James Curtiss
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James Curtiss (also Curtis; March 29, 1806 – November 2, 1859) was an American politician who twice served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois (1847–1848 and 1850–1851) for the Democratic Party.
Early life
Born on March 29, 1806, in Wethersfield, Connecticut, Curtiss became a printer's apprentice at an early age in Philadelphia.<ref name="obit">Template:Cite news</ref> He worked for a time at the Portland Argus, then was printer, and eventually editor and publisher of the Eastport Northern Light, a Jackson Democrat newspaper.<ref name="obit" /><ref name=griffin>Template:Citation</ref> He married Mary Kimball on May 18, 1830.<ref name="Morrison"/> From 1830 through 1835, he served as a postmaster in Eastport.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 1834, Curtiss was under investigation by the Postmaster General for his management of the office.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Political career in Chicago
Curtiss arrived in Chicago from Eastport, Maine, in 1835 and became editor of the Chicago Democrat.<ref name="Hurlbut">Template:Citation</ref> Almost immediately after his arrival in Chicago Curtiss began a career of public service.
Shortly after his arrival in Chicago, he was appointed States Attorney for the district north of the Kankakee River.<ref name="obit" /> He was appointed to Chicago's first Board of Health.<ref name=shigley>Chicago's Mayors: A Collection of Biographies Of All Chicago’s Mayors by Elaine C. Shigley (Chapter nine)</ref> He succeeded Ebenezer Peck as Town Clerk in September 1836.<ref name="Andreas"/> He also opened a short-lived law practice with William Stuart in 1836 named Stuart and Curtiss, which was dissolved the following year.
The Panic of 1837 left a large number of land investors unable to meet their obligations. In hopes of delaying the resulting foreclosures Curtiss and others had unsuccessfully attempted to delay the opening of the Municipal Court that winter.<ref name="Andreas"/><ref name=shigley/>
Curtiss was elected alderman for the 2nd ward in 1838. In 1839, he ran in Chicago's third mayoral election, losing to Benjamin Wright Raymond.<ref name="Andreas"/> In 1842, he was elected City Clerk.<ref name="Andreas"/> In 1843, he was made Corresponding Secretary of the Chicago chapter of the Washington Temperance Society.<ref name="Andreas"/> In 1845, the Illinois Legislature created the Court of Cook County and appointed Curtiss as its first clerk.<ref name="Andreas">Template:Citation</ref><ref>Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society</ref> In 1846, he was elected as alderman again, this time for the 3rd ward.<ref name="Andreas"/>
First mayoral term
Curtiss became mayor after winning the 1847 election, running a successful campaign against Philo Carpenter (Liberty Party) and John H. Kinzie (Whig). He was sworn in on March 9, 1847.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
He lost his bid for reelection in 1848, being defeated by James Hutchinson Woodworth (an independent Democrat who ran on a fusion ticket supported by Whigs and Democrats). His tenure ended on March 14, 1848, when Woodworth succeeded him in office.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
During Curtiss' tenure Chicago's first telegraph line opened on January 11, 1848, and the Chicago Board of Trade was established.Template:Sfn
Second mayoral term
Curtiss returned to the mayor's office after winning the 1850 Chicago mayoral election, defeating Levi Day Boone and Lewis C. Kerchival (both of these challengers being Democrats without formal party nomination).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was sworn in on March 12, 1850.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Curtiss was again defeated in his bid for reelection, losing the 1851 election to Walter S. Gurnee. His tenure ended on March 11, 1851, when he was succeed in office by Gurnee.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1852, he sought to unseat Gurnee, but again lost.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Retirement from politics
Retiring from politics, Curtiss moved to West Urbana (now Champaign) Illinois in 1855, and took up farming.<ref name=shigley/><ref name="obit" /><ref name="Reunion">Template:Citation</ref>
Death
Curtiss died on November 2, 1859, in Joliet, Illinois, after a long illness.<ref name="Morrison">Template:Cite book</ref> His funeral was held at the Second Presbyterian Church on Wabash Avenue following the Odd Fellows rites.<ref name="obit" /> Originally buried in City Cemetery, when the Cemetery was moved to make way for Lincoln Park, his remains were lost.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
References
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