Curtis Family History And Summer Vacations (August 6, 1943 to Present)
Born at Alliance City Hospital about 11:55 pm (war time) on August 6, 1943. I think this was before day-light savings time was invented or the other way to have more darkness to prohibit bomb attacks. Dad’s good friend Robert G. King, M.D. from high school (AHS) and Mount Union College (MUC) was called in to assist Paul Bennett, M.D.(also a good friend) with tough breach delivery. There was very much trauma and things got pretty hairy for both of us and the doctors. Hence, I was named for both of the guys that made it all turn out alright after many hours of hard work on every ones part. Guy Rowland’s grandfather signed my birth certificate as the chief hospital physician.We came home to grandparents Edwin (Ned) Hazelton Hartzell and Ruth Anne Summers Hartzell house at 26xx Freedom Ave., Alliance, Ohio to live for about 3 years while father was off to the South Pacific on board 2 different merchant marine ship as the Naval officer in charge of the battery of guns aboard each ship.
’43 to ’45 See home movie on your DVD from CD’s sent to you all for some 8mm footage of parents and grandparents at Freedom Street house and other places in Alliance, Ohio. Dad went to Princeton University in Princeton, NJ for his 8 to 10 week US Navy Officer Candidate School (OCS) training graduating as an Ensign. I think the front of house footage is between Dad’s OCS school or gunnery officer training in Gulfport, Miss and then he goes back to Gulfport and ships out on one of two of his merchant marine ship____________ that he serves on for the South Pacific. Maybe I remember horse drawn milk wagon from Sunnyside Dairy that came by house to deliver bottled milk each day.
’45 to ’46 Remodeling and adding on to 805 South Linden Avenue (corner of Grant Street and Linden Avenue) Alliance, Ohio house while living in rental house on Milton Street 2 blocks from Alliance CC and second rental house on Freedom Avenue ½ block from my soon to be South Freedom Street Grade School. I can remember riding wooden ceiling swing horse in sun room and watching the kids come to and from school. (See same type of horse in backyard tree at 10 Dale Road built by Dad). Also recall riding 3 wheeler down about 8 to 10 outside steps to brick sidewalk, some blood I think. And maybe an old style icebox on back porch that needed real ice.
Grandpa Telford (Ford) Noble Curtiss and Grandma Martha Jane (Kerr) Curtiss took over house from great-grandpa Curtiss I think. Sally may know. Name change to one (s) was made by Dawson and Helen while he was in high school per Aunt Helen and she went along with the change. Dad also changed his middle name from Telford to Thomas at the same time I think. All of this was stupid and only showed what a spoiled brat his dominate mother made him into in the early years. Both grandparents had to move across the street and east on Grant Street one house behind a small corner grocery store owned by the Succeros to live for 1+ year.
Dad got control of the property as a gift from parents as long as they could live in front down apartment at no cost to them. And they did. He also bought out his sister Helen for a note of $5000 that he never paid back per him and much later she gifted to him with no interest per her and Sally. They/parents got a rebuilding bank loan for somewhere between $20,000 and $30,000 to do the work. Dad acted as the general contractor, hired all the sub-workers for what was to be done that he could not do himself while working at the same time at local Weybrecks Lumber and Woodworking Company. Many discounts and freebies were had by Dad on the job.
’47 to ’66 805 South Linden Avenue Alliance, Ohio
Moved into “new” house late ’46 since brother Thomas Dawson Curtis was born January 1, 1947 and he came home to small back utility room and baby bed with a fold down top. I can remember playing with chrome car (Ethan has now) and truck on hardwood floor in my bedroom closet before we actually moved into the house. Must have been visiting the place with mother to check things out. This was a big deal for them since they had been married in ’35 and never owned a house yet. I have no idea what they spent their money on since they both worked full-time and no college debt and no children and no assets.
After a couple years Dad had built some wood furniture in basement woodshop and Tom moved into my room that we shared until I left for college in fall of ’61. Utility room became laundry room with clothes carried to basement or backyard for drying before we got a combo unit. No space for both. We had bunk beds, 2 small dresser drawers and small closet and one small night stand and one small lamp. We never complained since we didn’t know anyone who had much more. In fact we had it good compared to most we went to school with.
