William Joseph Curry was born September 11, 1821, in Green Turtle Cay, Abaco to Benjamin Curry (1799-1865) and Martha Albury (1801-1872).

His siblings included…

• Alice (1827)
• Rebecca (1830)
• Matilda (1832)
• Benjamin (1835)
• Samuel Simon (1837)

He immigrated to Key West from the Bahamas on March 3, 1837.

On September 11, 1844, in Key West, Florida, William married Euphemia B Lowe (1829-1901). She is the daughter of John B Lowe (1805-1893) and Bianca ‘Binky’ Kemp (1809-1896) and the great granddaughter of Captain Gideon Lowe Jr and Nancy Saunders.

Their children included…

• Charles (1847)
• Louisa Ann (1849)
• George Henry (1851)
• Henry Franklin (1854)
• Robert Oliver (1856)
• Eleanor Louise (1858)
• Paul (1862)
• Florida Euphemia (1863)
• Milton William (1865)

William Curry and his family were one of the first inhabitants of Key West from the Bahamas. Today, he is best known as Key West’s first “self-made” millionaire and during his time became the richest man in the State of Florida. William Curry also served as Mayor of Key West 1854-1855. William Curry, his wife, Euphemia, their children and spouses, all became leading citizens of Key West.

As a young boy, William started clerking in a hardware store owned by William Wall for 50 cents a week and living in a room above the store. He also worked as a clerk at Weaver & Baldwin for a $1 a week. He moved up to clerk in the office of the United States quartermaster, and later to chief clerk for Wall & Company. He partners with George Bowne in the business of buying and selling wrecked goods which proved to be very successful. When George Bowne retired in 1861, he founded William Curry & Sons. Curry & Sons provided goods from Key West to Maine. People would come from Cuba, the Grand Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, Jamaica and as far as Central America to purchase supplies and goods. Curry & Sons, Inc. owned shipyards, marine railways, fleets of vessels and real estate. (Source: Key West: The Old and the New, Jefferson B. Browne)

He secured a clerkship with Weever & Baldwin, the merchants on Hall street, and when they went out of business about eighteen months later, he was fortunate enough to secure employment in the office of the United States quartermaster. He spend a couple of years afloat with the fleet under Commander McLaughlin in the Seminole War, and after returning from this service, was a clerk with William WALL, until about 1843. At this time he embarked in business management in connection with G.L. BOWNE and another partner, and upon the retirement of the latter the firm of Bowne and Curry began business in 1845.

In 1844, he married Euphemia, daughter of Capt. John Lowe, and during the rest of his life Mr. Curry was involved in the salvage of wrecks, and his mercantile business consisted principally in furnishing stores for those connected with shipping.

In 1846, after a big storm, the store, and large stock of general merchandise was destroyed. They purchased property on Front and Simonton streets, where, with ample wharfage and land, store and storehouses were erected and the business continued on an enlarged scale. In 1861, Mr. G.L. Bowne withdrew from the business on account of ill-health, selling all his interests, real and personal, to Mr. Curry. The latter continued the business successfully for more than thirty years in his own name, to be succeeded by the firm of William Curry’s Sons, comprising Charles, George H., and Milton W. Curry, and Capt. Martin L. HELLINGS, who married Eleanor, daughter of William Curry. Source: Rerick’s Memoirs of Florida (1902)

See also…

Tales from CURRY MANSION – Key West Florida Weekly

Behind the history of one of Key West’s most enduring historic inns – Key West Florida Weekly

William Joseph Curry passed away on January 23, 1896 (age 74) in Key West, Florida. He is my 1st cousin 4 times removed.