HISTORY OF MILLICENT WAITE CURTIS Compiled by Dora M. Curtis Taylor ~ Millicent Waite was born 20 January 1787, in Athol, Worcester County, Massachusetts, to Mehitable Foster, daughter of Mary Wheeler and Joseph Foster, and Phineas Waite, son of Susanna Bancroft and Joseph Waite. She was the oldest child in a family of four children. Her brother Joseph was born 17 January 1789, Susanna was born 15 February 1791 and Lydia was born 1 February 1793. Millicent's mother must have died shortly after Lydia's birth, as her father married Eunis Smith at Barrie, Franklin, Massachusetts, on 12 July 1795. Millicent married Nahum Curtis on 29 October 1808, in the First Congregational Church in New Salem, Franklin, Massachusetts. Her wedding dress was changeable silk shading green and lavender. While living in New Salem, they had three children, Sophronia, Lyman and Phineas. Phineas died as an infant. The family then moved to Conneautville, Erie (now Crawford) County, Pennsylvania, where a son, Moses, was born on 8 May 1816. This place was first settled sometime in 1815, so it appears that they were among the first settlers of this place. Another son, Joseph, was born there and also a daughter, Mary. On 23 October 1823, my grandfather George was born in Silver Lake (near Pontiac), in Oakland County, Michigan. Foster, Loren and Hyrum were also born there. Loren died as an infant. Great Grandmother Millicent lived a rugged pioneer life, but she was always willing to do her part. She saw to it that her children had as good an education as it was possible for them to have. Her oldest daughter, Sophronia, became a school teacher and the younger children attended her school. His mother was a very good and religious woman, and she had her grandson George read a chapter each Sunday from the Testament when he was quite small. He also said that she was a very good cook, and one who worried about her family. They soon left their home in Michigan and joined the Saints in Missouri. In 1836, they bought a farm from Mr. Fletcher, which they farmed for two years. It lay seven miles east of Far West at the mouth of Log Creek, where it emptied into Shoel Creek. The Saints began to gather there from all over the States. Both they that were driven from their homes, and they that were not. By 1838, there were from four to five thousand people gathered at that place.
The mobs again began to drive the Saints from their homes, burning their buildings, stealing their cattle and other property. Millicent took sick at this time and continued to get worse. The strain was too great on her and she died on 3 September 1838, and was buried on the 5th. That same day her husband and three sons were called to stand guard to keep the mob from stealing and burning the Saints property. After Millicent's death, her beautiful wedding gown was cut up and divided among her children for keepsakes.