Timeline of the William Rushmer Curtis family

• 1866 - William Rushmer Curtis was born In Tallmadge, Michigan
• 1874 - Ella May Canfield was born in Ogden, Utah
• 1884 - some of the Benjamin Kingman Curtis family moved to Logan, Utah from their home in Michigan
• 1890 March - William and Ella May were married in Preston, Idaho
• 1890 Dec 14th - Sarah Lavantia Card, William Rushmer Curtis' mother died in Logan, Utah
• 1890 Dec 31st - Rushmer Guy Curtis was born in Ogden, Utah
• 1892 - Lovantia Curtis was born in Preston, Idaho
• 1893 - Grace Adaline Curtis was born in Preston, Idaho
• 1895 - Florence Albertha was born in Big Timber, Montana
• 1897 - Floyd Augustus was born in Big Timber, Montana
• 1899 January - Luella Curtis was born in Big Timber, Montana
• 1899 March - Floyd Augustus died in Big Timber, Montana
• 1901 - Delbert Canfield Curtis was born in Big Timber, Montana
• 1902 August - Ada Curtis was born in Big Timber, Montana
• 1902 December - Benjamin Kingman Curtis, William Rushmer Curtis' father died at Preston, Idaho
• 1904 - Reed Josiah Curtis was born in Big Timber, Montana
• 1906 April - the family moved to Parker, Fremont Co., Idhao
• 1906 May - Etta May Curtis was born in Parker, Fremont Co., Idaho
• 1907 - Ina Curtis was born in Parker, Fremont Co., Idaho
• 1910 March - the family moved back to Big Timber, Sweet Grass Co., Montana
• 1910 October - Orpha Curtis was born in Big Timber, Montana
• 1914 - Lovantia married Victor Wilhelm Roth at Bonner Co., Idaho
• 1915 - Florence Albertha Curtis married Clifford Ulysses Brown at Big Timber, Montana
• 1916 - the family built a new home in Big Timber, Montana
• 1917 March (in the Spring) - Ella May and the three youngest daughters, Etta, Ina, and Orpha moved to Long Beach, California due to Ella's declining health
• 1917 May - Grace Adaline Curtis married John Cleveland Dearth at Webb, Jasper Co., Missouri
• 1918 - Rushmer Guy married Teresa Morrice, place unknown, later divorced
• 1919 - Lovantia married Laverne Bently Shafer, but the marriage ended in divorce. No known children.
• 1921 - Luella Curtis married Harold Edwin Christensen, place unknown
• 1922 - Delbert Canfield Curtis married Kathleen Miller, later divorced, no known children
• 1925 - Ina Curtis married Alton Porter Spongberg, place unknown
• 1925 - Reed Josiah Curtis married Mildred Evelyn Simpson in Fresno, California
• 1927 - Ada Curtis married Johan Roy Tolve Johansen in Santa Ana, Orange Co., California
• 1930 - Orpha Curtis married Edward Harold Sidlitz, place unknown
• 1933 - Etta May Curtis married Robert Medford Berglund, later divorced
• 1937 - Lovantia married Frank Alonza Sinks, place unknown
• 1938 - William Rushmer Curtis died at age 72 in Long Beach, California
• 1941 - Etta May Curtis married March Roland Hindman, no known children
• 1942 - Delbert Canfield Curtis married Garnet Ravalli Prewin, no known children
• 1945 - Orpha Curtis married Walter George Reuter, place unknown, no known children
• 1947 - Grace Adaline Curtis died at age 53 in Los Angeles Co., California; burial place unknown
• 1949 - Rushmer Guy married Annie Elizabeth Gather Bowerman, no known children
• 1951 - Ella May Canfield Curtis died at age 77 in Long Beach, California
• 1961 - Reed Josiah Curtis died at age 83 in Oregon and was buried at Clovis Cemetery in Clovis, Fresno, California
• 1965 - Luella Curtis died at age 66 in Los Angeles Co., California; burial place unknown
• 1965 - Orpha Curtis died at age 54 in Los Angeles Co., buried at Long Beach, California
• 1965 - Reed Josiah Curtis married Dona Blanche Waters
• 1968 - Delbert Canfield Curtis died at age 67, place unknown, burial place unknown
• 1971 - Reed Josiah Curtis married Mildred A. Truesdale
• 1973 - Florence Curtis died at age 77 in Salt Lake City; buried at Monroe, Sevier Co., Utah
• 1977 - Lovantia Curtis died at age 85 at Long Beach, and was buried at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, Los Angeles Co., California
• 1977 - Rushmer Guy Curtis died at age 86 in Escondido, San Diego Co., California; Buried at Sunnyside Memorial Gardens in Escondido
• 1993 - Ada Curtis died at age 91 in Sandy, Utah; buried at Valhalla Mortuary, Burbank, California
• 1998 - Etta May Curtis died at age 92 in Fallbrook, San Diego Co., California. Buried where?
• 1999 - Ina Curtis died at age 92 in Reedley, Fresno Co., California. Buried where?
  

