HISTORY OF THE MC CURDY FAMILY
In 1917 Elmer Dellwood Ellsworth McCurdy published his “Historical Geneology [sic] of the McCurdy Family”. The book was most comprehensive and a remarkable piece of work considering the time at which it was compiled. Understandably there are some major errors in some family lines since a great deal of the information is based upon 3rd hand accounts of what elderly McCurdys remembered of the facts. Some of the timescales are “out” by as much as 100 years but there is still just enough semblance of overall truth to make the publication worthy of mention.
The book is split into two parts the first deals with the Antrim McCurdy families who moved to the Americas VERY early. In general these families are well researched and is fairly accurate.
Early in the 1900’s (about 1909) Elmer must have made a trip back to Ireland. He visited Rathlin and provides tantalizingly part-accurate lineages for Rathlin families. There can be no doubt that he actually visited Rathlin and that many of the McCurdy families he mentions are, at least, partially factual. Unfortunately this part of the book has too many glaring errors to be considered even a secondary source.
The extract of Part Two was cut and pasted from Patricia McCurdy Townsend’s site. I would like to clear up the errors, particularly for the Rathlin Island McCurdys who subsequently moved to America. The transcript follows with proven data in Blue, unproven in Green, annotations and comments in Red where I hope some people may be able to help.
If anyone can help to clear up these lines I’d be very grateful.
Historical Geneology [sic] of the McCurdy Family – Part Two
Daniel McCurdy’s Family
Daniel McCurdy, the youngest son of Pethrick McCurdy’s was born near Ballintoy, County Antrim, Ireland in 1677. he married Margaret Laughlin and located on Rathlin Island six miles north of the north coast of Ireland. Six children were born to them:
Patrick; Daniel; Neil; Margaret; James; Cecelia.
(Daniel and Margaret Laughlin are often quoted as being the progenitors of all Rathlin McCurdy’s but there were McCurdys recorded on the Island before Daniel’s birth)
Patrick McCurdy (son of Daniel and Margaret) was born in Rathlin, Ireland in 1700. He married his cousin Mary Laughlin and they had five children: Archibald; John; Neil; Daniel; Lucretia.
John McCurdy (son of Patrick and Margaret) was born in 1735 and married Margaret Black and they had two children:
John; Cecelia. Cecelia married John McCurdy, the son of Neil and Jane McCurdy and had one son, John. John went to America with his cousin, Neil and after living in New York and Georgia, finally located in Richmond, Virginia where both went into business together. John died in New York while on a business trip to that city.
(The dates of all the following families are MILES out. Charles McCurdy who married Margaret Black did have five children, however, they were born between 1796 and 1820 on Rathlin. Which would mean that Charles was born about 1776 at the latest (I think 1773) which would mean that Daniel, the supposed father below would have been born closer to 1750 not 1795.)
Daniel McCurdy (this Daniel can’t be Daniel and Margaret’s, the father would have been 118 at the time of his birth. He can’t even be the son of Patrick and Mary Laughlin, Patrick would have been 95 at the time of his birth, Rathliners are healthy – NOT Miraculous! I think it’s meant to be a son of John, above, who married Cecilia McCurdy) was born about 1795 (I reckon about 1750). He married Catherine Black and they had two sons:
Archibald; Charles.
Charles (son of Daniel and Catherine but I think John and Margaret Black) was born in Ireland (about 1773) and married Margaret Black and they had five children born to them:
Neil; Alexander; Daniel; Margaret; Mary. Nothing is known of these children except Neil (Born abt 1820) who married Jane Wilkinson and had a son, John. Daughters: Amanda 1850, Mary Jane 1854 – 1861, Catherine 1859 – 1901 married James P. Smith no surviving issue.
John N., (Born abt 1854) who married Eliza Lynch, lives in Lubec, Maine (John N. was Neil’s son but he married a Catherine and had a son called Henry by 1880. It is possible that Henry was, in fact, his sister Catherine’s son, she later moved to Lowell, Mass where she married James P. Smith in 1886
(Three Charles McCurdy’s were born around the same time on Rathlin. One moved to Campbeltown, Scotland, and married Mary Margaret McMath, another Charles was the son of Francis and another who moved to Maine, USA, was the son of John McCurdy and Margaret Black this last Charles is well documented having died in Lubec, Maine aged 103 [the oldest Rathlin Islander yet found]. Although Elmer didn’t know about the rest of the children the directory has spouses for all and families for some)
Archibald McCurdy, the son of Daniel (and Catherine Black) and the grandson of John and Cecelia (McCurdy) McCurdy married a Miss McQuaid (McCuaig?) in Rathlin and his son Patrick married Margaret McCurdy and came to America and located in St. John, New Brunswick. About 1843 he removed to Lubec, Maine and later to Lawrence, Kansas. Their children were:
Elizabeth 1825; John 1829; Alexander 1831; Margaret 1832; Jane 1834; Peter A. 1841; James Thomas 1837; Daniel 1844; Mary.
(Earlier Elmer states that John and Cecilia (McCurdy) McCurdy only had one son, John. There is, however, basis in fact for this and some of the following families. A Peter McCurdy born about 1802 married Margaret McCurdy (daughter of Charles and Margaret Black) and produced a number of children, most of the family were in the Boot and Shoe trade).
John P. McCurdy (son of Peter/Patrick and Margaret, born 1829, died Trescott 1872) married Mary Morrison (died Trescott 1905) and they had five children:
Peter J born 1859, died unmarried;
Mary born 1861;
James T. born 1863 married Elizabeth Murray but had no children;
Margaret born 1865;
John P. born 1867 married Katherine Durgan and had four sons:George; Arthur; Warren; James.
(John and Mary’s son, Peter J, was staying with uncle James in 1880 but can’t see the rest of the family, they were in Trescott in 1870)
Mary Ann Justine McCurdy (daughter of John P and Margaret Morrison) married a Michael G. Wallace and lives in Chicago. Their children are: Florence K.; Ivern (Irene); Harold Michael; Albert Joseph; Mary (Marion).
James Thomes McCurdy (son John P and Margaret Morrison) married Bridget Murphy and had six children:
John J (I. L.). married a Miss McBride and lives in Lincoln, Nebraska;
Margaret M. died unmarried;
James Thomas. Jr.;
Catherine C.;
Mary B.;
Agnes Honore.
The latter four lives in Good Pasture, Colorado.
(James was born on Rathlin in 1836 [gives Maine as birthplace on census], married Bridget Murphy. They produced: John I. L. born 1876, Margaret M born 1877 James T. born 1879 in 1880 they were living 2nd Ward, Lawrence, Douglas, Kansas with widowed father Peter born Rathlin 1802 and a nephew, Peter son of John. In 1900 they were living in Pueblo, Colorado).
Catherine McCurdy (daughter of Peter/Patrick and Margaret) married John Carr and lives in Chicago. They have no children.
Peter A. McCurdy (son of Peter/Patrick and Margaret) married Ellen Mahar and located in Pueblo, Colorado where both died. Their children were:
Andrew (died before 1880);
Helen (born 1879);
Peter (born 1877).
Andrew and Helen lives in Lawrence, Kansas and Peter lives in Cripple Creek, Colorado.
(Peter would have been born abt 1838 but gives his birth place as Maine in the 1880 census when they were living 2nd Ward, Lawrence, Douglas, Kansas)
Daniel McCurdy (son of Peter/Patrick and Margaret) married Mary Thayer in Boston, Massachusetts but they had no children. His wife died and he married again but without issue.
John McCurdy, the only son of John and Mary (Black) was born in 1750 (1739 see below). He married Mary Fox, a lady in England but located in Ireland. They had four children:
James; John; Hugh; Mary. The latter two died unmarried in Rathlin, Ireland. Have not sorted out these lines for the directory yet.
