Bio: Hon A. Currie, Caddo Parish La
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville,  1890

Submitted by: Suzanne Shoemaker
sueshoe@hotmail.com



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Hon. A. Currie, es-mayor and insurance agent, Shreveport, La.  It is an
acknowledged fact that insurance is among the most important branches of
business in any community.  It gives security to commercial transactions, as
well as a sense of protection to the householder.  Without it the merchant
might lay his head on his pillow at night with the haunting thought that he
may rise a beggar in the morning; with it he can slumber peacefully, knowing
that should his property be swept away the insurance agent is ready to
replace it.  Holding a leading place as a representative of many leading
foreign and American companies, is Mr. A. Currie, who has been engaged in
this business for the last eighteen years.  He is a native or the Emerald
Isle, his birth having occurred in County Clare on March 4, 1843, and is a
sone of James and Mary (Griffin) Currie, both of whom died in Ireland.
They were the parents of five sons, one of whom died in Ireland, the others
coming to America.  A. Currie was but five years of age when he crossed the
ocean with two brothers, Michael and James.  They sailed from Cork, landing
at Boston after an ocean voyage of several weeks.  He located with his
brothers in New York City, and remained in that  State until sixteen years
of age.  In 1859 he came South and located at Shreveport, where he held the
position of clerk in a mercantile house for a short time.  After this he
attended school, but his studies were interrupted by the breaking our of
the war.  He enlisted in Company A., First Louisiana Volunteers, and served
until the surrender.  He was twice captured, first at Arkansas Post, while
serving on Col. Dunnington's staff, and was taken to Springfield, Ill.,
where he was retained for three months.  he was captured again near Rome,
Ga., while on a scouting expedition under Provost-Marshal Gen. Hill, and
was taken to Camp Morton at Indianapolis, Ind., where he was kept until
Lee surrendered at Appomattox.  After his release from prison he remained
at Vincennes, Ind., with a French mercantile firm, who were Southern
sympathizers, a year, and then returned to Shreveport, where he entered the
sheriff's office as deputy.  Later he was elected constable, and served
until the reconstruction, when he bought an interest in a mercantile
business.  In 1872 he engaged in the insurance business, and this he has
followed ever since.  He represents ten of the leading companies of the
world, and is now doing a good business.  Mr. Currie was elected mayor of
Shreveport in 1878, and held this position continuously until March, 1890,
when he resigned.  He was married in 1876 to Miss Annie Fort Gregg, of
Marshall, Tex., and they have two children:  Andrew, Jr., and Mary B.  Mr.
Currie has stock in nearly all public enterprises in the city, is
secretary, treasurer and director in Tucker's Paris Green Distributor
Company, and prominent in all public enterprises.  He secured the water and
sewerage works, and he has been active in advancing its railroad
connections.  He has always been a prominent and conservative Democrat, and
is a member of the Democratic State Central Committee.