History of Ossian, (Livingston County) New York United States of America

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Charles William McCurdy, educator, was born in Ossian, N.Y., Nov. 26, 1856; son of David and Lydia (Lemen) McCurdy, and grandson of James D. and Jane (McNair) McCurdy, both of Scotch descent. His paternal great grandfather emigrated from county Antrim, Ireland, in 1758 and settled in Pennsylvania. Charles was prepared for college at the state normal school at Geneseo, N.Y., and was graduated from the Michigan State college, B.S. 1881, M.S. 1885. He was a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin and at the University of Wooster. He was assistant superintendent at the Michigan school for the blind, 1882-83; superintendent of schools at Sand Beach, Mich., 1884-88; head of the science department at the Winona, Minn., high school, 1888-93; professor of chemistry and chief chemist of the experiment station at the University of Idaho, 1893-1900; acting president of the university and director of experiment station from August to November, 1898, and special agent on the sugar beet investigation for the U.S. government in Idaho, 1898 and 1899. He was elected a member of the American Chemical society in 1893; of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1886 and fellow of the latter in 1895. He was married, August 16, 1893, to Eva Augusta Woodruff. The honorary degree of Sc.D. was conferred on him by Milton college in 1892 and the post graduate degree of Ph.D. in chemistry by the University of Wooster in 1895. He is the author of numerous reports, bulletins and lectures on chemical and pedagogical subjects.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Ossian, (Livingston County) New York

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