| 2. | Richard Curtis, Sr. was born about 1734; died on 10 Nov 1784 in Cole's Creek, Natchez, Jefferson Co, Mississippi. Other Events and Attributes:
- Residence: 1775, Great PeeDee River, mouth of Black River, South Carolina
- Residence: 1780, Natchez, Mississippi
Notes:
Richard Curtis, Jr.
First Baptist Minister in Mississippi
Richard Curtis, Jr. was born in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, on May 20, 1756; son of Richard Curtis, Sr. and Phoebe, widow of William Jones.
Richard Curtis, Sr., and family (there was a stepson, John Jones, who married Anna, daughter of William Brown on 28 Jun 1768, and five sons and three daughters) resided in 1775 on the Great Pee Dee River, near the mouth of Black River, South Carolina, but came to the Natchez Country in 1780, where Richard Curtis, Sr. died near Cole's Creek on November 10, 1784.
Accompanying Richard Curtis, Sr. to the Natchez Country were 3 sons, a stepson (John Jones) and 2 sons-in-law, three of whom later became pioneer citizens of Amite County: (1) son Richard, Jr. and his wife Pattie; (2) Son William Curtis and his wife; (3) and daughter Hannah Curtis, wife of John Courtney.
Richard Curtis, Jr., who had been licensed as a Baptist Minister in South Carolina in 1778, began to preach throughout the Natchez Country but especially in the Salem Community near Cole's Creek. In 1795 he ran afoul of the Spanish authorities for preaching and officiating at the marriage of his niece, Phoebe Jones to David Greenleaf, and he was forced to return to South Carolina, where he was ordained in 1796. He returned to the Mississippi Territory in 1798, and as Moderator helped to organize in due and ancient form Salem Baptist Church on Cole's Creek in Jefferson County as a regular Baptist Church, the first in Mississippi.
On May 9, 1806, Rev. Richard Curtis, Jr., assisted by Rev. Thomas Mercer, Rev. James Courtney from South Carolina, Rev. Isaac Jackson from New Providence Baptist Church and Rev. Jonathan Curtis from Salem Baptist Church, constituted the Ebenezer Baptist Church on Beaver Creek in Amite County and was the first Pastor.
Among the charter members were Mary Curtis, and his brother-in-law, John Courtney, both with letters from Salem Baptist Church on Cole's Creek.
Mary Curtis (wife or daughter?) dismissed by letter on October 1, 1808.
Rev. Richard Curtis, Jr., was Pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Adams County, Mississippi (organized in 1800 and was the second Baptist Church in Mississippi), and a messenger to the Mississippi Baptist Association in 1808-1811.
Rev. Richard Curtis, Jr., was disallowed a claim of settlement on Beaver Creek in Amite County in 1802, because the land was not improved, but was granted 320 acres there in 1808. He is listed as a citizen of Amite County in the Census of 1805 and 1810. (A relative also named Richard Curtis is listed in the Census of 1810 and 1816.)
Rev. Richard Curtis, Jr. died of cancer on Beaver Creek in Amite County, Mississippi on October 28, 1811, and is buried in the yard of what was years later the residence of Dr. W. b. Kinnabrew, about 1/2 mile from Ebenezer Baptist Church, and there is a marble obelisk in the churchyard.
John Courtney, brother-in-law of Richard Curtis, Sr., was appointed delegate from Ebenezer Baptist Church of Amite County, Mississippi on January 31, 1807, to attend the organization meeting of the Mississippi Baptist Association at Cole's Creek Church.
He settled with his wife, Hannah Curtis, and 7 children on 666 acres on Beaver Creek, Section 30, Township 1 north, range 3 east in November, 1802.
Brother Benjamin Curtis, brother-in-law John Stampley, a Baptist Minister, and half brother John Jones and their families settled in the Cole's Creek area of the Mississippi Territory.
(The author of the above, who remains anonymous, inserted following note. jtd)
The second Baptist Church organized in Mississippi was located at the confluence of Big Bayou Pierre and Little Bayou Pierre in Claiborne County, Mississippi. This area is not in the city limits of Port Gibson, Mississippi.
The second Baptist Church in Mississippi was organized in 1798, in Claiborne County, Mississippi and was know as Bayou Pierre Baptist Church. It ceased to exist in 1825
.....Author is anonymous.
Submitted by Jeanne Truly Davis, January 2002.
http://jeffersoncountyms.org/bios.htm#curtis
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The Curtises, like the Willises, were originally from Virginia. Paxton wrote:
"The Curtises were known to be Marion men, and when not in active service, they were not permitted to enjoy the society of their families, but they were hunted like wild beasts from their hiding places in the swamps of Pedee." They were a thorn in the side of the British and their Tory neighbors."
Paxton continued,
"They left South Carolina in the spring of 1780 traveling by land to the northeastern corner of Tennessee. There they built three flat boats and when the Holston River reached sufficient depth toward the end of that year, they set out for the Natchez country of Mississippi by way of the Holston, Tennessee, Ohio, and Mississippi Rivers. Those mentioned above traveled on the first two boats; the names of those on the last boat are not known.
