William Findlay (June 20, 1768 - November 12, 1846) was governor of Pennsylvania from 1817 to 1820. A Jeffersonian Democrat, and lawyer by training, Findlay served in the state legislature and was elected state treasurer in 1807. He remained in this position until 1817 when he was nominated for the post of governor in the state's first open convention. He was the first governor to lead the state from its new capital of Harrisburg, running many of the functions of government out of his own home while the new capitol building was under construction. He was defeated for re-election in 1820 by Joseph Hiester, but was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1821 and later served as director of the U.S. Mint. Findlay Commons on the campus of Penn State University is named for Governor Findlay.
Preceded by: Simon Snyder Governor of Pennsylvania 1817-1820 Succeeded by: Joseph Hiester Preceded by: Jonathan Roberts U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania 1821-1827 Succeeded by: Isaac D. Barnard
Governors of Pennsylvania Mifflin • McKean • Snyder • Findlay • Hiester • Shulze • Wolf • Ritner • Porter • Shunk • Johnston • Bigler • Pollock • Packer • Curtin • Geary • Hartranft • Hoyt • Pattison • Hastings • Stone • Pennypacker • Stuart • Tener • Brumbaugh • Sproul • Pinchot • Fisher • Pinchot • Earle • James • Martin • Bell • Duff • Fine • Leader • Lawrence • Scranton • Shafer • Shapp • Thornburgh • Casey • Ridge • Schweiker • Rendell
