Curtis, Harvey S. 1839-1924

CURTIS, BAKER, OLMSTED, DAVIS, BUSH, OTIS, PORTER

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 4/3/2017 at 13:59:30

Harvey S. Curtis was born December 4, 1839, at Napoli, Cattarangus County, New York and passed away at the Cresco Hospital on June 5th, 1924. He was the youngest son of Harvey Silas and Sarah Baker Curtis and was the last survivor of them and their family of three sons and one daughter.

Mr. Curtis was taken suddenly ill on Wednesday evening at his home in Monona and was taken to the hospital at Cresco at once with the hope that an immediate operation might bring relief. His advanced age made the hazard too great and he was unable to survive the ordeal but passed away peacefully a few hours after regaining consciousness.

His boyhood was spent in New York State with foster parents Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Porter who gave him good educational advantages. His work and youthful interests kept him near the Allegheny River over which sometimes he ferried workmen. Later his elder son drafted the plans for the construction of a steel bridge which now spans the Allegheny near the scene of his ferrying operations.

On attaining his majority he was fitted to teach school and had gone to Buffalo Heart Grove, Illinois, intending to fit himself for higher educational work, when urged by the prevalent spirit of patriotism he enlisted in the Union army on August 14, 1861. He was enrolled in Company A, 3rd Regiment of Cavalry, Illinois Volunteers for three years of service and served the full enlistment, receiving his discharge at Springfield, Ill., September 5th, 1864. His younger son enlisted from Illinois also in the Spanish American War. Mr. Curtis after his discharge returned to Dunkirk, N.Y. where he again enlisted, this enrollment being in Company F., 8th Regiment United States Veteran Volunteer Infantry for one year and was entered on that service April 5, 1865. He was discharged at Washington D.C. April 5th 1866. He served at the siege of Vicksburg and his operations in the western army took him into many major engagements. He had three horses shot from under him but remained unscathed during the four years of service.

Two grandsons followed his military footsteps and enlisted from Iowa during the World War serving overseas thirteen months.

The year after the close of the Civil War he came West engaging in work on farms near Monona. On June 11, 1867 he was united in marriage to Clara Olmstead. Seven years ago on the old homestead where they were married they celebrated their golden wedding with seven of the original participants present and in 1921 helped to celebrate the golden wedding anniversary of Mrs. Curtis next youngest sister, Mrs. Melvin Davis.

In 1892 they moved with their family to Iowa City, Iowa in order to have better educational advantages for their children whose interests they always fostered. After three and a half years they returned to Monona residing on the Olmstad [sic] homestead. In 1919 they purchased the home in Monona and have since lived there.

Mr. Curtis was reared according to the teachings of the Methodist Episcopal church but after coming west, joined the Congregational church in which he reared his family. He took a deep interest in church activities, holding all the offices in it's power to bestow and putting into his work the best efforts of a fervent, sincere Christian. His thought and speech have always been irreproachably clean, and his conduct at home as well as in the discharge of public welfare work was always in accordance with the most strict moral obligation to himself and to society.

His keep interest in schools gained a place for him as president of the board of education and his service with that body was characterized by high ideals. As Commander of the G.A.R. he again proved that a place of honor is a post of service.

To his home and to his family he gave his major devotion. Home meant a place for daily uplift, constant gain, steady advancement, physically, mentally, socially and morally. His home was his castle and he guarded it's safety and purity with foresight and loyalty.

In this home there were reared to full maturity three daughters and two sons. The older son, Barton, passed away thirteen years ago. The wife and mother is solaced by her son Ritchie, an Episcopalian Clergyman of Oxford, England, and three daughters: Eunice, Mrs. A.G. Bush of Davenport, Iowa, and Clara L.C. Otis of Elkader, Iowa, and Stella Curtis of Davenport.

There are ten grandchildren and two great grandchildren besides other relatives.

The funeral services were conducted from the home at Monona at 1:45 p.m. Saturday afternoon June 7th and from the Evangelical church at that place at 2:00 o'clock, Rev. O.A. Hillman officiating. The three daughters with their mother and three grandchildren were present. The members of the G.A.R. and the W.R.C. attended the service. Burial was in the Odd Fellows Cemetery. The pallbearers were C.E. Witt, Wm. Ulrich, Wm. H. Kregel, A.E. Schwab, H.C. Fox and F.H. Howard. Many beautiful floral tributes attested the deep sympathy of many friends, neighbors and relatives.

~Elkader Register, June 12, 1924

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same issue of the paper in the 'Local News Notes' column:

Mrs. Clara L. Curtis Otis, went to LaCrosse on Monday of last week expecting to undergo a serious operation for the removal of a fibroid tumor at the St. Francis hospital. It was decided however that radium treatments could be used with safety and the assurance of success. On Friday Mrs. Otis was called to Monona by the death of her father, Harvey Curtis.