John G. Fary

Who was John G. Fary?

John G. Fary was a U.S. Representative from Illinois. He represented the Illinois's 5th congressional district

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Fary attended Saint Peter and Paul grammar school and graduated from Holy Trinity High School. His father was a tavern owner. He grew up in the "Back of the Yards"/McKinley Park neighborhood of Chicago's Southside. He attended Loyola University Chicago, Real Estate School of Illinois and Mid-West Institute. He served as member of Illinois general assembly from 1955 to 1975. In the legislature, he sponsored and co-sponsored bills to assist tavern owners and senior citizens and once sponsored a bill to raise the speed limit on Illinois highways to 80 miles an hour. The accomplishment he was most well known for was to relegalize the playing of Bingo for charitable purposes in the state of Illinois in 1971. This game had been outlawed as form of illegal gambling. Church and veterans' organizations had used the game as a source of revenue. His partner in this campaign was Republican W.J. "Bingo Bill" Murphy.