William Frederick Broening (1870–1953) was a Maryland politician and twice Mayor of Baltimore (1919–1923, 1927–1931).

Background

William Frederick Broening was born in Baltimore

Baltimore

Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...

, Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

 on 2 June 1870, the son of Henry Jacob Broening and Catherine (Petri) Broening. He graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1897.

Political career

Broening served as a member of the Baltimore City Council

Baltimore City Council

The Baltimore City Council is the legislative branch that governs the City of Baltimore and its nearly 700,000 citizens. Baltimore has fourteen single-member City Council districts and representatives are elected for a four-year term. To qualify for a position on the Council, a person must be...

 1897–99 where he introduced legislation to establish the Electric Commission. He served in the Maryland House of Delegates

Maryland House of Delegates

The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...

 1902–04 where he served on the Judiciary Committee. He was elected Baltimore State's Attorney in 1911 and reelected to the position in 1915. He was selected as the Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 candidate for the Mayoralty contest in 1919 and defeated George Weems Williams, Democrat, on 3 March 1919. Broening left the Mayor's office in 1923, but returned to serve a second term from 1927 to 1931.

Fraternal societies

Broening was a member of the Loyal Order of Moose, the Knights of Pythias

Knights of Pythias

The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society founded at Washington, DC, on 19 February 1864.The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an act of the United States Congress. It was founded by Justus H. Rathbone, who had been...

, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows

Independent Order of Odd Fellows

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows , also known as the Three Link Fraternity, is an altruistic and benevolent fraternal organization derived from the similar British Oddfellows service organizations which came into being during the 18th century, at a time when altruistic and charitable acts were...

 and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks

Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...

.

Death and interment

Broening died on 12 October 1953. He was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery

Woodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland

Woodlawn is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 36,079 at the 2000 census. It is home to both the headquarters of the Social Security Administration as well as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services...

.