Grenville Beardsley
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Salem, Iowa, US
Grenville Beardsley | |
|---|---|
 Headshot c. 1959-1960 | |
| Attorney General of Illinois | |
| In office May 9, 1959 – June 3, 1960 | |
| Preceded by | Latham Castle |
| Succeeded by | William L. Guild |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 12, 1898 Salem, Iowa, US |
| Died | June 3, 1960 (aged 62) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Leona Murray Beardsley |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | Knox College John Marshall Law School (J.D.) |
| Occupation | Attorney |
Grenville Beardsley II (January 12, 1898 – June 3, 1960) was Attorney General of Illinois from 1959 to 1960.[1][2]
Beardsley was born in Salem, Iowa, the son of Frank Grenville Beardsley, Ph.D, a Congregationalist minister, evangelist, and author. He attended Knox College and Illinois Wesleyan University. He graduated from Knox College in 1917. After World War I, he completed his legal education at the John Marshall Law School.[2]
Career
After the war, he graduated with a Juris Doctor degree from John Marshall Law School in Chicago. He became active in Illinois Republican politics, and between World War I and World War II he ran for several offices, including the State Senate and Illinois Attorney General.
After the war, he returned home to his family in Chicago to practice law. He remained in the Army Reserve, was commandant of JAG officer's school at Northwestern University, and was promoted to full colonel. Beardsley remained active in politics and ran for several offices, including State's Attorney. The Chicago Tribune named him the winner, making him the first Republican to win a countywide office in several decades. The election was overturned in a disputed recount. He gained notoriety representing the State of Illinois versus the Illinois Central Railroad. As a result of the case the state was awarded several million dollars of back taxes.
He joined the attorney general's office of Illinois as first assistant attorney general. After Latham Castle was appointed a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, Beardsley was appointed Attorney General of Illinois. He took office effective May 9th, 1959.[3]
