Tuesday, August 16, 2011

WILLIAM CURTIS 1549-1585

[Ancestral Link: Lura Minnie Parker (Stagge), daughter of Minnie May Elmer (Parker), daughter of Mark Alfred Elmer, son of Hannah Polina Child (Elmer), daughter of Alfred Bosworth Child, son of Mark Anthony Child, son of Increase Child, son of Mary Lyon (Child), daughter of Joseph Lyon, son of Joseph Lyon, son of Sarah Ruggles (Lyon), daughter of Mary Curtis (Ruggles), daughter of Thomas Curtis, son of William Curtis.]

Altar of All Saints Parish Church, Nazeing (Nazing), Essex, England where the Curtis Family were members in the 16th and early 17th centuries.



All Saints Parish Church at Nazeing, Essex, England. Various parts of the building were built between 1060 and 1177 on the site of older Roman era churches. There have been renovations and additions in the 12th, 14th and 15th centuries. The Walls are flint rubble faced with brick and dressed with clay and lime.


Last Will & Testament of William Curtis of Nazeing, England, http://www.curtis-curtiss.com/


William Curtis (1546-1585), Nazeing, England



In the name of God Amen the xth day of May in the year of our Lord 1585. I Willm Curtis of ye pish of Nazing in y county of Essex sick of bodie but of good memorie God have prays do make & ordeyn this my last Will& Testmt in form following ffirst I bequeath my soule into the handes of All mightie god beleving to be saved by the death of Jhesus Christe & I yeald my body to the Earth in hope of the resurrection with the just in the day.



Concerning my worldly goods I geve & bequeath themas followeth. Itm I geve to the poore of the pish ofNazing xx s of Lawfull english mony to be distributed unto them at the discrecon of my Executors. Itm I geve & bequeath to Sara Curtis my daughter the sum of ten poundes of Lawfull english mony to be payd unto her at the day of her marriage, Itm I geve & bequeath to Edward Curtis my soon x li of lawfull english money to be payd unto hym at his adge of xxi ti years. Itm I geve & bequeath to Gabriell my soon the sum of x li of lawfull english mony to be payd to him in like mannr at his adge of xxi ti years. Itm I geve & bequeath to John Curtis my yongest soon xx markes of lawfull english mony to be payd allso to him at his adge of xxi ti years. Itm I geve to my daughter Mary the sum of forty shillings of lawfull english mony to be payd unto her within two moneths next after my deceasse. Itm my will & mynde is that all these legasies heere before geven shal be payd out of my moveable goodes without the house as Corne cattells grainor any such like thing whatsoever & I will that the overplus of the sayd moveables (these legasies above said being discharged) be equally devyded betweene Agnes my wife & Thomas Curtis my eldest son excepting out of my sayd bequest two of my best lambes wch I geve to my daughter Maryes two children.



Concerning my howsehould stuff I do whollie gevethe same to Agnes my wife & I make & ordeyn my said wife and Thomas Curtis my son Executors to see my will truly fullfilled my debts payd & funeralls discharged. And I desire my good freend goodman Bannister & my brother Geordg Curtis to be overseers of this my laste will &Testat.



Witnesses to this last will" John Bannyster, George Curtis & me John Hopkins, Writer.
uconner added this on 4 February 2011


Copied from a transcript made by M:r. C. A. Hoppin and published in the Boston Transcript of April 4, 1936 in Note 2831, Part II. The original will is said to be filed in the Commissary Court of London, proved on July 9, 1585. (The Descendants of Will
found on ancestry.com




William Curtis of Nazing, Essex, England
1540-1585 , Nazing, Essex, England


William Curtis: born about 1540 in County Essex, England. He died and was buried 17 May 1585 at Nazing (or Nazeling, Nazeing), Essex, England. He married Agnes _____ about 1559 in Nazing, Essex, England She was born about 1540 at Nazing. She was buried at Nazing, Essex, England 9 July 1585.


Children:


1. Thomas Curtis: born 1560. He was christened at Nazing, Essex, England 25 August 1560. He died 11 December 1631. He was of Nazing, Essex, England. He married twice. His second wife was Mary Gore Shelley who he married 3 July 1596 at Nazing. His son William Curtis emigrated to Roxbury, Massachusetts in the ship Lion (Lyone) from London 22 June 1632 with his family.



2. Mary Curtis: born about 1562 in Nazing, Essex, England. She died after 1585. She married John Read 19 August 1582 in Nazing, Essex, England and had 2 daughters.



3. Edward Curtis: born 1563 Nazing, Essex, England. He died and was buried 13 August 1610, at Waltham Abbey, Essex, England. He married about 1598 Mary ____ at Nazing, Essex, England.



4. Robert Curtis: christened 15 April 1565 in Nazing, Essex, England.



5. Gabriel Curtis: born after 1564-67. He died after 1585. He was of Nazing, Essex, England.



6. Sarah Curtis: born about 1575 Nazing, Essex, England. She died after 1585.



7. John Curtis Sr.: Baptized 15 September 1577, Nazing, Essex, England. He died soon about 1639-40 probably in Wethersfield, Connecticut. He married 16 April 1610 in Nazing, Essex, England Elizabeth Hutchins (or Hutchinson), the daughter of John and Mary Hutchins. Elizabeth Hutchins Curtis was born 1568 in Nazing, Essex, England and died 4 June 1658 in Stratford, Fairfield, Connecticut.


