Andrew Gregg Curtin | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Curtin between 1855 and 1865 | |
| 15thGovernor of Pennsylvania | |
| In office January 15, 1861 – January 15, 1867 | |
| Preceded by | William F. Packer |
| Succeeded by | John W. Geary |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's20th district | |
| In office March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1887 | |
| Preceded by | Seth Hartman Yocum |
| Succeeded by | John Patton |
| United States Ambassador toRussia | |
| In office October 28, 1869 – July 1, 1872 | |
| President | Ulysses S. Grant |
| Preceded by | Cassius Marcellus Clay |
| Succeeded by | James Lawrence Orr |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1815-04-22)April 22, 1815 or (1817-04-22)April 22, 1817 Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | (aged 77 or 79) Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Whig,Republican,Democratic |
| Spouse | Katharine Irvine Wilson |
| Profession | Politician,lawyer |
| Signature | .png) |
| Designated | October 9, 1950 |
| Location | Bellefonte |
Andrew Gregg Curtin (April 22, 1815 – October 7, 1894) was an Americanlawyer andpolitician. He served as the 15thgovernor of Pennsylvania[1] during theAmerican Civil War,[2] helped defend his state during theGettysburg Campaign, and oversaw the creation of theNational Cemetery and the ceremony in which Abraham Lincoln delivered his famousGettysburg Address.
Curtin was born inBellefonte, Pennsylvania. Sources vary as to his birth date. Some list April 22, 1815;[3][4] others list April 22, 1817.[5] Curtin's gravestone uses the 1815 date.[6] His parents were Roland Curtin Sr., a wealthyIrish-born iron manufacturer fromCounty Clare, and Jane (née Gregg) Curtin, the daughter ofU.S. SenatorAndrew Gregg. Along with Miles Boggs, Curtin's father established Eagle Ironworks atCurtin Village in 1810.
Curtin's family was prominent in Pennsylvania politics and in the American Civil War. He was the great-grandson ofJames Potter, the vice president of Pennsylvania, and was the grandson ofAndrew Gregg, a prominent Pennsylvania politician. He was the uncle ofJohn I. Gregg and cousin ofDavid McMurtrie Gregg, bothUnion generals in the Civil War. His cousin was ColonelJohn I. Curtin.
Curtin attendedBellefonte Academy,Dickinson College, andDickinson School of Law.[7]
After law school, Curtin began practicing law. He first entered politics during the1840 election, campaigning forWhig presidential candidateWilliam Henry Harrison.[8]
In 1855,Pennsylvania governorJames Pollock appointed Curtin Superintendent of Public Schools.[8]
With the collapse of the Whig Party, Curtin switched to the newly formedRepublican Party and successfully ran for governor of Pennsylvania in1860. At the same time, he helpedAbraham Lincoln win the Republican nominationfor president.[8] A large crowd attended Curtin's inaugural ceremonies on January 15, 1861.[9]
Curtin was a strong supporter of PresidentLincoln's policies in theCivil War, and Curtin committed Pennsylvania to the war effort.[8] Curtin organized thePennsylvania Reserves into combat units, and oversaw the construction of the firstUnion military camp for trainingmilitia. It opened in an agricultural school nearbyHarrisburg asCamp Curtin on April 18, 1861, and more than 300,000 men were drilled there during 4 years. In the years that followed, Curtin became a close friend and confidant of Abraham Lincoln, visiting the White House several times in order to converse about the status of the war effort.[10]
Curtin was very active during the Gettysburg Campaign, working withMajor GeneralDarius N. Couch andMajorGranville O. Haller to delayRobert E. Lee'sArmy of Northern Virginia and prevent it from crossing theSusquehanna River. Major GeneralGeorge G. Meade, a Pennsylvania officer whom Curtin had recommended forbrigadier general and command of one of the Pennsylvania reserve brigades in 1861, defeated Lee in theBattle of Gettysburg.[10]
Following the Battle of Gettysburg, Governor Curtin was the principal force behind the establishment of the National Cemetery there. Through his agent,David Wills, Curtin persuaded President Abraham Lincoln to attend the dedication of the cemetery. Governor Curtin was sitting with Lincoln on the platform on November 19, 1863, when Lincoln delivered his famedGettysburg Address.[10]
In his first term, Governor Curtin suffered a severe breakdown from the stresses of war. Secretary of State Eli Slifer handled governmental affairs during the increasingly frequent periods when Curtin was incapacitated. President Lincoln offered the governor a diplomatic position abroad, but he chose to run for reelection in1863.[10]
To coordinate Union war efforts, Curtin convened the LoyalWar Governors' Conference on September 24 and 25, 1862, inAltoona. This event was one of his most significant contributions to the Union war effort. He formed the Pennsylvania State Agency in Washington, and another branch inNashville, Tennessee, to provide support for wounded soldiers on the battlefield and returned home. He also founded the state-funded Orphan's School to aid and educate children of military men who had died for the Union cause.[10]
Soon after the war, Curtin was elected to the honorary position of a 3rd Class Companion of theMilitary Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States in recognition of his support for the Union during the war.[10]
As governor, from 1858 to 1860, Curtin also served as president of theTyrone and Clearfield Railroad.[11]
After the Civil War, Curtin lost his party'sSenate nomination toSimon Cameron, and was appointedAmbassador to Russia byPresidentUlysses S. Grant.
Curtin later switched to theDemocratic Party, and served as aU.S. Representative from 1881 until 1887.[7]
On May 30, 1844, Curtin was married to Katharine Irvine Wilson (1821–1903), a daughter of Dr. William Irvine Wilson and Mary (née Potter) Wilson.[12] Together, they were the parents of:[10]
Curtin died at his birthplace on October 7, 1894, in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, and is buried there inUnion Cemetery.[8]
| Party political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Republican nominee for Governor of Pennsylvania 1860,1863 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor of Pennsylvania 1861–1867 | Succeeded by |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by | United States Ambassador to Russia 1869–1872 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromPennsylvania's 20th congressional district 1881–1887 | Succeeded by |
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 Russian Empire(1780–1917) | |
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 Soviet Union(1933–1991) | |
| Russian Federation (1991–present) | |
| International | |
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| People | |
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