William Lyne Wilson

Biography

Born in what is today West Virginia, William Lyne Wilson attended Columbian College and the University of Virginia before serving in the 12th Virginia Cavalry during the Civil War. After the conflict, he returned to Columbian to teach and pursue his law degree. After being admitted to the bar in 1869, Wilson opened a practice in Charles Town, West Virginia.

Wilson served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1880 and was chosen to serve as president of West Virginia University in 1882. Shortly after, he was elected a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives and won reelection five times. While in Congress, he Wilson was chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.

After leaving Congress in 1895, President Grover Cleveland appointed Wilson Postmaster General. While serving two years in that office, Washington and Lee School of Law alumnus and future Secretary of War Newton D. Baker served as his private secretary. After leaving office as Postmaster General, Wilson became president of Washington and Lee University and held that post until his death on October 17, 1900.