Oakley Chester Curtis (March 29, 1865 – February 22, 1924) was an American politician and the 50th

Governor of Maine The governor of Maine is the head of government of the U.S. state of Maine. Before Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts and the governor of Massachusetts was chief executive. The current governor of Maine is Ja ...

Early life

Curtis was born in

Portland, Maine Portland is the largest city in the U.S. state of Maine and the seat of Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 in April 2020. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to over half a million people, the 104th-largest metropol ...

, on March 29, 1865. He studied at the local schools. He worked in the banking industry. He served as president of the Casco Mercantile Trust Company and as the director of the United States Trust Company and the Merchants Trust Company.

Politics

Curtis became

alderman An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many Jurisdiction, jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council membe ...

of Portland in 1901 and served for one term. He became a member of the Maine House of Representatives in 1903. He held that position until 1904. He became a member of the Maine State Senate in 1905, and held that position until 1908. He then served as the mayor of Portland from 1911–1914.

Governor of Maine

Curtis was nominated for the governorship of Maine by the Democratic Party in 1914. He won the general election by a popular vote. He held the governor's office from January 6, 1915 to January 3, 1917. During his administration, the labor laws for women and children were improved and the Komoos Sieur de Montes National Monument was established. Curtis was unsuccessful in his re-election bid.

Personal life

Curtis married Edith L. Hamilton and they had five children. He was a Congregationalist.

Sources

* Sobel, Robert and John Raimo. ''Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978''. Greenwood Press, 1988. {{DEFAULTSORT:Curtis, Oakley C. 1865 births 1924 deaths American Congregationalists Democratic Party governors of Maine Politicians from Portland, Maine Mayors of Portland, Maine