1905 History of Crawford County Kansas

John Curran, of the firm of Curran and Curran, among the most prominent lawyers of Pittsburg and this part of the state, is a man who has raised himself by his energy and perseverance to a high place in a learned profession which requires, in addition to much native talent, first-class educational attainments, which he was able to enjoy only after hard and persistent effort without any particular aid from outside sources. He was prominent as an educator before he took his place among the members of the bar, and he has also been interested to a considerable extent in the public affairs of his city and county. The law firm of Curran and Curran enjoys one of the largest and most representative practices in this section of the state, and both are men of high legal standing and ability.

John Curran was born at South Haven, Michigan, in 1864, a son of John and Elizabeth (Judge) Curran. His father was a native of Ireland and came to America in 1829, settling first in Canada and later in Michigan. In 1871 he became one of the early settlers of Crawford county, Kansas, where he followed farming till his death, in 1884. He, with his family, experienced all the hardships incidental to life in Kansas in those days, the grasshopper plague, crop failures and hard times coming with almost as much regularity as the years themselves; but for all that he was numbered among the successful men of those farming sections. His wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Curran, was a native of Canada, and is still living on the old Curran farm in Crawford county.

Mr. Curran was reared on the Kansas homestead, and his services were so necessary on the farm that he had a hard time in getting an education. He attended the district schools, and later the State Normal College at Fort Scott, where he graduated in 1889, having taken the classical course. He took up the profession of teaching, and even before his graduation had taught several terms, from which he gained funds for the further prosecution of his schooling. He became somewhat noted as an educator, and for four years conducted the teachers' institutes of Crawford county. At one time he was principal of the high school of Pittsburg, and for three years was city superintendent of schools at Columbus, Kansas. During all this time he was making preparations for his entrance into the legal profession, and did much of his studying in the office of Morris Cliggett, one of the most talented lawyers of Pittsburg and the state. In 1893-94 he was in the law department of the State University at Lawrence. In 1896 he began his practice in Pittsburg in partnership with his brother, Andrew J. Curran, who had been admitted to the bar some years before and who had already established a large practice. The brothers have enjoyed a large and lucrative business, and a good share of the legal work of the country is transacted through their offices.

Mr. Curran's brother, Andrew J. Curran, was born in Michigan, and his career has been somewhat similar to that of his brother, and equally crowned with success, He graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, in June, 1895. Previous to his legal career he was a successful educator, and was superintendent of the Cherokee, Kansas, schools for five years, and for four years conducted the teachers' institutes of Crawford county.