Charles F. Curry

For other people with the same name, see Charles Curry (disambiguation).

Charles F. Curry
Curry, 1905–1930
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 3rd district
In office March 4, 1913 – October 10, 1930
Preceded by	Joseph R. Knowland
Succeeded by	Charles F. Curry, Jr.
19th Secretary of State of California
In office January 4, 1899 – January 3, 1911
Governor	Henry Gage George Pardee James Gillett
Preceded by	Lewis H. Brown
Succeeded by	Frank C. Jordan
Member of the California State Assembly from the 36th district
In office January 3, 1887 – January 7, 1889
Personal details
Born	Charles Forrest Curry (1858-03-14)March 14, 1858 Naperville, Illinois, U.S.
Died	October 10, 1930(1930-10-10) (aged 72) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Resting place	Abbey Mausoleum, later moved to National Memorial Park near Falls Church, Virginia
Party	Republican
Children	Charles Jr.

Charles Forrest Curry (March 14, 1858 – October 10, 1930) was an American businessman and politician who served nine terms as a U.S. representative from California from 1913 until his death in 1930.

He was the father of Charles Forrest Curry, Jr.

Early life and education

Curry was born in Naperville, Illinois and attended the common schools and the Episcopal Academy in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. He studied one year at the University of Washington in Seattle and was also educated by a private tutor. In 1872, he moved with his parents to Seattle, Washington and then to San Francisco the following year.

Career

"Does San Francisco Wish To Be Governed By This Trio?" a caricature of Curry (center) with Republican political bosses published in the San Francisco Examiner, October 30, 1897

There, Curry engaged in agricultural pursuits and the cattle, lumber and mining businesses. He served as a member of the State Assembly in 1887 and 1888. He became admitted to the bar of San Francisco in 1888 and was then the superintendent of Station B post office, San Francisco, from 1890 to 1894. After that Curry served as clerk of San Francisco city and county between 1894 and 1898. He was the Secretary of State of California from 1899 to 1910.

He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for governor in 1910. The following year, he was appointed Building and Loan Commissioner of California. In the same year, he served as the representative to the Panama–Pacific International Exposition for the Pacific Coast and Intermountain States.

Congress

Curry was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-third Congress. He served eight consecutive terms from March 4, 1913, until his death in Washington, D.C., October 10, 1930 at which point his son won his seat as a write-in candidate.

In the 67th Congress, he presented a paper titled "Alien Land Laws and Alien Rights." In it, he wrote "The miscegenation of the white with the yellow race always results in the production of a hybrid mongrel mentally, morally, and physically inferior to either race, inheriting the mental, moral, and physical defects of both parents."

During his tenure as a congressman, he served as chairman of the Committee on Territories (Sixty-sixth through Seventy-first Congresses).

Legacy

In 1921, Curry had a new elementary school named in his honor in Vallejo, California. Charles F. Curry school was located at 321 Wallace Avenue, and was in operation from 1921 until 1973. The grounds also housed Carol Vista school, a facility for handicapped and special needs students.

Burial

After his death, Curry was interred in Abbey Mausoleum (near Arlington National Cemetery), Arlington, Virginia. He was reinterred in National Memorial Park, Falls Church, Virginia.

Electoral history

Charles Curry electoral history

1912 United States House of Representatives elections in California, District 3

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Charles F. Curry	31,060	58.8
	Democratic	Gilbert M. Ross	15,197	28.8
	Socialist	William L. Wilson	6,522	12.4
Total votes			52,779	100.0
	Republican hold

1914 United States House of Representatives elections in California, District 3

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Charles F. Curry (Incumbent)	66,034	85.0
	Socialist	David T. Ross	6,752	8.7
	Prohibition	Edwin F. Van Vlear	4,911	6.3
Total votes			77,697	100.0
	Republican hold

1916 United States House of Representatives elections in California, District 3

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Charles F. Curry (Incumbent)	48,193	66.7
	Democratic	O. W. Kennedy	16,900	23.4
	Socialist	Ben Cooper	4,455	6.2
	Prohibition	Edwin F. Van Vlear	2,694	3.7
Total votes			72,242	100.0
	Republican hold

1918 United States House of Representatives elections in California, District 3

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Charles F. Curry (Incumbent)	51,690	91.6
	Socialist	Allen K. Gifford	4,746	8.4
Total votes			56,436	100.0
	Republican hold

1920 United States House of Representatives elections in California, District 3

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Charles F. Curry (Incumbent)	54,984	74.7
	Democratic	J. W. Struckenbruck	14,964	20.4
	Socialist	Miles William Beck	3,631	4.9
Total votes			73,579	100.0
	Republican hold

1922 United States House of Representatives elections in California, District 3

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Charles F. Curry (Incumbent)	71,316	91.6
	Socialist	Marcus H. Steely	6,561	8.4
Total votes			77,877	100.0
	Republican hold

1924 United States House of Representatives elections in California, District 3

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Charles F. Curry (Incumbent)	61,512	80.7
	Socialist	James H. Barkley	14,665	19.3
Total votes			76,177	100.0
	Republican hold

1926 United States House of Representatives elections in California, District 3

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Charles F. Curry (Incumbent)	72,912	100.0
	Republican hold

1928 United States House of Representatives elections in California, District 3

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Charles F. Curry (Incumbent)	77,750	100.0
	Republican hold

1930 United States House of Representatives elections in California, District 3

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Charles F. Curry Jr.	43,336	53.4
	Republican	J. M. Inman	26,785	33.0
	Democratic	Frank H. Buck	9,172	11.3
	Independent	Katherine Braddock	1,753	2.2
	Independent	E. M. Turner	49	0.1
Total votes			80,095	100.0
	Republican hold

See also

• List of members of the United States Congress who died in office (1900–1949)

References

• United States Congress. "Charles F. Curry (id: C001000)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Political Graveyard website

 This article incorporates public domain material from Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Federal government of the United States.