William Stratton
| William Grant Stratton | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 32nd Governor of Illinois | |
|
In office January 12, 1953[1] – January 9, 1961 | |
| Lieutenant | John William Chapman |
| Preceded by | Adlai E. Stevenson II |
| Succeeded by | Otto Kerner, Jr. |
| Illinois Treasurer | |
|
In office January 8, 1951 – January 12, 1953 | |
| Preceded by | Ora Smith |
| Succeeded by | Elmer J. Hoffman |
|
In office January 11, 1943 – January 8, 1945 | |
| Preceded by | Warren Wright |
| Succeeded by | Conrad F. Becker |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's at-large district | |
|
In office January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1949 | |
| Preceded by | Emily Taft Douglas |
| Succeeded by | At-large seat abolished |
|
In office January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1943 | |
| Preceded by | John C. Martin & Thomas V. Smith |
| Succeeded by | Stephen A. Day |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
February 26, 1914 Ingleside, Illinois |
| Died |
March 2, 2001 (aged 87) Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois |
| Resting place | Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Shirley Stratton |
| Residence | Chicago, Illinois |
| Alma mater | University of Arizona |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1945–46[2] |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
William Grant Stratton (February 26, 1914 – March 2, 2001),[3][4] known as "Billy the Kid", was the 32nd Governor of Illinois from 1953 to 1961, succeeding Adlai Stevenson II in that office.
Born February 26, 1914 in Ingleside, Lake County, Illinois, the son of William J. Stratton, an Illinois politician, and Zula Van Wormer Stratton, he served two non-consecutive terms as an at-large Congressman from Illinois, elected in 1940 and 1946. He was elected State Treasurer in 1944 and 1950. He won the Republican nomination for Governor in 1952, then defeated Lt. Governor Sherwood Dixon to become the youngest governor in America at that time.
Stratton was re-elected Governor in 1956. In 1960 he ran for an unprecedented third consecutive term, but was defeated by Democrat Otto Kerner, Jr.
Stratton was acquitted on charges of tax evasion in 1965.[5] In 1968, he ran in the Republican primary for Governor and was defeated by Richard B. Ogilvie.
In retirement, Stratton resided in Chicago. At the time of his death, he was a member of the Illinois Civil Service Commission.
He died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago on March 2, 2001, aged 87. Among his pallbearers were his successors as governor, James R. Thompson, Jim Edgar, and George Ryan.
The following are named in his honor:
- William G. Stratton Lock and Dam on the Fox River near McHenry, Illinois.
- William G. Stratton State Park on the Illinois River in Morris, Illinois.[6]
- The William G. Stratton Building (formerly the State Office Building) in the Illinois State Capitol complex, which houses offices of many state legislators and other state agencies and was completed during his first term as governor.[7]
- Stratton Quadrangle at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, in recognition of his position as governor at the time of the university's founding. He was also the speaker at SIUE's first commencement in 1960.
References
- ↑ Illinois Blue Book 1959–60. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois Secretary of State.
- ↑ "STRATTON, William Grant, (1914–2001)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- ↑ "William G. Stratton, 87, Illinois' 32nd governor...". Chicago Tribune. March 11, 2001. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
- ↑ "William Stratton; Illinois Governor, 87". The New York Times. March 5, 2001. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
- ↑ Stratton cleared of tax dodge
- ↑ William G. Stratton State Park, Illinois DNR
- ↑ Cavanagh, Bob (July 15, 2004). "The Stratton Building's midlife crisis". Illinois Times. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Warren Wright |
Treasurer of Illinois 1943–1945 |
Succeeded by Conrad F. Becker |
| Preceded by Ora Smith |
Treasurer of Illinois 1951–1953 |
Succeeded by Elmer J. Hoffman |
| Preceded by Adlai E. Stevenson II |
Governor of Illinois 1953–1961 |
Succeeded by Otto Kerner, Jr. |
| United States House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by John C. Martin & Thomas Vernor Smith |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's at-large congressional district January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1943 |
Succeeded by Stephen A. Day |
| Preceded by Emily Taft Douglas |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's at-large congressional district January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1949 |
Succeeded by At-large seat abolished |
