Charles J. McCurdy

Charles Johnson McCurdy (December 7, 1797 - June 8, 1891) was an American lawyer, diplomat, and Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut from 1847 to 1849.

Early life

Charles J. McCurdy was born at Lyme, Connecticut. His father, Richard McCurdy, was a graduate of Yale and a lawyer by profession, but devoted himself to agricultural pursuits and the care of his estate. His mother was Ursula Wolcott Griswold, granddaughter on her father's side of Governor Matthew Griswold, whose wife Ursula was the daughter of governor Roger Wolcott, sister of Oliver Wolcott, aunt of Oliver Wolcott Jr, and mother of Roger Griswold, all of whom were governors of Connecticut. Thus, McCurcy was related to many governors of the state.^[1]

McCurdy entered Yale College in 1813, and was graduated in 1817 with high honors.^[2][1]

Political career

In 1832 he was Connecticut state senator, then served as Speaker of the House in 1840-41 and 1844. He was elected in 1847 and 1848 as lieutenant governor and president of the senate.^[1][3]

Diplomat and Judge

From 1850 to 1852 he served as U.S. Chargé to the Austrian Empire.^[4]

In June 1855 he was appointed a judge of the Connecticut Superior Court,^[5] and in 1863 a judge of the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors, which position he held until his retirement by constitutional limitation of age in 1867.^[1][2]

Notes and references

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "OBITUARY SKETCH OF CHARLES J. McCURDY". Memorials of Connecticut Judges and Attorneys. Connecticut State Library. pp. Connecticut Reports volume 60, pages 593–602. http://www.cslib.org/memorials/mccurdyc.htm. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Connecticut Supreme Court--Retirement of Judge McCurdy.". The New York Times. 1867-12-14. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9D07E7DF173BE63BBC4C52DFB467838C679FDE. Retrieved 2009-01-06. 
3. ^ "Speakers of the House of Representatives of Connecticut Since 1819". Connecticut General Assembly. http://www.cga.ct.gov/hco/speakers.htm. 
4. ^ "FORMER U.S. AMBASSADORS TO AUSTRIA". U.S. Embassy in Vienna. http://vienna.usembassy.gov/en/embassy/former_amb.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-06. ^{[dead link]}
5. ^ "Connecticut Legislature.". The New York Times. 1855-06-28. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C0DE3D8123DE034BC4051DFB066838E649FDE. Retrieved 2009-01-06. 

Political offices
Preceded by Noyes Billings	Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut 1847 - 1849	Succeeded by Thomas Backus
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by James Watson Webb	U.S. Chargé to the Austrian Empire 1850 – 1852	Succeeded by Thomas M. Foote

Persondata
Name	Maccurdy, Charles Johnson
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1797-12-07
Place of birth
Date of death	1891-06-08
Place of death