Map of 1858 property owners in St Joseph, Michigan

The Three Rivers Genealogical Society published an Index to Map of St. Joseph County, Michigan 1858. This record is available at the Family History Library, book 977.4 A1 no. 139. This index is an alphabetical listing of all property owners, businesses, villages, churches, cemeteries, etc., which appeared on the original 1858 wall map for St. Joseph County. By this time our Curtis family was already gone and back in New York. The Curtis families that remained in St. Joseph might be relatives they left behind:

• A. Curtis - Mottville 13
• D. Curtis - Flowerfield 17
• N. Curtis - Constantine 6
• S. Curtis - Constantine 10
• T. M. Curtis - Constantine 8
• T. M. Curtis - constantine 9

Newspapers in St. Joseph, Michigan

The Western Chronicle; First Newspaper Printed in St. Joseph County, Michigan alphabetical listing, by Maryella Bowdish. (Lansing, Michigan: Michigan Genealogical Council, 19--.) FHL fiche 6332812.

• The following names were found in this index: David W. Curtis; Friend Curtis; Melissa Curtis, Northrop Curtis, Norton S. Curtis, Seth Curtis, T. M. Curtis, Cyrus W. Card, William P. Card, Sarah Carl [could be Card], A. J. Schoonmaker, E. T. Schoonmaker, foster (Centerville), Rev. Herschel Foster, James Foster, plus others with tsurname Foster.
• Note that William Fuller Card, the father of Sarah Lavantia Card, died in 1846, but his probate notice was printed in the newspaper on 9 Nov 1850.
• I hired a genealogical researcher in St. Joseph Co., Michigan to search the microfilm of this newspaper and she sent the following copies:
• 12 June 1850 - Seth Curtis notice about lost steer
• 9 November 1850 - Friend Curtis and William Fuller Card probate notices
• 21 December 1850 - Northrup Curtis married Helen Shellhouse notice
• 4 January 1851 - Wm F. Card probate sale notice
• 18 January 1851 - Friend Curtis commissioners notice concerning probate
• 3 March 1851 - Wm. F. Card notice of administrators sale
• 1 January 1857 - Melissa Curtis notice selling land

St. Joseph County, Michigan Curtis Marriage Records

Record of Marriages, 1832-1925, for St. Joseph County, Michigan. Recorded by the County Clerk. Are on microfilm at the Family History Library. I searched the groom index for 1832-1886 on film 1295527, items 2-3 and found several Curtis marriages. Unfortunately, nothing was recorded for Benjamin Curtis and Sarah Card. The marriages recorded in volumes A, B, and C are closer to the time period that Benjamin and Sarah were living in St. Joseph county. If any of the following marriages are related to our Curtis family, it is unknown at this time:

• Amaiah Curtis & Mary A. J. Buch; vol B, p 50
• Henry V. Curtis & Elma Comstock; vol E, p 121
• Henry R. Curtis & Jessie F. Oakes; vol E, p 321
• Levi H. Curtis & Diantha Beaterson; vol D, p 146 (26 April 1866)
• Lyman Curtis & Adaline Hill; vol E, p 34
• Lester Curtis & R. A. Myers; vol E, p 35
• Marcus Curtis & Patty M. Runyon; vol E, p 40
• Philander Curtis & Catherine Neilson; vol A, p 269 
• Northrup Curtis & Helen Schellhous; vol B, p 106 (10 December 1850; note that this is about the same time period that Benjamin and Sarah were married. Therefore, I would expect to see a record of marriage recorded close to this record. Unfortunately, nothing was found.)
• Orange D. Curtis & Mary Ann Jones; vol C, p 85 (8 March 1855)
• Nelson Curtis & Julia A. Brown; vol C, p 464 (25 June 1864)
• Wilham Curtis & Catherine Paine; vol A, p 173
• Wilson J. Curtis & Mary F. Bailey; vol E, p 163

The St. Joseph County birth, death, marriage records. Department of Education, Michigan State Library (FHL film 927440, item 5) listed the following marriages (note that some are duplicates of those listed in the record above):