The African Branches
James McCurdy was born in 1774. He, with his brother John (born abt 1779) were in the Coast Guards of Ireland. (For John’s descendants see page –.) James went to Mauritius Island where he located. In a letter from James McCurdy of Mauritius in 1909, he says, ” My grandfather, James McCurdy was born in Ireland in 1774. He and his brother John joined the British Army when young men. They were sent to Cape of Good Hope in 1801. John was left on the Guinea Coast in Africa in a fort and James was sent with Gen. Willoughby into the Indian Ocean. On the third of December 1801, Mauritius being in the possession of the French, Gen. Charles de- Cear, (Charles Mathieu Isidore, comte Decaen) the last French governor, surrendered the island to Gen. Willoughby. M. McCurdy remained in the island and in 1822 he married Maria la Touilee, a great-granddaughter of Gen. Duisngnet la Touliee [sic] (his name was Duronguet le Toullec), the first French governor of the island. My grandfather had three children: Thomas; James; Leila. Thomas married Eliza Nelson and they had six children: Annett; Gladys; Marie; Peter; Mary; Treophey. They are all dead but Leila who married Pierre Mil-martin and has six children. My father, James McCurdy, was born in 1827. He married Marie Moroto and they had five children: Hazel; Marie; John; Elizabeth; James. He died in 1890. Hazel, John and Marie died. I was born in 1849. I married Nellie Nelson and have three daughters: Mary; Gladys; Miley. I am a farmer by occupation. I own a large farm in the district of Pamplemouses, raising principally sugar cane, aloe fibre; oranges, coffee and coconuts. I have relatives in South Africa but I have never seen them.”
UPDATE JULY 2022
Application for Membership into Sons of the Revolution:
This application seems to shows that John McCurdy and Mary Fox’s didn’t remain in Ireland. And that John McCurdy fought in the American War of Independence. I have my doubts. I have been in contact with South African descendants of John McCurdy and I’m positive that he remained in South Africa.
Archibald McCurdy’s Branch
Archibald McCurdy, the son of Patrick and Mary (Laughlin) was born about 1722. He married Mary Morrison and they had a son Archibald who married Mary Black and located in Ballintoy, Ireland. They had three children:
Neil; Mary; Elizabeth.
Neil McCurdy (son of Archibald and Mary) was born in 1785 and died in 1869. Neil came to this country with his cousin, John McCurdy and both went into business together in Richmond, Virginia. John died in New York City. Neil married Teresa (Frances E.) Williams of Richmond and they had five children:
Mary Elizabeth; Archibald; John H.; Thomas Burnette; Peter.
Mary E. McCurdy – d/o Neil and Teresa (Williams) was born in 1825 and married Edwin A. Smith and had eight children:
Herbert who died in San Francisco;
Frank L. died unmarried;
Mary;
Lillie S.;
Mattie died;
Elizabeth;
Nellie who married H. D. Wilkinson and has two children: Frank and Marie.Archibald McCurdy – s/o Neil and Teresa (actually Frances E. Williams) was born in 1829 and died in 1868. He married Fannie Elizabeth Brown born 1833 and they had three (Four) children:
Catherine born 1855;
Neal 1857 – 1862;
Richard born 1867;
Hugh A born 1860. Hugh married Margaret Stratton and has one child, Ethel, who married P. B. Bostic and has a daughter Margaret. They live in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Hugh is in the real estate business in Richmond.
(Fanny E. McCurdy 44 widow, Kate 25, Hugh 20 and Richard 13 were living in Richmond, Henrico, Virginia in 1880)
John H McCurdy – s/o Neil and Teresa (Frances E.) (Williams) was born in 1832 and died unmarried.
