The Family of John Curtis and Rachel Warner

John Day Curtis was born on or about March 31, 1755. This date is based on his age at the time of his death and the length and termination of his indenture. However, this year may be 1756 based on the following items of information. In a letter dated May 2, 1818, outlining his military service, John gave his age as sixty-two. Again, in an affidavit dated November 21, 1821 inventorying his personal estate, John stated that he was sixty-five. These references would mean that John was born in 1756 without fixing the day and month. John died at the age of eighty years on July 22, 1835 at Williamsburg, Massachusetts. He is buried in the old cemetery at the corner of Village Hill Avenue and Village Hill Road in Williamsburg.

On December 11, 1771, John, at the age of approximately sixteen years and nine months, entered into an indenture with Jonathan Warner. He was to learn the trade of carpentry. The term of his indenture was four years, three months, twenty days. Under the terms of the indenture, John could not contract marriage, play at cards or dice, haunt alehouses or taverns nor absence himself from service at any time, day or night, without Jonathan's permission. In return, besides teaching John the art of carpentry, Jonathan was to provide sufficient meat, drink and apparel washing. From the indenture it was learned that John was living at Dorchester, Massachusetts and was under the guardianship of Edward Curtis of Stoughton, Massachusetts.

John served in the Continental Establishment of the Massachusetts line as a private during the Revolutionary War. He served:

• from May 1, 1775 to October 25, 1775 in Captain Seth Murray's Company; Colonel Benjamin Ruggles Woodbridge's Regiment,
• from March 1, 1776 to January 1777 in Captain Asa Barnes' Company; Colonel Paul Dully Sargeant's Regiment,
• from May 1777 to August 1777 in Captain White's Company; Colonel May's Regiment, and
• from June 1778 to February 2, 1779 in Captain Townway's Company; Colonel Wood's Regiment.

For this service, he received a pension of eight dollars each month, beginning retroactively to May 2, 1818. This was due to the fact that a certificate of pension was not issued to John until July 26, 1819.

Although John appeared on the voters" lists for April 1819 and April 1823, it appears that he may not have exercised his right to vote. Unlike the majority of the names on the two lists, that of John's does not have a star before it.

At various time during his life, John was a farmer (yeoman), a carpenter and a miller, running a grist mill on shares.

John first married Rachel Warner, daughter of Downing Warner and Rachel (Clark) Kingsley. Rachel was born on January 20, 1764 presumably at Williamsburg, Massachusetts. She died at the age of fifty years on March 15, 1814 at Williamsburg, Massachusetts. She is buried in the old cemetery at the corner of Village Hill Avenue and Village Hill Road in Williamsburg.

John and Rachel had eleven children, all of whom were born at Williamsburg, Massachusetts.

1. Lebeus Curtis was born on July 29, 1784. He died on April 18, 1855 in Kelly Township, Warren County, Illinois.
2. Edward Curtis was born on July 3, 1786. He died in March 1842 at Hatfield, Massachusetts.
3. Elbartus Curtis was born on August 24, 1788. He died on May 1, 1866 at Haydenville, Massachusetts.
4. Dorus Curtis was born on January 4, 1791.
5. Harriett Curtis was born on April 7, 1793.
6. Walter Curtis was born on May 22, 1795.
7. Rachel Curtis was born on June 6, 1797.

   Rachel is reported to have had one child.

   1. Marshall Curtis was born on December 29, 1811 at Williamsburg, Massachusetts.

8. Amena Curtis was born on April 11, 1799. She died on September 9, 1808 at Williamsburg, Massachusetts.
9. Salome Curtis was born on August 11, 1801. She died on February 5, 1880 at Williamsburg, Massachusetts.
10. Dolly Curtis was born on August 15, 1803. As she was not mentioned in her father's will, it is presumed that she died prior to 1835.
11. Juvenelia Curtis was born on March 7, 1808.

John married for the second time on January 19, 1815 in the Church of Christ at Williamsburg, Massachusetts to Achsah Hannum, daughter of Caleb Hannum and Lydia Warner. The intention of their marriage was published on January 1, 1815. Achsah was born on January 19, 1770 at Belchertown, Massachusetts. She died at the age of seventy-nine years, eleven months and eighteen days on January 2, 1850 at Williamsburg, Massachusetts. She is buried in the old cemetery at the corner of Village Hill Avenue and Village Hill Road in Williamsburg.

John and Achsah had no children.

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