Dad joined Alliance CC when I was 9 years old in spring of 1952 before I could swim. Dr Bob King was his sponsor among others in town. He started back playing golf again seriously and I was his caddy from 6th grade on to when Tom took over in his 6th grade year. Mom started playing golf and took some lesions from English Pro Bill Thompson. She was mostly a nine holer and never broke 50. Dad was unschooled good and had a hdcp as low as 10 at the top of his game.
I caddied, played golf with no formal lessions and swam on club team for 3 years while in Jr high. Caddying was major source of lncome until 11th grade when we started painting houses. Always had one man and women specials and filled in with others during the week.
Tough as members son and taking jobs from black guys who were not as good a caddy and not asked for by members. Almost got hung by them one day at the caddy shack. Buddy Jack Brown got me out oif the deal. Rates were $2.50 + tip for 18, double was $5 + tip which was $.50 to make $3 or $6 total. A really good day was a double in the morning, a single in the afternoon and play nine before dark. I would ride my bike to the club in the morning and stay all day. Never charged one thing to dad’s bill all those years.
Played some pee-wee golf events at home and one away but never really got good since no or little practice, and no real lessons from a pro. Played and lettered 10th grade with Senior Bruce Wagner but was only 4th man a few times. We went to state in Columbus Ohio ( OSU’s Scarlet and Gray courses) that year, but I was 5th man and did not play for total score. The team did ok as I remember.
Next year did not go out since prep guy Terry Tolerton came back to high school to join other seniors Jim Berteram, Kurt Wolters, junior Buddy Morgan and tenth grader Hugh Morgan had come up. I would have been 6th man and not even traveled. That team was good and placed high at state since all starting 4 played in the low 70’s most every day and Kurt and Jimmy had been there the year before.
Senior year I was back out and played 2 and 3 man and lettered. No state for that team since the 3 top guys graduated and it was Hugh, Buddy, me and a new guy Mike Dietz. Hugh was the only really good golfer and smart and went to Hiram College on full golf scholarship.
One summer night while in junior high school, Buddy, Hughy Morgan (1st cousins) and I slept out in wartime sleeping bags on the golf course in an old wooden three-sided open air rain shelter near No, 11 fairway. It got cold that night, down in the ravine, so we started a fire on the wood floor of the shelter. Of course the floor soon caught fire and things got pretty hairy until we got some water from the near-by creek and put it out. The thing smoked all night and there was a big black hole in the floor for many years from were the fire had burned through. We may have never said anything about the fire damage or blamed the caddies and beat the rape.
All of these guys I grew up with and play golf with at the club went on to college and some played a few years at that level. I never got that good (some low 40’s match rounds but never under 80 for 18) for above reasons and didn’t want it that badly. We had a lot of fun at the club and learned much from all the guys that I caddied for and played with. And from not even floating when we joined to some 2nds and 3rds at inter-club meets in different strokes, I came a long way in the water.
’54? Ft Lauderdale, Fl For a one week trip from Pittsburgh Airport with mother and Brother Tom. Dad took and picked us up to and frolm airport in company car. Visited Grandparents Ruth and Edwin (Ned) Hartzell Broward Blvd at Sunset Trailer Park.
’55? Buffalo NY and Town across Niagara River on Canadian side for about a week to visit dad’s Aunt and my Cousin Margaret (Margie) Martin who is a famous artist. Watercolor and Oils?Father was famous architect of bridges and buildings. They lived in a beautiful home on the river with a tennis court on Canadian side.
’56? Marietta Ohio and Ohio River surrounding area via car with family.
’54, ’55,’56, ’57, ’58 Boy Scout Camp Tuscazoor near Zoor and Dover OH on the Ohio River for a week. Got my Scout/Camper Indian Pipestone Award all 5 years and ran the trails with the Indians during the Friday night ceremonies. This was a big deal and to do it 5 years was bigger. My troop went to this camp with Guy Rowland’s troop my 2nd year While in the United Presbyterian Church Troop 106 this all happened. Close to home and they had a gym for before and after basketball.
’59,’60,’61 Summers were spent working in Alliance OH painting houses and last summer Tim Dugan and I worked at a wholesale lumber yard in Youngstown OH for Paul Baughman unloading train boxcars full of lumber. Hot and hard work!