Thomas McCurdy – s/o Neil and Teresa (Frances E.) (Williams) was born in 1835. He married Martha Winslow and they had three children:
Dr. Neil Augustus McCurdy (born abt. 1872), who married Virgil (Virginia Farragut) Newton and has four children:
Newton Farragut; George M.; Neil Augustus; Virginia Loyal.;
Carrie W. McCurdy – d/o Thomas and Martha (Winslow) married George P. Rutledge and lives in Philadelphia and has three girls:
Frances; Pauline; Carrie.
Paul H. McCurdy died young. (1877 – 1910)
Peter McCurdy – s/o Neil and Teresa (Williams) was born in 1838 . He married Frances (Virginia) McCurdy and had two children:
Robert N. and
Fannie, who married John Summerfield Talman.
(A Peter and his son Neil is staying with father-in-law Robert McCurdy at Harrison, Charles City, Virginia, Robert’s daughter was Virginia (Jennie) not Francis)
Mary McCurdy – d/o Archibald and Mary (Black) was born in Ballintoy, Ireland in 1787. She married Daniel McCurdy and they had a son
Neil who married Mabel Black. They had children among whom were
Esther and Annie.
Esther married Donald McCurdy, the son of Alexander and the grandson of Samuel, he the grandson of James and Jerush McCurdy.
Alexander McCurdy married Peggy Weir and had five children:
Donald; Angus; John; Belle; Rose.
The children of Donald’s (and Esther McCurdy) were: Alexander; Donald; Agnes; John; Neil; Mary; Betty; Margaret. The first three died unmarried.
Neil (son of Donald and Esther) came to New York and married Kate Gallagher and had four children:
Edward;
Daniel;
Mary;
Margaret.Mary (daughter of Donald and Esther) married Patrick McKinley and they had five children:
Patrick; Alexander is dead; Daniel; James; John. All are living in Rathlin.
(These lines are correct up to a point, however, there must to have been two lots of Donald/Daniel McCurdys who married Esther McCurdys producing children with nearly identical names! Neil McCurdy (of Rathlin), son of Donald and Esther, who married Kate Gallacher, actually in Dumbarton, Scotland, later moved to America, the problem is that Neil, who married Kate was born in 1845 but had an elder brother, John, who was born in 1837. This would suggest that Donald McCurdy, and probably Esther would both have been born before 1817 far too early to have Alexander and Peggy or Neil and Mabel as parents.)
Belle McCurdy – d/o Alexander and Peggy (Weir) married John McCurdy and they had two (actually three) children:
Mary Ann b. 1874,
Esther Ann b. 1880 and
John b. 1884.Esther married Joseph McQuilken and has four children:
Belle; Esther; Mary; John; all living in Rathlin Island. (they went on to have another four including Margaret [Peggy] wife of Alex Morrison)
(Belle McCurdy was born in 1854 and had a younger sister, Rose, the mother, Peggy, can’t have been more than, say, 44, at the age of the last born, this would suggest that Peggy Weir was born, probably, after 1810 but I’m having serious doubts about this family having any links to Rathlin apart from the fact that Belle McCurdy’s daughter, Esther married Joseph McQuilkin.)
Descendants of Neil McCurdy
Neil McCurdy, the son of Patrick, was born in 1726. He married Jane, the daughter of Andrew and Mary (McGill) McCurdy and they had four sons:
Archibald; Neil; John; Samuel.
Archibald McCurdy (s/o Neil & Jane) was born about 1758. He married Mary McCurdy and among their children were:
Peter;
Daniel;
Elizabeth.Daniel was born in 1802 (1818) and married Ellen Chambers (1822) and they had two (Three) sons:
Emma b. 1845 Mass.
Daniel Edward. born 1847 at Port of Spain; and
William H. 1849 Mass
George L. born in Charlestown, Massachusetts. They both live in Chicago.
