Walter Rutherford Peterson, Jr.
72nd Governor of New Hampshire
In office 1969–1973
Preceded by	John W. King
Succeeded by	Meldrim Thomson, Jr.
Personal details
Born	(1922-09-19)September 19, 1922 Nashua, New Hampshire
Died	June 1, 2011(2011-06-01) (aged 88) Peterborough, New Hampshire
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Dorothy Peterson
Alma mater	College of William and Mary University of New Hampshire Dartmouth College

Walter Rutherford Peterson, Jr. (September 19, 1922 – June 1, 2011) was an American realtor, educator, and Republican politician from Peterborough, New Hampshire, who served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives and two terms as Governor of New Hampshire.

  Early life

Peterson was born September 19, 1922 in Nashua, New Hampshire, and graduated from Nashua High School and New Hampton School. He attended William and Mary College and the University of New Hampshire and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1947.^[1] Peterson left his college studies to fulfill four years' service as a United States Navy Reserve officer in the South Pacific during World War II. After graduating from Dartmouth College, Peterson became a partner in The Petersons, Inc., a real estate firm in Peterborough, New Hampshire where he and family members worked until the late 1990s.

He married Dorothy Donovan in 1949. They had two children, Margaret and Andrew.^[1]

  Political career

Peterson joined New Hampshire state politics in 1961 where he served as a representative and House Speaker.

  Governorship

Peterson, a moderate Republican, was governor from 1969–1973; in a period when the state was experiencing rapid growth and looking for ways to fund new infrastructure costs. He lost a bid for re-election in 1972 after renouncing a pledge to veto any attempt to institute an income or sales tax.^[1] In later years, he warned the state Republican party against becoming too far right on the political spectrum.

  Life after politics

After Peterson's term as governor, he became President of Franklin Pierce College in 1975, and served until his retirement in 1995. He also served one year as president of the University of New Hampshire.^[1] In 1996 he became a trustee of the University System of New Hampshire.

During the 2008 election cycle, Peterson served as honorary chairman of John McCain's campaign during the New Hampshire primary, and as Chairman of Republicans for Lynch, a group of Republicans supporting the re-election of Democratic governor John Lynch.^[2] At age 86, his name emerged as a possible appointee to the United States Senate if Judd Gregg accepted the offer to serve as Secretary of Commerce in the cabinet of President Barack Obama.^[3] Gregg, however, subsequently withdrew his name from consideration after he was nominated.

  Death

In March 2011, Peterson (who was not a smoker) was diagnosed with lung cancer.^[4] He died on June 1.^[5]

  References

  External links

Biography portal

• Peterson at New Hampshire's Division of Historic Resources

Governors of New Hampshire Weare Langdon Sullivan Langdon Sullivan J. Bartlett Gilman Langdon J. Smith Langdon Plumer Gilman Plumer S. Bell Woodbury Morril Pierce J. Bell Pierce Harvey Dinsmoor Badger Hill Page Hubbard Steele Colby Williams Dinsmoor Jr. Martin Baker Metcalf Haile Goodwin Berry Gilmore Smyth Harriman Stearns Weston Straw Weston Cheney Prescott Head C. Bell Hale Currier Sawyer Goodell Tuttle J. B. Smith Busiel Ramsdell Rollins Jordan Bachelder McLane Floyd Quinby Bass Felker R. Spaulding Keyes J. H. Bartlett A. Brown F. Brown Winant H. Spaulding Tobey Winant Bridges Murphy Blood Dale Adams H. Gregg Dwinell Powell King Peterson Thomson Gallen Roy Sununu J. Gregg Merrill Shaheen Benson Lynch