William Curry

William Curry. Willam Curry came to Key West in 1837 from New Plymouth, Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas. At the age of 13 he began as a clerk in a mercantile firm. During the Seminole War he spent two years with McLaughlin's fleet. In 1845, with G.L. Browne as a partner, he organized the firm of Browne and Curry. The firm had extensive interest in the salvage of wrecks on the Florida reef. They supplied the wrecking fleet of Key West and owned a number of the vessels. Browne and Curry was also the major ship builder in Key West. In 1856, they funded the clipper ship Stephen R. Mallory, the only clipper ship ever built here. For the next 30 years Mr. Curry was a prominant businessman in Key West. Besides the vessels, the company owned piers, warehouses, ships, railways, an ice plant, electric plant, a fish market, 6 ship's chandlery a hardware store, a general merchandise store and bonded warehouse to store the Cuban tobacco needed for the cigar industry. Later in life, William Curry increased his forume by investing in stocks. Mr. Curry purchased from Tiffany and Company of New York a complete dinner service for 24 made of 18 karat gold. The service was valued at $15.000 by the probate appraisers at the death of Euphemia Curry in 1901. In 1892, Mr. Curry retired and his firm continued under the leadership of his sons. He was Florida's first home grown millionaire. Donated by , The old Town Trolley Toors of Key West Chris Belland, Mike Cates, Moe Mosher, Ed Swift .