Edward H. Curtiss at Big Bear Boys Camp

Edward H. Curtiss was fortunate to be able to go to the Big Bear Boys Camp in Big Bear Lake, California when he was a boy. His Sister Ethelyne N. (Curtiss) Drake was married to Elvin C. "Ducky" Drake who was associated with the Big Bear Boys Camp (BBBC) in the San Bernardino Mountains for many years. At that time the city of Big Bear Lake was called Pine Knot.
Every summer from the age of 8 years until he graduated from University High School in Los Angeles, Edward would go along with Ducky to attend the camp for the summer. When he was old enough he participated as a counsellor. Most of the other boys were from the wealthy families in the Los Angeles and Beverly Hills.

Photo: Edward Curtiss (R) & Harold Witherbee 1939

The following brochure is from the 1930's.

Here is the Brochure for Big Bear Boys Camp

The camp is still there but it is owned by the Presbyterian Church and called Camp TANDA on Lake View Drive.

RUTH LUCILLE CURTISS - VAUGHN - BYLIN

The Independent (Long Beach, California)

DEATH NOTICE

BYLIN (San Pedro) - Ruth L., of 3007 S. Denison Ave., died Tuesday. Surviving are husband Carl O. (Bylin); daughters, Mrs. Mary J. (Vaughn) Kelley, Mrs. Anna L. (Vaughn) Lyons; sons, Curtiss, Billy, Alfred Vaughn; brother, P. W. Curtiss; 16 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Service Saturday, 2:30 pm, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Cypress.

Ruth Lucille Curtiss was born October 18 1894 in St. Joseph, MO. Daughter of Alfred Leroy Curtiss and Mary Ella (Darby) Curtiss.

She married William Andrew Vaughn on April 11 1914.

Children:

Curtiss Vaughn b. 22 Nov 1914

Mary J. Vaughn b. 17 Aug 1916, d. 17 May 2005

Anne Lucille Vaugn b. 18 Nov 1917, d. 17 Jan 1983

Billy B. Vaughn b. 1927

Alfred L. Vaughn b. Mar 1930

She was also married to Carl O. Bylin.

ALFRED L. CURTISS SIBLINGS 1880 CENSUS

After the death of their Mother and Father - 1872/1875 respectively - the siblings of Alfred Leroy Curtiss apparently moved in with their married older sister EFFIE L. (Curtiss) GORMAN. Effie had married Peter Calhoun Gorman June 6, 1876. While searching for Effie L. (Curtiss)Gorman, I came across the 1880 Census and discovered the younger children of Alfred H. & Sarah Ellen Curtiss living in the home of Peter C. Gorman and their sister Effie. The only siblings not living in this home where Alfred L. who'd been married to Mary Ella (Darby) since about 1875. In the 1880 Census they lived in St. Joseph, MO. The other sibling not living in the P.C. Gorman household was Clayton O Curtiss and I don't know what happened to him. Listed in the 1880 Census - 6th Election Dist., Howard County, Maryland (pgs 39/40) P.C. Gorman (27), Effie Gorman (24), Ensie Curtis (23), Elizabeth Curtis (18), Nellie Curtis (14), Clifford Curtis (12).

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.

ARTHUR D. CURTISS SERVICE RECORD 1901-1904

Arthur D. Curtiss joined the U.S. Army in 1901 just at the U.S. Artillery was being reorganized. He join up and was mustered into the new Coast Artillery. He was assigned to the 106th Company at Camp Skagway, Alaska as part of the Medical attachmant.

