ALFRED LEROY CURTISS (1852 - 1900)

Alfred L. Curtiss was born in Pennsylvania in 1852.

First census he appears in is 1860 in Allegheny Township, Venango Co. Pa. He was 7 years old. He appears as Leroy. This is probably because his father was also Alfred. His mother is listed as S.E. Curtiss. (In the 1870 Census she is listed as Ellen.)

In the 1870 Census the family had moved to Howard County, Maryland. They lived in the 6th Election District. (If someone knows where that is please reply.)

By the 1880 Census they had moved to St. Joseph, Buchanan Co., Missouri.

Leroy was a carpenter for the entire time he lived in St. Joseph, Mo. He co-owned a business in 1898-99 called Carson & Curtiss - 1821 Frederick Ave. The Carson of Carson & Curtiss was S.M.Carson 'contractor'.

Leroy Curtiss was married to Mary Ella Darby in 1875. They had nine children. The first two, born in Maryland, died within the first few months of their little lives. The third child Edwin H. was also born in Maryland just before they moved to St. Joseph, Mo. He was only 11 months old in his first Census in 1880. Then Arthur Darby, child number 4, my grandfather was born. After that Percy W., Floyd R., Frederick (d. 8 mo.), Hellen D., and Ruth L.

When Leroy, Mary Ella and Edwin H. first moved to St. Joseph, they lived with a relatives of Mary Ella. A senior couple listed as C. & M.A. Darby. I discovered their names to be Chauncy and Mary A. Darby. Mr. Darby lists his occupation as Baptist Minister.

Alfred Leroy died before the 1910 Census as Mary Ella is listed as a widow.

The Arthur D. Curtiss Family

Moves To California (1920 - 2008)

In the 1920's, the Arthur D. Curtiss family moved from Omaha, Nebraska to Los Angeles, California. Arthur's name appears in the 1924 Los Angeles Voter Registration as a Florist living at 1117 Idaho Avenue.

Here they are at the Del Mar shores.

Clockwise Top - Arthur D., Ethelyne Nadine (14), Ruby Lucille (13), Helen Francis (8), Vesta L. Curtiss.

The Death of Arthur D. Curtiss

On July 21, 1924 a son was born to Arthur and LaVesta named Edward Harry Curtiss. He never knew his father because 3 months earlier Arthur became seriously ill and entered the Veterens Hospital in Sawtelle, a military hospital in West Los Angeles. He was transfered to the Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino, California where he died on June 27, 1925. His family didn't know he was gone for weeks as the Military was hush about his condition, treatment and demise. They were eventually informed he had died and was burried in San Bernardino, 60 miles from their home in West Los Angeles.