Louise and Leversa 11 years old in 1890

While I'm on the subject of unidentified photographs, here is another one. This one was in the antique Curtis family photograph album originally owned by Mary Lavantia Curtis, daughter of Benjamin Kingman Curtis and Sarah Lavantia Card. Written on the back of the photo is "Louise and Leversa age 11 years May 30th 1890." The girls are twins, but that is all we know about them. This photograph was taken in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Our Curtis family lived in Tallmadge and Lamont, both of which were in Ottawa county, Michigan. Tallmadge is 11 miles away from Grand Rapids and Lamont is eighteen miles away. Even in the horse and buggy days, the trip into Grand Rapids was possible, although it likely took an entire day to get there.

Maybe the twins were friends of the Curtis family, maybe they were related, possibly cousins. Census records is an option to use when trying to find out who the girls are. The 1890 census was destroyed in a fire, so that's out. They would have been 21 years old during the 1900 census and 31 in 1910. I've tried to find them in the 1900 census, but no luck. If they both were living at home with their parents in 1900, we might be able to find them based entirely upon their given names. Without knowing what their surnames were, it will be harder to find them. It's also possible they were married before the 1900 census, so finding them based upon given name would be more difficult. If anyone knows anything about the the twins, please leave a comment on this blog post. Thank you!!!

I posted this photo on the Dead Fred Genealogy Photo Archive website. Maybe we will find out who these girls are!

I found this on my hard drive tonight

I decided to add another copy of this photograph to the blog. Tonight I found this picture on my hard drive saved as a TIFF image, 10 MB in size. I don't have a scan of the back, and there's no writing on the front. So we still don't know for sure who this is. Although I had saved the file as "WmRushCurtis" and unfortunately I don't remember who had the original. And yes, you guessed it, I can't find any notes that would remind me. Since this copy is larger in size than the other one that's already posted, when you click on this one, the details are much easier to see. I'll keep looking through my notes to see if I can find anything about the location of the original. You can see the other post about this photograph, including the image scanned from another copy of this photo at: Definitely a Curtis

the Reynolds family children, about 1898

The first four children of George Robert Reynolds and Sarah Ellenor Curtis:

Leila Belle Reynolds (1887-1981) was the oldest. She is seated holding her baby sister, Villa Philena Reynolds (1897-1989).

George Benjamin Reynolds (1891-1973) was the oldest son, and is standing on the left.

Card Lee Reynolds (1895-1958) was the third child born to the Reynolds family and is standing on the right.

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 Nick and Ella Curtis family

This photograph often appears in the homes of descendants from William Rushmer Curtis and Ella May Canfield. This is their family portrait with eight of their children. William and Ella had twelve children, including a son named Floyd Augustus who passed away just two months shy of being two years old. Based upon the ages of the children in this photo, we assume the eight children pictured are the first eight out of nine who were living about 1905 when this photo was likely taken.

