Laramie County WY Archives Biographies.....Curtis, William G. ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/wy/wyfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 June 9, 2009, 9:33 pm Author: Bowen & Co. (1903) WILLIAM G. CURTIS. Standing distinctly as one of the alert and progressive men of Laramie county, being largely interested in agricultural pursuits and in the stock industry, and in a public way identified with enterprises that have done much towards developing this part of the country and making for the general welfare. Mr. William G. Curtis is a native of Connecticut where his ancestors settled in Colonial times, emigrating to this country from England. His father, Lucius Curtis, was born and reared in Connecticut and there followed farming until his death in 1889. His wife was before her marriage, Miss Mary Cleveland; she preceded her husband to the grave, dying on September 22, 1857, when her son William G. was but five days old. He was born in the city of Waterbury, Conn., on September 17, 1857, and he entered the public schools of his native town early but did not attend them long enough to complete the prescribed course, laying aside his studies when twelve years old to work in a factory at Bridgeport. For some time thereafter he was engaged in different manufacturing establishments of hardware and cutlery, working principally in Bridgeport, Torrington and Meriden until 1883, and with the exception of a few months at farm labor in Illinois, he worked at mechanical pursuits until coming west, passing about ten years in the Union hardware factory at Torrington. In 1883 Mr. Curtis resigned his position to see something of the country and for nearly a year thereafter traveled quite extensively over the eastern, middle and southern states, visiting many places of interest and greatly enlarging his knowledge before the expiration of his tour, going as far west as Colorado, where he passed about three months working on a ranch and on September 17, 1884, the twenty-seventh anniversary of his birth, he arrived on the Platte River, Wyoming, one mile from his present place of residence, and there took up a tract of land for ranching purposes, coming hither to help build the North Platte ditch, incorporated by Colorado people, Mr. Curtis also becoming a stockholder in it. This ditch, thirteen miles long, has been of inestimable value in making habitable a large area of exceedingly fertile soil which without water would probably have lain as useless land for years. Two years after locating his place he began a general system of improvements which greatly enhanced its value, meantime devoting his energies to stockraising, farming and irrigation, making agriculture a very profitable undertaking. Mr. Curtis lived on his first location until June, 1901, when he moved to his present ranch at Torrington station, where he had previously erected one of the finest country residences of the state and other buildings in keeping therewith. His house, a model of architectural beauty, supplied as it is with all the comforts and modern conveniences which ample means can procure, is not only the handsomest private dwelling in the Platte Valley, but it is doubtful if in the state outside of the larger cities its equal can be found. Mr. Curtis has attained such financial success as few acquire in a much longer lifetime, and certainly he has not been sparing of his wealth for the pleasure and satisfaction of himself and family. Meeting with rich rewards in the first irrigating enterprise with which he was connected, Mr. Curtis, in 1890, was led to undertake another one, inaugurating and incorporating the Torrington Ditch Co., in that year. The ditch of this company was completed in due time ten and one-half miles in length and it has also been the means of reclaiming a large area of country, which for fertility and agricultural purposes is not excelled in the state. Mr. Curtis gave personal attention to the work and named the ditch "Torrington" in compliment to the city in Connecticut where he lived for so many years as a factory hand. The enterprise bears the impress of his strong personality, and his judgment and progressive business methods have been the principal factors of its success. The career of Mr. Curtis since coming to Wyoming has few if any parallels in the state. His rise from a modest beginning and rapid progress to a position of honor and affluence in the business world and the high reputation he has gained as a public benefactor attest a mind of wide scope and a leadership which all are ready to acknowledge. He is a far-sighted business man, knowing how to take advantage of opportunities and mould them to his purpose and where they do not exist he possesses the rare power of creating them. The people are under a heavy debt of gratitude to him for his achievements in their behalf and they have not been slow in their recognition of his services, for in 1902 he was nominated and elected to the lower house of the State Legislature, giving valued labors for his constituents. The home ranch of Mr. Curtis consists of 213 acres of fine land, it is all irrigable and the greater part under a high state of cultivation. He also owns 960 acres of grazing land, also well watered and exceedingly fertile. In his agricultural work he employs the most modern methods, and as a stockraiser easily ranks with the leading men of that great industry in the state. He makes a specialty of fine cattle and spares no pains to improve his breeds, having some of the most valuable animals of the count v. While deeply interested in business and public enterprises, Mr. Curtis has not been unmindful of the duties of a neighbor and citizen, being a most genial companion, ever ready to help a friend or lend his influence to any movement for the good of his fellowmen. He is one of the leading Republican politicians of Laramie county, never failing to take an active interest in party affairs, thus setting an example every true citizen should follow. He is a member of the lodge of the Woodmen of the World of Scotts Bluffs, his only fraternal association. The presiding genius of Mr. Curtis's elegant home is an intelligent and cultured lady, with whom he was wedded at Avon, Conn., on June 17, 1879. Her maiden name was Miss Delia Downer, and her parents, William and Elizabeth (Watson) Downer, were also born in Connecticut. Two children have blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Curtis, Mattie, now the wife of Lee Root, born April 25, 1880, and Elsie, whose birth occurred on March 17, 1882, who has passed from earth and was laid to rest in the beautiful cemetery at Auburn, N. Y. Additional Comments: Extracted from: PROGRESSIVE MEN OF THE STATE OF WYOMING ILLUSTRATED A people who take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors, will never achieve anything worthy to he remembered with pride by remote generations.—.MACAULAY. CHICAGO, ILL. A. W. BOWEN & CO. PUBLISHERS AND ENGRAVERS 1903 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wy/laramie/bios/curtis17nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/wyfiles/ File size: 7.3 Kb