Stratton

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William Grant Stratton was the 32nd Governor of Illinois from 1953 to 1961, at the time of his inauguration he was the youngest Governor in United States at the age of 38.  Stratton was re-elected as Governor in 1956 but was defeated when he ran for his third term in 1960.  Stratton was accused of tax evasion in the mid 1960's but after his acquittal ran for the Republican primary for Governor again in 1968 but was unsuccessful.

Stratton served the state of Illinois for more than 60 years in positions including; Congressman, State Treasure, Governor, and World War II veteran.  Stratton’s terms as Governor overlapped with Dwight Eisenhower’s presidency and his agreement of Eisenhower’s interstate highway system continues to benefit be his legacy.  Stratton was also known for helping the university system grow in Illinois due to the amount of service members returning from war to use the G.I. Bill.