MT. GRAHAM PROFILES
1870-1977
by Graham Co. Historical Society
CATHERINE (KATE) BLAZZARD CURTIS
Catherine (Kate) Blazzard Curtis was born Aug. 16, 1891, in Luna, New Mexico, shortly after her parents, James and Mary Catherine Jolley Blazzard, had completed a three month's journey from Long Valley, Utah. She began her schooling at Luna, walking the long distance to the schoolhouse.
When still young, Kate's family moved to Thatcher, Arizona, November, 1900, taking ten days to move by wagon. They bought a two-acre lot that had a red brick house, and an orchard planted in peaches, plums, apricots, grapes, and pomegranates.
They also purchased 12 acres of alfalfa three miles from home. Off and on Kate's father hauled ore and freighted around Globe. Her older brothers worked in the Tonto Basin and freighted between Globe and the Gibson Mine. In the spring of 1905 her oldest brother died and a little over a month later her father died April 24, 1905.
Kate and the younger children helped at home while the older ones worked at Globe to get the family affairs straightened out. Kate graduated from high school at age 17 with high honors.
She passed the stiff County Examinations for a Teacher's Certificate before her graduation, but legally, could not start teaching before the age of 18. In September, 1909, she taught the first four grades at Central-a room of 60 pupils. Her $65 dollars a month salary went to support her brother Wes' fourth year in a southern mission field. After her marriage to Ezra Curtis and the birth of her first daughter, she again taught to keep her husband on a foreign mission to France and Switzerland.
One year, in the 1920's, besides carrying twenty semester hours of Junior College work, caring for her family and home duties, Kate shouldered a heavy load of L.D.S. Church work as well. That year, and for many years, she was teacher trainer for the ward, a member of the Young Ladies Stake Board, taught a parent's class in Sunday School, the adult class in Mutual, and gave the Social Science lessons in the Relief Society and at intervals, the Theology and Literature lessons.
An excellent public speaker, Kate was called on to eulogize her friends at funerals. She was active in speaking on current topics at church and community gatherings, especially during "Prohibition" days.
During her early teaching years Kate was principal of rural schools in outlying districts, driving the long miles in her Model "T" Ford. Her later years of teaching were in grade schools. In 1949 she finally accumulated enough college credits to obtain a degree in Elementary Education from what is now Arizona State University with a minor in English. Her daughter, Val, graduated with her. All three of her surviving children earned college degrees.
After earning her college degree, Kate taught two years in California. During her elementary teaching years she earned state-wide recognition for her ability to teach children to read. Her last ten years of teaching were at Parker, Arizona, then moved to a new home in Phoenix, where at present she is busy writing histories of her family entitled Valiant Venture I (1973) and Valiant Venture II, a history of the Blazzard family from 1900 to the present.
----------------
Married Ezra Curtis on 24 Dec 1909 at St. David, Arizona
View birth certicate site
Catherine has an older brother: Joe Ryder (His granddaughter, Oma Leatha (Campbell) Myers does not know why he changed his name. His birth name is Thomas Jessie Blazzard. Joe Ryder was married to Zella Cora Holliday she was born in Eden, Arizona she is buried beside grandpa under the name MOLLY Ryder)
Thanks for the info: Oma Leatha (Campbell) Myers
1870-1977
by Graham Co. Historical Society
CATHERINE (KATE) BLAZZARD CURTIS
Catherine (Kate) Blazzard Curtis was born Aug. 16, 1891, in Luna, New Mexico, shortly after her parents, James and Mary Catherine Jolley Blazzard, had completed a three month's journey from Long Valley, Utah. She began her schooling at Luna, walking the long distance to the schoolhouse.
When still young, Kate's family moved to Thatcher, Arizona, November, 1900, taking ten days to move by wagon. They bought a two-acre lot that had a red brick house, and an orchard planted in peaches, plums, apricots, grapes, and pomegranates.
They also purchased 12 acres of alfalfa three miles from home. Off and on Kate's father hauled ore and freighted around Globe. Her older brothers worked in the Tonto Basin and freighted between Globe and the Gibson Mine. In the spring of 1905 her oldest brother died and a little over a month later her father died April 24, 1905.
Kate and the younger children helped at home while the older ones worked at Globe to get the family affairs straightened out. Kate graduated from high school at age 17 with high honors.
