William S. Linton

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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.

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Preceded by
Henry M. Youmans		 United States Representative for the 8th Congressional District of Michigan
1893 – 1897		 Succeeded by
Ferdinand Brucker