History of Bellefonte, (Centre County) Pennsylvania United States of America

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Biographies:

Andrew Gregg Curtin, governor of Pennsylvania, was born in Bellefonte, Pa., April 22, 1815; son of Roland Curtin, who came from Ireland in 1793 and in 1807 started an iron foundry near Bellefonte. His mother was a daughter of Andrew Gregg, representative and senator in congress from Pennsylvania. He was educated at Milton academy, studied law at Dickinson college, graduating in 1837, and was admitted to the bar in 1839. In 1840 he supported General Harrison for the presidency and in 1844 canvassed the state for Henry Clay. He was on the Whig electoral ticket of 1848 and 1852. In 1852, as chairman of the state central committee, he conducted the gubernatorial canvass for James Pollock, and upon his inauguration as governor Mr. Curtin was appointed secretary of the commonwealth. He officially encouraged the county superintendency of schools, then first inaugurated, and his report to the legislature led to the establishment of the normal schools. He was elected governor of Pennsylvania in October, 1860, by a majority of 32,000, after a spirited canvass that was looked upon throughout the country as an index to the presidential election to be held the next month. Governor Curtin called an extra session of the legislature to meet in April, 1861, to provide for the public defence, and when President Lincoln called for volunteers, Pennsylvania, whose quota was 14,000 men, organized nearly 30,000 and had five companies in the field April 18, 1861, the first volunteer troops from any state to reach the national capitol. The celebrated Pennsylvania reserves were at this time regularly mustered and drilled by the state under direction of the governor, and his forethought in holding 15,000 extra volunteers at Harrisburg was appreciated by the government and the men were soon put in the field. The Pennsylvania reserves were known by the whole army and made a record for bravery as they did for patriotism. This vigorous policy of the governor was kept up throughout the war and 270 regiments besides detached companies, an army of 387,284 men, were credited to the single state of Pennsylvania. Official agents of the state were sent to the field to look after the sick and wounded and through the efforts of the governor no body of a soldier known to have belonged to Pennsylvania was buried outside the state. A system for the care and education of the orphans and the children of the wounded, was organized, the state becoming their guardian and supporting them until they could support themselves. At the end to his second term, Governor Curtin retired from public life, declining a second time the proffer of a first-class foreign mission. In 1869 President Grant appointed him U.S. minister to Russia and in the Republican national conventions of 1868 and 1872 he was prominently before both conventions as a suitable candidate for the vice-presidency. Upon his return from Russia in 1872 he supported Horace Greeley for the presidency and remained in the Democratic party. He served as a representative in the 47th, 48th and 49th congresses, 1881-87. He was married to Katharine, daughter of Dr. William J. Wilson of Centre county, Pa. He died at Bellefonte Pa., Oct. 7, 1894.

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

Roland Gideon Curtin, physician, was born in Bellefonte, Pa., Oct. 29, 1839; son of Dr. Constans and Mary Anne (Kinne) Curtin. His father was graduated from Surgeons' hall, Dublin, Ireland; immigrated to America in 1807; settled in Bellefonte in 1809, and practised as a physician and surgeon until his death in April, 1842. His mother was a lineal descendant from Gen. Thomas Welles of Connecticut, and granddaughter of Aaron Kinne, chaplain of Fort Griswold, when the British under Arnold massacred Colonel Ledyard and his command, Sept. 6, 1781, Roland was graduated from the scientific department of Williston seminary, Easthampton, Mass., in 1859, was U.S. naval storekeeper in the Philadelphia navy yard, 1862-65, and was graduated M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1866. He was resident physician at the Philadelphia hospital, 1866-67, visited the hospitals of Europe, 1867-68, and was assistant U.S. geologist under Professor Hayden, 1868-69. He settled in Philadelphia as a physician and surgeon in 1869; was professor of geology and mineralogy in the Wagner free institute, 1871-73; professor of geology in Gcorge's institute, Philadelphia, 1873; assistant medical director of the Centennial exposition, 1876; chief of the medical dispensary of the hospital, University of Pennsylvania, 1872-82; assistant professor of clinical medicine and lecturer in the University of Pennsylvania from 1877, and president of the medicine board, Philadelphia hospital, from 1891. He was elected a member of various medical and scientific organizations and an officer in the national and international medical congresses. He received the degree of A.M. from Lafayette college in 1883. He was married, March 21, 1882, to Julia Robinson, daughter of Edwin Taylor of Hartford, Conn.

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

John Irvin Gregg, soldier, was born in Bellefonte, Pa., July 19, 1826; son of Andrew Gregg, iron-master, and grandson of the Hon. Andrew Gregg, representative and senator in congress, 1791-1813. He was a soldier in the Mexican war, serving as private, lieutenant and captain, 1846-48. He was appointed captain in the 6th U.S. cavalry in May, 1861, having already enlisted in the volunteer service as captain of the Pennsylvania reserves and received promotion to the rank of colonel of the 5th Pennsylvania volunteers. In October, 1862, he was made colonel of the 16th Pennsylvania cavalry and commanded a cavalry brigade, 1863-65. He was engaged in the various battles of the army of the Potomac including the Peninsular campaign, Gettysburg, Cold Harbor and the events that led to the surrender of Lee. He was severely wounded at Deep Bottom, Va., and was made a prisoner three days before the surrender. He was brevetted major general of volunteers for gallant and meritorious services during the civil war, and lieutenant-colonel, colonel and brigadier-general in the regular army. He was appointed inspector-general of freedmen in Louisiana and was promoted colonel of the 8th cavalry under the orders of July 28, 1868. He was with his regiment on the Pacific coast and was retired April 2, 1879, for disability incurred in line of duty. He died in Washington, D.C., Jan. 6, 1892.

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