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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.

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.

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.

Garvin was postmaster of Mercer from 1837 to 1841.

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.

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

Death and interment

Garvin died on February 20, 1883, and was buried in the Mercer Citizens’ Cemetery.

References

1. White, John G. (1909). "Ch. XIV: The Press". A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 217–218.
2. "Garvin, William Swan" (CongBio|G000089). Washington, D.C.: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, retrieved online September 8, 2024.
3. White, John G. (1909). "Ch. XIV: The Press". A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 217–218.
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. White, John G. (1909). "Ch. XIV: The Press". A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 217–218.
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. White, John G. (1909). "Ch. XIV: The Press". A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 217–218.
10. White, John G. (1909). "Ch. XIV: The Press". A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 217–218.
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. White, John G. (1909). "Ch. XIV: The Press". A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 217–218.
16. White, John G. (1909). "Ch. XIV: The Press". A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 217–218.
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.

• 1806 births
• 1883 deaths
• People from Mercer, Pennsylvania
• Politicians from Mercer County, Pennsylvania
• Editors of Pennsylvania newspapers
• Pennsylvania postmasters
• Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
• American male journalists
• 19th-century American male writers
• 19th-century American newspaper editors
• 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives