Biography of Christian Curie, pages 904/905/906.  History of DeKalb 
County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, 1914.



Christian Curie



	The subject of this sketch has seen more than the allotted number 
of years, and has during the most part of that time engaged in active 
work on his farm, which has well repaid him and has been to him the 
source of much pleasure. He has always found much pleasure in farming 
and the cultivation of crops and caring for stock, and has found that 
they are as profitable in a monetary way as any occupation could well 
be expected to be.  In his life he has also gained for himself many 
friends, who have been attracted by his worth and capabilities.

	Christian Curie, who is number among the leading farmers of 
Spencer township, DeKalb county, Indiana, was born in the state of 
Ohio, on November 9, 1842, and is the son of Nicholas and Barbara 
(Klopfenstein) Curie, both of whom were native of France.  Nicholas 
Curie made the overland trip from Syracuse, New York to Wayne county, 
Ohio, of which he was one of the pioneer settlers, and there the family 
net with misfortune by the death of the mother of typhoid fever, four 
of the subject’s aunts also dying of the same disease at that time and 
all within twenty days. At that time there were no cemeteries in that 
part of the country and the bodies were all interred on a part of the 
farm which was set apart for that purpose.  There was no doctor in that 
county then, and no lumber to make coffins with, so they split out 
plank and fastened them together with wooden pins.   Only one man had 
any tools, he living about fifteen miles away, so they took the split 
plank to his place and there made the coffin.  To Nicholas and Barbara 
Curie were born the following children: Mrs. Barbara Crupt, deceased; 
Nicholas, who lives in Ohio; Peter and Jacob, deceased; Christian, the 
immediate subject of this sketch; John, deceased; Mrs. Lida Worth, 
deceased, and Joseph, who lives in Ohio.

	The subject of this sketch received his education in the common 
school, and in 1865 came to the Hoosier state, with which he has been 
identified continually since. For several years he was engaged in 
teaching school in Allen county and then moved on to a fine farm of one 
hundred acres in Spencer township, DeKalb county, which he now 
occupies. On this farm was located the first school established in 
DeKalb county, the teacher of which was Rev. Alton, who was paid by the 
patrons of the school helping him to cut the timber and clear apart of 
his land.  Mr. curie’s farm is well improved in every way and the soil 
is maintained at the highest point of fertility due to the careful 
management of Mr. Curie, who rotates the crops properly and otherwise 
conserves the original resources of the land as far as possible.  He 
raises a general line of crops and also gives attention to stock 
raising, in both of which lines he has met with most pronounced 
success.  He is now numbered among the substantial men of his 
community.

	Christian Curie was married on March 29, 1861, to Katherine 
Royer, the daughter of Gabriel and Annie (Conrad) Royer, natives of 
Pennsylvania.  To this union were born the following children: William, 
of St. Joe; Mrs. Laura Whaley, who lives in Kansas; Mrs. Amanda 
Klopfenstein, of Grabill, Allen county, Indiana; Mrs. Emma Skilling, of 
Baltimore, Maryland; Mrs. Orline Koch, of St. Joe; Morris of St. Joe, 
who was a member of Company K, One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Regiment 
Indiana National Guard; Frank, of St. Joe; Mrs. Maude Beanns of 
Spencerville, this county; Mrs. Annie Henderson, who lives in Michigan; 
Gover, who lives in St. Joe and who, for four years, was in the United 
States navy, being assigned to the battle ship “Iowa,” where he 
acquired a reputation as the best marksman,  having secured first prize 
for first enlistment men.  He handled heavy ordnance, including twelve-
inch guns.

	Politically, Mr. Curie is a stanch Democrat and in his church 
relations is a member of the Brethren church.  He is a man of fine 
personal qualities, genial disposition and enjoys the confidence of all 
who know him.



Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@cltnet.com