(While recently doing research, I was lead to some remarkable discoveries of my family tree. For the details, see …of Cabbages and Kings.)
The Curtis surname probably originated from the Old French curteis meaning refined, well-bred or polite. Brought to England by the Normans, it first appeared in Cornwall, England, around 1305. William John Curtis, my 7th great-grandfather was born 15 Oct 1688 in Breage, Cornwall and married Rebecca Waite around 1705. The date of his emigration to the New World is not known; however, he died on 8 Nov 1714 in Christ Church, Virginia.
William and Rebecca had four known children including John B. Curtis, my 6th great grandfather who was borne in 1706 in Prince George, Bristol, Virginia. He died in 1770 in Sussex, Virginia. He married Susanna Eleanor Saunders on 7 Dec 1733 in Christ Church, Virginia. She died in 1761 in Virginia.
Churchwell Curtis, my 5th great-grandfather, was born in 1744 in Virginia, possibly in Mecklenberg County. While I could find no record of his service in the Revolutionary War, it would be hard given his age to not have participated. He married Lucy (last name unknown) around 1770.
Churchwell and Lucy had six known children including Zachariah Curtis my 4th great-grandfather. Born in 1774, he was too young to fight for the Continental Army. However, he fought in the War of 1812, serving with the 1st Regiment of the Virginia Militia (Byrne’s Militia). He was discharged with the rank of Corporal. For his service, in 1830, he was awarded 100 acres of land. In 1795 he married Sally Powers, daughter of Sampson and Sarah Powers, my 5th great-grandparents.
Zachariah and Sally brought at least nine children into the world including my 3rd great-grandfather, Goodwin Curtis b.1809 in Virginia. By 1812, his family had moved to Davidson County, TN (Nashville area). In 1824 at age 15, Goodwin married Martha Ann Powers (probably a cousin) and together they had five children. Martha died in 1844 at age 35. Nine months later Goodwin married Julia A. Wnite. Their first son was James Madison Curtis, my 2nd great grandfather.
In 1885, James married Pattie T. Tanner. James and Pattie had no children and nothing is known of her including her birth and death dates. In 1882, James married Emma Louise Miller, my 2nd great grandmother. James and Emma had nine children including Jesse Eric Curtis, my great grandfather.
Jesse married Georgia Emma Blunkall. I can find no record of their marriage though I have to assume is was prior to the birth of their first child, Theodore Armstrong Curtis, in 1905. In 1907 their second child, Edna
Louise Curtis, my maternal grandmother was born. Edna met Clemons Henry Taphorn, and in 1922 they were married. Over the next few years, they had Mary Elizabeth and Lilian Christine. Unfortunately, Mary died at age 5.
According to the 1926 Nashville City Directory, the Taphorns were still living in Nashville. (I assume that the data may have been compiled the previous year.) In November of 1927, my mother, Evelyn Louise, was born in Chicago, Il. And her brother, Clemons Henry Jr. was born in 1929. In 1930, they were again living in Nashville. There, at about age 3, mother, along with Clemons Jr and Lilian, was placed in the Tennessee Children’s Home Society, an infamous orphanage charted in TN.
Lilian was taken out of the orphanage by our Aunt Ada Curtis where she lived until she eventually move on. Clemons was adopted to a local family. Over the years, mother tried to repeatedly to find him but the laws to TN would not allow it. Ironically the laws were changed while momma was still alive, but by then she had given up. As is documented elsewhere, we eventually found Clemons’ descendants through DNA and our Ancestry research. For the details of this, click here to read the Search for Clemons Henry Taphorn Jr.
At age 5, mother was adopted by Wiley and Goldie Vawter,
who lived here in Jackson, and given the name Patricia Jane Vawter. In 1948, mother married Frank Thomas Flew. In 1949, my brother Frank Patrick was born and in August of 1950 I was born. Two years later, our sister, May Elizabeth “Cissy” was born. In 1960, John Curtis was born completing our family of six.
