Judge Calvin M. Cureton

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and here's how I'm going to tell it to you. The man's name was Calvin M. Cureton, and if Texas ever needed a living argument for the long game, well, it found one.

Born September 1, 1874, in Bosque County, to a family the marker calls noted pioneers, which in Texas means the roots go deep and the stock runs tough. He came up in that tradition, and then he got to work. By 1909 he was sitting in the legislature, and he stayed there through 1913.

That's when he moved over to the attorney general's office as first assistant, a post he held from 1913 to 1918. Then came the top job itself. Attorney General of Texas, 1918 to 1921.

That would be a fine life's work for most men. Calvin Cureton was not most men. In 1921 he was named Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court.

And then something remarkable happened, or rather, something remarkable kept on happening, year after year. He held that position straight through to 1940, and when the court's first century was finally tallied up, no one had served longer as Chief Justice. Not one.

The marker makes a point of saying so. The longest service in the court's first century. Now, in 1928, he and his wife Nora, Nora Morris that was her family name, built this house.

Built it right here. April 8, 1940, Calvin M. Cureton died.

The bench went quiet. But the house still stands, and the record still stands with it.

What the marker says

(September 1, 1874 - April 8, 1940) Born in Bosque County of a noted pioneer family. A legislator (1909-13); first assistant attorney general (1913-18); Attorney General (1918-21). As Chief Justice (1921-40) Texas Supreme Court, recorded longest service in court's first century. With wife Nora (Morris), built this house in 1928. (1971)