Deodatus Curtis

This family tradition was written by Eleazer Curtis (1759-1801). There are variations on this telling that have been passed down through other lines of the family. This version appears in 'The Curtis Family' by Laura Guthrie (Curtis) Preston

"Some time in the Sixteenth Century, [it was the Seventeenth Century], my great-grandfather's father, his father was a native of London, England; was a weaver by trade; was a third proprietor in the island of Barbados. Together with his two partners, he sailed to take possession of the said island, but on the voyage there arose a dispute between the three partners and the others gave Curtis a dose of poison, which would have ended his life had it not been for a sore on his heel, caused by getting an anchor in during a violent storm, which carried away three masts and caused a total wreck.

By the help of jury-masts they made land at Martha's Vineyard, where Curtis lingered a few years and died, as supposed, from the effect of the poison. He left two sons; one went to sea, the other went to Massachusetts Bay where he lived and died. He had three sons; one went to Virginia, one to Vermont and one to New York state.

The latter Curtis had four sons; the eldest, whose name was Eleazer, went to Farmington, Conn., from there to Hebron, Conn. He had a son named Eleazer, who also lived in Hebron. Further this record saith not."

The above was written by Eleazer Curtis, the grandson of the one that settled in Farmington, whose father's name was Eleazer.

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Deodatus Curtis left England in 1639 or 1640. He ended up in Braintree, Massachusetts as is documented in Pope's Pioneers of Massachusetts: "Deodatus Curtis, planter, Braintree, bought land in 1640". He may have been on his way to Barbados when, as a result of a violent storm, his ship was forced to detour to Martha's vineyard. A destination of Barbados is suspected because Deodatus owned land there.

GEDCOM Note

info from William Curtis Rowe via internet, website http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~amcolan/Curtis/curtis.html c.1997 WCRowe, curtrowe@ix.netcom.com

FROM ENGLAND

"Deodatus Curtis left England in 1639 or 1640. He ended up in Braintree, Massachusetts as is documented in Pope's Pioneers of Massachusetts: 'Deodatus Curtis, planter, Braintree, bought land in 1640' . He mayhave been on his way to Barbados when, as a result of a violent storm, his ship was forced to detour to Martha's vineyard. A destination of Barbados is suspected because Deodatus owned land t here. The power of a storm determined the fate of Deodatus Curtis and his descendents. Had it been stronger than it actually was, the ship on which Deodatus traveled would have probably gone to the bottom a nd the line would have ended there. A weaker one would have not carried away three of the ships masts and prevented it from reaching its intended destination of Barbados where some other line of desce ndents would havecome about. As it was, the ship was forced to Martha's Vineyard, Deodatus purchased land in Braintree, Connecticut, married, and had two children. So began the Deodatus Curtis line i n America.

This is how this Curtis came to be in America according to family tradition. There are other theories on just where Deodatus was going, butit is certain that he purchased land in Braintree in 1640. The particular line of the family documented here lived primarily in Ohio from 1791 onwards. Eleazer Curtis, his family, and his brother made the trip from Warren, Connecticut as was described by Walt er Curtis. I am indebted to a book written by Laura Guthrie (Curtis) Preston forthe information for generations one through seven. I have a lot more information on the Descendant's of Deodatus Curtis than is pr esented here. If you think you are related to Deodatus Curtis drop me a line. Eleazer William Curtis, his siblings, wife, and children are also identified in a series of letters that were passed down through the family by his Eleazer's daughter Lethe, who was my great grandmoth er. Theletters sent in the 1840's and 50's were addressed to Hockingport, Athens Co., Ohio. A second group sent in the 1880's were addressed to New England, Wood Co., West Virginia.

This family tradition was written by Eleazer Curtis (1759-1801). There are variations on this telling that have been passed down through other lines of the family. This version appears in 'The Curti s Family'by Laura Guthrie (Curtis) Preston
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Some time in the Sixteenth Century, [it was the Seventeenth Century],my great-grandfather's father, his father was a native of London, England; was a weaver by trade; was a third proprietor in the is land of Barbados. Together with his two partners, he sailed to take possessionof the said island, but on the voyage there arose a dispute between the three partners and the others gave Curtis a dos e of poison, which would have ended his life had it not been for a sore on his heel, caused by getting an anchor in during a violent storm, which carried away three masts and caused a total wreck. By the help of jury-masts they made land at Martha's Vineyard, where Curtis lingered a few years and died, as supposed, from the effect of the poison. He left two sons; one went to sea, the other wen t to Massachusetts Bay where he lived and died. He had three sons; one went to Virginia, one to Vermont and one to New York state. The latter Curtis had four sons; the eldest, whose name was Eleazer, went to Farmington, Conn., from there to Hebron, Conn. He had a son named Eleazer, who also lived in Hebron. Further this record sa yeth not. The above was written by Eleazer Curtis, the grandson of the one thatsettled in Farmington, whose father's name was Eleazer."