106th Company (32nd Company)
1901 – Fort Lawton, WA
1902 – Camp Skagway, AK
1902 – Fort Flagler, WA
1908 – Fort Worden, WA
1914 – Mine company
1916 – 4th Company, Fort Worden, WA
1917 – 4th Company, CD Puget Sound
1922 – 106th Company, CAC
1924 – HQ/14th CA Regiment (HD), Fort Worden, WA

U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps 1901-1950
By the end of 1898, the US Army artillery was organized into seven regiments, two of which were created that year. In 1901, the regimental organization of the US Army artillery was abolished, and 126 companies of heavy (coast) artillery and 30 companies of light (field) artillery were established. In 1907, the artillery was split into a field artillery, with a regimental organization, and the coast artillery corps, with additional coast artillery companies, making a total of 170 companies. In 1924, a regimental organization of the Coast Artillery was instituted, an organizational status that lasted until the Coast Artillery regiments were broken up into separate battalions in 1943. Nearly all Coast Artillery units were deactivated 1944-1946. The Coast Artillery Corps was officially abolished in 1950.
1901 Corps Organization
In 1901, Congress became convinced that the coast artillery should have a task organization, and so it abolished the artillery regiments and created an artillery corps. Reflecting the divergence in methods and equipment since the old muzzleloading days, the corps was composed of 30 companies of field artillery and 126 companies of coast artillery. Coast artillery companies were numbered 1 to 126 and field artillery batteries from 1 to 30, but they were united in one branch of service, under a single chief of artillery. Eighty-two existing heavy batteries were designated coast artillery companies, and 44 new companies were created by splitting existing ones, after which both units filled out their ranks with new recruits. At the head of the Artillery Corps was a chief of artillery, with the rank of brigadier general. Although more of an inspectorate than a command position, the importance of this position can hardly be overstated. For the first time, there was a systematic attempt to regularize the equipment and training of the artillery. Further, seacoast defense planning, until now almost entirely the province of the Corps of Engineers, was now largely the responsibility of the artillery.
420 American Seacoast Defenses
Coast Artillery Companies were units of men, and batteries were the fixed emplacements with their guns. Each company was authorized 109 enlisted men, including non-commissioned officers. Although the secretary of war was empowered to fix the strength of individual companies as needed, it does not appear he took advantage of this authority.(4) Depending on its assignment, one company might man more than one battery. Companies were assigned to forts, which were administrative units commanded by the senior officer present.(5) The forts at each harbor were grouped into artillery districts (the occasional isolated small harbor was included in a larger artillery district), which were the primary tactical and administrative units, with the bulk of the staff and logistical services. The artillery district commander was analogous to a regimental commander in the infantry or cavalry; in turn, he was subordinate to the general who commanded all the troops in the territorial department.(6) The administrative relationship of these troop units was not markedly different from other army units, and was spelled out in detail in army regulations. Over the next half-century, the administrative organization was repeatedly changed, as the army struggled to balance the conflicting requirements and find the most efficient organization. As the new batteries were created and manpower grew, the new officer positions were filled by West Point graduates, transfers from other branches, and appointments from civilian life. Officers who had served in the Volunteers during the recent war took advantage of the opportunity to join the Regular Army. Unlike the infantry and cavalry, the Artillery Corps continued to be all white, reflecting both its level of technical sophistication and the prevailing views of the capabilities of blacks.

Coast Artillery Uniform

In 1902 a new uniform regulation was adopted. This is the uniform regulation most commonly associated with the Coast Artillery Corps. The new enlisted men’s dress jacket was still dark blue with red trim, but the style was updated to the cut of the current men’s clothing fashion. The jacket had shoulder straps and a standing collar. The short skirt was vented at the sides (later dropped) and sported new pattern buttons (smooth faced with the new national eagle motif ) and all new gilded insignia. The trousers were still sky blue and retained the late 1890s flared cuff. Black high top shoes completed the outfit, and brown leather belt and accessories were worn for dress occasions. The full dress ensemble was also adorned with a snazzy red breast cord with two big “waffles.” From head to toe, the new uniforms were very colorful and impressive to look at. The Coast Artillery Corps was supposed to use up the remaining stocks of the old pattern five-button sack coat. This may have made some economic sense, but the troops had other ideas.

