He married Ida M. Lowry, a native of Romeo, Michigan, though much of her life had been spent at Saginaw, both before and after her marriage. Mr. Linton was a man of affairs at home, and held the most honorable places of trust in the gift of his city, besides being prominent in Masonic circles and an officer of the organization known as the "Independent Order of foresters." They had three children: Ray, the eldest, a younger brother, and Elsie, the only daughter.
Congress In 1892, running on the
Republican Party ticket in
Michigan's 8th congressional district, Linton defeated incumbent
Democrat Henry M. Youmans, to be elected to the
53rd United States Congress. Linton was re-elected in 1894 to the
54th Congress, serving from March 4, 1893 to March 3, 1897. He was chairman,
Committee on Ventilation and Acoustics in the 54th Congress. In 1896, Linton was defeated in the general election by Democrat
Ferdinand Brucker. In 1895, Linton along with David Swinton, visited Florida looking for opportunity investing in what was then an unsettled frontier. In
West Palm Beach, which was the end of the line for the railroad, they headed south by boat. Linton and Swinton liked what they saw, and purchased what is today, much of
Delray Beach, and
Boynton Beach. They then returned to Michigan to recruit settlers. By the fall of that same year, they had signed up eight settlers. The settlement called Linton was established within a year, having cleared palmetto growth, planting crops, and establishing a post office and store. However, by 1897, Linton had financial trouble and sold some of his holdings to
Nathan Smith Boynton to raise some money. By 1898, Linton's creditors moved to collect from Linton's settlers, who had been under the impression that he already had clear title to the land. Some settlers headed back north, and Linton's reputation suffered. Linton returned to Michigan, and the settlement was renamed Delray after
Delray, Michigan the hometown of W.W. Blackmer, one of the original eight settlers. (editor), William S. Linton, Mayor William B. Baum,
Wellington R. Burt (businessman).
Later career Linton was appointed postmaster of Saginaw by
U.S. President William McKinley on March 22, 1898, and recommissioned three times, serving until 1914. He was president of the Saginaw Board of Trade 1905-1911 and 1913-1917. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for
Governor of Michigan in 1914, losing to
Chase S. Osborn. He was appointed in 1919 a member of the Michigan State Board of Tax Commissioners and was named secretary a few weeks before his death in
Lansing. He was interred in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Saginaw. ==References==