• Rushmer Guy Curtis (standing, centered between mother and father)
  
• Lovantia Curtis - unidentified, but one of the three oldest girls in the photo
  
• Grace Adaline Curtis - unidentified, but one of the three oldest girls in the photo
  
• Florence Albertha Curtis - unidentified, but one of the three oldest girls in the photo
• Luella Curtis - (standing on the far right in front)
  
• Delbert Curtis - (standing in front of father)
  
• Ada Curtis - (standing in front, on the left by her mother)
  
• Reed Josiah Curtis - (seated on mother's lap, about one year old)

If the age estimate is right for Reed Josiah, then this picture was taken about 1905. One thing that Ada always talked about on days that she thought about her mother was the fact that she was raised as an only child but ended up having twelve children. Ella May was raised as an only child because her brother passed away when he was a baby. Ada would always say how amazed she was that her mother raised twelve children after being raised as an only child.  

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
  

Definitely a Curtis

The photographer was J. Pasevitch, located at 274 25th St. in Ogden, Utah. When was Mr. Pasevitch open for business in Ogden? We can search the city directories to find the answer to this question. Knowing when the photographer was open for business in Ogden will help us date when this photograph was taken. We have three different names for this person. Does anyone know for sure who this Curtis family member is? We will have to do some serious photo dating to help us identify who this person is.

1.  Friend Charles Curtis is written on the back of the photo in very light ink or pencil. If this photo was taken in 1890, Friend would have been 37 years old.

2.  Cyrus Jerome Curtis is written on the back of the photo in darker, more recent ink. If this photo was taken in 1890, Cyrus would have been 38 years old.

3.  Benjamin Kingman Curtis -  if this photo was taken about 1890, Benjamin would have been 62 years old. How old do you think the man is in this photo? When the Curtis family moved from Michigan to Utah, they first ended up in Ogden. We don't have exact dates, but suspect they were in Ogden from about 1884 to about 1895. One of Benjamin's descendants, through his son William Rushmer, has three charcoal drawings of the Curtis family. They each measure about 18" x 20" and are done on heavyweight cardboard. On the back of one is written "Family Photographs. Curtis Ancestry. Sarah Lavantia Card Curtis; Benjamin K. Curtis; William R. Curtis; and Ella May Canfield Curtis." The charcoal drawings for Benjamin and Sarah are on separate pieces of cardboard. The one of Sarah has already been uploaded to this blog. The third drawing is a composite of both William and Ella May when they were children, about 3 and 4 years old respectively. So we have four names and three charcoal drawings, which leaves us with the identity of the last one being that of Benjamin Kingman Curtis, the subject in question. With the conflicting identities for this picture, the identified charcoal drawings may not be enough evidence. More detective work is needed, as outlined below. 

Dating this photo by carefully looking at several details:

1.  Style of photograph. I believe this is a Cabinet Card, although I haven't seen the original in person. I have only seen this scanned image. What are the exact measurements of the original photograph? If it's a Cabinet Card, then it should measure about 6 x 4. If the photograph is a Carte de Visite, then it would measure roughly 2 1/2 x 3 inches.

2. The hair style. When did men style their hair the way this person has done?

3.  Clothing. When did men wear clothing like that worn by the person in the photo?

4.  How old do you think this person is?

5.  The photographer. When was this person in business?

6.  The photographer's imprint. How many lines? How ornate is the imprint?

7.  The border, corners, and the card colors both front and back. 

See Estimating When a Cabinet Card Image was Produced for more details in dating old Cabinet Cards. After we have a better idea about when this photo was taken, we can compare it to the ages of the four men to see if we can determine exactly who this person is.

Leila Belle Reynolds

Several years ago I met a second-cousin who was related to me through Benjamin Kingman Curtis. Her ancestor and mine were brother and sister, William Rushmer Curtis and Mary Lavantia Curtis Hobbs. This cousin let me borrow the antique photograph album that originally belonged to her ancestor Mary Lavantia. The album contained 30 Cabinet Card photographs and 21 Carte de Visite style photographs, the kind that were taken during the late 1800's and early 1900's. The antique album was a true goldmine. This is one of the Cabinet Cards that was in the album.

The child in the photo is Leila Belle Reynolds (1887-1981), daughter of George Robert Reynolds and Sarah Ellenor Curtis. She was the oldest child in the family and had four brothers and one sister:

• George Benjamin 1891-1973
• Card Lee 1895-1958
• Villa Philena 1897-1989
• Wiley Bradley 1898-1953
• Bennie 1899-?
  

