Person:William Curtis (59)

Biography

History of Grundy County, Illinois
O.L. Baskin & Co. Publishers
1882 Chicago
William H. Curtis pp.15,16

William H. Curtis, retired, Morris. The subject of this sketch is a native of Rutland. Vt., born December 24, 1817, son of Thaddeus and Charlotte (Kimball) Curtis, who came to Grundy County, 1848. His father died in Grundy County, September 3, 1857, in his sixty-sixth year. The mother died in Grundy County, January 9, 1862, in her seventy-fifth year. Subject came to Grundy County in 1846, and bought land in Vienna Township, where he made his home until coming to Morris, January, 1880. Raised and educated in Vermont. Married June 12, 1860 to Mrs. Jane A. Hollenbeck, widow of Abraham Hollenbeck. She is a native of Duchess County, N. Y., February 13, 1817, and came to Grundy County about 1850. Mr. Curtis is now retired and is living in a beautiful residence on the corner of Benton and Spruce streets. Besides his large landed interest in Vienna Township, of this county, he owns a farm of 112 acres in Section 25, of Brookfield Township, La Salle County. "Wolves!" said Mr. Curtis, "I can tell you a big one, but nobody will believe it." "Let us have the benefit of the story," said the interviewer. "I was aroused one morning to find a wolf with a chicken. I had no dog of my own, but Dr. Antis' dog happened to be under my shanty. He gave chase, and was soon joined by William Hinchman's dog. In order to encourage the dogs, I got on a horse, not stopping to put on a bridle, and followed after. They overhauled him on a pond which had a considerable thickness of ice, but they were not equal to the wolf, not being used to his method of defense. Thinking to help the dogs, I got off my horse and caught the wolf by the tail. No sooner had I done so than the dogs left me to engage the wolf while the indulged in a fight with each other. In this dilemma I conceived the idea of killing my game by swinging it over-handed and bringing its head in contact with the ice. This proved a failure, for the first impression broke the ice, letting us into three feet of water. Now my only chance was to drown him, and after several attempts, coupled with the pitchfork in the hands of a boy, the wolf was numbered with the slain."

Census

1. ↑ History of Grundy County, Illinois. (Chicago: O.L. Baskin & Co., 1882)
   Part II, p15.

   transcript

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Grundy, Illinois, United States. 1850 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   Illinois, Grundy County, Vienna Township, Dwelling 25, Family 26; United States Census, 1850 for Willliam Curtis, FamilySearch.org, transcription and digital image. FamilySearch.org

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 William H. Curtis, in Find A Grave.