An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, page 390 JUDGE A.P. CURRY. -- No man is better known in Spokane than the subject of this sketch, Judge Curry, of the Municipal Court. Under his jurisdiction the city has assumed a quiet, respectable air of which the people are proud.. He was born in Bangor, Maine, son of Richard W. and Nancy W. (Hatch) Curry, natives of Nova Scotia and Bangor, Maine, respectively. He received his education in his native city, and after leaving school engaged in business with his father, who was a merchant and who had moved to Chelsea, Massachusetts. In 1854 he emigrated to Dixon, Illinois, where he was City Marshal two years. He formed one of a party who crossed the plains to Pike's Peak during the gold excitement of 1860, and returned to Illinois about two months previous to the outbreak of the Civil war. When President Lincoln called for volunteers he was among the first to enlist in the service of his country. He entered as a private in Company A, Thirteenth Illinois Infantry, and in 1862 was promoted to the position of Lieutenant of Bowen's cavalry. Early in 1862 he was made Captain, serving as such for three years, when he was mustered out at St. Louis. He then went to Memphis and was appointed Colonel of the First West Tennessee Infantry, which he commanded until the close of the war. He then entered into mercantile business in Memphis, and in 1807 was elected County Sheriff, to which position he was twice re-elected. In 1878 Mr. Curry located in Leadville, and during the years 1880 and 1881, was Marshal of that place. In 1883 he moved to the Coeur d' Alene country, Idaho, where he engaged in mining pursuits, being one of the first to arrive there. He soon afterward took up his abode in Spokane, where he continued his mining interests. In 1889 he was elected Brigadier-General of the Territory of Washington. For one year General Curry was Senior Vice-Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, for two years Post Commander, and for the year 1890 was Department Commander of Washington and Alaska. He is a Knight of Pythias and of the Order of Elks. The following is the General's staff: C.F. Lake, Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant General; J. Hamilton Lewis, Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Inspector General; J.A. Hutfield, Assistant Quartermaster General; V.K. Snell, Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Commissary General; Benj. R. Freeman, Lieutenant-Colonel and Brigade Surgeon; E.P. Gillette, First Lieutenant and Aid-de-camp; Wm. H. Chapman, First Lieutenant and Aid-de-camp; and Cromwell, First Lieutenant and Aid-de camp. Judge Curry was admitted to the bar in 1891, and was appointed Judge of the Municipal Court by Acting Governor Charles E. Laughton. Not long ago he was elected president of the Mining Exchange. Personally, he is a genial, whole-souled gentleman, whose friends are to be found among all classes of people. In appearance, he has the bearing of a soldier, and is justly proud of his record as such. The headquarters of the National Guards of Washington are rooms 10 and 11, Falls City Block, Spokane. Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in September 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer * * * * Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the individual featured in the biographies.