Representative Edward Walter Curley

Edward Walter Curley (May 23, 1873 – January 6, 1940) was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from New York who served in Congress from 1935 until his death in 1940. Over the course of three terms in office, he contributed to the legislative process during a significant period in American history, representing the interests of his New York constituents during the later years of the Great Depression and the New Deal era.

Curley was born on May 23, 1873, in Easton, Pennsylvania. Details of his early family life are not extensively documented, but his subsequent move to New York and pursuit of higher education reflected the broader pattern of migration and urbanization in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. His formative years coincided with a period of rapid industrial growth and political change, developments that would later shape his career in municipal and national politics.

Curley attended the College of the City of New York, an institution that provided educational opportunities to many first- and second-generation Americans in New York City. His studies there helped prepare him for public service and introduced him to the civic and political life of the city. This educational background, combined with his experience in New York’s diverse urban environment, laid the groundwork for his entry into local government and later federal office.

Curley’s political career began in New York City government, where he served as a member of the New York City Council from 1916 until 1935. Nearly two decades on the council gave him extensive experience with municipal issues, including urban infrastructure, public services, and local governance. During these years he became a recognized Democratic figure in city politics, building a base of support that would eventually carry him to national office. His long tenure on the council coincided with World War I, the Roaring Twenties, and the onset of the Great Depression, placing him at the center of local responses to major national and international events.

In 1935, Curley was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives from New York to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative Anthony J. Griffin. He entered Congress on November 5, 1935, and served continuously from that date through successive terms until his own death in 1940. As a member of the House of Representatives during the New Deal period, Curley participated in the democratic process at the federal level and contributed to the legislative work of the 74th, 75th, and 76th Congresses. In this capacity, he represented his New York district’s interests in Washington, D.C., engaging with legislation shaped by the economic and social challenges of the era.

Curley’s service in Congress occurred during a transformative time in American history, marked by efforts to address the economic dislocation of the Great Depression and to redefine the federal government’s role in social and economic policy. As a Democratic Party member aligned with the majority that supported President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal initiatives, he was part of the legislative coalition that debated and enacted measures intended to promote recovery, relief, and reform. His work in Congress reflected both the priorities of his party and the needs of his urban constituency.

Edward Walter Curley died in office on January 6, 1940, in New York City, bringing an end to more than two decades of continuous public service at the municipal and federal levels. His death placed him among the members of the United States Congress who died in office during the first half of the twentieth century. Curley’s career, spanning from his long tenure on the New York City Council to his three terms in the House of Representatives, exemplified the trajectory of a local urban politician who rose to national office during one of the most consequential periods in modern American political history.