She passed the stiff County Examinations for a Teacher's Certificate before her graduation, but legally, could not start teaching before the age of 18. In September, 1909, she taught the first four grades at Central-a room of 60 pupils. Her $65 dollars a month salary went to support her brother Wes' fourth year in a southern mission field. After her marriage to Ezra Curtis and the birth of her first daughter, she again taught to keep her husband on a foreign mission to France and Switzerland.
One year, in the 1920's, besides carrying twenty semester hours of Junior College work, caring for her family and home duties, Kate shouldered a heavy load of L.D.S. Church work as well. That year, and for many years, she was teacher trainer for the ward, a member of the Young Ladies Stake Board, taught a parent's class in Sunday School, the adult class in Mutual, and gave the Social Science lessons in the Relief Society and at intervals, the Theology and Literature lessons.
An excellent public speaker, Kate was called on to eulogize her friends at funerals. She was active in speaking on current topics at church and community gatherings, especially during "Prohibition" days.
During her early teaching years Kate was principal of rural schools in outlying districts, driving the long miles in her Model "T" Ford. Her later years of teaching were in grade schools. In 1949 she finally accumulated enough college credits to obtain a degree in Elementary Education from what is now Arizona State University with a minor in English. Her daughter, Val, graduated with her. All three of her surviving children earned college degrees.
After earning her college degree, Kate taught two years in California. During her elementary teaching years she earned state-wide recognition for her ability to teach children to read. Her last ten years of teaching were at Parker, Arizona, then moved to a new home in Phoenix, where at present she is busy writing histories of her family entitled Valiant Venture I (1973) and Valiant Venture II, a history of the Blazzard family from 1900 to the present.
----------------
Married Ezra Curtis on 24 Dec 1909 at St. David, Arizona
View birth certicate site
Catherine has an older brother: Joe Ryder (His granddaughter, Oma Leatha (Campbell) Myers does not know why he changed his name. His birth name is Thomas Jessie Blazzard. Joe Ryder was married to Zella Cora Holliday she was born in Eden, Arizona she is buried beside grandpa under the name MOLLY Ryder)
Thanks for the info: Oma Leatha (Campbell) Myers
MT. GRAHAM PROFILES
1870-1977
by Graham Co. Historical Society
CATHERINE (KATE) BLAZZARD CURTIS
Catherine (Kate) Blazzard Curtis was born Aug. 16, 1891, in Luna, New Mexico, shortly after her parents, James and Mary Catherine Jolley Blazzard, had completed a three month's journey from Long Valley, Utah. She began her schooling at Luna, walking the long distance to the schoolhouse.
When still young, Kate's family moved to Thatcher, Arizona, November, 1900, taking ten days to move by wagon. They bought a two-acre lot that had a red brick house, and an orchard planted in peaches, plums, apricots, grapes, and pomegranates.
They also purchased 12 acres of alfalfa three miles from home. Off and on Kate's father hauled ore and freighted around Globe. Her older brothers worked in the Tonto Basin and freighted between Globe and the Gibson Mine. In the spring of 1905 her oldest brother died and a little over a month later her father died April 24, 1905.
Kate and the younger children helped at home while the older ones worked at Globe to get the family affairs straightened out. Kate graduated from high school at age 17 with high honors.
She passed the stiff County Examinations for a Teacher's Certificate before her graduation, but legally, could not start teaching before the age of 18. In September, 1909, she taught the first four grades at Central-a room of 60 pupils. Her $65 dollars a month salary went to support her brother Wes' fourth year in a southern mission field. After her marriage to Ezra Curtis and the birth of her first daughter, she again taught to keep her husband on a foreign mission to France and Switzerland.
One year, in the 1920's, besides carrying twenty semester hours of Junior College work, caring for her family and home duties, Kate shouldered a heavy load of L.D.S. Church work as well. That year, and for many years, she was teacher trainer for the ward, a member of the Young Ladies Stake Board, taught a parent's class in Sunday School, the adult class in Mutual, and gave the Social Science lessons in the Relief Society and at intervals, the Theology and Literature lessons.
An excellent public speaker, Kate was called on to eulogize her friends at funerals. She was active in speaking on current topics at church and community gatherings, especially during "Prohibition" days.
