montana to be born in the 20th century.
Biography
Bonner was born in
Butte, Montana
Butte ( ) is a consolidated city-county and the county seat of Silver Bow County, Montana, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. The city covers , and, according to the 2 ...
, and graduated from high school in Butte. He received both his undergraduate and law degree from
Montana State University, which is now the
University of Montana in Missoula. On February 3, 1929, he married Josephine Martin, and had five children, Jo, Jackie, Billie, Pat, and Tom, with her.
Career
He served as counsel for the Montana Highway Commission from 1929 to 1936,
and as attorney for the Railroad and Public Service Commission from 1936 to 1940.
He was
Attorney General of Montana from 1941 to 1942. He resigned as attorney general to join the
U.S. Army as a
Major, during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. He was promoted to the rank of
colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
, and received several medals for courageous service.
After he returned from the War, he ran for
Governor of Montana in
1948
Events January
* January 1
** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated.
** The current Constitutions of Constitution of Italy, Italy and of Constitution of New Jersey, New Jersey (both later subject to amendment) ...
, winning the
Democratic primary and advancing to the general election, where he defeated incumbent
Republican governor
Sam C. Ford by a wide margin. Bonner ran for re-election in
1952, and he was narrowly defeated by
State Senator J. Hugo Aronson. He ran for governor again in
1956
Events
January
* January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan after 57 years.
* January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian Missionary, missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, E ...
, but lost the Democratic primary to
Arnold Olsen, who ended up losing to Aronson in the general election. In
1960, when United States senator
James E. Murray opted not to run for re-election, Bonner ran to succeed him, but, in a crowded primary, was defeated by Congressman
Lee Metcalf, who would go on to serve in the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...
for three terms. From 1968 until his death, he served as an associate justice of the
Montana Supreme Court.
Death
Bonner died on March 28, 1970, and is interred at
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia.
...
in
Arlington, Virginia
Arlington County, or simply Arlington, is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Virginia. The county is located in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from Washington, D.C., the nati ...
.
Arlington National Cemetery
/ref>
References
External links
State of Montana profile
National Governors Association biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bonner, John W.
1902 births
1970 deaths
Democratic Party governors of Montana
Justices of the Montana Supreme Court
United States Army personnel of World War II
United States Army officers
Montana attorneys general
Montana State University alumni
Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
20th-century American lawyers
20th-century American judges