William Swan Garvin

William Swan Garvin 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, Pennsylvania|Mercer County]'s Western Press, a Democratic newspaper.

After a time as a wandering journeyman 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 29th [United States Congress|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.

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