Curtis, Charles A. 1876 -

CURTIS, JONES, KENDALL, TINKER

Posted By: Bill Waters (email)
Date: 4/19/2014 at 16:24:10

Charles A. Curtis has spent his entire life on the farm on section 32, Fremont Township, whereon he now resides and in the course of years has made many substantial contributions to the agricultural development of Winneshiek County. He owns and operates one hundred and sixty acres of fine land constituting the homestead upon which his parents settled in 1867 and he is classed with the representative and substantial agriculturists of this vicinity. He was born in January, 1876, and is a son of Smith and Frances J. (Jones) Curtis, natives of Connecticut. They came to Winneshiek County in 1865 and the father purchased eighty acres of land in Bluffton Township. This he operated for two years, selling it at the end of that time and buying eighty acres in Fremont Township. This he cleared and improved and from time to time added to his holdings until he owned two hundred and forty acres. He operated this property until his death, which occurred May 9, 1901. His wife survives him and has reached the age of seventy-seven years.

Charles A. Curtis was reared upon his father's farm and from his childhood aided with the operation of the homestead, becoming a practical and able agriculturist. For ten years he rented the home farm from his mother and at the end of that time purchased the property, which he has since owned. The little log cabin, which was erected before the property came into the father's possession, is still upon the place, but Mr. Curtis has made excellent improvements in building and equipment and is now in control of a valuable and productive property.

In December, 1900, Mr. Curtis married Miss Maude F. Tinker, a daughter of Marvin and Viola (Kendall) Tinker, natives of Maine. The father came to Kendallville, Winneshiek County, immediately after the Civil war and after working at the blacksmith's trade there for about three years moved to Cresco, where he followed the same occupation for twenty years. At the end of that time he bought a farm in Howard County, operating this for sixteen years, after which he retired from active life, moving into Cresco. After one year in that city he went to Salem, Oregon, where he now resides. He is a veteran of the Civil war, having enlisted as a drummer boy at the age of fifteen. Mr. and Mrs. Curtis have become the parents of two children: Earl C., aged eight; and Helen A., aged two.

Mr. Curtis is a member of the Methodist church and is connected fraternally with the local lodge of the Modern Woodmen of America. He gives his political allegiance to the republican party and is now in the third term of his service as township trustee, a capacity in which he has accomplished a great deal of beneficial work. A resident of this township since his birth, he is widely known here and has gained gratifying recognition as a progressive agriculturist and a public-spirited citizen.

Source: History of Winneshiek County, Iowa Vol. II Chicago the S. J. Clark publishing Company 1913