William Stratton
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William Grant Stratton | |
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32nd Governor of Illinois | |
In office January 12, 1953[1] – January 9, 1961 |
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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 |
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In office January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1949 |
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Preceded by | Emily Taft Douglas |
Succeeded by | At-large seat abolished |
In office January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1943 |
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Preceded by | John C. Martin & Thomas V. Smith |
Succeeded by | Stephen A. Day |
Personal details | |
Born | Ingleside, Illinois |
February 26, 1914
Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. 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 at 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
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- ↑ Stratton cleared of tax dodge
- ↑ William G. Stratton State Park, Illinois DNR
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Political offices | ||
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Preceded by | Governor of Illinois 1953–1961 |
Succeeded by Otto Kerner, Jr. |
United States House of Representatives | ||
Preceded by | 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 | 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 |
|}
- 1914 births
- 2001 deaths
- People from Lake County, Illinois
- Burials at Rosehill Cemetery
- University of Arizona alumni
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois
- Governors of Illinois
- Republican Party state governors of the United States
- Illinois Republicans
- Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives
- State treasurers of Illinois
- United States Navy officers
- American military personnel of World War II
- American Methodists