Alameda County
Biographies
JOHN CURTIS
Through a patient, persevering effort, John Curtis has won a success as a rancher in Alameda county, being now located upon the property of one hundred and sixteen acres two and a half miles southwest of San Leandro, which passed into his possession in 1902. Previous to his purchase of the same he had rented the land and engaged in general farming, raising principally hay, grain and vegetables, and with the accumulation of sufficient funds he chose to own the place where he had made his home for so many years.
Born in county Meath, Ireland, Mr. Curtis was the son of William and Ann (Fay) Curtis, both natives of the Emerald Isle, where they lived and died. There were three children in the family, John Curtis being but four years old when his father died. He received a limited education in the common schools of the country, and on attaining a sufficient age decided to immigrate to the western world. Accordingly, January 1, 1857, he took passage for New York City where he remained about three months, coming thence to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama and arriving May 29 of the same year. His first employment was at Berkeley and later at San Leandro he was engaged for some time. In the fall of 1859 he went to Oregon and near Portland and Oregon City worked on a farm for five months. He then returned to California and worked for a time in Santa Clara, when he once more located at San Leandro, where he engaged in farming.
In
Oakland Mr. Curtis married Ellen Leonard, a native of Ireland, and born of this
union were eight children, of whom one son and five daughters are living. Mr. Curtis is a member of the Catholic Church
and a Democrat in his political affiliations.
Transcribed
10-31-16 Marilyn
R. Pankey.
ญญญญSource: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Page 1367. The Chapman Publishing
Co., Chicago, 1904.
ฉ 2016 Marilyn R. Pankey.
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