Henry Curtis came to New England in 1635, in the ship "Elizabeth and Ann," and settled at Watertown, Massachusetts, where he was a proprietor in 1636, later removing to Sudbury, Massachusetts, where he was a proprietor in 1639. In deeds he is styled "wheelwright." He testified in a lawsuit to the effect that he was twenty-seven years of age when he landed in America. He married, about 1640, Mary, daughter of Nicholas Guy, of Upton Gray, Southamptonshire, England. He came to New England in 1638 in the ship "Confidence," and settled at Watertown, Massachusetts. Henry Curtis died in Sudbury, Massachusetts, 1678. His widow Mary survived him until December 3, 1682. Children, all born in Sudbury:
- Lieutenant Ephraim, was a noted scout and hunter, trader, and soldier in King Philip's war; there is no record of his marriage.
- John, born in 1644, died unmarried in Sudbury, December 31, 1678.
- Joseph, see forward.
(II) Joseph, youngest son of Henry and Mary (Guy) Curtis, was born at Sudbury, July 17, 1647, died there November 26, 1700. In 1675 he served in the Mt. Hope campaign in King Philip's war under Captain Thomas Prentice. He married, in Sudbury, February 5, 1667, Abigail Grout, born in Sudbury, October 14, 1655, died April 28, 1745, daughter of Captain John and Sarah (Bushy-Cakebread) Grout, of Sudbury. Joseph Curtis was a farmer, and an inventory of his estate shows, besides other property, "two farms lying in Woster, the farm containing two hundred and fifty acres and a fifty acre lot." Children, all born in Sudbury:
- Abigail, married, about 1705, Captain John Goulding.
- Ephraim, see forward.
- Mary, born December 25, 1686; married, December 14, 1710, Thomas Stone.
- Joseph, July 15, 1689; was one of the founders of Medway, Massachusetts, where he died January 21, 1754.
- Sarah, married, December 28, 1715, Jonathan Smith.
(III) Ephraim, son of Joseph and Abigail (Grout) Curtis, was born in Sudbury, September 4, 1680, died in his native town, November 17, 1759. His gravestone in East Sudbury (now Wayland) states that he was justice of the peace, major of a regiment and many years representative in the general court. In 1741 he was appointed a special justice of the court of common pleas. He married, May 10, 1705, Mary, born February 18, 1682, died February 22, 1761, daughter of David and Susannah Stone, of Sudbury. Children, all born in Sudbury:
- Ephraim, settled in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he died January 1, 1748; married Mary Rice, of Sudbury.
- Captain John, see forward.
- Mary, married, December 20, 1732, Ensign Jason Gleason.
- Susanna, married Lieutenant Jonathan Carter.
- Major Joseph, born December 22, 1721, died October 6, 1791; in 1757 he was lieutenant of the first "foot company" of Sudbury; in 1771 he was captain of the first company of horse, and October 26, 1778, appears with the rank of major in Captain Nathaniel Maynard's muster roll; married (first) Jane Plympton; (second) Abigail Baldwin, both of Sudbury; fifteen children.
- Lieutenant Samuel, born June 1, 1724; in 1758 he served as lieutenant under Captain Samuel Dakin in the expedition against Crown Point, and was killed July 20, 1758, in the engagement at Halfway Brook, near Fort Edward, New York; married (first) Jerusha Cutting; (second) Hannah Nichols; five children.
(IV) Captain John, son of Ephraim and Mary (Stone) Curtis, was born in Sudbury, Massachusetts, September 20, 1707. He settled in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he died June 29, 1797. He served as captain of the company for the relief of Fort William Henry in 1757, and was a signer of the "Troy protest" in 1774, but afterwards recanted and was admitted to favor. From 1754 to 1774 he kept a tavern in Worcester. He married (first) June 4, 1729, Rebecca, born January, 1709, died March 24, 1755, daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Newell) Whight, of Sudbury. He married (second) November 13, 1755, Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. John Prentice and widow of Daniel Robbins, of Lancaster. Children, all by first wife, and all born in Worcester except the first:
- Jonathan, died young.
- John, married Elizabeth Heywood.
- Jonathan, died young.
- Sarah, died young.
- Elizabeth, born December 28, 1738.
- William, died young.
- Rebecca, died young.
- Joseph, died young.
- James, see forward.
- Mary, married Deacon John Chamberlain.
- Sarah, married Captain William Jones.
- William, served in the revolution.
