[p. 421] who formerly
occupied the distinguished position
of Lieutenant-Governor of the State of
Pennsylvania, and during 1897, 1898 and
1899 was a prominent member of the Pennsylvania
State Senate, is a resident of New
Castle and is one in whom his fellow citizens
take justifiable pride. He was born
at Greenville, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
in 1850, one of a family of three
children born to his parents, who were Van
Swearingen and Lydia J. Brown.
William M. Brown attended several of the leading institutions of learning at New Castle, where he completed both a literary and commercial course, and then entered upon the study of law under Judge John McMichael, and was admitted to the bar in 1876. He continued in the active practice of his profession for a number of years. He early became interested in public affairs, became a leading factor in the Republican party and closely identified with its interests. Prior to 1896, when he was elected to the State Senate, he had efficiently filled many important civic positions, and his name remains connected with enterprises in which his experience and judgment were of the greatest service. His election and subsequent reelection to the Senate but made him a more popular candidate for the position of Lieutenant-Governor and to this high office he was promoted in 1902. Since his retirement from public life he has given his time largely to electrical railroad contracting. He is a director of the Lawrence Savings and Trust Company of New Castle. Governor Brown married Margaret Foltz, who is a daughter of Samuel and Amanda G. Foltz.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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