Before I saw this photograph I didn't know anything about Sarah Ellenor's marriage or who her children were. I also did not know where the family ended up and where they were buried. The only thing I knew was that Sarah Ellenor Curtis married George Reynolds. This picture gave me the clue that I needed to solve the mysteries about this side of the Curtis family. You are probably asking what was so special about this picture that it helped solve several genealogical mysteries? The answer is simple. The bottom of the picture is known as the photographer's imprint, his name and location of his studio. The bottom right corner of the imprint says, "Bird Island, Minn." This told me that Leila Reynolds was actually in Bird Island, Minnesota when this picture was taken of her. I had no idea the family left Idaho and went back east, all the way to Minnesota. That was all I needed, the right location to go looking for records. The records I found and the living descendants that I eventually found was the result of this discovery. All I needed was knowing the right location to go looking for records - in Minnesota no less! Now we know the names George and Sarah's children, grandchildren, and also some living descendants. Plus we have a ton of pictures and documents for this entire branch of the Curtis family. And it all started with this single picture.

Hunters of History, photo 2

From Benjamin Kingman Curtis

This is my favorite photo out the four that were taken. Ada and Reed are on the floor, completely engrossed in their family history records and photographs. They are taking time to record their family history and identify people and places in their photographs. It's so much easier to share photographs today - like these that I simple took a picture of with my digital camera. I'm in the process of taking pictures of every page in the 1 scrapbooks that my grandfather Roy Johansen compiled. Today I finished another two albums and noticed a whole page of pictures of the room and the card table that Roy used to compile the scrapbooks. Some of the scrapbooks are complete and displayed nicely on the bed. It is amazing that grandpa took the time to document his actual work, his scrapbooking efforts. He was truly a man ahead of his time! What a blessing and legacy we have today because of the time, effort, and expense he sacrificed to record his history for us, his family.

Hunters of History, photo 1

From Benjamin Kingman Curtis

Ada Curtis and her brother Reed Josiah Curtis studying the family records, photographs, and genealogy. The photo was taken by Ada's husband, Roy Johansen. I sure hope the pictures stacked on the floor are still within the family today. Seeing that stack of pictures makes me wonder if some of them are ones that I've never seen before.

Hunters of History

The title of the scrapbook page that my grandfather created was "Hunters of History." Grandpa is not in any of the pictures, but he completely documented the hunt his wife and her brother were on for their ancestors. Four simple pictures taken about 1960, and 50 years later we can tell the story just by looking at the pictures.

Ada Curtis and Reed Josiah Curtis were brother and sister. Ada was older than Reed by almost two years. Ada was born in 1904 and Reed in 1906. They had 10 other siblings, but in this story it is Reed and Ada that spent their vacation hunting history. First, I'll share the scrapbook page in this post. The following posts will share the four photographs that were taken by my grandfather Roy Johansen.

Roy and Ada were living in California and Reed was living in Oregon. While on vacation, Roy and Ada went to visit Reed. These photos were taken in Reed's home.

The Curtis Pump Company

The Curtis Pump Company in Preston, Idaho. Rene Curtis is on the left, Cyrus Jerome Curtis in the middle, and an unknown person on the right. Rene Cyrus Curtis, 1890-1956, was the son of Cyrus Jerome Curtis

Curtis Plumbing Company

This is the Curtis Plumbing Company in Preston, Idaho. On the right is Cyrus Jerome Curtis, son of Benjamin Kingman Curtis. The person on the left and the person standing in the doorway of the business are unknown.

William Rushmer Curtis family

From Benjamin Kingman Curtis

William Rushmer Curtis and his wife Ella May Canfield wife five of their children. The original was a postcard photograph. The family is standing on their farm in Big Timber, Sweet Grass county, Montana. The girl in ringlets is Ada. The young boy is Reed Josiah. The young girl on the left of Ada is Ina and on her right is Etta. The youngest girl in front is Orpha.