- Joseph, served in the revolution.
- Tyler, born April 28, 1753.
(V) James, son of Captain John and Rebecca (Whight) Curtis, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, September 8, 1746, died January 19, 1879, in Princeton, Massachusetts, where he had settled. He married, in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, May 24, 1770, Sarah, born June 25, 1749, died September 19, 1787, daughter of Captain Abraham and Dinah (Rice) Eager, of Shrewsbury. Children:
- Azubah, baptized in Worcester, January 20, 1771.
- Sophia, married, January 1, 1795, Samuel Smith.
- Elizabeth.
- James, see forward.
- Tyler, married, March 18, 1802, Mary Ann Flagg.
- Eager.
- Sarah.
(VI) James (2), son of James (1) and Sarah (Eager) Curtis, was born about 1775. He married, in Massachusetts, Mary Andrews, and lived at Lenox, Massachusetts. Children:
- Henry, see forward.
- George.
- Almira, married Harvey Mosher.
- Roxana, died March 28, 1827.
- Laura, married ———— Churchill, and had a daughter Isabel, who married Judge Baldwin, of Michigan.
- Mary Ann, married James Harvey Martin.
(VII) Henry (2), son of James (2) and Mary (Andrews) Curtis, was born near Lenox, Massachusetts, 1803, died in Troy, New York, 1855. He settled in Troy when a young man and at once engaged in the dry goods business. He remained in mercantile life all his active years, and became one of the prominent dry goods merchants of Troy. He was a Universalist in religious faith, and a Democrat in politics. He married, in Troy, Salona B., second daughter of Elkana and Sarah McCoon (Barrows) Wilmarth, of Troy, who had other children: Almira, Leander, Celia, married John Sayles, and Mercy Ann, married Joseph Henry Todd. Henry and Salona B. (Wilmarth) Curtis had children:
- Jennie, born 1842, died 1873; married Leonard H. Buckland, who died in 1905; child: Harriet, married George Beeson and had two children.
- Clement, died June 3, 1846.
- Charles Henry, see forward.
(VIII) Charles Henry, only son of Henry (2) and Salona B. (Wilmarth) Curtis, was born in Troy, New York, September 30, 1847. He was educated in the public schools, and in 1866 entered the employ of S. A. House & Sons, where he learned the art of collar cutting. He was with that firm seventeen years, and has now been connected with the firm of Fellows & Company in the capacity of cutter for a like number of years. He is a member of the Universalist church, where he has served as deacon since 1895, trustee since 1900, and in 1910 was chosen president of the board. He is a Republican in politics. He served three years in the New York National Guard, Twenty-fourth Regiment. He married, July 5, 1868, Gertrude Lucille Mabee, of Troy. Children, all born in Troy:
- Frank Charles, see forward.
- George Henry, born August 11, 1872; educated in the public schools, graduating from the high school, class of 1891; since 1898 he has been employed in the county clerk's office as recorder; he is a member of the East Side Club, Rensselaer County Republican Club, Royal Arcanum and Chamber of Commerce.
- Jean Gertrude, educated in the public schools and Emma Willard School.
- Harvey Otto, born February 22, 1878, died December 25, 1882.
- Harold Edwin, born November 20, 1887; educated in the public schools; entered Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he was graduated C. E., class of 1909; he is now located in Boston, Massachusetts, as assistant engineer of inspection department of the Associated Factory Mutual Fire Insurance Companies.
(IX) Frank Charles, son of Charles Henry and Gertrude Lucille (Mabee) Curtis, was born June 3, 1869. He was educated in the public schools of Troy, graduating from the high school in 1888. He studied law with George A. Mosher, of Troy, who after his admission to the bar admitted him to a law partnership in 1893, which was dissolved in 1910. He makes a specialty of patent law, confining his practice exclusively to patents and patent causes. He was United States commissioner, 1906-07. He is secretary and director of the Luxury Sales Company, and director of the Stockwell-Purser Realty Company, both of Troy. He was a member of Troy Citizens' Corps, Sixth Separate Company (now Company A), Second Regiment, from 1893 to 1899, and is now an active member of the senior company of the Citizens' Corps. He is an active Republican, and his club is the Pafraets Dael. He is a member of the New York State and Rensselaer County Bar associations, Rensselaer County Republican Club, and Chamber of Commerce. He married, June 27, 1908, Marie Josephine Leduc, of Schenectady; one child, Gertrude, born June 24, 1910.