Samuel Curtis, Steward

Samuel Curtis. Samuel Curtis’ widow Zipporah’s pension application #W-3956 indicates he served under Captain Coit and then Seth Harding on the Oliver Cromwell from 14 April to 22 September 1777 as seaman then Private of Marines. It further notes he served as Steward on the Confederacy. Curtis is listed in the Frigate Confederacy Riggers’ Returns 1778-1779 and is also listed with other crew of the Confederacy in Silas Cleveland’s pension file #S-12486. Samuel Curtis married Zipporah Morgan, born at Groton on 13 August 1767 to Elijah and Dorothy Morgan, in Canterbury, CT before moving to Royalton, VT in 1786 where he eventually died. This “good Christian man” fathered five children Samuel born 1788, Betsey born 1792, Roswell Morgan born 11/17/1795, Ira born 1798 and Oliver born 1802. After his death, his widow Zipporah removed to North Wilbraham. The History of Royalton relates that “One detachment was sent at the time of the Indian raid on Barnard, Aug. 9, 1780, when a band of twenty-one Indians and tories came up Lake Champlain and over to Stockbridge in search of Major Ben Whitcomb, who had killed Gen. Gordon near Three Rivers, Canada. Baffled in their object they went on to Barnard, where they captured David Stone, Timothy Newton, Thomas Martin Wright, and Prince Haskell. The news of the raid soon spread, and Capt. Elisha Burton’s company from Norwich was sent to “Head Quarters” at Royalton. They drew pay for two days’ service and eighteen miles of travel…In this company were Samuel Curtis, Roswell Morgan (older brother of Zipporah) and Cyprian Morgan.”