William S. Linton
Encyclopedia
William Seelye Linton (February 4, 1856 - November 22, 1927) was a politician from the U.S. state
of Michigan
.
Linton was born in St. Clair, Michigan
and moved with his parents to Saginaw
in 1859, where he attended the public schools. He engaged as clerk in a store at Farwell
and became engaged in various activities connected with the lumber industry at Wells (now Alger). He was a member of the board of supervisors of Bay County
for two terms. He returned to Saginaw in 1878 and engaged in the lumber business with his father and also was connected with other business enterprises. He was a member of the East Saginaw
common council in 1884 and 1885. He was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives in 1887 and 1888. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
on the Republican ticket in 1890, losing to Democrat John Strong, Jr. Linton was also president of the Saginaw Water Board and was elected mayor of Saginaw in 1892.
In 1892, running on the Republican Party
ticket in Michigan's 8th congressional district
, Linton defeated incumbent Democrat Henry M. Youmans
, to be elected to the 53rd United States Congress
. Linton was re-elected in 1894 to the 54th Congress
, serving from March 4, 1893 to March 3, 1897. He was chairman, Committee on Ventilation and Acoustics
in the 54th Congress. In 1896, Linton was defeated in the general election by Democrat Ferdinand Brucker
.
Linton was appointed postmaster of Saginaw by U.S. President William McKinley
on March 22, 1898, and recommissioned three times, serving until 1914. He was president of the Saginaw Board of Trade 1905-1911 and 1913-1917. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor of Michigan
in 1914, losing to Chase S. Osborn. He was appointed in 1919 a member of the Michigan State Board of Tax Commissioners and was named secretary a few weeks before his death in Lansing
. He was interred in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Saginaw.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Linton was born in St. Clair, Michigan
St. Clair, Michigan
St. Clair is a city in St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,802 at the 2000 census. The city is located on the St. Clair River near the southeast corner of St. Clair Township.-Geography:...
and moved with his parents to Saginaw
Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
in 1859, where he attended the public schools. He engaged as clerk in a store at Farwell
Farwell, Michigan
Farwell is a village in Clare County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 855 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
and became engaged in various activities connected with the lumber industry at Wells (now Alger). He was a member of the board of supervisors of Bay County
Bay County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 110,157 people, 43,930 households, and 30,048 families residing in the county. The population density was 248 people per square mile . There were 46,423 housing units at an average density of 104 per square mile...
for two terms. He returned to Saginaw in 1878 and engaged in the lumber business with his father and also was connected with other business enterprises. He was a member of the East Saginaw
East Saginaw, Michigan
East Saginaw is a defunct city in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan.East Saginaw was founded in 1850, and was incorporated as a village in 1855 and as a city in 1857...
common council in 1884 and 1885. He was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives in 1887 and 1888. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
The Lieutenant Governor of Michigan is the second-ranking official in U.S. state of Michigan, behind the governor, and one of four great offices of state...
on the Republican ticket in 1890, losing to Democrat John Strong, Jr. Linton was also president of the Saginaw Water Board and was elected mayor of Saginaw in 1892.
In 1892, running on the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
ticket in Michigan's 8th congressional district
Michigan's 8th congressional district
Michigan's 8th congressional district is a United States congressional district in Southern Michigan and Southeast Michigan. It consists of all of Clinton, Ingham, and Livingston counties, and includes the southern portion of Shiawassee and the northern portion of Oakland counties.The district was...
, Linton defeated incumbent Democrat Henry M. Youmans
Henry M. Youmans
Henry Melville Youmans was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.Youmans was born in Otego, New York and attended the common schools. He was in the employ of the York & Erie Railroad Co. on the Susquehanna division for ten years. He moved to East Saginaw, Michigan in 1862 and engaged in...
, to be elected to the 53rd United States Congress
53rd United States Congress
The Fifty-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1893 to March 4, 1895, during the fifth and sixth...
. Linton was re-elected in 1894 to the 54th Congress
54th United States Congress
- House of Representatives :-Leadership:- Senate :* President: Adlai E. Stevenson * President pro tempore: William P. Frye - Majority leadership :* Republican Conference Chairman: John Sherman- Minority leadership :...
, serving from March 4, 1893 to March 3, 1897. He was chairman, Committee on Ventilation and Acoustics
United States House Committee on Ventilation and Acoustics
The United States House Committee on Ventilation and Acoustics is a former standing committee of the United States House of Representatives.The committee was established to have jurisdiction over subjects related to the ventilation and acoustics of the Hall of the House of Representatives...
in the 54th Congress. In 1896, Linton was defeated in the general election by Democrat Ferdinand Brucker
Ferdinand Brucker
Ferdinand Brucker was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.Brucker was born in Bridgeport, Michigan, where he attended the common schools. He was a member of the State militia 1878-1881...
.
Linton was appointed postmaster of Saginaw by U.S. President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
on March 22, 1898, and recommissioned three times, serving until 1914. He was president of the Saginaw Board of Trade 1905-1911 and 1913-1917. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor of Michigan
Governor of Michigan
The Governor of Michigan is the chief executive of the U.S. State of Michigan. The current Governor is Rick Snyder, a member of the Republican Party.-Gubernatorial elections and term of office:...
in 1914, losing to Chase S. Osborn. He was appointed in 1919 a member of the Michigan State Board of Tax Commissioners and was named secretary a few weeks before his death in Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
. He was interred in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Saginaw.