Biographical Sketch of George McCURDY; Philadelphia Co., PA

Contributed to the PAGenWeb Archives by Diana Smith 
[christillavalley@comcast.net] 

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Philadelphia, A History of the City and its People: A Record of 225 Years
Philadelphia: S.H. Clark, 1912; Vol. 3, page 378.
Author, Ellis Paxson Oberholtzer
 


GEORGE McCURDY
     George McCurdy, to whom has been accorded the honor of more frequent 
election to the presidency of the common council than to any other man in 
the history of the city, has for fifteen years continuously been elected 
a member of the council and since January, 1900, has filled the responsible 
position which he now occupies, with the exception of the year April, 1906, 
to April, 1907, when he was not a candidate for the presidency but was a 
member of the council. In this connection his record has proved a credit 
and honor to an untarnished family name.
     He was born May 29, 1862, at Jersey Shore, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, 
a son of Thomas and Anna A. (Lawshe) McCurdy. The father, who devoted much 
of his life to banking, was of Scotch descent, and the mother was of Huguenot 
lineage. Her ancestors were the earliest settlers in the West Branch valley 
of the Susquehanna and along Pine creek some distance above Williamsport. They 
settled there in 1772 when the country was a wilderness and inhabited by the 
Indians and were in many Indian fights.
     "Early in the summer of 1776, the leading "fair play" men and settlers 
along the river above and below Pine creek had received intelligence from 
Philadelphia that congress had it in contemplation to declare the colonies 
independent, absolving them from all allegiance to Great Britain. This was 
good news to the little settlement up the West Branch. That was considered 
out of the jurisdiction of all civil law and they set about making preparations 
to indorse the movement and ratify it in a formal manner. Accordingly, on the 
4th of July, 1776, they assembled on the plains above Pine creek in 
considerable numbers. The subject of independence was proposed and freely 
discussed in several patriotic speeches, and as their patriotism warmed up it 
was finally decided to ratify the proposition under discussion in congress by 
a formal declaration of independence, and a set of resolutions were drawn up 
and passed absolving themselves from all allegiance to Great Britain and 
henceforth declaring themselves free and independent. What was remarkable about 
this declaration was that it took place about the same time that the declaration 
was signed in Philadelphia, which was indeed a coincidence, that two such 
important events should take place about the same time hundreds of miles apart, 
without any communication. When the old bell proclaimed in thunder tones to the 
citizens of Philadelphia that the colonies were declared independent the shout 
of liberty went up from the banks of Pine creek and resounded along the base of 
Bald Eagle mountain."  Among the settlers that participated in this glorious 
festival were Captain Alexander Hamilton and John Jackson, both great-great-
grandfathers of George McCurdy on the maternal side. Captain Hamilton was captain 
of the Fourth Battalion Northumberland County Militia and was killed
by the Indians in September, 1781.
     As a student of the Jersey Shore Academy, George McCurdy supplemented his 
early educational training and later attended Lafayette College at Easton, 
Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in 1884, receiving from that school 
the A. B. and A. M. degrees. He won first prize in oratory in his junior year, 
this being one of the highest honors accorded in college. He then took up the 
study of law in the office and under the direction of George W. Biddle, his 
preceptor being a member of the law firm of Biddle & Ward. In 1888 he was 
admitted to the Philadelphia bar and has also been admitted to practice before 
the Lycoming county bar at Williamsport, his home county. He has gained 
recognition as an able lawyer and one who displays a zealous and conscientious 
devotion to the interests of his clients. His careful analyzation and preparation 
of a case qualifies him to present his contention in the clearest and strongest 
light possible, but while his legal work has made him known to an extensive and 
growing clientele and to his colleagues and contemporaries before the bar, it 
has been his public service that has made him most widely known as representative 
citizen of Philadelphia. He was elected to the common council from the tenth ward 
in February, 1896, for a term of two years, and has been re-elected at each 
succeeding election since that time. He was chosen president of the common council 
for the unexpired term of Wencel Hartman in January, 1900, and was 

re-elected for the full term in the following April. He has been chosen each 
succeeding year since that time and as presiding officer, with the exception of 
the year from April, 1906, to April, 1907, when he was not a candidate. His rulings 
have been strictly fair and impartial and the weight of his influence has been cast 
on the side of progress, improvement and the development of the city. His 
incumbency in this position, extending over a period greater than that of any other 
incumbent, is a well merited honor, for in matters of citizenship he has looked 
beyond the exigencies of the moment to the possibilities of the future and has ever 
stood for that which means permanent progress arid the embodiment of high ideals 
in practical form. He stands as an advocate of republican principles. Aside from 
his connection with the bar and his service as president of the common council he 
is officially connected with Girard College, the Wills Hospital, the public 
libraries and the Commercial Museum. He is also a commissioner of Fairmount Park 
and a member of the Board of City Trusts, and thus his activities have covered a 
wide and varied field and many interests and public projects have benefited by his 
efforts.
    On the 11th of November, 1904, in Lumberton, New Jersey, Mr. McCurdy was married 
to Miss Margaret McKinney, a daughter of Isaac and Susan (Tomlinson) McKinney, who 
were of Scotch-Irish descent. Mr. McCurdy is a prominent and well known 
representative of Masonry and in 1896 served as master of Williamson Lodge No. 369. 
F. & A. M. He is also a member of the Grand Lodge, has been trustee of the Stephen 
Girard bequest and a member of the Masonic Library and Museum committee, while at 
the present writing he is chairman of the Temple committee. Something of the breadth 
of his interests is moreover indicated by the fact that he holds membership with the 
Athletic Club of Philadelphia, the William R. Leeds Republican Association, the 
Photographic Society of Philadelphia, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick and the Sons 
of the Revolution. Not only as a lawyer is Mr. McCurdy well known but as one of the 
masters of parliamentary law. One of his former associates
said of him: "George McCurdy, besides being the youngest president of the council, 
is the ablest parliamentarian who ever handled the gavel, the best president we ever 
had."



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