William Stratton


William Grant Stratton, 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 and Diana. 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 Stratton 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 primarily with Stratton until 1952. In 1950, Stratton married Shirley Breckenridge. They have a daughter, Nancy. His second marriage was a happier one, and Shirley actively campaigned for her husband. The two remained married until his death in 2001.
In retirement, Stratton resided in Chicago. At the time of his death, he was a member of the Illinois Civil Service Commission.

Death

He died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago on March 2, 2001, aged 87.
The following are named in his honor: