Carl Gunderson

Biography

Gunderson was born in a log cabin in Clay County in the Dakota Territory, near Vermillion. As a young man, he filed a claim on a homestead in Clay County that remained dear to him all his life. He stated that his occupation was a farmer all his life. He attended the University of South Dakota and Cornell University. He went into the mercantile business in Vermillion. He married Gertrude Bertleson and they had four children.

Career

Gunderson served five terms in the state senate of the South Dakota Legislature, being elected in 1892, 1896, 1898, 1900, and again in 1916. Gunderson served as president pro tempore of the senate in the 1899 session and served as the 13th Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota from 1921 to 1925 under Governor William H. McMaster. He was elected governor in 1924.

William J. Bulow defeated Gunderson for re-election in 1926. Gunderson received 40.3 percent of the vote and Bulow received 47.4 percent. A third party candidate and an independent received the remainder of the tally Gunderson had easily defeated Bulow in the election of 1924 by 70.2 percent of the vote to 29.8 percent.

Death

After his defeat he returned to his home in Mitchell until his death on February 26, 1933. He was buried on the tract of land that he had homesteaded, Bluff View Cemetery, Vermillion, Clay County, South Dakota US.