CENSUS DETECTIVE

Sometimes it's not easy to determine if the name you are searching is your ancestor. You have to look at all the surrounding facts to make decision. I started to see a pattern about a year ago.

All the family trees I have found for my Curtiss line say that Alfred Hatch Curtiss is my G-G-Grandfather. I followed A. H. Curtiss starting in the 1850 Census. He had a son named Leroy. I had a suspicion that Leroy was a Junior, so I followed his as though he was Alfred Leroy. His siblings names and birth dates continued through the 1870.

Another clue was the other Curtisses on the same Census page. I also noticed the A. H. Curtiss seemed to have another Curtiss always on the Census with him. H. H. Curtiss married to a Verilla /Vanilla / etc. (you can't trust the census for spelling)

Another clue came with the 1880 Census. I knew from living relatives that our Curtiss family migrated from St. Joseph, Missouri to California. In searching the Buchanan Co. Census I found an A.L. Curtiss married to M.E. living with C. Darby. I know this was my A.L. Curtiss because his wife's maiden name was Darby. In following this Curtiss family 1900, 1910 and 1920 Census records I confirmed my relatives by the names I knew as my Grandparents and Aunts.

The final clue came when I found a notation in my very own Baby Book. My Grandmother had supplied the names of my Great Grandparents to my mother for the Curtiss side. There it was - "Leroy". My GGrandfather was called Leroy just as I had suspected. Because of this entry I now knew that my GGGrandfather was Alfred H. Curtiss.

This chart shows the continuous flow of Census records with some notations.

MARY ELLA DARBY 1850 - 1936

OBITUARY -
The Yakima Daily Republic, Yakima WA
20 May 1936

Mrs. Mary Ella Curtiss

Mrs. Mary Ella Curtiss, age 86, died last night in her home, 404 South Fourteenth Avenue, after an illness of 3 1/2 years. She was born in Green, N.Y., and had lived in Yakima 12 years. Members of the family are two sons, P.W. Curtiss of St. Joseph, MO, and Lloyd R. Curtiss of Council Bluffs, IA; two daughters, Mrs. W.A. Vaughn of Tulsa, OK, and Miss Helen Curtiss of Yakima; two brothers, A.T. Darby of Seattle and Eugene H. Darby of Yakima, and 14 grandchildren. Mrs. Curtiss was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. The funeral will be held Thursday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock in Shaw & Sons Chapel. The Rev. D.W. Ferry will officiate and pallbearers will be L.P. Peck, E.J. Davis, H.C. Davis, L. Ballinger, Ethan Taylor and I.W. Brown. Burial will be in Terrace Heights Memorial Park.

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.

Arthur Darby Curtiss Marries

Upon completion of his service in the US Army Hospital Corp, Arthur D. Curtiss returned to St. Joseph, Missouri and married Lata LaVesta Launder in 1905. They were married in the Westminster Presbyterian Church in St. Joseph, Missouri located at Jule & 21st Street. The Minister who signed their Marriage Certificate was Rev. Henry Nelson Bullard dated August 22, 1905.




By the 1910 US Federal Census they had two childern, Ethelyn N. (1906) and Ruby L. (1907), both daughters were born in St. Joseph, Missouri.

I love this old photo. All these women! Arthur doesn't look very happy. Included in the photo (l to r) dauthter Ruby, mother Mary Ella, in front sitting next to Arthur on the step is sister Hellen, daughter Ethelyne, sister Ruth, behind him is wife Lata LaVesta (Vesta), sister-in-law Alice Leota. (Possibly taking the photo is his brother Edwin H. who was professional photographer.)

Move to Nebraska

Between the 1910 Census and the birth of daughter Helen F. in May 1912, the Curtiss family, including Arthur's mother Mary Ella (Darby), brothers Floyd R. and Edwin H. with their families, all moved to Omaha, Nebraska. Mary Ella was a widow in the 1910 Census. In Omaha, Arthur's occupation was now florist. He worked for Charles Ederer at 308 Bristol St., and he worked in greenhouses and did landscaping.















Arthur is pictured here (at the far left) with his mates at Ederer .


World War I Draft Registration Card (1918)

We find some interesting facts about Arthur Darby Curtiss from his September 12, 1918 draft registration card. We learn that he lived at 3513 N. 30th, Douglas Co., Omaha, Nebraska. He lists his occupation as Florist employed by Chas Ederer at 308 Bristol St. Most interesting is the spelling of his wife's name, which he spells Lata LaVesta Curtiss. (Everyone has always believed her name was Lita LaVesta!) He is a natural born American. He was 5-ft 7 1/2-in tall with brown eyes and black hair.


By the 1920 US Federal Census the Arthur D. Curtiss family is still living in Omaha, Nebraska and now has another daughter, Helen Francis Curtiss born in 1912.



