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Zabad was born in Windsor, Vermont in 1767. In 1788, he married Lucy Cady in Windsor. Lucy, daughter of Benjamin & Keziah (Morgan) Cady, was born in January, 1771 and baptized June 20, 1773 at Killingly, Windham County, Connecticut. All that is known about Zabad are these few blurbs found in a history of Windsor, Vermont. 1. A militia was reorganized in 1783 in Windsor and in the Vermont Journal of April 10, 1788, Col. Paul Brigham announced the appointment of Zabad Curtis as quartermaster for the second brigade. In 1792, Gen. Stevens inserted a notice in the Vermont Journal announcing the appointment of Zabad Curtis as brigade major for the third brigade. 2. Early in the year 1791 Zabad Curtis purchased a lot, but he already had a house there, where Royalton village now is, and seems to have been running potash and pearlash works. His house was probably on the upper side of the road, not far from where the academy is today. He had a store, but just when he began trade is not known. He bought several acres in what is now the village, and a considerable number of farm lots, but was evidently not successful. He had mortgaged to a Boston firm, Tuckerman and Rogers, and in 1807 he gave up all claim to what he had mortgaged, for the sum of $9000. The village part of the released land passed through several Boston hands, and finally in 1818 came into the control of Stafford Smith. Mr. Kent bought a lot in 1792 of one acre, but did no occupy it and the following year he sold it, and a year later Zabad Curtis bought it. 3. The new meeting-house served as the place for the town meetings, apparently a satisfactory one, until the meeting of October 20, 1795, when they adjourned for fifteen minutes to Elkanah Steven's house, and then to the schoolhouse. On December 8th they tried the meeting house again. Whether it was too cold, or Major and Mrs. Curtis had decided to have a housewarming that day cannot be ascertained, but it is recorded that they met and adjourned to the "new house" of Major Curtis. This was, no doubt, Zabad Curtis who had bought several acres in Royalton village and built himself a house there. 4. In 1782 Nathaniel Ferrin obtained from Benjamin Parkhurst lot 10, town plot, Reuben Parkhurst being original grantee. In 1793 he sold one acre in the southeast corner of the lot, located on a brook, to Timothy Durkee, Jr. There was a mill privilege and a saw mill frame on the lot sold at this time. Two years later Mr. Durkee sold this acre to Zabad Curtis, giving the same description. Mr. Curtis kept the mill site until 1813 when he sold to Jacob Fox. There was still a "saw mill frame" on it. 5. Co-existent with this incipient settlement was another at the center of the town. Zabad Curtis was assessed £10 in 1791, and Elkanah Stevens the same the next year. These men held lots in the prospective village of Royalton. Mr. Curtis had potash works and Mr. Stevens also had a similar outfit and a store. 6. Apparently there was a hotel in the center of town which did not do well, possibly because Capt. Daniel Gilbert had established himself in Royalton in 1792 or '93 and he kept an inn at what has since been known as the "Pierce Tavern". The house which he purchased was Nathan Morgan's and it had been occupied by Zabad Curtis. Mr. Curtis had been assessed as a trader. 7. The first Grand List (taxes) that has been saved was for 1791. Zabad Curtis was ninth, paying on a list of £46. There were 97 different family names, and 167 polls. The list was given in dollars and cents for the first time in 1796. Zabad Curtis leading with $492. In 1797 houses, clocks and watches were listed. Either three houses were assessed. Daniel Gilbert being the only one who had two. The next year Zabad Curtis paid on three houses, for which he was assessed $100. Some of the others were assessed $10 each, some from 50 cents to $8. Total houses 140. 8. Jacob Smith, Zabad Curtis, Zebulon Lyon, Gardner Rix and Elias Stevens were a committee to procure subscriptions to build a bridge in 1799. Zabad died in Windsor on January 14, 1828. Lucy survived him by nearly 3 decades. She was listed in the 1850 census living with her daughter, Sarah, and her husband, James Morgan in Hartford, Washington County, Wisconsin where she died on September 5, 1854.
