Editing William Stratton (section)

==Early life and career==
Born February 26, 1914, in [[Ingleside, Illinois|Ingleside]], [[Lake County, Illinois|Lake County]], Illinois, the son of [[William J. Stratton]], an Illinois politician and former Secretary of State,<ref name="Illinois Blue Book 1959-60">Illinois Blue Book 1959-60</ref> and Zula Van Wormer Stratton, he served two non-consecutive terms as an at-large representative from Illinois after he was elected in 1940 and 1946.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}} He was elected [[Illinois Treasurer|State Treasurer]] in 1942 and 1950.

Mr. Stratton was educated in the public schools of Lake County, Illinois and graduated from the University of Arizona in 1934 with a degree in Political Science. In 1953, he received the annual alumni award from his alma mater. He holds honorary degrees from the University of Arizona, Bradley University, Lincoln Memorial University, Elmhurst, North Central and Shurtlell Colleges and John Marshall Law School.<ref name="Illinois Blue Book 1959-60"/>

He was first elected to the United States Congress from the state at-large in 1940. At 26, he was the youngest member of the 77th Congress. Following this two year term, he was elected State Treasurer. In 1944 he volunteered for service in the U.S. Navy and served in the Pacific Theatre of Operations in World War II.<ref name="Illinois Blue Book 1959-60"/> He joined the U.S. Navy, where he served as a lieutenant from 1944 to 1946.<ref name="Sobel, Robert 1978">Sobel, Robert, and John Raimo, eds. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. 1, Westport, Conn.; Meckler Books, 1978. 4 vols.</ref>

Returning to civilian life in 1946, he was elected to the U.S. Congress from the state-at-large for a second time. While in Congress he served on the following committees; Banking and Currency, Flood Control, Civil Service and District of Columbia.<ref name="Illinois Blue Book 1959-60"/>

In 1950 he was elected State Treasurer for a second term. Mr. Stratton reduced substantially the cost of operating this office during his administration. Mr. Stratton was inaugurated as the 32nd Governor of Illinois on January 12, 1953. At 38, he was the youngest man to hold this office in 70 years. He was re-elected to a second term in 1956.<ref name="Illinois Blue Book 1959-60"/>

After his military service, Stratton returned to politics, serving as a delegate to the 1952, 1956, 1960 and 1976 Republican National Conventions.<ref name="Sobel, Robert 1978"/>

He served on the Executive Committee of the Governors' Conference and in 1955 brought the annual meeting of the nation's governors to Illinois for the first time in history. In 1957, Governor Stratton was named chairman of the Governors' Conference, and served as president of the Council of State governments in 1958. In 1959, he was a member of the group of American Governors which visited Russia.<ref name="Illinois Blue Book 1959-60"/>

He was a candidate for Republican nomination for Vice President in 1960.<ref name="politicalgraveyard.com">{{Cite web|url=https://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/stratton.html|title=The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Stratton}}</ref>

The Illinois governor has been instrumental in developing Governors' Conference programs in the fields of highway construction, traffic safety, and federal state governmental relations. President Eisenhower, in 1958, named Governor Stratton a member of the Lincoln Sesquicentennial commission and in 1959, Mr. Stratton was a delegate to the Republican National Convention, and in the latter year led the Illinois delegation as its chairman.<ref name="Illinois Blue Book 1959-60"/>