(2 other children didn’t reach adulthood)
(Ellen, born Ireland abt 1822, was widowed by 1865. Daniel E. born about 1848 in the West Indies and was single, they were living in Suffolk County, Boston)
Neil McCurdy (s/o Neil & Jane) was born in 1760. He married Jane Black and they had three sons:
James; Daniel; John.
James (s/o Neil & Jane) married Elizabeth Black and his son John married Katherine Black and they had five children: James B.; John L.; Daniel; Neil; Jane. James and John, unmarried, lives at Lubec, Maine. Jane married Duncan McCurdy and had four children: Mary; Ann; Daniel; James. The latter married Cassie Black but has no children.
(These lines are very mixed up! I have a James McCurdy marrying an Elizabeth Black who had a son, Laughlan J. in 1824 who married a Margaret McQuilkin (Wilkinson) both died in Lubec, Maine. But the John who married Katherine Black had Archibald and Margaret (McCurdy) McCurdy as parents)
Descendants of Daniel McCurdy (Very mixed up but a lot is factual)
Daniel McCurdy, the youngest son of Patrick’s (and Mary Laughlin) was born in 1730. He married Mary Butler and they had six children.
1. John the eldest son, was born in 1767 (1750). He married Margaret Black and they had five (I think seven) children:
Charles: Dennis (Daniel); John G.; James S.; Laughlin (I can’t find evidence for him); Margaret; Katherine; Mary.
James McCurdy (s/o John & Margaret) was born in 1797. He married Mary Morrison and they had five children:
John W.;
Laughlin;
Katherine;
Margaret;
Mary.John W. McCurdy (s/o James & Mary) was born in 1834. He married Katherine Lynch and has seven children:
Katherine A. born in 1872; Margaret A. born in 1874, married Jerry Crowley;
Mary F. born in 1876; Laughlin T. and Annie, twins, born in 1878,Annie married John Morrison and has one son, Linus;
John F. born in 1880; Frank born in 1884.
Laughlin L. McCurdy (Actually Laughlin J.) (s/o James & Mary) was born in 1837. He died, unmarried in Lubec, Maine in 1909. (In 1880 the only unmarried Laughlin in America of the correct age was was living with an unmarried brother, James A., in Maine, However the mother, Margaret, born in Ireland about 1805, was also there. This Laughlin may have got confused with the son of John G and Margaret)
Katherine McCurdy (d/o James & Mary) was born in 1838. She married Edward Gargan but has no children.
Margaret McCurdy (d/o James & Mary) married Philip Carney and had five children:
James, born and died in 1872;
John born 1874;
Mary born 1877;
Katherine born in 1878;
Philip born 1880.John Carney married Yvonne Des Rosiers and has seven children:
Harold P.;
John L.;
Charles W.;
James;
Margaret;
Ruth;
Frank.
The family lives in Worcester, Massachusetts.Mary A. McCurdy (d/o James & Mary) was born in 1843 and died unmarried. (I think she married Archibald J. Black and had at least three child by 1881)
2. Laughlin McCurdy (later Laughlin son of Daniel and Mary Butler is said to have married Nancy Wilkinson, this is correct, however this Laughlin must be son of John and Margaret Black?) was born in 1810. He married Mary McCurdy (born 1803) and they had five children: (annotation is irregular so hard to follow)
John; Samuel; Mary; Margaret; James. John McCurdy.
John (son of Laughlin and Mary) McCurdy was born in 1836. He married Ann Feeley and they had six (actually 7) children as follows:
Margaret born about 1856 died young
John born 1859 married Lydia? McLaughlin and they had:
Albert; John; Annie; three others; (Mary, Lena and Francis E.)
Mary born 1860 married Sylvanus Bonus and had:
William John; Annie; Sylvester; George; Charles; Sylvanus. They live in Providence, Rhode Island;
Margaret born 1864 and
Katherine born 1865, both died young;
Thomas born abt 1865
James born 1867 married twice, his first wife died then he married Jennie Peg and has one child,
Irving;
Samuel McCurdy (son of Laughlin and Mary) was born in 1838. He married Mary Kelly but they have no children.
