Representative Timothy Emerson McCurdy View All Years

HON. TIMOTHY E. MCCURDY

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee appointed to prepare a resolution and a memorial on the life, character and public service of the Hon. Timothy E. McCurdy, who was a member of the Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth General Assemblies, beg leave to report as follows:

Timothy E. McCurdy was born March, 1846, at Newcomerstown, Ohio, and died in the Soldiers’ Home at Danville, Illinois, on January 14, 1929. Mr. McCurdy received his education in the public schools, and on February 8, 1864, he enlisted in Company I, Twelfth Illinois Infantry as a private and was honorably discharged on June 12, 1865. He received during his service in the war a bad wound in the left leg, which caused him much discomfort. Immediately upon his discharge, he came to Buchanan county, Iowa, and purchased a farm with the money he saved during his service. He also purchased a yoke of oxen, with which he began his farming.

Soon after this he married Katherine Nelson and to them was born one daughter, Inez.

He was a man of very frugal habits, and by his industry and hard labor he accumulated quite an amount of property. He continued to farm for a number of years, after which he moved to Hazleton.

He was elected a member of the board of supervisors of Buchanan county and served in that capacity for a number of years.

He was elected president of the Hazleton State Bank in May, 1893, and served as such until May, 1925. In 1898 he was elected to the Twenty-seventh General Assembly, and in 1900 was reelected.

On April 1, 1902, Governor Albert B. Cummins appointed him custodian of public buildings and property and he served in that capacity with credit until 1909. Following the adoption of the capitol grounds extension plan by the General Assembly in 1913, he was in the employ of the state for several years, and during this time, under his direction, a great amount of the property on the capitol extension grounds was disposed of and removed.

Mrs. McCurdy died at Hazleton, Iowa, May 13, 1922, after which Mr. McCurdy made his home with his daughter.

Mr. McCurdy was always interested in anything that was for the betterment of his community and state. He was always a staunch Republican and was honored in the community where he lived.

In recognition of the value of his service to the state of Iowa, and as an expression of our appreciation of his exemplary life and character:

Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Forty-third General Assembly, That in the passing of the Honorable Timothy E. McCurdy the state has lost an honored and valued citizen and a man of high ideals.

Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be spread upon the Journal of the House and that the Chief Clerk transmit an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

J. B. TRUAX,

FRANK C. BYERS,

F. C. LOVRIEN,

Committee.

Unanimously adopted April 8, 1929.