John Currey
Encyclopedia
John Moore Currey was the eighth Chief Justice of California, and candidate for Governor of California
in 1859.
Born in Westmorland County, New York in 1814, John Currey died in Dixon, California
in 1912. He attended Wesleyan University
in Middletown, Connecticut
(class of 1842).
He came to California in 1849, eventually settling down in Benicia, Solano County, California
where he established a successful law practice. Among his clients was Juan Manuel Vaca owner of a large tract of land, a Mexican land grant near the present-day city that bears his name Vacaville, California
.
In 1859 the Anti-Lecompton Democratic Party selected Currey as their candidate for Governor of California
. The rival faction at the time Lecompton Democrats chose Milton Latham
as their candidate. The Republican Party ran its first California gubernatorial candidate in 1859, businessman and railroad tycoon, and later Governor Leland Stanford
.
Despite the Democratic party split in California in the 1850s and the surge of new Republican Party
's candidate in the campaign, Latham won the election garnering sixty percent of the vote.
Despite being defeated in his run for Governor, Currey would find other promising opportunities for office. In 1863 several vacancies on the Supreme Court opened the door those aspiring to serve on the state's highest court. The departed justices included the sixth Chief Justice Stephen Johnson Field
who was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln
to the U.S. Supreme Court
(becoming the first Californian serve on the high court).
Running as a "union" party candidate at the height of the American Civil War
, Currey was elected to the Supreme Court of California
, taking his seat on the court in January 1864. At the time justices served two-year terms. After his first term as associate justice, Currey became Chief Justice in December, 1866. (He was defeated in his re-election bid, for the newly established ten-year term, by associate justice Augustus Rhodes
and therefore succeeded as Chief Justice by Lorenzo Sawyer
).
Having served four years on the court, two as chief justice, Currey resigned to his home in San Francisco. When the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
and fire left him homeless he move to his estate north of Dixon, California
in Solano County, in the Sacramento Valley
.
There, with his sons, Montgomery Scott, and Robert Spencer Currey, he lived out his last years.
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
in 1859.
Born in Westmorland County, New York in 1814, John Currey died in Dixon, California
Dixon, California
Dixon is a city in northern Solano County, California, United States, located from the state capital, Sacramento. The population was 18,351 at the 2010 census. Other nearby cities include Vacaville, Winters and Davis....
in 1912. He attended Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
in Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
(class of 1842).
He came to California in 1849, eventually settling down in Benicia, Solano County, California
Solano County, California
Solano County is a county located in Bay-Delta region of the U.S. state of California, about halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento and is one of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. The county's population was reported by the U.S. Census to be 413,344 in 2010...
where he established a successful law practice. Among his clients was Juan Manuel Vaca owner of a large tract of land, a Mexican land grant near the present-day city that bears his name Vacaville, California
Vacaville, California
Vacaville, California is a city located in the northeastern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area in Solano County. The city is nearly half way between Sacramento and San Francisco on I-80. It sits approximately from Sacramento, and from San Francisco...
.
In 1859 the Anti-Lecompton Democratic Party selected Currey as their candidate for Governor of California
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
. The rival faction at the time Lecompton Democrats chose Milton Latham
Milton Latham
Milton Slocum Latham was an American politician, and served as the sixth Governor of California and as a member of the federal U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. Latham holds the distinction of having the shortest governorship in California history, lasting for five days between...
as their candidate. The Republican Party ran its first California gubernatorial candidate in 1859, businessman and railroad tycoon, and later Governor Leland Stanford
Leland Stanford
Amasa Leland Stanford was an American tycoon, industrialist, robber baron, politician and founder of Stanford University.-Early years:...
.
Despite the Democratic party split in California in the 1850s and the surge of new Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
's candidate in the campaign, Latham won the election garnering sixty percent of the vote.
Despite being defeated in his run for Governor, Currey would find other promising opportunities for office. In 1863 several vacancies on the Supreme Court opened the door those aspiring to serve on the state's highest court. The departed justices included the sixth Chief Justice Stephen Johnson Field
Stephen Johnson Field
Stephen Johnson Field was an American jurist. He was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court of the United States Supreme Court from May 20, 1863, to December 1, 1897...
who was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
to the U.S. Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
(becoming the first Californian serve on the high court).
Running as a "union" party candidate at the height of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Currey was elected to the Supreme Court of California
Supreme Court of California
The Supreme Court of California is the highest state court in California. It is headquartered in San Francisco and regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Its decisions are binding on all other California state courts.-Composition:...
, taking his seat on the court in January 1864. At the time justices served two-year terms. After his first term as associate justice, Currey became Chief Justice in December, 1866. (He was defeated in his re-election bid, for the newly established ten-year term, by associate justice Augustus Rhodes
Augustus Rhodes
Augustus L. Rhodes was the 10th Chief Justice of California.Educated at Hamilton College, Rhodes studied law and then moved to Bloomfield, Indiana, being admitted to the bar there in 1846. He served one term as the prosecuting attorney for the circuit court , and departed for California in 1854...
and therefore succeeded as Chief Justice by Lorenzo Sawyer
Lorenzo Sawyer
Lorenzo Sawyer was an American lawyer and judge who was appointed the Supreme Court of California in 1860 and served as Chief Justice of California from 1868–70. He served as a circuit judge for the U.S...
).
Having served four years on the court, two as chief justice, Currey resigned to his home in San Francisco. When the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
and fire left him homeless he move to his estate north of Dixon, California
Dixon, California
Dixon is a city in northern Solano County, California, United States, located from the state capital, Sacramento. The population was 18,351 at the 2010 census. Other nearby cities include Vacaville, Winters and Davis....
in Solano County, in the Sacramento Valley
Sacramento Valley
The Sacramento Valley is the portion of the California Central Valley that lies to the north of the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta in the U.S. state of California. It encompasses all or parts of ten counties.-Geography:...
.
There, with his sons, Montgomery Scott, and Robert Spencer Currey, he lived out his last years.