Laurence Curtis | |
|---|---|
 Curtis c. 1961 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMassachusetts's10th district | |
| In office January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1963 | |
| Preceded by | Christian Herter |
| Succeeded by | Joseph William Martin Jr. (redistricting) |
| Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts | |
| In office 1947–1949 | |
| Governor | Robert F. Bradford |
| Preceded by | John E. Hurley |
| Succeeded by | John E. Hurley |
| Member of theMassachusetts Senate from the 3rd Suffolk District | |
| In office 1937–1941 | |
| Preceded by | Henry Parkman Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Charles John Innes |
| Member of theMassachusetts House of Representatives | |
| In office 1933–1937 | |
| Member of theBoston City Council for Ward 5 | |
| In office 1930–1933 | |
| Preceded by | Henry Parkman Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Henry Lee Shattuck |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1893-09-03)September 3, 1893 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | July 11, 1989(1989-07-11) (aged 95) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Helen |
| Residence(s) | Newton, Massachusetts |
| Alma mater | Harvard Law School Harvard University |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Awards | Citation Star |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
Laurence Curtis (September 3, 1893 – July 11, 1989) was an American attorney andRepublican Party politician fromMassachusetts.
Laurence Curtis was born inBoston, Massachusetts on September 3, 1893. He graduated fromGroton School in 1912 and fromHarvard University in 1916.
He served in the Foreign Diplomatic Service. Upon graduation from college, he was commissioned as an officer in the Navy and was injured during an aviation training crash on aflying boat in Newport News, Virginia,[1] resulting in the loss of a leg. He served out the rest of his time in the military inPensacola, Florida. He was awarded theCitation Star. He was later State Commander and National Senior Vice Commander of theDisabled American Veterans.
He returned toHarvard Law School and graduated in 1921.
He was admitted to the Massachusetts bar the same year and commenced practice in Boston. He was secretary toUnited States Supreme Court JusticeOliver Wendell Holmes Jr. He served as assistant United States attorney in Boston
Curtis was elected to theBoston City Council in 1929. He succeededHenry Parkman Jr. in the then-strongly Republican fifth ward, which includes the wealthyBack Bay andBeacon Hill neighborhoods. He represented the area in theMassachusetts House of Representatives from 1933 to 1937 and theMassachusetts Senate from 1937 to 1941.
In 1946, Curtis was elected Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts. He defeated former TreasurerFred J. Burrell in the Republican primary and incumbent TreasurerJohn E. Hurley in the general election.[2][3] However, Curtis lost re-election to Hurley in the historicwave election of1948, when the Democratic Party swept all six state offices. Hurley sought a re-match and defeated Curtis by over 230,000 votes.[4]
In 1950, Curtis was the Republican nominee forLieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. He won the nomination relatively easily with 46% of the vote over a five-man field, including anti-communist activistRobert W. Welch Jr. and State SenatorHarris S. Richardson.[5] Though he was the leading Republican candidate on the ballot,[6] Curtis lost the general election to incumbentCharles F. Sullivan as Republicans failed to erase the Democratic gains of 1948.[7]
In 1952, Curtis initially sought election as Governor, calling for a "wholesale clean-up of conditions at the State House that have destroyed the hope of a square deal for Massachusetts citizens."[6] However, U.S. RepresentativeChristian Herter wasdrafted by the party establishment for the race instead. Curtis initially vowed to remain in the race before withdrawing, endorsing Herter, and running for Herter's House seat with party support.[6][8]
Curtis was elected to the four succeeding Congresses. He voted in favor of theCivil Rights Acts of 1957 and1960,[9][10] but voted present on the24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.[11]
In 1962, he declined to run for a sixth term in favor of seeking the United States Senate seat left vacant byJohn F. Kennedy's election to the White House. However, he lost the Republican nomination toGeorge C. Lodge.
After his 1962 loss, Curtis resumed the practice of law. He unsuccessfully sought election to the House three more times in 1968, 1970, and 1972.
After he retired from office, Curtis was a resident ofNewton, Massachusetts until his death in Boston on July 11, 1989. He was buried atMount Auburn Cemetery.
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forTreasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts 1942 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Fred J. Burrell | Republican nominee forTreasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts 1946, 1948 | |
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forLieutenant Governor of Massachusetts 1950 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts January 1947 – January 1949 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromMassachusetts's 10th congressional district January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1963 | Succeeded by |