Two of Zabad & Lucy (Cady) Curtis's daughters. Lucy married Edward Webster and by him had four children. Sarah, the youngest daughter of the family, was born in 1811 and married James Shaw Morgan in 1833. Copy of letter written by Lucy (Curtis) Webster to her niece, Emma (Mathews) Delaney, my Great Grandmother: Norwich, Dec. 4, 1862 My Dearest Ema I was agreably surprised last evening be receiving A letter from you my dear girl as I thought you had forgoten me among your numerous other friends. but I now have proof to the contrary how kind in you to think of me in your new happiness and home. and I thank you many times for writing me as I have wished so long to hear from you all. I am satisfied that you have made choice of A good Companion one that will do all he can to make you happy. and knowing that you will do your part as you have been trained by one of the best of Mothers and the example of Dear Farther and Mother will not be lost by you for I never knew more domestic happiness, perfect confidence in each other neither wishing to rule the other except by love. and May you dear Eme allways remember that A good wife makes A good husband. Tell him from me that I hope he does fully apreciate you and that there was not one girl in Hartford that was better and smarter. and that my prayer is that you both may be mutual aids to each other and enjoy all the happiness This world affords. and should it be possible next sumer I will come and visit you allthough my health for the past year has gradually failed and do not even go to church but the eighteenth of July I went home with Cousin Emily (who had spent nearly six months with us) to Brother Lymans on Long Island thirty six miles from New York and returned home the eighteenth of November my health much improved but not well yet nor do I expect ever to get entirely rid of this troublesome cough I am to old for that. You mentioned the sickness of Sister Morgan {Sarah Curtis Morgan} I am pained to hear that she is so much afflicted and hope she will recover her usual health and be spared years to her family. do you know that she never writes to me I only hear by Brother Lyman. I hope her sons will return from the War alive and well for should she loose them it would allmost kill her I am truly sorry for her she has had fortune with her two eldest sons. is Alfred living. and you did not mention her daughter I suppose she is quite A young Lady and if she is as active as when I was there she can help her Mother much. I will tell you about your Cousins. well Edward is in the same place he has lived in these thirteen years and has made mony has A handsome house and everything nice but this dreafull war has nearly done him brown his buisnes place has ben closed some weeks together and he has to go on duty night and day as all the Cilvieviaton {civilization} to turn out and defend the City which was menanced on all sides by the rebels. I do think that Louisville has hard times. Edward says that he can barely make his living. My son Isreal is Captain in Buels Army and has not been in an engagement when last heard from but his health is much improved. I do not hear from him often now he has four children and Ed four so you se that he has his hands full. Your Uncle Lymons youngest son has joined the Army he has the office of first Lieuteneant in the Metropolitan Police guard and has high wages he was maried last month to Miss Louise Russell of Clinton the daughter of A Baptist Clergyman I think she is just the wife for him. Horace was maried Thanksgiving day to Miss Ema Waltron and took his trip to Washington. He is Military Storekeeper of New York and has one hudnred and seventy five dollars per month he is very smart as all the others are. Emily I supose is in New York for the winter. Well Sarah and Minie are not maried they are nice looking girls and help their Mother as we have no hired girl this winter we have had such bad luck with the Irish girls that we have had for the last two years but it makes it hard work for Mary with her two little boys and her dressmaking all though she has A good sewing machine for which she paid fifty eight dollars but now they are cheaper. Cousin Eliza Stampers is maried to Mr MacGrath she was living at home when last hear from. Aunt Eliza is better than she has been for A long time all though I did not se her this sumer Cousin Ebrany wrote me about her Cousin Henry Stanely is is the secesh army when last heard from that is very strange dont you think so. well you spoke of the high price for every thing Callico eighteen and Delains twenty five Canton flannel thirty such as we used to give ten cents per yard tea and coffee molasses Sugar and in fact everything that we eat and drink we are making over and mending up all the old dresses and as the