Those in the last boat had contracted smallpox and were required to travel a few hundred yards behind the other two boats.
Somewhere near the Clinch River, on a bend in the Tennessee River near the northwestern corner of Georgia, they were attacked by Cherokee Indians. The first two boats escaped, but the third boat was captured. The price paid for this attack was high, for the Indians contracted smallpox from them and many died."
Those on the first two boats continued on their voyage and landed safely at the mouth of Cole's creek about 18 miles above Natchez by land. Here in this part of the state they lived. They called Richard Curtis, Jr., who was licensed to preach in S. Carolina, as their preacher. He would later organize the first Baptist Church in Mississippi, in 1791, called Sa1em. As time passed the population increased. Some were Baptists such as William Chaney from South Carolina and his son Bailey. A preacher from Georgia by the name of Harigail also arrived here and zealously denounced the ?corruptions of Romanism.? This, along with the conversion of a Spanish Catholic by the name of Stephen d'Alvoy, brought the wrath
of the Spanish authorities. To make an example of d'Alvoy and Curtis, they decided to arrest them and send them to the silver mines in Mexico. Warned of this plan, d'Alvoy and Curtis and a man by the name of Bill Hamberlin fled to South Carolina, arriving in the fall of 1795. Harigail also escaped and fled this area."
Paxton said that the country between Mississippi and South Carolina was "then infested by hostile Indians." It is for this reason and others, I believe, that Curtis brought Joseph Willis with him when he returned to Mississippi in 1798, and the fact that Joseph was a licensed Baptist
preacher and Curtis was an ordained Baptist preacher. Curtis also knew well Joseph Willis? courage under fire since both were Marion men in the Revolutionary War.
After the trip with Curtis to Mississippi in 1798, Joseph returned to South Carolina for his family and to sell his property. As mentioned before, he sold all of his real estate to William Thurston in August of 1799,
indicating his preparation to depart South Carolina.
http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/evangeline/bios/willis.txt
Residence:
http://www.libertychapelcemetery.org/files/family/travel.html.
.
Early Migration Trails.
From the Pee Dee River Valley, NC
to Cole's Creek and Curtis Landing The pioneers to the new "Natchez Country" would leave the Pee Dee River area of SC/NC and travel about 200 miles using pack-horses to the Holston RIver in northeastern Tennessee. They traveled via the South Carolina State Road (North) on the Warriors Path. They continued on the Catawba Trail to the Wilderness Road Fort near Kingsport, Tennessee. (Some of the present day towns and cities they would pass through were: Cheraws, SC; Wadesboro, NC; New Salem, NC; Lenoir, NC; Blowing Rock, NC; Boone, NC; Hampton, TN; Johnson City, TN; and Kingsport, TN. The automobile driving distance today would be over 250 miles.).
At the Wilderness Road Fort they secured/built flat boats. The flat boats were sturdy with one end enclosed for protection from the elements. The flat boat had to be designed to allow for the women, children, food, bedding and household items. They had to transport a milk cow, chickens, horses, hunting dogs and farm implements. Once aboard the flat boats they followed the Holston River to the Tennessee River which they entered near Knoxville, TN. (They traveled near present day towns of Surgoinsville, TN; Chalk Level, TN: Cherokee Lake; Buffalo Springs, TN; and Mascot, TN).
Indian attacks were a frequent occurrence. The pioneers always had to be prepared. The women often steered the boats while the men fought the Indians. Some used chairs as shields, holding against their chests as protection from the Indian arrows. Following the Tennessee River they reached the Ohio River near Paducah, KY. (On this leg they traveled near present day towns of Dayton, TN; Chattanooga, TN; Scottsboro, AL; Guntersville, AL; Decatur, AL; Florence, AL; Savannah,TN; Perryville, TN; Sycamore Landing, TN; Eva, TN; Aurora, KY; and Lake City, KY) From Paducah the flat boats floated down the Ohio River where they entered the Mississippi near Cairo, IL. (This is near present day Metropolis, IL; and about 30 miles south of Cape Girardeau, MO)..
At Cairo, IL the flat boats embarked on the "mercy" of the mighty Mississippi River for the rest of the journey to the "Natchez Country." (They traveled near present day towns like Hayti, MO; Cathursville, MO; Heloise, TN; Osceloa, AR; Memphis, TN; Helena, AR; Rosedale, MS; Greenville, MS; Lake Providence, LA; and Vicksburg, MS) South of Rodney one group of pioneers steered the flat boats into Boyd's Creek (now Cole's Creek) for the 15 mile trip to Curtis Landing on the South Fork of Cole's Creek. Other pioneers continued on to Natchez or Wilkinson County steering their flat boats up St. Catherine's Creek, the Homochitto River or Buffalo River..