Background on the Curtis surname and Nazing, Essex England
The Curtis surname is a form of the old French word Courtoisie or Courtois, which means a courteous or refined person. It became a surname in England after the Norman Conquest in 1066. It can be spelled Curtiss, Curtesse, Curteis and Curtoys, in addition to several other ways.



The Curtis family originally resided in the village of Nazing or Nazeing, Essex County, England. The name of the village appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 when it is called Nassinga. Later documents revised the name to Nasingham, Nasing, Nazing and Nazeing. The modern spelling is Nazeing. The village probably existed for a long time before this date and was perhaps the site of a church in the sixth or seventh century. Nazing is on an elevated position in a clearing of Essex Forest, later known as Waltham Forest.



The All Saints Church at Nazing is built on the edge of the hill overlooking both Essex and Hertfordshire with a magnificent view. In part it was built between the year 1060 and 1177 on the site of older churches perhaps dating back to Roman times, with major additions and remodeling in the twelfth, fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The walls of the church are of flint rubble, faced with brick and dressed with a mixture of clay and lime. The original 15th century roof timbers are original, though repaired and treated over time. The tower dates from the 15th century.



Nearby Waltham Abbey was built in 1030 by Tovi, the Standard Bearer to King Canute the Dane. Later the Abbot of Waltham became Lord of the Manor of Nazeing.



The only burial record older than that of William Curtis below in Nazing is that of “Mother Curtis, November 20 1561. The earliest marriage is that of William Tomson and Marion Curtis 19 May 1561. In nearby Waltham Abbey (or Holy Cross) there are the baptisms of Robert Courteys, the son of William Curteys, 15 April 1565, Jone Courtes, the daughter of George Courtes, 18 July 1568 and Madlyng Cortes, the daughter of George Cortes 16 October 1575. Marriages at Waltham Abbey include early entries for: Thomas Curtes and Alles Anderson, widow 22 April 1577 and John Curtis and Phillip (perhaps Phillipa) Brown, 5 June 1614. Burials at Waltham Abbey include: George Cortes, the son of Wm Cortes, of London, 21 July 1566, Madlyng Cortes, the daughter of George Cortes 4 November 1575.


William Curtis of Nazing, Essex, England
The lack of vital records for Nazing, Essex, England prevents the Curtis family from being traced any earlier that William Curtis. Some genealogies give the father of William Curtis as John Curtis (1515-1601) and also give his grandfather’s name as John Curtis. Additional information is needed before I would feel confident adding them to this tree.



Little is known of William Curtis of Nazing except for what is found in his will. The will was written 10 May 1585. He left money to the poor of Nazing Parish. He also bequeathed to his daughter Sara, 10 pounds to be paid on the day of her marriage. To his sons Edward and Gabriel Curtis 10 pounds to be paid when they reach age 21. To his youngest son John he left 20 marks of English money to be paid when he reached age 21. To his daughter Mary he left 40 shillings to be paid within two months of his decease. These monies were to be paid out of his movable goods, “without the house as corne, cattells, grain or any such like thing whatsoever.” Any remainder was to be divided between his wife Agnes and his eldest son Thomas Curtis. To his daughter Mary’s two children he left two of his best lambs. His household stuff he gave to his wife Agnes. Executors were his wife and son Thomas Curtis. Overseers were his good friend Goodman Bannister and his brother George Curtis. Witnessed by John "Bannyster", George Curtis and John Hopkins (writer). The will was probated 9 July 1585.


Bibliography


Curtis, Charles B., “Notes & Queries,” The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, volume 54, Oct 1900, pp. 447-449 (Journal Author, Henry Fitz-Gilbert Waters and the New England Historic Genealogical Society)



Curtis, Harlow, Dunham, A Genealogy of the Curtiss-Curtis Family of Stratford, Connecticut, a supplement to the 1903 edition, Curtiss-Curtis Society, 1953.



Curtiss, Frederic Haines, A genealogy of the Curtiss Family, Being a Record of the Descendants of Widow Elizabeth Curtiss, who Settled in Stratford, Connecticut 1639-40. Rockwell and Churchill Press, Boston, 1903



Cutter, William Richard, Historic Homes and Places and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Middlesex



Doster, Pat, “Descendants of William Curtiss,” Spalding Genealogy, www.spaldinggenealogy.com/Curtis%20Family.htm, 2005



Jacobus, Donald Lines, M.A. (editor), History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield, volume 1, 1930, reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Company, p. 704



Luckow, Chloie Hultine, “Descendants of John Curtis,” familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/l/u/c/Chloie-Luckow-WI/GENE1-0001.html, 2005



Orcutt, Rev. Samuel, A History of the Old Town of Stratford, and the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Fairfield County Historical Society, 1886. (Map p. 751)



Walker, S. Curtis, freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~walkersj/Curtis.htm, 2006

found on ancestry.com

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