James Curtiss
| James Curtiss | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 11th Mayor of Chicago | |
|
In office 1847–1848 |
|
| Preceded by | John P. Chapin |
| Succeeded by | James H. Woodworth |
| 13th Mayor of Chicago | |
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In office 1850–1851 |
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| Preceded by | James H. Woodworth |
| Succeeded by | Walter S. Gurnee |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 7, 1803 Wethersfield, Connecticut |
| Died | November 2, 1859 (aged 56) Joliet, Illinois |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Kimball |
| Children | James, Mary Kimball, Sarah, Lucy Maria, Elizabeth, Laura, Charles Chauncy, Laura Minnie, George Warren |
| Residence | Chicago, Illinois |
James Curtiss (also Curtis) (April 7, 1803 – November 2, 1859) was an American politician who twice served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois (1847–1848 and 1850–1851) for the Democratic Party.
Born in Wethersfield, Connecticut, he became a printer's apprentice at an early age in Philadelphia. 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. He married Mary Kimball on May 18, 1830. From 1830 through 1935, he served as a postmaster in Eastport. In 1834, Curtiss was under investigation by the Postmaster General for his management of the office.
Curtiss arrived in Chicago from Eastport, Maine in 1835 and became editor of the Chicago Democrat. Shortly after his arrival in Chicago, he was appointed States Attorney for the district north of the Kankakee River. He opened a short-lived law practice with William Stuart in 1836. Stuart and Curtiss was dissolved in 1837.
The Panic of 1837 left a large number of land investors unable to meet their obligations. Curtiss and others made a vain attempt to delay the opening of the Municipal Court that winter, in hopes of delaying the resulting foreclosures.
Almost immediately on arrival into Chicago, Curtiss began a career of public service. He was appointed to Chicago's first Board of Health in June of that year, and succeeded Ebeneezer Peck as Town Clerk in September 1836. He was elected alderman of the 2nd Ward in 1838, of the 3rd Ward in 1846, and City Clerk in 1842. He ran in Chicago's third mayoral election (1839), losing to Benjamin Wright Raymond, 353-212.
In 1843, he was Corresponding Secretary of the Chicago chapter of the Washington Temperance Society. In 1845, the Illinois Legislature created the Court of Cook County; Curtiss was appointed its first clerk.
In 1847, Curtiss ran a successful campaign against Philo Carpenter (Liberty Party) and John H. Kinzie (Whig) to become Mayor of Chicago. In 1848, he lost to James Hutchinson Woodworth (Independent Democrat (Fusion ticket of Whigs & Democrats)). Running again in 1850, he defeated Levi Day Boone & Lewis C. Kerchival (Democrats without formal party nomination).
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