Family stories say John was born in County Mayo, Ireland, although no records have been found to prove it.
According to research done in 2010 by Carol Hosmer of Kentucky, John left Ireland during the Irish Potato Famine by traveling steerage aboard the steam-powered ship "Euxine" (see photo). Departing from Liverpool, England, he arrived in New York on May 27, 1848. Also on the Euxine's passenger list was Pat Curry (born about 1817). It is not known if John and Pat were related.
Carol's research also found that in 1852, John married Catherine (Kate) McManus in Franklin County, Ohio - the location of present day Columbus. Where they met is not known. Catherine was also from County Mayo but did not come to the U.S.A. until a year after John.
John signed the marriage certificate with an "X", described by the Franklin County clerk as "his mark". Both John and Catherine never did learn how to read or write.
Luke, their first surviving child, was born in 1854 in Indiana. Some time after, they moved on to Minnesota because the Sept 21, 1857, Territory of Minnesota census shows them living in Hassan Township ("Township 120" as it was then called), Hennepin County, Territory of Minnesota.
According to research done by Steve Curry (John & Catherine's 2x Great Grandson), on Aug 1, 1861, John took title to the farm they lived on in Hassan. It was transferred from Josiah McFerson of Vermont who had been a member of the Vermont Militia. Josiah was given a warrant for the land by the U.S. Government for his military service during the War of 1812.
On July 1, 1863, John registered for the Civil War draft but never served. He showed his age as 41 at that time.
Some time after 1885, Catherine got fed up with John and kicked him out of their house. Family lore passed down through the generations says that she told him: "don't come home 'til you come home in a box" - which is exactly what he did.
According to an article in a newspaper named "The New North West" (Deer Lodge Montana, June 25, 1892), John Curry was killed west of Kalispel, Montana, when a train ran into the hand car he was on. All on the car escaped except for Curry who was fastened to the truck in an attempt to get the hand car out of the way.
John's probate records on file in Hennepin County, Minnesota, also state he died from a railway accident at Pleasant Valley, Montana. The train was presumably the Great Northern Railway which had just arrived in the Pleasant Valley area as part of the northern route for the transcontinental railway. Pleasant Valley is located just west of Kalispell, Flathead County, Montana. At the time of his death, Pleasant Valley and Kalispell (then spelled "Kalispel") were in Missoula County. Missoula County was later broken up and the location of his death was then in Flathead County.
According to newspaper accounts of the accident from 1892, John was part of a "section crew" and was on a hand car with others from the crew. Section crews were responsible for track maintenance and periodically were on the tracks when a train approached. As a train did approach, the crew members tried to lift the hand car from the tracks to prevent it from being hit. In the process, John got his foot caught in the tracks and was killed by the train.
As his wife Catherine had insisted, he came home in a box and was buried at the Old St Thomas Cemetery in Corcoran.
Steve Curry
[email protected]
According to research done in 2010 by Carol Hosmer of Kentucky, John left Ireland during the Irish Potato Famine by traveling steerage aboard the steam-powered ship "Euxine" (see photo). Departing from Liverpool, England, he arrived in New York on May 27, 1848. Also on the Euxine's passenger list was Pat Curry (born about 1817). It is not known if John and Pat were related.
Carol's research also found that in 1852, John married Catherine (Kate) McManus in Franklin County, Ohio - the location of present day Columbus. Where they met is not known. Catherine was also from County Mayo but did not come to the U.S.A. until a year after John.
John signed the marriage certificate with an "X", described by the Franklin County clerk as "his mark". Both John and Catherine never did learn how to read or write.
Luke, their first surviving child, was born in 1854 in Indiana. Some time after, they moved on to Minnesota because the Sept 21, 1857, Territory of Minnesota census shows them living in Hassan Township ("Township 120" as it was then called), Hennepin County, Territory of Minnesota.
According to research done by Steve Curry (John & Catherine's 2x Great Grandson), on Aug 1, 1861, John took title to the farm they lived on in Hassan. It was transferred from Josiah McFerson of Vermont who had been a member of the Vermont Militia. Josiah was given a warrant for the land by the U.S. Government for his military service during the War of 1812.
On July 1, 1863, John registered for the Civil War draft but never served. He showed his age as 41 at that time.
Some time after 1885, Catherine got fed up with John and kicked him out of their house. Family lore passed down through the generations says that she told him: "don't come home 'til you come home in a box" - which is exactly what he did.
According to an article in a newspaper named "The New North West" (Deer Lodge Montana, June 25, 1892), John Curry was killed west of Kalispel, Montana, when a train ran into the hand car he was on. All on the car escaped except for Curry who was fastened to the truck in an attempt to get the hand car out of the way.
John's probate records on file in Hennepin County, Minnesota, also state he died from a railway accident at Pleasant Valley, Montana. The train was presumably the Great Northern Railway which had just arrived in the Pleasant Valley area as part of the northern route for the transcontinental railway. Pleasant Valley is located just west of Kalispell, Flathead County, Montana. At the time of his death, Pleasant Valley and Kalispell (then spelled "Kalispel") were in Missoula County. Missoula County was later broken up and the location of his death was then in Flathead County.
According to newspaper accounts of the accident from 1892, John was part of a "section crew" and was on a hand car with others from the crew. Section crews were responsible for track maintenance and periodically were on the tracks when a train approached. As a train did approach, the crew members tried to lift the hand car from the tracks to prevent it from being hit. In the process, John got his foot caught in the tracks and was killed by the train.
As his wife Catherine had insisted, he came home in a box and was buried at the Old St Thomas Cemetery in Corcoran.