• Northrup Curtis of Colon, married Hellen Schellhous, 10 December 1850
• Amariah Curtis of York, Elkhart Co., Indiana, married Mary A. J. Beach, 8 Oct 1848
• Philander Curtis of White Pigeon, married Catharine Malison, 2 March 1845
• William A. Curtis, 22 Batavia, Branch Co., married Catharine Baine, 12 June 1841

St. Joseph County, Michigan Biographies & Histories

The following biographies have been searched:

Portraits and biographical album of St. Joseph County, Michigan: containing full pages portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county.  (Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1889.) FHL Book 977.419 D3s and Film 1000247 item 4.

• Searched 8 June 1993. No Curtis surname biographical sketches. Did not check for Card surnames. Could go back to the record and check for the Card family names. Perhaps within a Card history there is mention of Benjamin Curtis, etc.

History of St. Joseph County, Michigan: with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories from original sketches by artists of the highest ability, 1827-1877. Philadelphia: L. H. Everts, 1877.  (FHL film 1295532)

• Searched 15 Nov 1989 and 8 June 1993. Book includes township histories of Park, pg 214-220 and Mottville, pg 86-94. Histories include biographical sketches for Mottville: Andrew Thompson, Aaron Brooks, Joseph Miller, John Hartman, Halsey Caskey, Jacob S. Smith, David Ebi, Stephen M. Nash, and Samuel R. Wiley. Biographical sketches from Park: Richard Dougherty; John Lomison; and James Hitchinson. This history also mentioned “Prairie Ronde,” but in what context I don't have notes. If needed, should probably go back to see why this locality was mentioned in the history. The names I extracted from the index with the details from respective pages include:
• E. Curtis, pg 76 & 146: Rev. E. Curtis of Baptist Church, Three Rivers, for 6 months in 1873.
• Thomas M. Ortis, Pvt, pg 127: The name Ortis was in the index with the Curtis names, and found spelled Curtis on pg 127. Battery G, 1st Light Artillery. Discharged for disability.
• Shepherd Curtis, Pvt., and Samuel Curtis Pvt. Pg 126: Company D, 19th Infantry, Mustered out.
• S. W. Curtis, Maj. Pg 54: of the 7th Michigan Infantry. Led the regiment on May 5, 1864 in battle of Wilderness. Co. K was the St. Joseph Co. in the regiment.
• Jay S. Curtis, pg 162: Elsie Lodge No. 3 Daughters of Rebekah, I situated 18 May 1869. Lodge named in honor of wife of Grand Master Jay S. Curtis.
• I. Curtis, pg 119: Listed as one of the first carpenters and joiners in Constantine.
• H. W. Foster, pg 96, 100, 103: Dry goods trade 
• Benjamin Kingman Curtis served in the Civil War, but was mustered into service at Ottawa county. Since Benjamin lived in St. Joseph county during 1850's it is possible that some of the Curtis residents were related to Benjamin and their service or pension records might be helpful. The following Regiments and Companies were from St. Joseph County:
• 1st Reg Infantry; 2nd Reg Infantry, Company G from Constantine Twp; 4th Reg Infantry; 6th Reg Infantry, Co. C; 7th Reg Infantry, Co. K; 11th Reg Infantry, Co. A, C, D, E, F, G, and I; 13th Reg Infantry; 15th Reg Infantry, led by Capt. John A. Waterman of Burr Oak; 19th Reg Infantry, Co. D and E; 25th Reg Infantry, Co. D & G; 1st Light Artillery, Battery D, F, and G

French St. Joseph: Le Poste de la Riviere St. Joseph, 1690-1780, by Mildred Webster. (FHL book 977.419 H2w)

The Curtis and Card families were not in St. Joseph during this time period. Could go back and search the record for other Card or Curtis families that might be related.

St. Joseph in Homespun: a Centennial Souvenir, by Sue Imogene Silliman. Tucson: W.C. Cox, 1974. (FHL film 1000247)

No Curtis surnames in the index. Did not check for Card surnames.