Reed Josiah Curtis and Ella May Canfield Curtis

This history was written 1 December 1977 by Reed Josiah Curtis and was supposed to be an autobiographical history, but instead the main focus of the history was Reed's mother, Ella May Canfield Curtis:

I Reed J. Curtis the nineth child of William Rushmer Curtis and Ella May (Canfield) Curtis, shall write a little about my mother. My first recollection of her was as a small child perhaps about four years old in Parker Idaho, where we had moved to from Big Timer, Montana at age two and a half. We lived in a log house where two of my younger sisters were born. I remember her at that time as a busy loving mother with a large family to care for.

We lived close to the church, which was the hub of most all our activity. I remember the "Ward Teachers" coming to our home and we allways had prayer, kneeling down to chairs. It has had a lasting impression on my life. Also Christmas time at the Church brings fond memories. Mother was always the spiritual one in the family. Teaching us to pray and always keep the commandments which she taught us. She taught us how to work and be honest.

After moving back to Montana in 1910 my youngest sister was born. Mother worked real hard with such a large family, washing, cooking, bakeing and many other duties that go with a large household. We always had a clean home no matter how humble. Dad used to say mother could make a palace out of a pig pen.

Mother took a lot of pride in her personal appearance, keeping herself always looking nice and prim.

Most all her life while raising the family we lived where we had no contact with the church, only as missionaries came through our part of the country. A few families of Saints who lived in the area would gather at one of the homes on the Dry Creek School House and hold meeting.

We had just built a new home in 1916 at Big Timber, Montana and mother had been ill for some time, finally the doctor told her she would have to move to a lower altitude as it was over four thousand feet at Big Timber. So in spring of 1917 mother, dad and the three youngest sisters left for Long Beach California. The population of Big Timber at that time was 1500, now sixty years later it has grown to 1550, an increase of 50.

Mothers health improved rapidly, and she enjoyed pretty good health the balance of her life. We lived on three different ranches as dad had charge of 400 poland China hogs for Freeman A. McKinzie the first ranch was 40 acres at Lywood, Ca., next we moved to a place temporarily on Willow Ave in Long Beach, a sandy river bottom, it is now solid city in that area. Next to a place one mile west of Westminister, had a 40 acre place, it also is solid city now.

After I had married and moved to Fresno California in 1929, entered into business "Meat Market" Mother and dad came up to Fresno and dad worked with me in the market for a year or so. Then returned to Long Beach. After dad died Mother lived with my oldest sister where she passed away following dad after twelve years. Mothers kind and loving personality has made a deep impression on my life, for which I shall always be greatfull.

Signed by Reed J. Curtis.

In the sketch Reed wrote about his father William Rushmer Curtis, he included this short paragraph about himself:

I Reed J. Curtis was born at Big Timber, Sweet Grass County, Montana 25 January 1904 the nineth child, I have no physical defects, about 18 years ago I lost partial vision in my left eye, I have only tunnel vision in that eye.

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

This photograph was taken in 1924 at 222 East 56th Street in Long Beach, California at the home of William Rushmer Curtis and his wife Ella May Canfield. From left to right are:

Orpha Curtis, 14 years old, 1910-1965

Reed Josiah Curtis, 20 years old, 1904-1987
Ina Curtis, 17 years old, 1907-1999
Ada Curtis, 22 years old, 1902-1993
Etta May Curtis, 18 years old, 1906-1998
Rushmer Guy Curtis, 34 years old, 1890-1977
Florence Albertha Curtis, 29 years old, 1895-1973
Luella Curtis, 25 years old, 1899 - 1965
William Rushmer (Nick) Curtis, 58 years old, 1866 - 1938
Ella May (Canfield) Curtis, 50 years old, 1874 - 1951
Delbert Canfield Curtis, 23 years old, 1901 - 1968
Grace Adaline Curtis, 31 years old, 1893 - 1947

William Rushmer Curtis family

My grandfather was a scrapbooker and family photographer. This is one page from one of his many scrapbooks. The subject of this particular scrapbook was the Curtis family, including siblings, nieces and nephews of his wife Ada Curtis.