These pioneers had made a trip of approximately 1400 miles by flat boat on water. The total miles traveled by horse-pack and flat boat would be about 1650-1700 miles..
Upon arrival it was necessary to fell trees and build log houses quickly. Fields needed to be cleared and cultivated. The survival for the first year was dependent on the family's ability to fish and hunt. Squirrel, deer, ducks, and wild turkey were the family's fresh meat..
One of the pioneer families who had a British land grant in Jefferson County included James Cole who arrived October, 1772 with the paperwork finalized in 1776. Richard Curtis who arrived in 1780..
In 1779, an expedition under Don Bernardo de Galvez, Spanish governor of Louisiana Territory, captured the British Fort in Natchez. After the fall of the British at Baton Rouge, General Galvez negotiated the surrender of the English Fort Panmure in Natchez on September 21, 1779. The Spanish, with generous land grants, gave the residents opportunity to move to Opelousas Post in early 1780.
Residence:
http://www.libertychapelcemetery.org/files/family/travel.html.
.
Early Migration Trails.
From the Pee Dee River Valley, NC
to Cole's Creek and Curtis Landing The pioneers to the new "Natchez Country" would leave the Pee Dee River area of SC/NC and travel about 200 miles using pack-horses to the Holston RIver in northeastern Tennessee. They traveled via the South Carolina State Road (North) on the Warriors Path. They continued on the Catawba Trail to the Wilderness Road Fort near Kingsport, Tennessee. (Some of the present day towns and cities they would pass through were: Cheraws, SC; Wadesboro, NC; New Salem, NC; Lenoir, NC; Blowing Rock, NC; Boone, NC; Hampton, TN; Johnson City, TN; and Kingsport, TN. The automobile driving distance today would be over 250 miles.).
At the Wilderness Road Fort they secured/built flat boats. The flat boats were sturdy with one end enclosed for protection from the elements. The flat boat had to be designed to allow for the women, children, food, bedding and household items. They had to transport a milk cow, chickens, horses, hunting dogs and farm implements. Once aboard the flat boats they followed the Holston River to the Tennessee River which they entered near Knoxville, TN. (They traveled near present day towns of Surgoinsville, TN; Chalk Level, TN: Cherokee Lake; Buffalo Springs, TN; and Mascot, TN).
Indian attacks were a frequent occurrence. The pioneers always had to be prepared. The women often steered the boats while the men fought the Indians. Some used chairs as shields, holding against their chests as protection from the Indian arrows. Following the Tennessee River they reached the Ohio River near Paducah, KY. (On this leg they traveled near present day towns of Dayton, TN; Chattanooga, TN; Scottsboro, AL; Guntersville, AL; Decatur, AL; Florence, AL; Savannah,TN; Perryville, TN; Sycamore Landing, TN; Eva, TN; Aurora, KY; and Lake City, KY) From Paducah the flat boats floated down the Ohio River where they entered the Mississippi near Cairo, IL. (This is near present day Metropolis, IL; and about 30 miles south of Cape Girardeau, MO)..
At Cairo, IL the flat boats embarked on the "mercy" of the mighty Mississippi River for the rest of the journey to the "Natchez Country." (They traveled near present day towns like Hayti, MO; Cathursville, MO; Heloise, TN; Osceloa, AR; Memphis, TN; Helena, AR; Rosedale, MS; Greenville, MS; Lake Providence, LA; and Vicksburg, MS) South of Rodney one group of pioneers steered the flat boats into Boyd's Creek (now Cole's Creek) for the 15 mile trip to Curtis Landing on the South Fork of Cole's Creek. Other pioneers continued on to Natchez or Wilkinson County steering their flat boats up St. Catherine's Creek, the Homochitto River or Buffalo River..
These pioneers had made a trip of approximately 1400 miles by flat boat on water. The total miles traveled by horse-pack and flat boat would be about 1650-1700 miles..
Upon arrival it was necessary to fell trees and build log houses quickly. Fields needed to be cleared and cultivated. The survival for the first year was dependent on the family's ability to fish and hunt. Squirrel, deer, ducks, and wild turkey were the family's fresh meat..
One of the pioneer families who had a British land grant in Jefferson County included James Cole who arrived October, 1772 with the paperwork finalized in 1776. Richard Curtis who arrived in 1780..
In 1779, an expedition under Don Bernardo de Galvez, Spanish governor of Louisiana Territory, captured the British Fort in Natchez. After the fall of the British at Baton Rouge, General Galvez negotiated the surrender of the English Fort Panmure in Natchez on September 21, 1779. The Spanish, with generous land grants, gave the residents opportunity to move to Opelousas Post in early 1780.
Richard married Phoebe Courtney about 1750 in of, Craven Co, South Carolina. Phoebe (daughter of John Courtney and Hannah (..) Courtney) was born in 1700 in Prince Georges Co, Virginia; died in 1780 in Natchez District, Mississippi; was buried in 1780 in "Forty Hills," Natchez, Mississippi Territory. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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1764 - 1837 (73 years)