Thomas Wallace Curtis

Thomas Wallace Curtis (Wallace-Philander-Erastus) was born in Boone County IN August 16th, 1883. First-born child of Wallace Glen Curtis & Charlotte Blaine. Thomas married Bathsheba Gertrude "Dolla" Ruckman, daughter of Alice Josephine Clerk & David Ruckman. Their children were Earl Leonard, Josephine, and Fern. Earl & Jo were born in Boone Co. IN. and Fern was born in Madisonville, Hamilton Co. OH. Thomas worked as a carpenter and
traveled to Texas in 1910 to help build the town of Canadian, Texas. Josephine remembered living in a 3-sided shed, while her Dad worked. She remembered the cowboys, cattle drives, and Indians of the 1910 era in Texas. By 1914, the family had returned to Indiana as Thomas had developed kidney failure.

Thomas moved in with his parents in Lebanon, Boone Co. IN. and Dolla took the children to Indianapolis to live. She ran a grocery store, but Josephine said she gave so much credit that she didn't make any money. Thomas wrote letters telling of his diet restrictions, and fatigue as his illness worsened.

On April 10th, 1914, at the age of 30 years, Thomas Wallace Curtis died of kidney failure. He was buried in a child's grave with no stone in the Hopewell Cemetery, Clinton Twp., near Elizaville, Boone County Indiana.
 

Written & submitted by: Peggy Curtis Smith - March 30, 2007