William Stratton, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

    

William Stratton

Illinois governor, Illinois treasurer, and U.S. Congressman

Date of Birth: 26-Feb-1914

Place of Birth: Ingleside, Illinois, Illinois, United States

Date of Death: 02-Mar-2001

Profession: politician, military officer

Nationality: United States

Zodiac Sign: Pisces


Show Famous Birthdays Today, United States

👉 Worldwide Celebrity Birthdays Today

About William Stratton

  • William Grant Stratton (February 26, 1914 – March 2, 2001), 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 1942 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.
  • In 1968, he ran in the Republican primary for Governor and was defeated by Richard B.
  • Ogilvie.
  • Stratton finished a distant third, with only about seven percent of the primary vote.In 1934, he married Marion Hook.
  • They had two children, Sandra (born 1936) and Diana (born 1939).
  • Stratton and his wife spent most of their time apart due to his hectic political schedule, and Marion became dissatisfied with the marriage.
  • Additionally, Marion despised the political arena and expressed distaste at her husband's relatively meager salary.
  • Although Stratten did not want a divorce, his wife Marion insisted that they end the marriage.
  • He obtained a divorce from her on the grounds of desertion in 1949.
  • Although Marion was granted custody of the children, they nevertheless lived with primarily with Stratton until 1952.
  • In 1950, Stratton married Shirley Breckenridge (born 1923).
  • They have a daughter, Nancy.
  • His second marriage was a very happy one, and Shirley actively campaigned for her husband.
  • The two remained married until his death.In retirement, Stratton resided in Chicago.
  • At the time of his death, he was a member of the Illinois Civil Service Commission.

Read more at Wikipedia

See Also