William Swan Garvin Explained

William Swan Garvin
State:	Pennsylvania
District:	22nd
Term Start:	March 4, 1845
Term End:	March 3, 1847
Preceded:	Samuel Hays
Succeeded:	John Wilson Farrelly
Birth Date:	25 July 1806
Birth Place:	Mercer, Pennsylvania
Restingplace:	Mercer Citizens’ Cemetery, Mercer, Pennsylvania
Party:	Jacksonian
Otherparty:	Democratic
Occupation:	Newspaper proprietor, postmaster, flour inspector

William Swan Garvin (July 25, 1806 – February 20, 1883) was a western Pennsylvania newspaper proprietor who is most widely known for his term as a Jacksonian and Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives.^{[1] [2]}

Early years

Garvin was born in Mercer, Pennsylvania on July 25, 1806. At the age of thirteen, he became an apprentice for Mercer County's Western Press, a Democratic newspaper.^{[3] [4] [5]}

Career

After journeying as a newspaper printer, he returned to the Western Press as its proprietor in 1830. He held that position off and on for the rest of his life.^{[6] [7] [8]}

Garvin was postmaster of Mercer from 1837 to 1841.^[9]

Garvin was elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-ninth Congress. He served as chairman of the United States House Committee on Expenditures on Public Buildings during that session.^{[10] [11] [12] [13]}

He also served as a flour inspector in Pittsburgh during the early 1850s,^[14] and was again appointed postmaster of Mercer in 1867 and served until 1869.^[15]

Death and interment

Garvin died on February 20, 1883, and was buried in the Mercer Citizens’ Cemetery.^{[16] [17] [18]}

Notes and References

1. Book: White, John G. . https://books.google.com/books?id=EB4VAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA217. 217–218 . Ch. XIV: The Press . A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania . 1909 . Lewis Publishing Company.
2. "Garvin, William Swan" (CongBio|G000089). Washington, D.C.: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, retrieved online September 8, 2024.
3. Book: White, John G. . https://books.google.com/books?id=EB4VAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA217. 217–218 . Ch. XIV: The Press . A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania . 1909 . Lewis Publishing Company.
4. "Garvin, William Swan" (CongBio|G000089), Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
5. "William S. Garvin," in "Personal." Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Lancaster Daily Intelligencer, February 21, 1882, p. 2 (subscription required).
6. Book: White, John G. . https://books.google.com/books?id=EB4VAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA217. 217–218 . Ch. XIV: The Press . A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania . 1909 . Lewis Publishing Company.
7. "Two Old Editors Gone." Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia Times, February 21, 1882, p. 2 (subscription required).
8. "William S. Garvin," in "Personal," Lancaster Daily Intelligencer, February 21, 1882, p. 2.
9. Book: White, John G. . https://books.google.com/books?id=EB4VAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA217. 217–218 . Ch. XIV: The Press . A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania . 1909 . Lewis Publishing Company.
10. Book: White, John G. . https://books.google.com/books?id=EB4VAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA217. 217–218 . Ch. XIV: The Press . A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania . 1909 . Lewis Publishing Company.
11. "Garvin, William Swan" (CongBio|G000089), Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
12. "Members of Congress Elected." Sunbury, Pennsylvania: The Sunbury American, October 17, 1844, p. 2.
13. "William S. Garvin," in "Personal," Lancaster Daily Intelligencer, February 21, 1882, p. 2.
14. "The Flour Inspector." Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The Pittsburgh Post, April 15, 1852, p. 2 (subscription required).
15. Book: White, John G. . https://books.google.com/books?id=EB4VAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA217. 217–218 . Ch. XIV: The Press . A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania . 1909 . Lewis Publishing Company.
16. Book: White, John G. . https://books.google.com/books?id=EB4VAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA217. 217–218 . Ch. XIV: The Press . A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania . 1909 . Lewis Publishing Company.
17. "Garvin, William Swan" (CongBio|G000089), Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
18. "William S. Garvin," in "Personal," Lancaster Daily Intelligencer, February 21, 1882, p. 2.