William J. Grattan

William J. Grattan
Grattan, 1903
New York State Senate
In office
1907–1910
New York State Assembly
In office
1903–1906
Personal details
Born(1876-05-20)May 20, 1876
Watervliet, New York, US
DiedDecember 6, 1938(1938-12-06) (aged 62)
Cohoes, New York, US
EducationAlbany Business College
Albany Law School
OccupationLawyer

William J. Grattan (May 20, 1876 – December 6, 1938) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He served in the New York State Senate and New York State Assembly.

Early life

Grattan was born on May 20, 1876 in Watervliet, Albany County, New York, then called West Troy.[1][2] His family moved to Cohoes, New York in 1887. He attended St. Augustine's Academy in Lansingburgh, New York.[2] Gratton served as a assembly page for the New York State Assembly in 1892 and 1893.[3][2] He graduated from St. Bernard's Academy in Cohoes in 1894.[2]

Grattan to the Albany Business College, receiving diplomas from the shorthand and commercial departments.[2] He then worked as a stenographer and manager clerk for lawyer and senator Myer Nussbaum.[2] He was an assistant librarian of the New York State Assembly in 1894 and assistant postmaster of the Assembly in 1895.[2] From 1896 to 1898, he was Nussbaum's private secretary.[1] He was the private secretary of Congressman George N Southwick in 1898.[1]

After studying law privately for two years, Gratton enrolled in the Union University Law Department (now Albany Law School).[2] He graduated with an LL.B. in 1898.[2]

Career

Gratton was admitted to the bar in September 1898 and practiced law in Albany, New York.[3][2] He was affiliate with the firm Nussbaum & Coughlin.[2] He was authorized to practice before the New York Supreme Court and the U.S. civil and criminal courts.[2] He was a member of the Albany County Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association.[2]

He was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1902, representing the 4th district of Albany County.[3] He was a Republican.[1] Grattan was a member of the New York State Assembly in 1903, 1904, 1905 and 1906.[4] In 1903, he served on the Affairs of Cities Committee, the Labor and Industries Committee, and the Revision Committee.[2]

When the 4th district was abolished in redistricting, he successfully ran for the New York State Senate in 1906 and 1908.[3] He was a member of the New York State Senate (28th District.) from 1907 to 1910, sitting in the 130th, 131st, 132nd and 133rd New York State Legislatures.[1][4] While in the Senate, he voted against the Hughes anti-gambling bills.[5]

Later, he was Clerk of Albany County for two terms.[3][5] He was a Republican.[1]

Personal life

Grafton belonged to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Catholic Union, the Haymakers of Albany, the Holy Name Society, Independent Order of Foresters, Knights of Columbus, and the Society of the Holy Name.[1][2] He was a founding member of the Ga-ha-oose Tribe no. 42 of the Improved Order of Red Men, serving as its president.[1][2] He was a member of Albany Law School Alumni Association, St. Bernards Alumni Association, and Union University Alumni Association.[2] He was a member of the Catholic Church.[1]

Grafton died in Cohoes, New York, on December 6, 1938, after a heart attack, at the age of 61 years.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Redmen, politicians, New York". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Murlin, Edgar L. The New York Red Book. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, Publisher, 1908. pp. 137-138. via Internet Archive.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "William J. Grattan, Ex-Legislator, 61; Attorney Served in Assembly and Senate in Albany". The New York Times. December 6, 1938. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  4. 1 2 Fitch, Charles Elliott, editor. Official New York from Cleveland to Hughes vol 4. New York: Hurd Publishing Company, 1911. pp. 346, 348, 350f and 366f. via Internet Archive.
  5. 1 2 Declares Barnes Controls Albany. The New York Times. September 13, 1914.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.