During her early teaching years Kate was principal of rural schools in outlying districts, driving the long miles in her Model "T" Ford. Her later years of teaching were in grade schools. In 1949 she finally accumulated enough college credits to obtain a degree in Elementary Education from what is now Arizona State University with a minor in English. Her daughter, Val, graduated with her. All three of her surviving children earned college degrees.
After earning her college degree, Kate taught two years in California. During her elementary teaching years she earned state-wide recognition for her ability to teach children to read. Her last ten years of teaching were at Parker, Arizona, then moved to a new home in Phoenix, where at present she is busy writing histories of her family entitled Valiant Venture I (1973) and Valiant Venture II, a history of the Blazzard family from 1900 to the present.
----------------
Married Ezra Curtis on 24 Dec 1909 at St. David, Arizona
View birth certicate site
Catherine has an older brother: Joe Ryder (His granddaughter, Oma Leatha (Campbell) Myers does not know why he changed his name. His birth name is Thomas Jessie Blazzard. Joe Ryder was married to Zella Cora Holliday she was born in Eden, Arizona she is buried beside grandpa under the name MOLLY Ryder)
Thanks for the info: Oma Leatha (Campbell) Myers
1870-1977
by Graham Co. Historical Society
CATHERINE (KATE) BLAZZARD CURTIS
Catherine (Kate) Blazzard Curtis was born Aug. 16, 1891, in Luna, New Mexico, shortly after her parents, James and Mary Catherine Jolley Blazzard, had completed a three month's journey from Long Valley, Utah. She began her schooling at Luna, walking the long distance to the schoolhouse.
When still young, Kate's family moved to Thatcher, Arizona, November, 1900, taking ten days to move by wagon. They bought a two-acre lot that had a red brick house, and an orchard planted in peaches, plums, apricots, grapes, and pomegranates.
They also purchased 12 acres of alfalfa three miles from home. Off and on Kate's father hauled ore and freighted around Globe. Her older brothers worked in the Tonto Basin and freighted between Globe and the Gibson Mine. In the spring of 1905 her oldest brother died and a little over a month later her father died April 24, 1905.
Kate and the younger children helped at home while the older ones worked at Globe to get the family affairs straightened out. Kate graduated from high school at age 17 with high honors.
She passed the stiff County Examinations for a Teacher's Certificate before her graduation, but legally, could not start teaching before the age of 18. In September, 1909, she taught the first four grades at Central-a room of 60 pupils. Her $65 dollars a month salary went to support her brother Wes' fourth year in a southern mission field. After her marriage to Ezra Curtis and the birth of her first daughter, she again taught to keep her husband on a foreign mission to France and Switzerland.
One year, in the 1920's, besides carrying twenty semester hours of Junior College work, caring for her family and home duties, Kate shouldered a heavy load of L.D.S. Church work as well. That year, and for many years, she was teacher trainer for the ward, a member of the Young Ladies Stake Board, taught a parent's class in Sunday School, the adult class in Mutual, and gave the Social Science lessons in the Relief Society and at intervals, the Theology and Literature lessons.
An excellent public speaker, Kate was called on to eulogize her friends at funerals. She was active in speaking on current topics at church and community gatherings, especially during "Prohibition" days.
During her early teaching years Kate was principal of rural schools in outlying districts, driving the long miles in her Model "T" Ford. Her later years of teaching were in grade schools. In 1949 she finally accumulated enough college credits to obtain a degree in Elementary Education from what is now Arizona State University with a minor in English. Her daughter, Val, graduated with her. All three of her surviving children earned college degrees.
After earning her college degree, Kate taught two years in California. During her elementary teaching years she earned state-wide recognition for her ability to teach children to read. Her last ten years of teaching were at Parker, Arizona, then moved to a new home in Phoenix, where at present she is busy writing histories of her family entitled Valiant Venture I (1973) and Valiant Venture II, a history of the Blazzard family from 1900 to the present.
----------------
Married Ezra Curtis on 24 Dec 1909 at St. David, Arizona
View birth certicate site
Catherine has an older brother: Joe Ryder (His granddaughter, Oma Leatha (Campbell) Myers does not know why he changed his name. His birth name is Thomas Jessie Blazzard. Joe Ryder was married to Zella Cora Holliday she was born in Eden, Arizona she is buried beside grandpa under the name MOLLY Ryder)
Thanks for the info: Oma Leatha (Campbell) Myers
Family Members
Spouse
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
