Margaret "Maggie" (Schmitz) Curtiss (1838-1928)

SCHMITZ, CURTISS, CRAIG, CAMPBELL, PAXTON

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 7/5/2014 at 19:07:41

From Nevada Evening Journal February 27, 1928 (front page)

MRS. CURTISS, AGED PIONEER DIED HERE, FUNERAL TUESDAY

WILL BE HELD AT 2:00--DIED SUNDAY MORNING

Mrs. Margaret Curtiss, 89, beloved pioneer movan of this city, died Sunday morning at 3:00 o'clock at her home 139 J avenue surrounded by her sons and daughters who had been watching for the coming the Death Messenger for many days.

The funeral will be held at the Curtiss home Tuesday afternoon at 3:00, after which interment will be in the Nevada cemetery, by the side of her husband, the late Franklin Curtiss, who died Dec. 11, 1919.

The six children, all of whom had been at her bedside almost continually during the last days, will be here for the funeral services which will be conducted by Dr. Echlin of Central Presbyterian church, of which she had been an devoted member for many years, and a regular attendant until incapacitated by her injuries.

Mrs. Curtiss, who was in her ninetieth year, had been confined to her home almost continuously since June 1924, when she suffered an injury to a his in a fall in the yard of her home.

Since that time she had been under the almost constant care of the youngest daughter, Mr. Paxton, with occasional visits from other children, until a few months ago when Mr. Frederic Curtiss of Spokane came and assisted in her care, especially during her final illness which dated from Christmas time. She had been confined to her bed for six weeks and her death may be attributed to a general breakdown due to incidents of old age.

Mrs. Curtiss was born Margaret Schmitz, daughter of Peter and Susan Schmitz, at Cronenber, Germany, November 22, 1858.

She was a girl of five years when the family came to America and settled in Chicago. There and in Wisconsin they lived until she grew to young womanhood and it was at Nora, Ill. that she was married to Franklin Curtiss, October 24, 1860.

They continued to make their home in Illinois until March of 1865 when they came out to Iowa and established their home on a farm in Milford township and there they continued to make their home and rear their family of six children.

They lived upon the farm until 1891 when Mr. Curtiss bought the block of ground on First street, between I and J, and built the house, which has since been the family home and where Mrs. Curtiss spent the last years of her life and finally passed on.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Curtiss were members of the Presbyterian fait and during the long residence in Nevada they had been active an devoted members of Central Presbyterian church.

Mrs. Curtiss was truly a remarkable woman. She had been a woman of thrift and industry during her long years, faithful in rearing her children in lives of usefulness and rectitude and had been a perfect helpmate to the companion of over 50 years, who was taken from her suddenly eight years ago.

During the may years of her almost continuous confinement, owing to her crippled condition, she has bee patient, kindly, and uncomplaining and with always a kind and cheering word for the children as they dropped in to visit with her, for the neighbors and friends and for many who might call at the home.

While there was suffering during the final days of her life, she met death as she had lived her life, with faith and fortitude.

Six children were born to Frank and Margaret Curtiss and all of them lived to enjoy the companionship and teachings of the parents and profit by the lives of those estimable pioneers.

The eldest of the children is Charles F. Curtiss, Dean of animal husbandry of Iowa State college and for many years one of the leaders in that great institution.

The next, in order of their ages are: Mrs. Fannie Craig of Idaho Falls, Mrs. Effie Campbell of Fort Worth, Texas; Frederick Curtiss, a practicing attorney at Spokane, Wash., for the past 20 years, Guy Curtiss, an engineer, now engaged in contracting work with headquarters in Minneapolis, but at present engaged in work along that line on the west coast, and Mrs. Gertrude Paxton, who has made her home with the parents during their declining years.

She also leaves a number of grand children, one sister and numerous nieces and nephews.