In 1902 both the officers and enlisted men had new pattern four pocket jackets with a narrow stand and fall collar. Both coat and trousers were olive drab wool with brown leather accessories. Field equipment of brown leather and tan colored woven web began to be adopted. Eventually web material replaced much of the leather equipment. The coast artilleryman was equipped as infantry for field service. The 1889 pattern gray field or garrison hat remained in use with the olive drab bell crown cap for the service uniform. This bell crown cap became a symbol of the modern Army.

Footnotes
4. Army Reorganization Act (31 Stat. 748), February 2, 1901. WDGO 9, Feb. 6, 1901. WDGO 48, May 31, 1902.
5. War Department, Drill Regulations for Coast Artillery (Provisional) 1906, GPO, 1906, p. 13.
6. WDGO 81, June 13, 1901. WDGO 80, June 4, 1903.

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 L. Curtiss Death Notice 1900

I received photocopies from the Public Library in Saint Joseph, Missouri of the Death Notice for Great-Grandfather ALFRED L. CURTISS. They also included the Record of Deaths --- St. Joseph, Mo. for November 1900.

St. Joseph Daily News 5 Nov. 1900 - Page 6

A.L. CURTISS died at his residence, 1806 North Twenty-second Street, this morning at 12:45 o'clock, age forth-eight years. He was a carpenter by trade and had been ill for some time. The time of the funeral has not been announced.

Interesting Note - I went back and looked at the 1900 Census for Buchanan Co, St. Joseph, Missouri and found Alfred L. Curtiss and family. This census had a column entitled: "Length of months out of work". The date was June 13th and his entry was "6". So, he apparently had been ill for almost one year.

Health Office
Curtiss, A L - W(hite) - Nov. 5 1900 - 12:45 am - PA (born) - 1802 N. 22nd - 48 - M(arried) - M(ale) - Catarrh Stomach (cause) - F.O. Reynolds, MD.

Causes of Death in the Late 19th Century mentioned in the Register of Deaths, 1893-1907
Catarrh (Catarah/ Catarrah/ Catarrh of Brain/ Catarrh of Head/ Catarrh of Stomach/ Catarrh on the Breast/ Catarrk/ Catarrk Pneumonia) - An inflammatory affection of any mucous membrane, in which there are congetion, swelling, and an alteration in the quantity and quality of mucous secreted. In America, especially, a chronic inflammation of, and hypersecretion from the membranes of nose or air passages. in England, an acute influenza, resulting from a cold and attended with cough, thirst, lassitude and watery eyes; also, the cold itself. Catarrh Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung tissue associated with catarrh and with marked evidences of inflammation of the bronchial membranes - often chronic.
From a list of archaic medical terms :
Gastric Catarrh — Gastric catarrh is essentially a form of disease due to wrong feeding. Through habitual eating of excessive amounts of food materials, aided by the consumption of equally excessive quantities of liquids, the mucous lining of the stomach becomes affected in tone and its normal action is interfered with. When strong tea, coffee, alcohol, strong condiments, sauces, pickles, etc., etc., form a regular feature of the dietary, the mucous lining begins to become seriously irritated, and to protect itself it throws off excessive quantities of mucous, which interfere yet further with normal digestion, and in this way catarrh of the stomach arises. Although catarrh of the stomach may be allied in the same individual 'with catarrh of the nose and throat, it is not the outcome of the dropping of mucus from the nose and throat into the stomach as many believe. The point is that wrong feeding habits which will set up nasal catarrh can also set up gastric catarrh in the same person .
Treatment — The taking of medicinal drugs for the relief of the condition, whilst at the same time carrying on with the same unwise feeding habits which have set up the trouble in the first place, is obviously not the way to secure a permanent cure. The only real remedy for gastric catarrh lies in a thorough cleansing of the whole digestive tract and the adoption of a scheme of diet which will allow the stomach lining to normalise itself, instead of becoming more and more irritated. For such a scheme of treatment the reader is referred to that for Chronic Indigestion, to be found in the following pages of the present section . If such treatment is followed consistently, not only will the stomach trouble be cured, but the whole general health will be greatly improved.

Unfortunately, Great Grandfather never recovered.