HUSBAND

John Curtis

CHILDREN

1. John Curtis

2. William Curtiss

3. Thomas Curtis

Elizabeth Hutchins
by Susan Brooke
Jun 2024

Based on the ages of her children, Elizabeth was born about 1577.  An Elizabeth Hutchins married a John Curtyce in Nazeing on 19 Apr 1610 (1) and it is presumed this is the widow of Elizabeth Curtiss who wrote her will in 1685 in Fairfield, CT. They came to America about 1639 and settled in Wethersfield, CT where her husband died.  After the death of her husband, Elizabeth Curtis with her three sons went to Stratford, Connecticut when the town was first founded.  "Widow Curtiss", first appears on these records, in a list of property about 1650 with her two sons, John and William.  (2) Her will was proved on 4 Nov 1658 in Fairfield, CT naming her three sons. (3)

Sources

(1)   Baptisms and marriages from the Nazeing Register

(2)  A Genealogy of the Curtiss Family by Frederic Haines Curtiss, 1903
"On 16 October 1632, the Court Roll of the Manor of Nazing shows that "William Searle and Elizabeth his wife surrendered land into the hand of the lord of the Manor of Nazing, by the Rod, according to the custom of the said Manor by the hands of John Curtys and Richard Campe, customary tenants."  This meant that John Curtis and Richard Campe had the privilege of obtaining the land if they wanted it, but John Curtis did not take it.
John is last of record in England in 1637, when he appears as taxed 6 shillings in the Ship Money list at Nazeing.  Assessed at the same time and place was his brother Gabriell Curtiss, assessed two shillings; also John's first cousin George Curtis, assessed three shillings; also John Hutchin, assessed 12 shillings; and Thomas Hutchin, John Curtis also sat as a juror in the manorial court of Nazing in 1637.
Apparently his eldest son John was sent to New England in advance, for a John Curtis, aged 21, embarked in the "Safety" 10 August 1635.  By 1639 the rest of the family followed and settled in Roxbury, MA where john's nephew William was already living.  "John Corteis" appears on the list of inhabitants of Roxbury 1639, having 15 acres of land and five persons in his family, which would be himself, his wife, and their three sons.  No further mention of the family is found at Roxbury.
In 1639 a John Curtis was a resident of Wethersfield, CT, owning a home lot on "the North Road to the Great Meadow."  The property is also described as "East side of High Street, opposite the Common and North of the house lot of Robert Bates." Parke says that Sherman Adams thought this was son John, but had much misinformation about him.  Mr. Hoppin thought it was the elder John and that he died in Wethersfield.  Certainly John Curtiss Sr. died early in or shortly after 1640."

(3) Will proved at Fairfield, Connecticut on November 4, 1658

The Last Will and Testament of Elizabeth Curtiss,-- being weak yeat perfect in her minde as is..
Imprimis.  Unto her two Sonns, John Curtiss and William doe give my Mare and Coalt.
It.  Unto John Curtiss & Jonathan Curtiss ye Sonnes of my Sonnes, John & William my Grandchildren I doe give the coalt that my young Mare hath.  And after the sayd young mare hath up her first coalt, Then I doe give ye sayd young mare to the Rest of my grandchildren, Sonns and Daughters of my aforelf Sonns John & William.
It.  I doe give one house and Lott to my grandchildren, John Curtiss & Israel & Jonathan & Sarah Curtiss ye children of ye said John & William.  And they to enjoy it when they come to ye age of twenty.
It.  I doe give unto my Granchilde Mary Curtiss ye daughter of Thomas Curtiss forty shillings & to bee paid unto her by my sonns John & William within a yeare after my decease.
It.  I doe give unto my Sonns John & William Curtiss my two cowss, one hiefer, one bullock and a calf after my decsas: provided yt if my sayd young mare before given to my Grandchildren should miscarry.  Then my Will is if my two sonns John and William Curtiss should give foure pounds each of them to there Children yt have no share in my house and Lott to be paid att ye Age of twentie.
It.  I doe give my Bible to John Curtiss my granchilde the Sonn of John Curtiss allso my desire is yt there be so much of my Corn sould as my buy a bible for Jonathan Curtiss ye Sonn of my sonn William and given to him.
The Rest of my goods Within ye house that re moveable goods I doe give to me Sonns John & William Curtiss to be equally divided betwixt them.
My two Sonns John Curtiss & William Curtiss I doe make executors; my will is yt John Burdseye, Henry Wakelyn and Joseph Hawly shal bee overseers of this my Last Will and Testament.
Elizabeth Curtiss
in ye presence of John Brimsmaid, John Washborn,  This will is proved by John Curtiss and William Curtiss to bee ye Last Will and Testament of Elizabeth Curtiss of Stratford.  And court ye approves of it, it being attested to 4th: 4th (58) John Minor

(4) Memorial Stone in Old Congregational Burying Ground Stratford, Fairfield  CT

In/ Sacred Memory/ of/ John & Elizabeth/ Hutchins Curtiss/ M. 19 Apr 1610 Nazeing Eng./ Arrived Roxbury, Mass./ about 1637/ John Bapt. 1577 D. 1639/ Widow Curtiss, Sons/ John, William and Thomas/ Settled Stratford 1639/ She died/ June 1658 Stratford, Ct.