Husband Gov. Andrew Gregg Curtin 1 2 3 4
Born: 22 Apr 1815 or 1819 - Bellefonte, Centre Co, PA 1 5 6
Christened:
Died: 7 Oct 1894 - Bellefonte, Centre Co, PA 7 8
Buried:
Father: Roland Curtin, Sr. (1764-1850) 1 9 10 11 12
Mother: Jane Gregg (1791-1854/1854) 1 9
Marriage: 30 May 1844 8 13 14
• Additional Image: Andrew G. Curtin.
• Biographical Sketch: from History of Centre and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania, 1883 & Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, 1898.
To read this biographical sketch of his life and career, click here.
• Biographical Sketch: William C. Armor, Lives of the Governors of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: James K. Simon, 1873).
To read this biographical sketch of his life and career, click here.
Wife Catharine Irvine Wilson 3 8 13 15
Born: 17 Jan 1821 8 13 14
Christened:
Died: Aft 1894
Buried:
Father: Dr. William Irvine Wilson (1793-1883) 3 16 17 18 19
Mother: Mary P. Potter (1798-1861) 3 16 18 19 20
Children
1 F Mary W. Curtin 8 21
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Dr. George F. Harris ( - ) 8 21
2 F Jane Gregg "Jennie" Curtin 8 22
Born: 17 Jan 1847 23
Christened:
Died: 22 Nov 1893 23
Buried:
Spouse: William H. Sage ( - ) 8 24
Marr: 20 May 1869 24
3 M William Wilson Curtin 7 8 25
Born: 27 Mar 1851 - Bellefonte, Centre Co, PA 25
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Harriet Harding (1853- ) 25
Marr: 24 Oct 1875 25
General Notes: Husband - Gov. Andrew Gregg Curtin
He was born in 1815. [CRFP, 858] He was born in 1817. [LGP, 450]
He was Governor of Pennsylvania from January, 1861, to January, 1867.
His early education was acquired in the schools of his native town, Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania. He later entered the Harrisburg Academy, and completed his academic education at the celebrated academy at Milton, Northumberland county, under the Rev. David Kirkpatrick. He began the study of law in the office of the Hon. W. W. Potter, the leading lawyer of the Bellefonte bar, and finished by a course in the law school of Dickinson College, Carlisle, then in charge of Judge Reed, one of the leading jurists of Pennsylvania. He was admitted to the bar of his native county in April, 1837. His rise to eminence in the practice of his profession was rapid, and was attended with like success in political matters, in which he early took an active part. A ready and effective speaker, he took an active part in the election of General Harrison to the presidency in 1840, and canvassed the state for Henry Clay in 1844. He was appointed Secretary of the Commonwealth by Governor Pollock, January 15, 1855. That office at that time included the superintendency of the public schools of the state, and Curtin won lasting fame by his intelligent and effective work in behalf of the public schools. He it was who instituted the Normal Schools. He was elected governor in 1860, and his record as the great war governor during the trying time of the Civil War is too well known to need repetition. He ranked easily among the ablest of the war governors of the northern states. His foresight was demonstrated by the establishment of the Pennsylvania Reserves, and a crowning achievement was the establishment of the orphan school for the children of soldiers who fell in the war.
The late Colonel A. K. McClure, a life-long friend and associate of Governor Curtin, in a memorial address delivered in February, 1895, refers eloquently to Curtin's part in laying a broad foundation for the public school system:
"Forty-one years ago I sat in this hall (House of Representatives, Harrisburg) with Curtin, as a member of the convention whose action called him into public life. He had been named for the position of governor himself, but was young and heartily yielded to Whig sentiment that pointed to the late Governor James Pollock as the man to lead the party. Pollock summoned Curtin to lead his forces in the campaign, which he conducted with masterly skill and energy, resulting in Pollock's election, and Curtin was named as Secretary of the Commonwealth. He was the first in that office who systematically organized the free schools on a broad basis and opened the way for the universal education of the children of the state. * * * Later as Governor, he was enabled to build upon this solid foundation. Next to Thaddeus Stevens, the author of the free school law, and Governor Wolf, who approved it, our grand system of education of to-day is more indebted to Andrew G. Curtin than to any other public man."
Governor Curtin was appointed by President Grant, in 1869, Minister to Russia, and he served until August, 1872. He then returned home and was chosen a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention of 1873. He was elected to represent the 20th District in the 47th, 48th, and 49th Congresses, and served for several years as chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. He died at his home at Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, October 9, 1894. [CRFP, 858]
In person Governor Curtin was tall and commanding; his eyes were blue, his hair a dark auburn, and his head was broad and massive. Before a public audience he was persuasive and inspiring.
He and his wife had one son and four daughters.