Mary McCurdy (daughter of Laughlin and Mary) was born 1840. (1845) She married David Harrington and has one daughter,
Nellie, who is married and lives in Medford, Massachusetts.
Margaret McCurdy (daughter of Laughlin and Mary) was born in 1842. She married Patrick Murphy and has three children:
Margaret; John; Mary.
3. Margaret McCurdy (daughter of John and Margaret Black?) was born in 1801 (1794). She married Patrick McCurdy, the son of Archibald McCurdy; their descendants are on page –.
4. Katherine McCurdy (daughter of John and Margaret Black?) was born in 1803. She married Alexander Fraser and they had five children:
James; Margaret; Alexander; John; Sarah.
James Fraser married Katherine Desmond and their children were:
John; Mary; James; Agnes; Johanna; Sarah; Alexander; Margaret.
Margaret Fraser married —- Hibbard. Her second husband was — – O’Keefe.
Sarah Fraser married Onan Rice.
5. Mary McCurdy (daughter of John and Margaret Black?) was born in 1805 and died young.
The descendants of Alexander McCurdy and John McCurdy, the two youngest sons of Daniel and Mary (Butler) McCurdy are unknown.
DESCENDANTS OF LAUGHLIN MC CURDY
Laughlin McCurdy, the second son of Daniel and Mary (Butler) McCurdy was born in 1769. He married Nancy Wilkinson (McQuilkin) in Rathlin and they had fourteen children (I’ve only managed to verify Alexander, Laughlin, Daniel, and possibly Margaret):
Alexander; Laughlin; Neil; John; Katherine; Daniel; Nancy; Annie; Margaret; Mary; Rose; and three died in infancy.
Alexander McCurdy (son of Laughlin and Nancy) was born in 1795. He married Cecelia McCurdy and they had two children:
John born in 1832 (1825); (married Elizabeth Christie)
Mary born 1834.John McCurdy (born abt. 1824) married a Miss Christy (born abt 1820) and their only son, Michael, born 1857 (1845), married Nancy Horan (born, Maine 1847) and they have four children:
Mary; Ellen; Margaret; Cecelia.
They live in Lubec, Maine. (All are still living in Lubec in 1880, not Cecilia but Ann. John A. McCurdy married Elizabeth Christie)Laughlin McCurdy (son of Laughlin and Nancy) was born in 1798 (b. 1810). He married Margaret Laman (Lamont b. 1812) and they had eight children: (I can only verify 6)
Daniel; Alexander; John; Dennis; Kate; Mary; Jennie; Annie. The latter four died unmarried.
Daniel was born in 18– (b. 1833) and married Nora Connor (Cannon) and has four (actually 5, Alex, John E., Theresa, Alice and Albert) children.
Alexander was killed.
John married Bridget Woods and has five children:Annie; Margaret; Thomas; Katherine; Bridget.
They live in San Francisco, California.Margaret (daughter of Laughlin and Nancy) was born in 1810 and married Neil Black and they had five children:
Rose; Nancy; Mary (Sarah); Laughlin; Neil.
Mary (daughter of Laughlin and Nancy) was born in 1812 and married Patrick Shields.
Daniel (son of Laughlin and Nancy) was born in 1815 (1811) and married Margaret Black and they had three children:
John; Mary; Ann.
John and Ann are unmarried and live in Lubec, Maine. Mary (d/o Daniel & Margaret) married —- Ahern but soon died, in 1875, without issue.
Neil McCurdy (son of Laughlin and Nancy) was born in 18–. He married in Ireland but his descendants are unknown.
James McCurdy, the third son of Daniel and Mary (Butler) was born in 1770. He lived to be quite old but never married.
Don’t know who the parents of the following two are meant to be, James (above) Margaret and Katherine (below) seem to be completely out of sequence.
