Enos Curtis Family History - Complied by Ella Curtis

Enos Curtis 1783

Son of Edmond Curtis and Mary Avery

Husband to Ruth Franklin and Tamma Durfee

Children

            Ruth Franklin's

                Lydia Curtis

               Maria Curtis

               Martha Curtis

               Edmond Curtis

               Jeremiah Curtis

              Seth Curtis

              Simmons Philander Curtis

              John White Curtis

              David Avery Curtis

              Ezra Houghton Curtis

              Ruth Curtis

              Ursula Curtis

              Sabrina Curtis

              Celestia Curtis

     

      Tamma Dufee's

              Clarissa Curtis Cook - Married Chauncey Harvey Cook

              Belinda Curtis

              Adelia Curtis

              Amelia Curtis

Enos Curtis Family History 

(Notes compiled by Ella Curtis record)

Re-typed by Kierston Scott 2012

Enos Curtis had a Partriarchal blessing given 29 Sept. 1841, by Patriarch Hyrum Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois. It gives the name of his parents as Edmond and Polly Curtis. Enos Curtis was born 9 Oct.  1783 in Kinderhook, Columbia, New York. He married Ruth Franklin when he as about 25 years old or about 1806. He had a family of fourteen children, all born in Ruthland and Sulivan townships, Tiago, Pa. Six of these died beofre 1848. (Ref: “Brigham Young, the man and His Works.” by Preston Nibley, pp. 5, 6 and 428.)

Brigham Young says in teh fall of 1831, five Mormon elders 9Alpheus Gifford, Eliah Srtrong and others) from an isolated branch of the L.D.S. Church in Columbian Co., Pa., came to Mendon to preach Mormonism, which I heard and believed. These Elders were making a missionary  tour of the stare of New York. They met Brigham Young in Mendon, who already had a copy of the Book of Mormon in his possession. The actual contact with these elders, their testimonies and personalities so impressed him that he began an extensive stud of the Book of Mormon or Mormonism. 

Page 6 from “Autobiography of Heber C. Kimball.” Heber C. Kimball says, “About three weeks after I joined the Baptist Church, in the fall of 1831, five elders from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, came from Pennsylvania to the home of Phineas Young in Victor. Their names were Eleazer Miller, Eliah Strong, Alpheus Gifford, Enos Curtis, and Daniel Bowen. Hearing of these men, curiosity prompted me to go and see them, when for the first time I heard the fullness of the everlasting gospel.” 

These five Elders must have been very outstanding missionaries and spiritually minded men when they so throughly impressed Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball with the truth of their testimonies. Both these men decided to pay them a visit, which they did in January 1832 at the branch in Columbia, Penn. They remained there one week. ( See “Millenial Star.’ Vol 25, p. 424). After they returned to their home in Mendon, a family council was held at the home of father John Young, where the father, John, and sons Joseph and Phineas planned a trip to the branch in Penn. This was the beginning of many joining the L.D.S. Church. (Note: Elieah Strong is a son-in-law to Enos Curtis. He married Martha Curtis, born 1812, died 1834). From the “Journal History” (In Church historians office) I find Enos Curtis went with the Church in their various moves, suffering from all the persecutions of the Saints, and burying his wife on the journey in Missouri in 1848.

We locate him in Caldewell, Clay COunty, Mo., on the 29 November 1839 through a petition to Congress signed by Saints presenting claims against the state of Missouri. Their names were arranged alphabetically. Enos Curtis’ claim was for $1.00. (856 sec. Nov. 29, 1839 p. 9)

Enos Curtis presided over a conference at Quincy, Ill. on Sept. 1, 1844. (See p. 5 of 1 Sep. 1848). On 25 Oct. 1845 Enos Curtis made and signed an affadavit stating that a mob had willfully destroyed the home of Widow Boss by fire, in Quincy Illinois. Both Enos and his wife Ruth Franklin did their endowments in Nauvoo in 1846. After burying the most beloved of mothers, this bereaved family came to Utah in 1848. They gave up all, endured all the hardships-- cold, hunger, disease, famine, and torture from angry war-like mobs- for the call of their religion. 

Emigration Record:

(See supplement to “Journal History” CHurch Historians office 31 Dec. 1848, 1st Division --- Emigration.) Emigration across the plains in mountains from Missouri River to Salt Lake City. This company was divided into three divisions. The first division was in the charge of Brigham Young. Enos Curtis, Theodore Curtis and Joseph CUrtis were numbered in this group. The 1st division had 1229 soul, 397 wagons, 74 horses, 19 mules, 1297 oxen, 699 cows, 184 loose cattle and sheep, some pigs, chickens, dogs, cats, doves, geese and 2 hives of bees. (See Journal History 16 June 1848). THis division left the Elkhorn River 1June 1848 and arrived in Salt Lake City 1848. In 1850 Enos Curtis met and married Tamm Durfee Miner. They moved on a farm owned by Lorenzo Snow, in Willard, Box Elder County, Utah. Tamm Dureffe Miner had a large family, having buried her husband on the trip across the plains. The two families lived together and got along very well. Moroni Miner (now 100 yrs old) a step son of Enos Curtis speaks very highly of him. He said Enos always treated us as kind, lovable, and patient father.

