This page is a table of contents of sorts to linked documents that were used in the research supporting this genological material on

This page is a table of contents of sorts to linked documents that were used in the research supporting this genological material on Curtis's of Somerset. Some of these documents are in adobe acrobat format, so if you cannot open, then download and install the adobe acrobat reader from adobe.com

One author's write up on Thomas Curtis of Wethersfield, our oldest know ancestor.

History of Chenango and Madison Counties New York by James H. Smith, published by D. Mason & Co. Syracuse 1880: History of McDonough

History of Guilford Village

Geneologies from Mrs. Helen Hunt Read Tuttle in paper prepared for reading to DAR chapter in Norwich NY in 1941. According to Mrs. Troicke in 2002 the McDonough town historian, Mrs. Tuttle lived in large white house still standing today on corner in McDonough as was long time resident of McDonough. The extract here of materials on the Curtis Family in McDonough has several geneologies. They appear to be duplicates and may be some sources Mrs. Tuttle used in compiling her final geneology of Curtis family presented to DAR in 1941. These include geneology prepared by Mr. Harlow Curtis of Manilus NY in about 1931. These papers were obtained 2002 from Norwich NY library.

Copy of letter from University of New York supporting record of James Curtis as revolutionary soldier. This is one document obtained from Mr. Nelson Tiffany's files archived in the Norwich NY historical society and museum. Mr. Tiffany was the author of the four volume treatise entitled Revolutionary soldiers from Chenango and Madison Counties New York, published in 1998. It should be noted that per web page of New York State Library, about 2/3 of the original records in support of verifying revolutionary soldiers from New York were destroyed in the 1911 capital fire in New York. Only evidence remaining is extract of the original records conducted by New York State Comptrollers office published in 1898.

Obituary of John Carpenter Curtis appearing in Somerset Ky. newspapers 1940.

Family Bible belonging to John Carpenter Curtis and his wife Savannah R Botkin Curtis. This bible in the possession of Mrs. Dorothy (Dot) Curtis Madisonville Ky in 2004. . You must download and install the special Deju browser plug in from here to read this .

1870 U.S Census(djvu format) showing John Thurston Curtis living in South Otselic NY, Chenango County working as a subcontractor for railroad. (likely getting lumber for railroad ties…..as that is what his son Fred did in Kentucky and may have been what brought John T Curtis to Kentucky as railroad was built out reaching Somerset in 1877. Note that John Thurston Curtis is shown as owning $7,000 of real estate at this date.

1880 U.S Census (djvu format) showing John Thurston Curtis living in Lincoln county Kentucky as Farmer

1900 U.S. Census (djvu format) showing Fred Purcival Curtis living on Craborchard st. Somerset Ky working as dealer in lumber and grain and his father John Thurston Curtis living with him. Shows son William born in TN confirming what William’s daughter, Mary Jo Curtis, told me of him being born in TN.

Extract of Comptroller of New York 1898 report on NY revolution soldiers showing James Curtis in Col. Lewis Dubois regiment of Levies.

[WARNING: this file is an adobe pdf file and is large so on slow dial-up connections could take 15 minutes or so to completely load.] Some McDonough NY tax assessment registers ( 1819 to 1863) from Town Clerk (obtained 2002 from town historian) showing Seth Curtis land and assessment. Here are tax registers in Deju format much faster to load.

Map of the "greater-McDonough area" showing Seth Curtis Farm, Moore Cemetery and Ludlow Pond. See aerial photo of the Seth Curtis Farm and Moore cemetery where James his father buried. Smaller, city map of McDonough that shows who lived where. Note Seth Curtis house 3 houses from 4 way stop, where Mrs. Tuttles's work referenced above, says Seth Curtis lived as an elderly person. Another more general map of McDonough. All of these maps were obtrained in 2002 from the town historian Mrs. Troike.

DAR research report on James Curtis and persons admitted under James Curtis. Received June 2002 from DAR. [WARNING: large file]

DAR application filed using James Curtis. Found this in NY state library.

Excerpt from Nelson Tiffany's book of Revolutionary War Veterans Chenango County NY showing James Curtis' entry.

After the American Revolution, James Curtis and his brother Joseph (both soldiers) moved from Dutchess county NY (Armenia area) to Duanesburg NY. Here is a little history on Duanesburg. Here is Duanesburg 1790 census extract showing James Curtis family and his brother Joseph Curtis Family. This is photocopy of acutal census form

I found the orgininal Civil War times militia enrollment journals in McDonough in June 2002 held by town historian. Here are copies that show John Thurston Curtis. [WARNING: large file to load on slow internet connections] Here is link to same thing in the Deju format referenced above that is much faster to load if your browser has the plugin installed.

1865 Newspaper listing Civil War casualties showing Charles Curtis (son of Seth Curtis) as having died. (Thanks to Donald Hull Jr. of Cincinnatus, NY for this document)

Letter from War Dept in 1903 concerning Charles Curtis who died in Civil War and his related pension info. Original letter in possession of Arlene Gardner Hull in Cincinnatus NY in 2006.

This is deed Indenture where a John Curtis of Norwich NY in 1856 buys land in New Berlin NY both in Chenango County NY

This is deed from Norwich NY Chenango County courthouse where Seth Curtis in 1858 sells 210 acres being ½ (one-half) of his farm in McDonough NY to his daughter in law Julia Ackley Curtis (wife of John Thurston Curtis) for $1,785 .

This is a note payable dated 1866 from Julia Ackley Curtis to Seth Curtis, Asa Daniels and Meritt Daniels for $1,500 in exchange for these men paying off $1,500 of debts of John Thurston Curtis, her husband.

This is a deed where Seth Curtis in 1864 buys lot 86 in the town of McDonough NY (as older man Seth moved off his farm on Corbin road in East McDonough NY to 3 houses away from the four corners [4 way stop] of town central.)

This is deed where Seth Curtis in 1879 (the year before he died) sold the remaining 200 acres of his farm for $3,470 on Corbin Road in East McDonough NY. Note that his brother in law, John Carpenter (John Carpenter married to sister of Seth Curtis wife) has farm next door.

Here is a deed where a James Curtis purchases land in Sherburne NY Chenango county in 1809. Not sure if this the related James Curtis.

Found this old newspaper article in Norwich NY library on McDonough.

Lovina Fitts Carpenter's will and estate administration obtained from county courthouse Norwich NY June 2002 (she was sister to Seth Curtis wife in McDonough NY and she is buried in Moore Cemetery in McDonough NY) wherein gifts made to John Thurston Curtis and John Carpenter Curtis in Somerset Kentucky.

Old newspaper clipping about McDonough NY.

Cemetery Map of Union Cemetery showing Curtis' provided by Mrs. Troike, McDonough town historian June 2002, and whose husband is the Union Cemetery caretaker.

History of battle of Ft. Kloch, about 25 miles from Duanesburg, where James Curtis settled with his brother Joseph after the Revolutionary war.

Here is complete report of all geneological facts on this site in adobe acrobat format as of 6/19/2002

Here is another format of same data.