Margaret McCurdy (daughter of Laughlin and Nancy?) was born in 1772. She married Archibald McCurdy, the son of John and Cecelia. Their descendants are found on page — (I have Margaret born in 1794 and Archibald in 1785. They died and are buried in Pembroke, Maine with ages on the headstones. Earlier, Elmer says that Archibald, grandson of John and Cecelia married a Miss McQuaid after having said that John and Cecilia only had one son. I think that Margaret was actually the daughter of John McCurdy and Margaret Black).
Katherine McCurdy (daughter of Laughlin and Nancy) married —- Black and her sister Rose (daughter of Daniel and Mary Butler?) married Edward Horan in Rathlin but their descendants are not given. (I think that this is another daughter of John McCurdy and Margaret Black).
DESCENDANTS OF JAMES MC CURDY
James McCurdy, the youngest son of Daniel and Margaret (Laughlin) was born about 1706. He married Polly Cook and came to America, probably about 1720. He first located on James River, Virginia but about 1730 he removed to Pennsylvania. He had four sons: Archibald; James; Hugh; Robert.
Archibald died in 1795. He married Hannah Watson and they had four children: Archibald, Jr. who married and had issue of daughters; John A.; James W.; Mary, who married a Thompson.
John Adams McCurdy (s/o Archibald & Hannah) removed to Virginia in 1840. He married Jane Brisben and had three (Eight) children: James died unmarried in 1895 (1864); Franklin died in Mexico; Sarah (Hannah); Matilda
James W. McCurdy (s/o Archibald & Hannah) (born abt 1780 in Pa.) married Agnes Waggoner (b. abt 1787) and had five children: William married and had one son, James W. who went to California and died there in 1890, unmarried; John died in 1881, he had two daughters, Mary A. and Eleanor. He owned the “Mountain View House” near Charlestown, West Virginia; Charles W. (b. 1822) died in 1871. His only daughter, Elizabeth (b. 1826) married Major J. H. Kelley but had no children.
James McCurdy, the second son of James and Polly was married in Franklin County, Pennsylvania and his son, Elder James, married Mary Brown and they had five children: Annie; Margaret; Elder James; Jane; Elder Stephen O. married and had three sons, James; John A.; Rev. Oliver Brown b. 1845. All are of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Hugh McCurdy, the third son of James and Polly died unmarried in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
Robert McCurdy b 1783 – 28/03/1828, the youngest son of James and Polly married Isabella Findley 1787 – 1869 in Adams County (Fairfield, Westmoreland), Pennsylvania. His sons were: William born; Robert; James. William married Nancy King and had two sons, Dr. John of Reading, Pennsylvania and Robert who died in 1885. The latter had a son Charles living in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Robert went to Ohio but nothing further is known.
There is strong evidence that Robert, who married Isabella Findley, parents were James McCurdy and Nancy McKinney so not related to James and Polly Cook
DESCENDANTS OF JAMES MC CURDY
Lots of errors in these branches. In Fairfield, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania 1850 we find John and Elizabeth Ross with:
John McCurdy 41
Elizabeth McCurdy 33
Robert McCurdy 15
John McCurdy 13
Mary McCurdy 11
Winfield McCurdy 8
James McCurdy 5
William McCurdy 3
Francis McCurdy 1
In 1860 Winfied can be found in Ferguson, Centre, Pennsylvania with uncle? John Ross:
John Ross 36
Leah Ross 35
Winfield McCurdey 18
Susan Dery 18
Margaret Kinnee 10
Rest of the family in Fairfield, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania 1860:
John McCurdy 51
Mary McCurdy 21
James M McCurdy 18
Patterson McCurdy 24
William M McCurdy 16
Frances M McCurdy 11
Susan McCurdy 8
Austin McCurdy 6
Clark McCurdy
Seems to be the family Roubidoux, Pulaski, Missouri, 1870:
John Mccurdy 61
Elizabeth Mccurdy 53
M Francis Mccurdy 21
Susanna Mccurdy 18
A David Mccurdy 15
M Clark Mccurdy 12
C Laura Mccurdy 9
James McCurdy, the youngest son of Robert’s, married and had two sons: John; James. Both of them went to New Albany, Indiana and located but later James removed to Brazil, Indiana. John was born in 1810 and died in 1893. He married Elizabeth Ross of whom eleven (perhaps 12) children were born, as follows:
1. John P. McCurdy born 1838 died in 1904. He married Margaret Updegraph and had eight (or 10) children: Burton born 1870, Vesta Born 1872 Orris died in infancy; Orville died in childhood; Uri B. married Ethel Woodward but has no children; Annie V. married Edward Clark and has three children: Ruth born 1904; Glenelle born 1906; Georgia born 1908. They live in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. Mary C. married Dr. J. A. Stewart had has two children: Margaret born 1897; John born 1899. Hartley U., unmarried, lives in Hutchinson, Kansas. Arletta married Alta M. Poe and has one child, Grace Odessa. George born 1882, died 1897.
