The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-07-17


the Office of prosecuting attorney be-
came vacant by resignation of the in
cumbant and Judge Green appointed
young McCurdy to fiji the vacancy.
In the fall of 1856 he was nominated
by the Democratic convention for
prosecuting attorney and was elected
by a handsome majority. In 1860
he received the nomi nation of his par
ty for Judge of probate and although
the county gave a majority for Lin
coin and the Republican state and
county ticket, Mr.. McCurdy ran more
than a thousand ahead Of the party
vote and was elected by a handsome
majority.
He was elected to the state senate
in 1864 and Immediately took rank
as one of the most active and infiu-
entail members Of that body. AL
though the county OF Shiawassee has
been a strong Republican county
since 1856, yet Mr.. McCurdy was
again elected prosecuting attorney in
1874. For many years he has been
a member of the board of supervisors
from a strong Republican ward, fire.
quently he has been elected without
opposition, both parties nominating
him. In 1865 Judge McCurdy estab-
lished the First National Bank, Of
Corunna, of which he was president
from it's organization down to 1878,
when he sold out his interest and
withdrew from the business.
Some years ago when his name
was before the people in any import
ant and significant political canvass,
these words were written of him by
a fellow townsman with whose polit-
ical opinions he had always been at
variance: "The writer of these lines
has known Hugh McCurdy intimate
ly for over thirty years and has had
every opportunity to judge of his
character in all that pertains to the
true element of citizenship. In the
profession of the law he stands at
the head of the bar and in scholastic
attachments, acquired under the most
severe privations, he also takes rank
among the foremost. No meritorious
person ever applied to him for per-
sonal relief and was turned away
without assistance; for no man ever
had heart that beat in warmer SYM
pathy with his fellows. Such are the
traits and characteristics Of Hugh
McCurdy and such are the personal
qualifications of this truly self-made
man."
His Masonic Career.
His Masonic life covers period of
nearly fifty years, having been
initiated in Birmingham Lodge No.
"A, on August $3.50. Ten days
later he was passed and raised to
the degree of Master Mason.
January 10 1872 he was elected
Deputy Grand Master of the Grand
Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons of
Michigan. January 17,1S73, he was
unanimously elected Grand Master
of the Grand Lodge, something which
had never before occurred. The total
number of votes cast for him was
S32. October 2, 1878, he laid the
cornerstone of the new state capital
at Lansing.
November IS, 1873 he received
the thirty-third degree and was Great
ed an honorary member of the SUI
preme council of the Ancient and
Accepted Scottish Rite for the north
ern jurisdiction Of the United States
in Chicago September IS, 1879, he
was appointed grand marshal of the
camp of the supreme council which
office he continued to hold until Sep
TENDER q, 1888. On the latter day
he was elected and crowned an active
member of the supreme council ad
vitam.
August II, 1892, he was elected by
an unanimous ballot, most eminent
grand master of the grand encamp-
ment Knights Templar for the Unit
ed States of America, at Denver,
Colorado, which position he filled for
three years, to the satisfaction of the
brotherhood over which he presid-
ed.
The extraordinary scope of charac-
ter of such a record can scarcely fail
to stir a spirit of generous emulation
in every true Mason's breast. Per-
haps honors like this are reserved
for the few, but every faithful man
in the order may at least aspire to
them. At the very least, so conspic-
uous and noble an exemplification
of loyal service rewarded must be
productive of lasting good to Mason
ry.
Not i'm Active Practice.
The above article was printed
some years ago and consequently a
few corrections are necessary. Mr.. |
McCurdy had not been in active legal
practice before his death. He spent
many of his summers at his cottage
on Mackinac Island and during
the other seasons of the year, when
not attending gatherings of distin-
guished Masons about the United
States, lived quietly at his home in
beautiful McCurdy Park.
He was always intensely inter-
ested in Masonry and found great
interest in attending the meetings of
all branches of the order, no matter
how humble. For many years-more'
than thirty consecutively-he acted
Ali - IN