Charles Curtis, farmer; P.0 Oakland; born in Oakland, Coles Co., Ill., Dec. 5, 1841; his father died when he was an infant, and he continued to live with his mother until her marriage with John Dollar, with whom he then lived until the spring of 1862, when he enlisted in the 63d I. V. I., and went forward to battle for the Union; he was in many severe battles, among which were the siege and capture of Vicksburg, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Atlanta, and was with Sherman’s army through Georgia, spending the Christmas of 1864 in Savannah; then north through South and North Carolina, being in many engagements, until the surrender of Johnston and his army, when he continued his march via Richmond to Washington, where, after the grand review of the army, he with his regiment went to Louisville, Ky., where he was mustered out of service, after which, he went to Springfield, where he received his discharge in July, 1865, having served upward of three years in the Union army; he then returned to Coles Co., Ill., and, in the spring of 1866, removed upon his present place, where he has since lived. He married April, 1864, to Martha I. Hannah; she was born in North Carolina in 1844, and died January, 1873, leaving three children now living, viz., James W., Lucinda E. and Roddie Ellsworth; his marriage with Margaret M. Yeager was celebrated April 30, 1874; she was born in Ohio April 18, 1855; three children were the fruit of this union, one of which is deceased; the living are Lula M., born Oct. 3, 1876, and John Sherman, March 14, 1878.
