William Preston Lane, Jr. was born May 12, 1892 at
Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland. He is the son
of the late Colonel William P. Lane and Virginia Lee
(Cartwright) Lane and the direct descendant of early set-
tlers of Washington County and of several of the pioneer
families of Southern Maryland, including the Maddoxes and
Claggetts. Governor Lane is married to the former Dorothy
Byron of Hagerstown, and he is the father of two daugh-
ters, Dorothy Byron and Jean Cartwright Lane..

Governor Lane graduated from the University of Vir-
ginia with the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1915. He was
admitted to the Maryland Bar the next year, and has been
admitted to practice before the United States Supreme
Court. He is a former member of the law firm of Lane,
Bushong and Byron of Hagerstown. In addition to the prac-
tice of law. Governor Lane has been active in business.
One of his interests is the Herald-Mail Company, publishers
of two Hagerstown newspapers, of which he has been presi-
dent since 1922..

Civic and political affairs have engaged the interest of
Governor Lane from his earliest manhood. He is a member of
the Vestry of St. John's Parish (Protestant Episcopal) and a
trustee of St. James' School. He is also a former member of
the Board of Education of Washington County, and he is at
present a member of the Elks, Moose, and Eagles. A lead-
ing Democrat of Maryland, Governor Lane has been a dele-
gate to five National Conventions (1928, 1932, 1940, 1944,
and 1948), a Presidential Elector at Large (1936), State
Treasurer (1940), and Chairman of the Campaign Commit-
tee (1944). He has been Democratic National Committee-
man since 1940. He was Attorney General of Maryland
from 1930 to 1935 and a member of the Maryland Tax
Revision Commission in 1938. He is serving his first term
as Governor, having been elected in 1946..

As a Captain in the National Guard, Governor Lane
served' on the Mexican Border in 1916. During World War
I he served as Captain in the 115th Infantry where he saw
service in France, especially in the Meuse-Argonne Offen-
sive. He was decorated with the Silver Star. After the
Armistice he was promoted to a Majority and appointed
Assistant Division Adjutant of the 29th Division. During
World War II he assisted in the organization of the Mary-
land State Guard and the Maryland Minute Men and was
commissioned Lieutenant Colonel..

Governor Lane's present address is Government House,
Annapolis; his home address is 943 Terrace, Hagerstown..