John White Curtis, David Avery Curtis, Ozias Strong and Albert Starr were sent out by Brigham Young as surveyors for new homes. They reported the conditions in and around Springville, and a settlement was started there in 1850. Moroni Miner, when telling this incident was greatly moved by the memories of this early period. His mind was clear and keen. He said he could recall how hard the two families struggled to build a home, but as they were anxious for a home of their own, they were willing to endure all the hardships they went thought. THey built two large rooms with a carpenter shop between them. Enos was an excellent carpenter and expert chair maker. Moroni said he and his brother Mormon became very efficient in making the chair bottoms of reed and leather, while Enos did the rest of the other work. Moroni Miner was 100 years old in 1935, but had a splendid memory and told us how much Enos was like his own father. He said Enos was always ready to help, and regardless of weather conditions. Was ordained a Patriarch in 1852 by Heber C. Kimball, and Parley P. Pratt, George A. Smith, and John Taylor. (See Journal History, 9 April, 1845, p. 1) Brigham Young made very few trips south of Salt Lake for colonization purposes without sending a forerunner or a messenger to Enos announcing his plans and inviting him to join the company. A company organized on 10 May 1854 by Brigham Young consisted of 82 men, 14 women and 5 children, who traveled in 34 wagons. They left Salt Lake City and traveled south. They took 95 animals, captains, historians, interpreters, doctors, and bishops. Enos Curtis was the Patriarch of the company although 71 years of age. Enos traveled with his son David Avery and Aaron Johnson in a wagon numbered 29. David Avery was a teamster, and as he liked animals I suppose this team of oxen was treated kindly. His love of animals grew as he grew older. He is often cited for his kindness. They traveled as far as Nephi the second night. Little is recorded of the trip except to say that it was very successful. Their aim was to clear new land and plan new settlements. (See Journal History 10 May 1845.)     Note from Lucinda Payne Merrill. (daughter of Ruth Curtis Payne, daughter of Ezra Houghton Curtis, son of ENos Curtis.): Just before the church was organized, Enos Curtis made the statement that some day the true church would be upon the earth, so when in 1830 after the church was organized, Enos readily accepted it and was among the first souls baptized.

This story was told by Ezra Houghton Curtis:After meeting where Brigham Young first heard the testimonies of the gospel from the five missionaries, he hurried home to his wife who was sick in bed. He went to his room, and in praying to the Lord, he asked if this religion was true, to send missionaries to his home, that they might pray for his sick wife and to give her some ideas of the gospel. The next day the missionaries were passing his house, they were impressed with the tidiness of the yard and said: “Any man who has so much pride in his yard, is worth visiting,” so they entered the yard. Brigham was watching from a window to see if his prayer would be answered. He hurriedly opened the door and welcomed them in. THey administered to his wife, and Brigham told them he had prayed for them to come. 

A Nauvoo incident at the time of the persecution and martyrdom: The sons of Enos were out on the prairie putting up wile hay, and the mobs were so bad, Enos being worried about his sons, rode out in the night to get them. THey were awakened by the noise of a horseman coming toward their camp. They were anxious and afraid as they knew how vicious the mobs were, everybody living in tensness and fear. Enos had a peculiar cough, and as he rode toward them he coughed. They gave a sigh of relief and said, “Do not fear, it is father.” They had a real race with a nearby mob who was in ambush chasing them all the way home. 

Story from Chaoe Durfee Spence, daughter of Celestia Curtis Durfee, grandaughter of Enos Curtis: When the mob were in some of the vicious raids, two or more families would bunk together in one home for protection. On one such occasion, the mob came to the home of Enos Curtis. The men were all away from home. The mob ordered all out of the house. They told the mob that grandmother (Ruth Franklin) was very ill and could not be moved. The mob left, but came back a second and third time more vicious and finally set fire to the house. The women carried Grandmother out on a blanket. THe shouts of the mob were soon heard and the men rushed back and carried Grandmother away in a wagon. The mob even chased the wagon, but more help came and they finally gave up. Ruth Franklin died 6 May 1848. 

As a tribute to our beloved Great, Grandfather, Enos Curtis, who we so little knew and yet whom we feel so near and owe so much, I as one of his humble great-grand daughters am most thankful to our Heavenly Father for the life of this nobel man. He received the gospel and embraced it in its fullness, giving us the privilege of being born heirs to its glories. We are grateful for his strength of character to accept this glorious principle, for his desire to come to Zion, for his willingness to suffer with the Saints, and honoring the Priesthood so his journey through life had a real goal. May we as his descendants travel on through this life doing acts of kindness, building beautiful paths, building character for a place near him when our earthly journey ends. 

Enos Curtis’ journey in life ended in his 73rd year. It came as a shock. During the day, although feeling a little faint, he went about his daily tasks. In the evening the family had assembled together in a reunion. He joined in the various activities, then set back in his chair as if resting, but became so still and rigid, they cautiously tried to make him more comfortable, but discovered his rest was more than a little nap he so often enjoyed in his chair. He died so easily, no struggle nor pain, but such a peaceful death was well earned by our beloved progenitor who brought the gospel to his vast bond of descendants. 

Members of one of Brigham Young’s COmpany. Showing how organized -- 10 May 1854:

Daniel H. Wells ---------- Commander

Robert T. Bruton ---------Captain

Wilford Woodruff---------Historian 

Thomas Bullock ---------Historian

Parley P. Pratt ------------Chaplain

John Taylor ----------------Chaplain

Thomas Bullock ----------Clerk

Dimick B. Hunington ----Interpreter

George Bean -------------Interpreter

Edward Hunter -----------Bishop

Lorenzo D. Young -------Bishop

Aaron Johnson -----------Bishop

Silas Richards ------------Bishop

Henson Walker ----------Bishop

Enos Curtis ---------------Patriarch

Samuel L. Sprague -----Doctor