In the early days, people started coming into the St. Croix Valley to find a job or a career in their chosen field. Some stay, some go and others make an impact that lasts for decades. One of these early settlers was Gold T. Curtis – and his impact lasted for generations.
Curtis was born on August 16, 1821 in Morrisville, New York, the son of John G. and Ruth Curtis. He was a brilliant young man and passed the exam to attend Yale College when he was only 14 years old. However, the faculty of the school were unwilling to admit such a young person to the school. He then attended Hamilton College where he graduated in 1840. He then passed the Bar exam in New York and started his law practice in New York when he was 21 years old.
Gold Curtis married Mary Gay in the late 1840s. She died on July 17, 1848 at the age of 20. In 1850, Curtis married Mary Anderson, of Belleville, Illinois. The couple resided in that community for four years as he set up a law practice there. In 1854, the couple moved to Stillwater, Minnesota where again Curtis set up a law practice.
He became the District Attorney and Judge of Probate in Washington County. He was also a member of the Minnesota Constitutional Convention in 1857.
After the outbreak of the Civil War, Curtis enlisted as a private in the Fifth Minnesota Volunteers and was promoted to first lieutenant and later to captain. His regiment moved early in the spring of 1862 for Corinth. In a letter in the archives of the Navarro College in Texas, Curtis tells of some of the movements. “On the 28th [May] our Regiment marched out of camp in order to have a battalion drill we were met by a messenger who took us on to the front lines before Corinth, on which day we had a respectable battle.” He continued, “On the Rebel side one Brigade was before us of four or 5 regiments. Their object was the capture of a battery a short distance in front & on our left, consisting of a single Parrot gun of large caliber & which annoyed them much.”
The story continued that the regiment, “hugged the slope” and the rebels’ shots “seemed to go harmlessly in the hillside beyond.” In addition, while he does not mention the result of the battle, he had some inward thinking saying “I have tried myself as I desired, & have found that I am not a coward.”
His regiment previously had also engaged in the Battle of Shiloh in early April 1862.
Curtis had what was described as a “delicate constitution,” he was overcome with the diseases running through the military camps. He contracted dysentery and he was moved to St. Louis for care. “His wife hastened to him as soon as advised of his condition…and no doubt reached him in time to minister to his last wants.” He died on July 24, 1862.
Capt. Curtis’ remains were brought back to Stillwater on the steamer Fred Lorenz. He was buried with military and Masonic honors.
According to the Stillwater Messenger, “The death of Capt. Curtis will create a vacancy in our community which will be severely felt. He leaves a most interesting family, who will receive the entire sympathies of our whole community.”
Brent Peterson is executive director of the Washington County Historical Society.
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