Person:Theophilus Curtis (1)

Theophilus was a blacksmith. In 1678 he purchased land from Joseph Penniman. His homestead of 35 acres lies on Pernis Hill, west of Commercial or Franklin Street, and south of High or Washington Street at the Braintree-Quincy boundary. The house stood until 1910 south of the present Hillsboro Street.

    Theophilus was made a freeman in 1684 and joined the church that year.  He joined the new church at the present Braintree (established in 1706/1707) before 1611.  He was elected tithingman 1693; served on a committee of school lands in 1695; was selectman in 1699, 1700, and 1703; and served as assessor in 1706. 
    When the town was divided into precincts in 1708, his land was in the South Precinct, dividing from that of Frances Legaree in the North Precinct.   
    The Bass genealogy, citing the Paine-Shepherd genealocy (C. P. Ohler, 1913), names ten children in his order: Moses (died young), Moses, Hannah, Mary, Sarah, Margaret, Samuel (died young), Samuel, John, and Elizabeth.  Sprague does not name the two who died young.
    The will of Theophilus Curtis is dated 1710, proved 28 October 1712.  It mentions wife Hannah; son Moses; sons Samuel & John to have the homestead at wife's decease; daughters Hannah Curtis, Mary Hayden, Margaret Thayer, Elizabeth Curtis; grandson Theophilus Curtis.

1. ↑ Massachusetts Marriages, 1633-1850.