Joseph Curtis

CURTIS, BROWN, DICKSON, SEYMORE, ABRAHAM, PATTERSON, BASEM

Posted By: Marthann Kohl-Fuhs (email)
Date: 3/24/2009 at 16:48:16

JOSEPH CURTIS was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, England, November 26, 1811, and is the son of Charles and Bettie (Brown) Curtis. He is the oldest of a family of five children, and grew to maturity in his native country, his twenty first birthday being passed on the ocean during the voyage to America. On arriving in this country he settled in Oneida County, New York. He had learned the tailor's trade, which he followed until his fifty second year, when he secured a position in a foundry in Hampton village. For seven years he continued this work, and then came to Iowa, locating in Johnson County. In 1882 he came to Audubon County and settled on a farm of eighty acres of improved land in section 29, which he still makes his home. He was married about the year 1845, in the month of February, to Mary Dickson, daughter of John and Dallie Dickson, who was born in England in May, 1819. Seven children were born of this marriage Palmer, Mark, Julia, William, Ellen, Hannah and John. Joseph Curtis is a strong adherent to the principles of the Democratic party. Palmer Curtis, a son of Joseph and Mary (Dickson) Curtis, was born in Oneida County, New York, November 13, 1848. At the age of eleven years he went to work in a foundry in Westmoreland, New York, and remained in this employment for six years. He then came west and settled near Iowa City. He was employed for a year and a half by a Mr. Seymore on his farm. During the next five years he worked for a Mr. Abraham on a cheese farm, and then returned to his former employer, Mr. Seymore, for one year. At the end of the year he went to his father's home, fifteen miles west of Iowa City, and assisted him until the spring of 1878, when he came to Audubon County, and settled on a farm of 160 acres of wild land in section 34, Greeley Township. Mr. Curtis has placed this under good cultivation, and has erected a residence and barns for stock and grain. He has done much toward the development of this part of the county, and thereby has won the regard and esteem of a wide circle of friends. After spending nine years in improving and cultivating his farm, Mr. Curtis concluded to embark in the butcher's trade, and so removed to Exira and followed that business for two years, after which he returned to his farm. Politically he advocates the principles of the Union Labor party. October 18, 1881, he was married to Lauretta Patterson, daughter of Eli and Rebecca J. (Basem) Patterson, who was born November 8, 1851. They are the parents of two children Jesse and Glen. Mrs. Curtis is a member of the Baptist church.

1889 BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
SHELBY AND AUDUBON COUNTIES, IOWA
W. S. DUNBAR & CO., PUBLISHERS
113 ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO

pages 779-780