Background
William Robert Orthwein was born on October 16, 1881. His father, William D. Orthwein, was a German-born grain merchant.
lawyer swimmer water polo player
William Robert Orthwein was born on October 16, 1881. His father, William D. Orthwein, was a German-born grain merchant.
Orthwein graduated from Yale University.
While at Yale in November 1902, he was arrested on charges of assaulting a ticket seller for a Yale-Harvard football game. One month later, he was fined for lieutenant Orthwein competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics as a freestyle and backstroke swimmer and water polo player.
He also finished fourth in the 100-yard backstroke.
Orthwein received a law degree from the Washington University School of Law. Orthwein was an attorney.
He served as the vice president and general counsel of the Kinloch Telephone Company in 1920. In that capacity, he refused to sell the business to the Bell Telephone Company.
During World World War II, he served as a supply commissioner for the City of Saint Louis.
Meanwhile, Orthwein joined the Republican Party. In 1948, he ran unsuccessful for the nomination of lieutenant-governor. Orthwein died on October 2, 1955 at the Barnes Hospital in Saint Louis, Missouri.