James Conroy Hobbs

James Conroy Hobbs married Mary Lavantia Curtis.

Friend William Curtis and Madge Armanda Curtis

Brother and sister:

• Friend William Curtis (1890-1957)
  
• Madge Armanda Curtis (1894-1971)
  

Their parents were Friend Charles Curtis and Mary Catherine Burrell. Friend and Madge had four siblings:

• James Conrad Curtis (1891-1891)
• Beatrice Curtis (1892-1892)
• Edith Mae Curtis (1896-1896)
• Alta Lavantia Curtis (1901-1920)

Sarah Lavantia Card Curtis

This is Sarah Lavantia Card Curtis, wife of Benjamin Kingman Curtis. The photo was reproduced from a charcoal drawing which was likely a reproduction of an original photograph.

Sarah was the daughter of William Fuller Card (abt 1787-1846) and Sarah Sabin (1793-1864). She was the youngest child in the family with five brothers and five sisters:

• Caroline Card, 1812-before 1846
• Cyrus William Card, 1814-1900
• Elizabeth Cady Card, 1816-1842
• Charlotte Cellissa Card, 1818-1848
• Charles Ora Card, 1820-1835
• DeWilton Bradley Card, 1822-1831
• David Miller Card, 1823-1843
• Mary Ann Card, 1826-1850
• William H. Card, 1828-abt 1847
• Louisa Jane Card, 1830-abt. 1850

Sarah Ellenor Curtis and family

George Reynolds (1863-1948) and his wife, Sarah Ellenor Curtis. Their daughter Leila Belle Reynolds (1887-1981) is seated on her father's lap. Sarah was the daughter of Benjamin Kingman Curtis and Sarah Lavantia Card. George's father was Robert Reynolds.

Cyrus Jerome Curtis

Cyrus Jerome Curtis, son of Benjamin Kingman Curtis and Sarah Lavantia Card.

Lovantia Roth, Ella May Curtis, Ruth Roth

Lovantia [Curtis] Roth and her mother Ella May [Canfield] Curtis. The child is Ruth Roth and assume she was Lavant's daughter.

Curtis family home in Long Beach, California

The Curtis family home at 6th Street and Magnolia in Long Beach, California.

Which Curtis family?

Who is standing in front of the home?

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.

Clifford and Florence Brown

Clifford Ulysses Brown (1895-1964) and his wife Florence [Curtis] Brown. Florence was 19 years old in this photo. Clifford and Florence were married in Big Timber, Sweet Grass Co., Montana on 14 April 1915. They had six children. Both were buried in Monroe, Sevier Co., Utah.

Victor Roth and Lovantia Curtis

Victor Wilhelm Roth and Lovantia [Curtis] Roth were married on 30 Nov 1914 at Bonner Co., Idaho. No other information is known about Victor. Lovantia went by the name Lavant most of her life. She had two other marriages: Laverne Shafer in 1919 and Frank Sinks in 1937. (We do not have pictures of Mr. Shafer or Mr. Sinks.) Lovantia Curtis Sinks was buried at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, Los Angeles Co., California.

Ella May [Canfield] Curtis and her daughters

Photo was taken in 1920 at the Long Beach Park. The occasion associated with this photograph is unknown, although it was possibly a small family reunion due to the family's move a couple years prior. This photograph was taken about three years after Ella May had moved to Long Beach due to her health problems. The three youngest daughters, Etta, Ina, and Orpha went with their mother. It is unknown when the father, William Rushmer, and the rest of the family joined Ella May and the girls in Long Beach.

Back row: Ina Curtis (holding Rosemary Clifford Brown), Lovantia Curtis Roth, Florence Albertha Curtis Brown, Ella May Canfield Curtis, Ada Curtis, Julia Gar (a friend), and Etta Curtis.

Front row: Orpha Curtis, Ruth Roth (daughter of Lovantia Curtis Roth), Ella Josephine Brown and Florence Gladys Brown (daughters of Florence Albertha Curtis Brown).

