Mayflower Descendants

The living descendants of Benjamin Kingman Curtis and Sarah Lavantia Card have the option to apply for membership in the Mayflower Society. Fran Jensen, the author of this Blog applied and was submitted as a member in 2023 through this lineage:

1. John Billington, Mayflower passenger
2. Francis Billington, son of John Billington
3. Mary Billington, daughter of Francis Billington, and wife of Samuel Sabin.
4. Israel Sabin, son of Samuel Sabin and Mary Billington. Israel married Mary Ormsby.
5. Josiah Sabin, son of Israel Sabin and Mary Ormsby. Josiah married Mary Gay.
6. Israel Sabin, son of Josiah Sabin and Mary Gay. Israel married Avis Bennett.
7. Josiah Sabin, son of Israel Sabin and Avis Bennett. Josiah married Lydia Cady. Josiah is a proven Patriot in both the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR). Several descendants of Benjamin Kingman Curtis, including Fran Jensen, the author of this Blog, have already joined DAR through this lineage. Fran can assist you in your application if you are interested.
8. Sarah Ann Sabin, daughter of Josiah Sabin and Lydia Cady. Sarah married William Fuller Card.
9. Sarah Lavantia Card, daughter of William Fuller Card and Sarah Ann Sabin. Sarah married Benjamin Kingman Curtis.
10. Benjamin Kingman Curtis and Sarah Lavantia Card had ten children. Nine lived to adulthood and married. The eight children who have possible living descendants that could apply for membership in the Mayflower Society include: 

• Cyrus Jerome Curtis
• Friend Charles Curtis
• Sarah Ellenor Curtis
• Oscar Benjamin Curtis
• George Leslie Curtis
• William Rushmer Curtis
• Mary Lavantia Curtis
• DeWilton Emory Curtis

William Rushmer Curtis

This is my great-grandfather. His name was William Rushmer Curtis, son of Benjamin Kingman Curtis and Sarah Lavantia Card. His sister, Mary was the original owner of the antique photo album and this Cabinet Card was the 25th photograph in the album.

William was married to Ella May Canfield and they had twelve children.

William and Ella Curtis, about 1906

Ella May Canfield and William Rushmer Curtis

~ about 1905

The Curtis family moved from Big Timber, Sweet Grass, Montana to Parker, Fremont, Idaho sometime between 1904 and May 1906. The family portrait taken at the same time as this photograph included their son Reed Josiah who was born in 1904 in Montana. Reed appears to be about one or 1 1/2 years old in the family portrait, which would date this photo and the family photo to be about June 1905. According to Reed's personal history, the family moved in the spring. Unfortunately, even with all this information about the Curtis family during this time period, we still don't know where this photo was taken.

The Curtis Boys

Nick Curtis and his sons. William Rushmer Curtis, aka Nick, proudly stands with his three boys. Date unknown. Please add a comment to this post if you know anything about the event that brought father and sons together for this photograph. From left to right are:

• Delbert Canfield Curtis
  
• Rushmer Guy Curtis
  
• William Rushmer Curtis
  
• Reed Josiah Curtis
  

Biographical sketch of William Rushmer Curtis

William's son, Reed Josiah Curtis, wrote his autobiography on 22 Nov 1977 which included a short biographical sketch of his father:

"My name is Reed Josiah Curtis. I am one of twelve children, my parents were William Rushmer Curtis and Ella May (Canfield) Curtis. I shall try to write a few things about my father. William Rushmer Curtis, born 12 Aug 1866 Talmage, Ottawa, Michigan. He emigrated to Utah at the age of fourteen with his parents. He married Ella May Canfield 23 March 1890 at Preston, Franklin, Idaho. He died 10 Dec 1938 at Long Beach California. He was always known as "Nick" Curtis.

"My father was a man of medium height 5 ft. 8 or 9 [inches]. Weight around 175 pounds . A well built man, with black hair and brown eyes, (was regarded by the ladies as a handsome man). In his younger days was quite talented as a "step dancer" as it was known those days . He was a kind man, but burdened with a large family to provide for. He became irritated at times. He loved to fish and was very proficient at it, he would fish a little most every day. One year he won first place catching the largest trout of the year a little over eight pounds, the prize was a fly rod and other gear.

"We all knew he was the head of the household. He occupied that roll in a Patriarchal manner. My memory of him shall always be of a kind loving father, he was especially good to me, and always tried to do as he told me, I perhaps had a longer association with him than some of the other children.

"When father passed away in 1938, we children were all gathered together for the first time in our lives. One sister "Etta" was in the hospital in Los Angeles with a new baby, we all gathered at the hospital and had a picture taken. The only one missing was Dad and a younger brother "Floyd" who died at age two and a half years.

"I do not remember my grandparents as they had all died before I was born. I shall tell more about them or what I know from information by word of mouth from Mother and Dad Curtis in my personal autobiography which I am in the process of writing." Signed by Reed J. Curtis.

William Rushmer Curtis family home

The William Rushmer Curtis family home in 1917.

1121 Gladys Ave., Long Beach, California. William's wife, Ella May, is standing in front of the home with their daughter Orpha and a neighbor friend.

Curtis meat market

William Rushmer Curtis in his Meat Market located in Long Beach, California. Second person in the photo is unknown. Date unknown.