Steve Curry
[email protected]
Family stories say John was born in County Mayo, Ireland, although no records have been found to prove it.
According to research done in 2010 by Carol Hosmer of Kentucky, John left Ireland during the Irish Potato Famine by traveling steerage aboard the steam-powered ship "Euxine" (see photo). Departing from Liverpool, England, he arrived in New York on May 27, 1848. Also on the Euxine's passenger list was Pat Curry (born about 1817). It is not known if John and Pat were related.
Carol's research also found that in 1852, John married Catherine (Kate) McManus in Franklin County, Ohio - the location of present day Columbus. Where they met is not known. Catherine was also from County Mayo but did not come to the U.S.A. until a year after John.
John signed the marriage certificate with an "X", described by the Franklin County clerk as "his mark". Both John and Catherine never did learn how to read or write.
Luke, their first surviving child, was born in 1854 in Indiana. Some time after, they moved on to Minnesota because the Sept 21, 1857, Territory of Minnesota census shows them living in Hassan Township ("Township 120" as it was then called), Hennepin County, Territory of Minnesota.
According to research done by Steve Curry (John & Catherine's 2x Great Grandson), on Aug 1, 1861, John took title to the farm they lived on in Hassan. It was transferred from Josiah McFerson of Vermont who had been a member of the Vermont Militia. Josiah was given a warrant for the land by the U.S. Government for his military service during the War of 1812.
On July 1, 1863, John registered for the Civil War draft but never served. He showed his age as 41 at that time.
Some time after 1885, Catherine got fed up with John and kicked him out of their house. Family lore passed down through the generations says that she told him: "don't come home 'til you come home in a box" - which is exactly what he did.
According to an article in a newspaper named "The New North West" (Deer Lodge Montana, June 25, 1892), John Curry was killed west of Kalispel, Montana, when a train ran into the hand car he was on. All on the car escaped except for Curry who was fastened to the truck in an attempt to get the hand car out of the way.
John's probate records on file in Hennepin County, Minnesota, also state he died from a railway accident at Pleasant Valley, Montana. The train was presumably the Great Northern Railway which had just arrived in the Pleasant Valley area as part of the northern route for the transcontinental railway. Pleasant Valley is located just west of Kalispell, Flathead County, Montana. At the time of his death, Pleasant Valley and Kalispell (then spelled "Kalispel") were in Missoula County. Missoula County was later broken up and the location of his death was then in Flathead County.
According to newspaper accounts of the accident from 1892, John was part of a "section crew" and was on a hand car with others from the crew. Section crews were responsible for track maintenance and periodically were on the tracks when a train approached. As a train did approach, the crew members tried to lift the hand car from the tracks to prevent it from being hit. In the process, John got his foot caught in the tracks and was killed by the train.
As his wife Catherine had insisted, he came home in a box and was buried at the Old St Thomas Cemetery in Corcoran.
Steve Curry
[email protected]
According to research done in 2010 by Carol Hosmer of Kentucky, John left Ireland during the Irish Potato Famine by traveling steerage aboard the steam-powered ship "Euxine" (see photo). Departing from Liverpool, England, he arrived in New York on May 27, 1848. Also on the Euxine's passenger list was Pat Curry (born about 1817). It is not known if John and Pat were related.
Carol's research also found that in 1852, John married Catherine (Kate) McManus in Franklin County, Ohio - the location of present day Columbus. Where they met is not known. Catherine was also from County Mayo but did not come to the U.S.A. until a year after John.
John signed the marriage certificate with an "X", described by the Franklin County clerk as "his mark". Both John and Catherine never did learn how to read or write.
Luke, their first surviving child, was born in 1854 in Indiana. Some time after, they moved on to Minnesota because the Sept 21, 1857, Territory of Minnesota census shows them living in Hassan Township ("Township 120" as it was then called), Hennepin County, Territory of Minnesota.
According to research done by Steve Curry (John & Catherine's 2x Great Grandson), on Aug 1, 1861, John took title to the farm they lived on in Hassan. It was transferred from Josiah McFerson of Vermont who had been a member of the Vermont Militia. Josiah was given a warrant for the land by the U.S. Government for his military service during the War of 1812.
On July 1, 1863, John registered for the Civil War draft but never served. He showed his age as 41 at that time.
Some time after 1885, Catherine got fed up with John and kicked him out of their house. Family lore passed down through the generations says that she told him: "don't come home 'til you come home in a box" - which is exactly what he did.
According to an article in a newspaper named "The New North West" (Deer Lodge Montana, June 25, 1892), John Curry was killed west of Kalispel, Montana, when a train ran into the hand car he was on. All on the car escaped except for Curry who was fastened to the truck in an attempt to get the hand car out of the way.
John's probate records on file in Hennepin County, Minnesota, also state he died from a railway accident at Pleasant Valley, Montana. The train was presumably the Great Northern Railway which had just arrived in the Pleasant Valley area as part of the northern route for the transcontinental railway. Pleasant Valley is located just west of Kalispell, Flathead County, Montana. At the time of his death, Pleasant Valley and Kalispell (then spelled "Kalispel") were in Missoula County. Missoula County was later broken up and the location of his death was then in Flathead County.
According to newspaper accounts of the accident from 1892, John was part of a "section crew" and was on a hand car with others from the crew. Section crews were responsible for track maintenance and periodically were on the tracks when a train approached. As a train did approach, the crew members tried to lift the hand car from the tracks to prevent it from being hit. In the process, John got his foot caught in the tracks and was killed by the train.
As his wife Catherine had insisted, he came home in a box and was buried at the Old St Thomas Cemetery in Corcoran.
Steve Curry
[email protected]