Here I must present information that has recently come to our attention. Cissy received an email from a woman wanting to know if it was possible that our grandmother, Edna Louise might have had an affair with “one of the Pisano boys” while living in Chicago. And she went on to ask if it was possible that our mother was the result. Since that time, we have done extensive search of the Ancestry database for DNA matches with Taphorns in their family tree. Likewise, we have done the same for Pisanos. The result is that we have found no DNA links to the Taphorn line. Conversely, we have found several links with Pisanos. We have come to the conclusion that we are not related to the Taphorns. It is quite possible that Clemons Henry Sr discovered this affair and was a major factor in giving up the children for adoption. We do not believe that Clemons Jr was a progeny of one of the Pisanos, but Clemons Sr could have easily assumed such since Jr as also born in Chicago. Lilian was born in TN and was Sr’s child. Perhaps this is why Aunt Ada rescued Lilian from the orphanage and not the other two. Unfortunately, the dead don’t speak and we will never know the truth of it.
The Curtis surname probably originated from the Old French curteis meaning refined, well-bred or polite. Brought to England by the Normans, it first appeared in Cornwall, England, around 1305. William John Curtis, my 7th great-grandfather was born 15 Oct 1688 in Breage, Cornwall and married Rebecca Waite around 1705. The date of his emigration to the New World is not known; however, he died on 8 Nov 1714 in Christ Church, Virginia.
William and Rebecca had four known children including John B. Curtis, my 6th great grandfather who was borne in 1706 in Prince George, Bristol, Virginia. He died in 1770 in Sussex, Virginia. He married Susanna Eleanor Saunders on 7 Dec 1733 in Christ Church, Virginia. She died in 1761 in Virginia.
Churchwell Curtis, my 5th great-
Churchwell and Lucy had six known children including Zachariah Curtis my 4th great-
Zachariah and Sally brought at least nine children into the world including my 3rd great-
In 1885, James married Pattie T. Tanner. James and Pattie had no children and nothing is known of her including her birth and death dates. In 1882, James married Emma Louise Miller, my 2nd great grandmother. James and Emma had nine children including Jesse Eric Curtis, my great grandfather.
Jesse married Georgia Emma Blunkall. I can find no record of their marriage though I have to assume is was prior to the birth of their first child, Theodore Armstrong Curtis, in 1905. In 1907 their second child, Edna
Louise Curtis, my maternal grandmother was born. Edna met Clemons Henry Taphorn, and in 1922 they were married. Over the next few years, they had Mary Elizabeth and Lilian Christine. Unfortunately, Mary died at age 5.
According to the 1926 Nashville City Directory, the Taphorns were still living in Nashville. (I assume that the data may have been compiled the previous year.) In November of 1927, my mother, Evelyn Louise, was born in Chicago, Il. And her brother, Clemons Henry Jr. was born in 1929. In 1930, they were again living in Nashville. There, at about age 3, mother, along with Clemons Jr and Lilian, was placed in the Tennessee Children’s Home Society, an infamous orphanage charted in TN.
Lilian was taken out of the orphanage by our Aunt Ada Curtis where she lived until she eventually move on. Clemons was adopted to a local family. Over the years, mother tried to repeatedly to find him but the laws to TN would not allow it. Ironically the laws were changed while momma was still alive, but by then she had given up. As is documented elsewhere, we eventually found Clemons’ descendants through DNA and our Ancestry research. For the details of this, click here to read the Search for Clemons Henry Taphorn Jr.
At age 5, mother was adopted by Wiley and Goldie Vawter,
who lived here in Jackson, and given the name Patricia Jane Vawter. In 1948, mother married Frank Thomas Flew. In 1949, my brother Frank Patrick was born and in August of 1950 I was born. Two years later, our sister, May Elizabeth “Cissy” was born. In 1960, John Curtis was born completing our family of six.
Here I must present information that has recently come to our attention. Cissy received an email from a woman wanting to know if it was possible that our grandmother, Edna Louise might have had an affair with “one of the Pisano boys” while living in Chicago. And she went on to ask if it was possible that our mother was the result. Since that time, we have done extensive search of the Ancestry database for DNA matches with Taphorns in their family tree. Likewise, we have done the same for Pisanos. The result is that we have found no DNA links to the Taphorn line. Conversely, we have found several links with Pisanos. We have come to the conclusion that we are not related to the Taphorns. It is quite possible that Clemons Henry Sr discovered this affair and was a major factor in giving up the children for adoption. We do not believe that Clemons Jr was a progeny of one of the Pisanos, but Clemons Sr could have easily assumed such since Jr as also born in Chicago. Lilian was born in TN and was Sr’s child. Perhaps this is why Aunt Ada rescued Lilian from the orphanage and not the other two. Unfortunately, the dead don’t speak and we will never know the truth of it.