Dear List, William Smith Curtis (b. 14 Nov 1823; d. 10 Jun 1894) married (1) Margaret J. Russell (b. 1822; d. 19 Aug 1858) on 29 Aug 1844 in LCT; (2) Narcissa F. Oliver (b. 10 Jan 1834; d. 20 Sep 1908) on 18 Oct 1858 in LCT. Goodspeed's "History of Tennessee" states that W. S. Curtis and Margaret "Bussell" had 5 children: Robert J., T. D., W. A., James M., and J. D. It also states: W. S. Curtis and "A." Oliver had 8 children: "Julia, wife of W. T. Woodward; C. L., E. S., C. M., F. J., A. L., J. H. and Alexander." The 1900 LCT census has that Narcissa A. Oliver had 8 children and 7 living. The 1850 Giles Co., TN Census: HH 1288-1288 Smith W. Curtis 26 M Tenn Margaret J. 26 F Tenn Robert J. 5 M Tenn SOPHRONA A. 3 F Tenn Thomas 1/12 M Tenn The 1860 LCT Census: HH 655-644 W. S. Curtis 34 M AL Narcissa 26 F Tenn John 15 M Tenn SAPHRONA 13 F Tenn Thomas 11 M Tenn William 8 M Tenn James 6 M Tenn Josiah 1 M Tenn 1870 LCT Census: HH 40-38 Curtis, W. S. 45 M Tenn N. F. 36 F Tenn Thos 23 M Tenn Wm 16 M Tenn James 14 M Tenn J. A. 10 F Tenn S. Lee 7 M Tenn E. 5 M Tenn Charles 4 M Tenn Frank 2 M Tenn SAM (?) 3/12 M Tenn 1880 LCT Census (Ancestry.com's transcription--not from original) William S. Curtiss 56 M AL GA NC Narcissa 46 F Wife TN TN TN Cyrus 17 M Son TN TN* TN Edward 15 M Son TN TN* TN Charley 14 M Son TN TN* TN Franklin 12 M Son TN TN* TN Albert 11 M Son TN TN* TN Henry 6 M Son TN TN* TN Alexander 3 M Son TN TN* TN * The transcription has father born in AL, but each child has that there father was born in TN. This may be an error by the transcriber. 1900 LCT Census: HH 148-150 Curtis N. F. F Jan 1835 65 TN NC TN Albert M Son 1876 24 TN NC TN Henry M Son Aug 1878 22 TN NC TN GEO. E. M Son Aug 1880 20 TN NC TN So based on the above Goodspeed's biography of W. S. Curtis, census records and other records (i.e., additional census records & cemetery records) we show the following children (birthdates; death dates) for William Smith Curtis: By 1st wife--Margaret J. Russell: 1) Robert John Curtis (b. 1 Jun 1845; d. 18 May 1928) 2) Saphrona A. Curtis (b. Abt. 1847) 3) Thomas D. Curtis (b. Abt. Apr 1850; d. 12 Apr 1918) 4) William A. Curtis (b. Abt. 1852) 5) James M. Curtis (b. Abt. 1854) 6) Josiah D. Curtis (b. Aug 1858) By 2nd wife--Narcissa F. Oliver: 1) Julia Ann Curtis (b. Oct 1860; d. 11 Apr 1912) 2) Cyrus Lee Curtis (b. Abt. 1863) 3) Edward S. Curtis (b. Abt. 1865) 4) Charles Mays Curtis (b. 4 Feb 1866; d. 1955) 5) Franklin J. Curtis (b. Abt. 1868) 6) >Albert L. Curtis (b. 1869 or 1876) >Sam Curtis (b. Feb 1870) 7 or 8) J. Henry Curtis (b. 16 Aug 1875; d. 25 Aug 1946) 8 or 9) Alexander Curtis (b. Abt. 1877) 9 or 10) George E. Curtis (b. Aug 1880) It's possible that Albert L. Curtis & Sam Curtis are really the same person (in spite of the 1876 birthdate in the 1900 LCT census record). Even if they are the same person we still have one extra child (Saphrona A. Curtis) for Margaret J. Russell; and one extra child (George E. Curtis) for Narcissa F. Oliver. Does anyone have additional information on this family that might clear up the discrepancy between Goodspeed's information and the census records? And the 1900 census record which has Narcissa F. Oliver as having 8 children (7 living) while 9 or 10 are listed from 1860-1900. James L. Danley Vista, CA jldanley@sbcglobal.net