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.

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.
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.
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.
William S. Linton