girls have each of them new purple Delaine dresses trimmed with the same and narrow black velvet. Sarah sings at Christ Church of which she is a member and has A Sallery of one hundred dolars per year not as much as she used to get before the hard times came on but that is better than nothing. You mentioned my picture well dear one you shall have one the first time I can se Edward I have one large portrait painted by Emans at A cost of forty dollars. and one Photograph framed and taken by Edward. I have A Daugrotype if I could send that but wait patiently. When you have yours taken have your husbands to as I would like to have them both. but dont feel that you must make any sacrifise to have them now when convienant do it. and now I will say that one page of this letter I will send to dear Mother and Farther. I will close this by subscribing myself Your Sincere Friend and Aunt, Lucy Webster I wish I could have ben with you at the Thanksgiving Super at Fathers. I wish you all as happy A Christmas and New Years as can be enjoyed in these times. Copy of letter written by Lucy (Curtis) Webster to her sister, Mercy (Curtis) Matthews, my 3rd Great Grandmother. My Dear Sister Mercy, I hope you will imagine my surprise and pleasure to receive A letter from Ema after nearly A years Silence I should have written you long before this time but the fact is I do not write much now as my health has been so bad that I could think of nothing but my aches and pains and [illegible] but with [illegible] news [illegible] but do not think you are forgoten no never shall I forget the kindness shown me by all you dear ones when with you. and if I could only get well enough to come and spend the summer with you I feel that I would be willing to give up. I only hear from Hartford by uncle Lyman she has never gorgiven me for not doing as she wished. Did you hear from Alanson Curtis that has been in Astralia these twenty years well he has writen home that he is maried and has A son seven years old and that he has been very unfortunate and lost all his property and his health. has been nearly blind and is very much discouraged. his Farther has writen him to come home and they will help take care of them. Mary and Children are as well as usual with the exception of colds they all send love to you all. Ema did mention Mr. Beemer I supose he is in the War {Civil War} with all our dear ones what do you think will become of us if this terible war lasts much longer. many of our best young men have been killed or wounded. we are all doing what we can to help along but everything is very dear but John with his Livery Stable and Mary with her dress making and me with the mending and family sewing we get along very comfortable. I hope you and Thomas will write often tell Elizabeth that I send love to her and was hapy to hear from her and Children. and Mary Reeves and family how I wish I could the dear ones. tell them to write me all about herself. I think you are better than you were I hope you will recover entirely and come here once more. We all love you dearly. Good by Mercy. God bless and keep and save you.
The letter above was written to William E. Delaney from his Grandmother, Mercy Curtis Matthews from Lyons, Iowa, 1889: Dear Willie, I will try to write you to thank you for youre kind letter. I have not much news that interests you. I am getting to old to do anything. Cannot see or hear but imperfectly and time seems so long as I sit and hold my hands. I dislike waiting waiting. I am well cared for wants supplied by my good children. Mary and Husband do the most of it. I am so sorry for youre Mothers disapointment in not seeing you at Christmas she had longed so much uppon it, and then to think you mean to make Decota youre future Home. are having a poor opinion of the country where they burn hay for fuel and live in sod houses (how they do it) Mary work hard at dresses making, keep the Ladies dressed in high style with humps on their backs. I will send you a patern if I don't forget it. We have had a very mild weather thus far but today it snows like old fashioned winter the first we have had now dear Willie I will bid you good by take good care of youre of youre [repeated] self and hasen to see youre Mother. from grandma M. C. Mathews
Mercy
Cady Curtis Matthews Please send e-mail to Sam Behling.  See lineage of Curtis Family Read the Biography of Zabad's GGGG grandfather, John Curtis Read the Biography of Zabad's GGG grandfather, John Curtis Read the Biography of Zabad's great, great grandfather, Thomas Curtis Read the Biography of Zabad's great grandfather, Joseph Curtis Read the Biography of Zabad's grandfather Peter Curtis Read the Biography of Zabad's father Israel Curtis Return to Story Page
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