Out of the 47 men who have served as governor of Pennsylvania, only one called Delaware County his home, according to an editorial in the Daily Times.

William Cameron Sproul took the oath of office as the state’s chief executive nearly a century ago on Jan. 21, 1919.

Sproul was born in Lancaster County and his family moved to Chester when he was a boy. He later graduated from Chester High School and Swarthmore College.

He was a successful businessman, who had a love of journalism and newspapers. At just 10 years old, he purchased a small printing press with a friend and began publishing the paper Amateur. Later, he published his own paper The Sun.

In 1896, Sproul became the youngest-ever member of the state Senate. He then entered the primary for the Republican nomination for governor in 1918, winning more than 60 percent of the vote.

In 1920, he attempted to get the Republican nomination for president, but the nod went to Warren G. Harding. Interestingly, Sproul declined a vice-presidential offer from Harding and ran against him.

Harding died of a heart attack in office and was replaced by Vice President Calvin Coolidge.

Read more about William Cameron Sproul in the Daily Times by clicking here.