William Preston Lane Jr.
William Lane | |
---|---|
Chair of the National Governors Association | |
In office January 3, 1949 – June 19, 1949 | |
Preceded by | Lester C. Hunt |
Succeeded by | Frank Carlson |
52nd Governor of Maryland | |
In office January 3, 1947 – January 10, 1951 | |
Preceded by | Herbert O'Conor |
Succeeded by | Theodore McKeldin |
Attorney General of Maryland | |
In office 1931–1935 | |
Governor | Albert Ritchie |
Preceded by | Thomas H. Robinson |
Succeeded by | Herbert O'Conor |
Personal details | |
Born | William Preston Lane Jr. May 12, 1892 Hagerstown, Maryland, U.S. |
Died | February 7, 1967 Hagerstown, Maryland, U.S. | (aged 74)
Resting place | Rose Hill Cemetery Hagerstown, Maryland |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Dorothy Byron |
Children | 2 |
Education | University of Virginia (LLB) |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States |
Branch/service | United States Army |
Rank | Major |
Unit | 115th Infantry Regiment 29th Infantry Division |
Awards | Silver Star |
William Preston Lane Jr. (May 12, 1892 – February 7, 1967) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 52nd Governor of Maryland from 1947 to 1951.[1]
Early life and education
Lane was born in
Military service
When the United States entered
Career
Upon his return from service, Lane resumed the practice of law and began testing a career in politics.
Attorney General of Maryland
In 1928, Lane returned to politics when he was elected to the school board of Washington County.[3] In 1930, the Democratic candidate for Attorney General of Maryland died unexpectedly and a replacement had to be found. Since Lane had formed a friendship with Albert Ritchie, the Governor of Maryland, he was placed on the ticket and won the seat by a large margin over his Republican opponent.[2]
The highlight of Lane's career as Attorney General was his pursuit of a
As Attorney General, Lane also pleaded two cases before the
After his tenure as Attorney General, Lane remained very active in state and national politics.
Governor of Maryland
In 1946, Lane decided to run for governor. In the Democratic primary election, he defeated challengers
Lane faced George P. Mahoney, a perennial candidate, in the 1950 Democratic primary election held on September 18, 1950.[2] The primary was close and bruising, and left the Lane campaign weakened for the general election against Theodore McKeldin, his opponent in the 1946 election. Additionally, his unpopular sales tax to fund road improvements had caused significant dissent in the state and was used by McKeldin to pull votes away from Lane. On November 7, 1950, Lane was defeated in the general election by 94,000 votes, 57% to 42%. At that point, it was the largest margin of defeat in Maryland history. Lane's term as governor ended on January 10, 1951.[2]
After his term as governor, Lane remained active in the Democratic party and engaged in business pursuits. He died of a
Legacy
- William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge (more commonly known as the Chesapeake Bay Bridge).[7]
- Lane Building (demolished in 2006) on the campus of Springfield State Hospital Center, Sykesville, Maryland.
References
- ^ "William Preston Lane, Jr. (1892-1967) Biographical Series; Governor of Maryland, 1947-1951 (Democrat)". Archives of Maryland, MSA SC 3520-1483. Maryland State Government. 12 July 2001. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- ^ ISBN 978-0942370010.
- ^ a b c d e f g "William Preston Lane papers". umd.edu. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
- ^ a b c "William Preston Lane, Jr. (1892-1967)". Maryland State Archives. Annapolis. 9 December 1998. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- ^ "Matthew Williams (1908-1931) Biographical Series; Lynched in Salisbury, December 4, 1931". Archives of Maryland, MSA SC 3520-13749. Maryland State Government. 8 March 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ^ a b c "George Armwood (1911-1933) Biographical Series; Lynched in Princess Anne, October 18, 1933". Archives of Maryland, MSA SC 3520-13750. Maryland State Government. 9 March 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
- ^ Roxanne Pile-Beaton (22 October 2014). "MdTA: Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge Improvement Project". state.md.us. Retrieved 27 April 2015.