Elmwood Park - The family enjoyed their time together in the beautiful 55 acre park along Leavenworth Street that fit the report’s description as a “wild and romantic place,” containing a wooded ravine that followed the course of a small stream.” “There are all manner of shady nooks in this dell, and some of the largest forest trees in this section of the country are to be seen in it,” the story continued. Most impressive along the trees were the huge elms that prompted the Commissioners to give the park the name Elmwood.

Arthur D. Curtiss Family in Omaha, Nebraska (1910 - 1920)
Lata LaVesta (Launder) - Wife
Ethelyne N. - Daughter
Ruby L. - Daughter
Helen F. - Daughter
Mary Ella (Darby) - Mother
Hellen D. - Sister
Edwin H. - Brother
Alice L.(Reeder) - Sister-in-law
Floyd R. - Brother
Estella L. (Boulware) - Sister-in-law

ARTHUR DARBY CURTISS (1881 - 1925)

The first place we find Arthur D. Curtiss is in the 1900 US Census - Buchanan County, St. Joseph, Missouri. (He was listed incorrectly as Arthur B.)
Born in 1880, he was 18 years old at the taking of the Census. He is the 2nd living child of Alfred L. and Mary E. (Darby) Curtiss. He is the first child born in Missouri. They lived at 1802 N. 22nd Street.

The family must have moved to Missouri some time around 1879 because the 1880 census has Arthur's older brother, Edwin H. being born in Maryland, and 11 months old. Since the little family had just moved from Maryland, they stayed with relatives of Mary Ella's named Rev. Chauncy Darby and wife Mary A.
Darby was a 64 yr. old minister. One census states he as a Baptist Minister.

Arthur grew up in Saint Joseph, Missouri. Where he went to school I haven't found yet.


The 1898-99 City Directory has Arthur D. Curtiss listed as "shoemaker" at N.N. & Co.

His father co-owned a carpentry business called Carson & Curtiss at 1821 Frederick Ave.
Mr. S.M. Carson is listed as a "contractor".

Arhtur's father, Alfred L. Curtiss died some time around 1900-01. About nine months after his father died, Arthur joined the Army and left St. Joseph.

Military Service
Arthur D. Curtiss joined the U.S. Army in 1901 and served at Camp Skagway, Alaska for 3 years. He was a Private First Class in the Hospital Corp. At age 21 ½ he was 5-ft. 7 ½ -in., with brown eyes and black hair. His discharge certificate listed his character as "Excellent” and was signed by Rodney D. Smith, Contract Surgeon, U.S. Army, Commanding Det. H.C.

Looking For CURTISS Roots

I've been working on my Curtiss roots now for a relatively short time, maybe a year. I've gone just so far and am not able to go much further. So, I'm starting this blog in hopes of finding relatives who may have information, family photos and others pieces of history to help us all find our Curtiss roots.

Here is what I have so far:
Arthur Darby Curtiss - b: 24 Jul 1881 in Missouri, d: 27 Jun 1925 in California, m: 22 Aug 1905 Lita LaVesta Launder b: 26 Mar 1884 in Jewell, Kansas.

Son of
Alfred Leroy Curtiss - b: 15 Jul 1852 in Pennsylvania, d: 3 Nov 1900 in Missouri, m: Mary Ella Darby b: 14 Jul 1852 in Blodgett Mills, New York.

Son of
Alfred H Curtiss - b: 26 May 1828 in Pennsylvania, d:?, m: Sarah Ellen ____ (possible name Oakes), b: 26 May 1831 in Pennsylvania (or New York)

My Grandfather was Arthur Darby Curtiss.
His siblings were:
Edwin H. Curtiss b. 30 Jun 1879
Percy W. Curtiss b. 22 Jan 1883
Floyd R. Curtiss b. 12 Sep 1884
Hellen D. Curtiss b. 18 Jul 1890
Ruth L. Curtiss b. 18 Oct 1893

As stated above, Alfred L. Curtiss was married to Mary Ella Darby. This is what I know about Mary Ella Darby Curtiss. Her parents were Edwin Darby and Helen Short.

Edwin Henry Darby (1820 - 1891) b. Cortland, NY. d. Cameron, Clinton, MO. m. 5 Jun 1846 =
Helen L. Short (1826 - 1897) b. Madison, NY. d. Cameron, Clinton, MO.

Children:
Mary Ella Darby (1850 - 1936) b. Blodgett Mills, NY. d. Yakima, WA
Edwin Franklin Darby (1852 - 1909) b. Blodgett Mills, NY
Theodore Short Darby (1854 - 1935) b. Blodgett Mills, NY
Clarence Hinkley Darby (1857 - 1883) b. Greene, Chenago, NY
Arthur Tyler Darby (1860 - 1945) b. Greene, Chenago, NY
Eugene Hammond Darby (1865 - 1946) b. Greene, Chenago, NY. d. Yakima, WA.

I'm looking for relatives who can help me find out more info about my gggrandfather - Alfred H. Curtiss. Thanks.