Sentence:  The <small>[Metropolitan]</small> line's <WSD>begetter</WSD>, Charles Pearson, had died of dropsy on 14 September 1862. He had naturally refused a payment from the Metropolitan in return for his advocacy of the line, but the company paid an annuity of £250 to his widow. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  An originator; a creator.