Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/94

 CURTIS

CURTIS

afterward sjxjke in otlier places in behalf of tlie Republican candidates. In May, 18(50. lie was a delegate to the Republican national convention at Chicago and from that time on his pen was busy in defence and support of the party. In 186:^ lie l>ecame the political editor of Ilarpcfs Wof,!'/ and in 1864 was a delegate to the Republican na- tional convention held in Baltimore. In Octo- ber, 1864, he was nominated for representative in the 39th congress and although convinced from the fir^t that he could not be elected he en- tered upon an industrious canvass, speaking daily for six weeks. In 1866 he was a delegate-at-large to the convention for revising the constitution of the state of Xew York, and in 1867 was men- tioned for the .senatorial nomination, but declined to have his n3.me used. He was chosen presiden- tial elector in 1868, casting his vote for General Grant. During the next spring and summer he delivered lectures on English literature at Cor- nell university. On the death of Henry J. Ray- mond, founder and editor of the New York Times, Mr. Curtis was invited to succeed him but declined. He also declined the nomination of secretary of state of New York, offered him in September, 1869. In 1871 he was appointed by President Grant one of a committee of seven to draw up rules to regulate admission to the public ser^-ic.e, and was chairman of the committee for three years, resigning because of a disagreement with President Grant regarding the enforcement of the rules. In 1877, after the inauguration of President Hayes, Mr. Curtis was offered the choice of the chief foreign missions, but de- clined because of his duties at home. In 1880, on the formation of the New York civil service reform as.sociation, he was chosen its president. Wlien Mr. Blaine received the Republican nomi- nation for the presidency in 1884 Mr. Curtis, through the columns of Jlarper's Weekly, con- demned the action of the convention and advo- cated the election of Grover Cleveland. After the death of Chancellor Pierson of the University of the state of New York in 1888, Mr. Curtis was elected to the office, having been a memljer of the lx)ard of regents from 1864 and vice chancel- lor from 1881. He took office, Jan. 30, 1890, and continued to serve until liLs death. His last pub- lic utterance was in May, 1892, when he delivered his address on Lowell in New York city. He was among the earlier members of the Century as.so- ciation. was for many years a trustee of the Metropolitan mu-'^eum of art, and was vice-presi- dent of the American Unitarian a.s.sociation. In August, 1896, the Curtis club of Ashfield, Mass., the summer home of Mr. Curtis from 1865, erected to his memory a tablet in the town hall, the address being made hiy Prof. Charles Eliot Norton of Harvard university. He received the

honorary degree of A.M. from Brown in 1854; from Madison in 1861 and from Rociiester in 1862; that of LL.D. from Madison in 1864; from Har- vard in 1881 and from Brown in 1882; and that of L.H.D. from Columbia in 1887. His principal books are: Xile Xotes of n Howadji (1851); Lotus Entituj (1852)-, Tlie Jloicadji in Syria (lSo2) ; The Potiphar Papers (1853); Prue and I (1856); Trumps. A Novel (1861) ; Charles Sumner: a Eulogy delivered before the Legislature of Massachusetts (1874); William Cullen Bryant (1879); Pobert Burns (1880); Washington Irving (1891); James liussell Lotaell : an Address (1892) ; Essays from the Easy Chair (4 vols., 1892, 1893, 1894 and 1897); and many addresses. For accounts of his life see i)ublished addresses by Charles Elliott Fitch (1892) and Parke (Jodwin (1893) ; and biographies by John AV. Chadwick (1893) ; by William Winter (1893) : and by Edward Gary (1894). He died at Livingston. Staten Island. N.Y., Aug. 31, 1892.

CURTIS, Qreely Stevenson, soldier, was born in Boston, Mass., Nov. 21, 1830; son of James Freeman and Isabella (Stevenson) Curtis. He studied at the public schools and for two years in the Lawrence scientific school. Harvard college. He was obliged to leave study on account of weak eyes and went before the mast to Europe. After a short stay in Italy and France he re- turned to America and joined his brother in San Francisco, Cal. After some years he was em- ployed as an engineer in the east and in Canada, and later became an architect in Boston. In 1861 he entered the army as captain in the 2d MassacluLsetts volunteers which joined the army in Virginia under General Patterson. In Octo- ber, 1861, he was commissioned major in the 1st Massachusetts cavalry, serving in the first attack on Charleston and in the battles of South Moun- tain, Antietam, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. In ;March, 1864, after attaining the rank of lieu- tenant-colonel, he was forced to leave the army on account of malaria contracted from exposure and fatigue. He was brevetted colonel and brigadier-general, U.S. volunteers. After leav- ing the service he spent some months in Europe anil on his return to Boston became manager of the Hinkley locomotive works. On Oct. 5, 1876, he was appointed chairman of the board of fire commissioners of Boston, and resigned on March 25, 1878. He afterward lived in retirement until his death, in Boston. Mass., Feb. 21, 1897.

CURTIS, Harvey, educator, was born in Adams, N.Y., May 30, 1806. He was graduated at Middlebury college in 1831, first in his class, and at Princeton theological seminary in 1832. He was principal of Norwalk academy, Conn., 183.3-34; tutor in Middlebury college, 1834-35; was licen.sed by the Troy, N.Y., presbytery, and was ijastor at Brandon, Vt ., 1835-40; agent for