- Tom Berry
Thomas Matthew Berry (
April 23 ,1879 ,October 30 ,1951 ), was the fourteenthGovernor of South Dakota . Berry, a Democrat fromBelvidere, South Dakota , served from 1933 to 1937. He is noted for defeating two incumbent Democratic United States senators in the state Democratic primary and then losing the seat to the Republicans in the general election.He was born in Paddock, Nebraska, and came to South Dakota in 1897. He lived in several locations and finally settled in Mellette County south of Belvidere. He built up a 30,000 acre (120 km²) ranch raising Hereford cattle and saddle horses.
He served in the House of Representatives of the
South Dakota Legislature from 1925-1931. He was elected governor twice, in 1932 and 1934. ["Biographical Directory of the South Dakota Legislature, 1889-1989" (1989), p. 91.] He ran for a third term in 1936 but was defeated byLeslie Jensen . ["South Dakota Manual, 1937", p. 389.] In 1938, he defeated interim United States SenatorHerbert Hitchcock in the Democratic primary ["South Dakota Manual, 1939, p. 406.] , but lost the general election toChan Gurney . ["South Dakota Manual, 1939, p. 413. ] In 1942 Berry defeated incumbent United States SenatorWilliam J. Bulow in the Democratic primary ["South Dakota Manual, 1943", p. 293] but lost the general election toHarlan J. Bushfield . ["South Dakota Manual, 1943", p. 296.] That defeat ended his political career.For several years, he served as director of the Farm Credit Administration in
Omaha, Nebraska . He retired toRapid City, South Dakota , where he lived until his death. ["Biographical Directory of the South Dakota Legislature, 1889-1989" (1989), p. 91.]References
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