Daughters of Ella May [Canfield] Curtis

This photo was taken in 1946, place unknown. Left to right are sisters: Lou, Ada, Orpha, and Grace. Their full names, including their married names:
Luella Curtis Christensen
Ada Curtis Johansen
Orpha Curtis Sidlitz
Grace Adaline Curtis Dearth (Grace died at age 53, approximately a year after this photograph was taken.)

Etta May [Curtis] Hindman

Etta May [Curtis] Hindman. Etta was the daughter of William Rushmer Curtis and Ella May Canfield.

Grace Adaline Curtis

Grace Adaline [Curtis] Dearth

Unknown

Unknown

Does anyone know when and where this photo was taken?

Who are the people in the photo?

Belle and husband

Minnie Belle Curtis and her husband Thom Helgesen.

Date and place of photo?

Oscar Benjamin Curtis (aka Joe)

Oscar Benjamin Curtis (Joe). The photo was taken by Crowell in Rochester, Minnesota a short time before his death.

Jetta and Oscar Curtis, siblings

Jetta [Curtis] Leavitt and Oscar Anderson Curtis. They were brother and sister.

Oscar Benjamin Curtis (aka Joe)

Oscar Benjamin Curtis (1858-1921) was the son of Benjamin Kingman Curtis and Sarah Lavantia Card. Oscar went by the name Joe most of his life.

The photographer's imprint information:
A.A. Barr & Co. Photographers
72 Canal St.
Cor. Bronson, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The only Gallery on Second floor in the City.

On the back of the photo it said, "My Father" Belle Curtis Helgesen Demey.

Belle, Lyman, and Sherm Curtis

Belle, Lyman, and Sherm Curtis at the ranch about 1938. (The ranch was possibly in Lancaster, California)

Full names were:

• Minnie Belle Curtis (1887-?)
• Lyman Card Curtis (1890-1961)
• Sherman James Curtis (1892-1970)

Lyman Curtis

Lyman Curtis and Jerry. She came to see Sherm and Grace Curtis (Lyman's brother) every summer.

Lyman was the son of Oscar Benjamin Curtis and Esther Mary Thompson. He was the sixth of nine children in the family.

Clyde and George Curtis

Clyde and George Curtis. Photo was taken at the 1955 Curtis family picnic in southern California.

Curtis family picnic in 1955

Left to right: Oscar, Fred, Sherm, Clyde, George, and Clyde. Photo was taken at the 1955 Curtis family picnic in southern California.

George, Sherm, and Ed

George Curtis, Sherm Curtis, and Ed ___ at a Curtis family reunion

Fred Curtis

Fred Curtis at the Curtis family picnic in southern California 1955.

Sherman Curtis

Sherman James Curtis, 1892-1970. Son of Oscar Benjamin Curtis and Esther Mary Thompson. Sherman was the seventh of nine children in the family.

Family of Friend Charles Curtis (1853-1921)

This is Friend Charles Curtis and Mary Catherine Burrill. Standing on the left is their daughter Madge Aramada. Her husband Roy Otis is seated in front of her. Standing in the back, center, is daughter Alta Lovantia. Son Friend William is seated on the right, holding son Bennie. His wife, Nellie Hansen, is standing behind him. Friend and Mary had 3 other children who died as infants. Charles Conrad Curtis lived 2 monts. Beatrice lived a little less than 2 months, and Edith Mae lived 1 week. Sadly, Alta Lovantia, took her own live when she was 18 1/2 years old, so Madge and Friend were the only 2 to have families.

Family of Friend William Curtis (1890-1957)

This is the family of Friend William Curtis, and his wife, Nellie Christena Hansen. Friend William was the son of Friend Charles Curtis and Mary Catherine Burrell.

Friend and Nellie's children were, from oldest to youngest, Benjamin William (Bennie) , Donald Keith, Dean Hansen, Imogene, Leo Charles, and Maribelle.

This picture was not labeled, so I'm not sure which of the 2 boys, that are about the same size, is Donald, and which is Dean. The rest seem obvious, based on birth order.

Mary Catherine Burrell (1870-1934)

This is Friend Charles' wife, Mary Catherine Burrill or Burrell. I believe that this was also taken at their place in Big Timber.