Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-27
THE OLDEST PRIEST.
Father Curley's Remains Inferred in the
Georgetown University Graveyard
Requiem Mass by the Oldest
GeOrQetoyvu Gru duafe


Georgetown Graduate.
WASHINGTON, July 26.-The remains Of
the late Father Curley, director of George
town University, were buried to-day in the
little graveyard attached to the university
in which he taught for 60 years. Mass was
then celebrated by the Rev. Father Clark,
the Oldest living graduate Of Georgetown
University.
Father Curiey would have been "a years
of age in October next had he lived. His
death was to great extent due to fall he
received year ago this month and to an
attack of malarial fever previous to the
fall. Although he rallied from the accident
and the fever, these two cases, together with
the natural wearing out of the system after
so many years of active service, sufficiently
account for the death of the aged priest. A
few weeks before his death he became sub
Ject to intermittent periods of delirium,
during which he would speak of incidents
In the earlier years of his connection with
the college, and would often call the name
OF Father Mulledy, who was President of
the institution half a century ago.
When the last sacraments of the church
were administered to him about week ago,
ne remarked: Friends, this is the glory of
life"
Father Curley was born in Roscommon
county, Ireland, October 25, 1896. His
father was q builder and superintendent of
mills, and died when his son James was
very young. The education Father Curley
received as boy was confined to the SIM
plest rudiments of English, but later fine
mathematician came to his town, and young
Curley, whose tastes were in that direction,
surprised his master. In 1917 he came to
this country, and for two years was book
keeper and clerk in large grocery store in
Philadelphia. He taught mathematics at
Frederick, Md, and in Washington in
1S26-7, and then determined to enter the
priesthood. After his ordination in 1881 he
became professor of philosophy and natural
sciences at Georgetown, continuing so for Al
years.
Although the aged divine was famous
chiefly as an astronomer and botanist his in
formation embraced every branch of science.
He was the Oldest priest in the United
States, and, so far as is known at the college,
the Oldest in the world. Father Curley was
the teacher and lifelong friend Of Father
Secchi, who, few years after the establish
ment of the college observatory, came here
with Fathers de Vico and Sestini, all of
whom had been forced to flee their native
country by the revolution of 1S47 and 1S48
Father Secchi, who gained worldwide
celebrity for his achievements in the study
of physical astronomy, received additional
incentive in his great work by his compan-
ionship with Father Curley.
Father Curley's valuable contributions to
science have made his name famous in
every seat of learning in the world. His
to determine the longitude of
Washington from Greenwich, made half a |
century ago, have been officially verified by |
the Government astronomers and accepted |
by those connected with the English Royal |
Observatory. His faculty for remembering |
the names and faces of students who had |
graduated so many years ago was really re- |
and those who visited the college |
after their graduation were always recog-
1ized by him.