Our Curtis History
OUR CURTIS FAMILY
Our Curtis Family History begins with the birth of Saul H. Curtis in Ohio, about 1808/10,
(county & parents unknown). Our first documented history of Saul is his marriage to Frances
Norton, in Wayne County, Indiana on 5/8/1828. Frances was born about 1807, in South Carolina.
I believe her father was John Norton and her grandfather was Elias Norton of Lexington District,
South Carolina. Saul and Frances’s first child, Elias N. was born about 1828, in Indiana
(Wayne or Randolph County).
By 1830, the family is in Randolph County, Greenfork Township, Indiana. They remained in
Randolph County until the late 1850s. Saul H. is listed as Head-of-household on the 1840
Randolph County, Indiana Federal Census.
On the 1850 Indiana Federal Census Saul is listed as "Sol. H.", Washington Township,
40 yrs old, Farming, $1,200 worth of real estate, and born in Ohio. With him is listed his
wife, Frances 46 yrs old, and their children; Razey, male 16, William, male 13, (Our line);
Sarah M., female 11; Thomas T., male 8; John W. T., male 5. Elias is listed in the next
household, 21 yrs old, Farmer, born in Indiana with his wife A. (Ary), born Ohio, and their
child M. J., female 1 yrs old. Elias and Ary (Reed) were married in Randolph County on
11/17/1848.
By the 1860 Federal Census the Curtis Family is in Logan County, Illinois. Saul is
listed as S. H. Curtiss with Frances and two sons, Tho (Thomas) & John. One interesting fact
is that Saul did not list his parents as "foreign born." This would indicate that they moved
to Ohio from somewhere else within the United States. Rasey is listed as Rasry Curtiss,
married to Elizabeth, born Ohio, with one son James, born in Illinois. Elias is listed as
E. N. Curtiss, married to Arabel (Ary), born Ohio, with three children, all born in Indiana.
William is listed as Wm. Curtiss married to Eliza. (Eliza Ann Campbell) Eliza’s parents were
from Virginia. Her Mother’s name was Martha. We do not know her father’s name. I have not
been able to locate them in the 1850 Ohio Federal Census. Also, Sarah M. Curtis married
Elijah Atterberry on 11/17/1859, in Logan County. (Heritage Quest CD; IL Marriages to 1900)
In the 1865 Illinois State Census - Logan County, Saul is listed as the Head-of-household with
ten family members living with him. Elias and Thomas are gone. Elias moved to Mt. Vernon,
Jefferson County, Illinois. He and his family are on the 1870 Federal Illinois Census. I
have not been able to locate Thomas.
By the 1870 Federal Census, Logan County, Illinois, Saul H. and Frances are living
with their son John Curtis, his wife Sarah, born Missouri, and their two daughters, Sarah F. &
(unknown), both born in Illinois. Wm. Curtis & Eliza now have five children, including Saul
Francis Curtis (Our line). (Apparently, Saul F. was named after his father’s parents.)
(Their son Rasey E. who was born in 1862, and died in 1863, is not listed.) Rasey,
son of Saul H., is listed as R. Curtis with his wife Elizabeth and their five children,
all born in Illinois.
Following the 1870 Census, Wm & Eliza moved to Wapella, DeWitt County, Illinois. Saul F Curtis
remembered living in a house next to the railroad tracks. Sometime before 1874, the family
left by wagon train for Kansas. They crossed into Missouri at St. Louis and traveled
Southwest - roughly where Interstate 44 runs now. Often they would make only four or five
miles a day. When the Curtis family reached the Missouri - Kansas line near Alba, Missouri,
they decided since the land was flat and looked very fertile, they would settle near there.
The Curtis family settled south of Pittsburg, Kansas not far from Cow Creek.
In the 1880 Federal Kansas Census William Wesley & Eliza Ann are in Cherokee County, Cherokee
Township, with their ten children. As of today, we do not know where William’s parents
or siblings are located.
Most of the 1890 censuses were destroyed in a fire at the Commerce Department in Washington DC
in 1921; and water used to extinguish the blaze badly damaged many more. As a result, the
government disposed of most of them.
Eugen Curtis and his family, wife Tettie (Katherine) and son William M, were located on the 1900
Federal Kansas Census, Cherokee County, Cherokee Township. I couldn’t locate any other Curtis
family in Cherokee or Weir City Township.
Saul F, Frank, and Eugen Curtis (all sons of William W) are on the 1910 Federal Kansas Census,
Cherokee County. Saul F Curtis is listed as "Sol.", with his second wife Laura (Williams) and
four children. George Alven, the second son of Saul and Rhoda (Hack), was killed in 1904 and
is not listed. Also, the census indicates that Laura had three children of which only one was
living, (Cecil). To my knowledge there is no record of the other two children or where they
are buried.
In the 1920 Federal Kansas Census, Cherokee County, Weir, Saul F. Curtis is listed with Laura,
born Montana, and their son Cecil.