(I have my doubts about this John being son of John and Elizabeth Ross. John P. and Margaret Updegraph ARE living in Kansas with their family but 28 years between John and Elizabeth’s first and last born seems unlikely Elizabeth was 63 in 1880 giving a birth year of about 1817 Clark M was born in 1857 when she was 50! More Likely his father was John born 1790 who was still living in Fairfield, Pennsylvania in 1850)
1.b David A. McCurdy born 1855 living in Kansas with parents and brother Clark M. in 1880
2. Clark M. McCurdy born 1857 died in 1883. He married Lovah Kutze and had two children.
3. Winfield Scott McCurdy b 1842 died in 1887 (still alive in Valley, Miami, Kansas, 1905). He married Leah M. Potette and had three children who live in Ossawatomie, Kansas. (One child Paul born 1894 Valley, Miami, Kansas)
4. William McCurdy died in 1880. His only child, Mary, married —- Jackson and has two sons: Francis; Arthur.
5. Robert McCurdy died in 1894. (Born about 1845) He married Katherine Bacon and had two (actually 3) daughters: Florence born 1868, Margaret b. 1870; Elizabeth (twin) b. 1870.
6. James M. McCurdy was born in 1846 and died in 1907. He married Ada Emery and had three children: Francis born 1872 is unmarried and lives in New Albany, Indiana. Emery J. born 1874 is unmarried and is president of the McCurdy Manufacturing Company in Louisville, Kentucky. Carter S. born in 1874 and died in 1875. (James and Ada had Nellie F, in 1872)
7. Francis M. McCurdy was born in 1850 and died in 1906. He married Mary E. Miller, the daughter of Jacob E. and Lucy (Stines) Miller and the granddaughter of Abraham and America Stines. They had four children: Wyrtie, unmarried and lives in New Albany, Indiana; Hene married W. L. Glasscock and lives in San Rafael, California; Erwin and Uri B. both unmarried and live in Bloomington, Indiana.
Bloomington, Monroe, Indiana 1980:
Frances Mccurdy 49 Head
Mary E Mccurdy 39 Wife
Wyrtis Mccurdy 18 Daughter
Ilene Mccurdy 15 Daughter
Erwin Mccurdy 12 Son
Eula Mccurdy 9 Daughter
8. John McCurdy – his only living son, David Austin married Florence Furgeson and has two sons: Clinton; Ralph. All live in Redford, Indiana.
9. Laura McCurdy died in 1883. She married Newton Williams and has three children: Charles; Francis; Maud.
10. Susan McCurdy died in 1880. She married Thomas Andrew and had a daughter, Grace.
11. Mary McCurdy born 1839 married Hugh McCreery and has six (seven by 1880) children: Margaret; Thomas; Curtis; Eva; James; William; Annie.
The End
Transcribed by Patricia McCurdy Townsend