Family History

 
NINTH GENERATION


Golding CURTIS was the son of John & Mary Curtis. He was born about 1694 going by his age on his marriage licence.

To understand the origins of Golding Curtis one must first consider the rarity of this name. It appears to only occur in this line of the Curtis family. Secondly is the mention of four children as beneficiaries in the wills of Hellen Warner and Mary Lucking as follows :-

The Will of Hellen Warner of Newport Pond, Essex, made in 1699 and proved in 1701. [Essex Record Office - D/ABW 77/65] :-
"Item, I give and bequeath unto John Curtis, Mary Curtis, George Curtis, and Golding Curtis - the four children of John Curtis (late of Matchin [sic. Matching] in the County of Essex Farmer deceased) the sume of forty shillings apiece ...."
This will names many beneficiaries across Essex and into Cambridge showing the network and mobility of families there. Modern days researchers often think people didn't move far in previous times, however I have several examples of wills showing extended mobility in families in the 1600 and 1700's, the will of William Slater being a good example. This will doesn't name the relationship between Hellen Warner and the Curtis family, however more on Warners below.

Next the Will of Mary Lucking of Upminster, Essex, made in 1708 and proved in 1714. [Essex Record Office - D/ABW 81/148] :-
"Imprimis I give and bequeath unto my brother George Cortice of Lathen Roding [sic. Leaden Roding] in the County of Essex servant the sume of twenty shillings ..., Item I give and bequeath unto John Cortice and Golding Cortice sones of John Cortice late of Little Laver in the County of Essex husbandman deceased ..... I give and bequeath unto my kinsman & kinswoman George Cortice and Mary Cortice now living with me .... (also named as executors)"
This will takes a little deciphering. Mary names George of Leaden Roding as her brother, but she does not name John, Golding, George or Mary as siblings. Therefore I believe she and her brother George are relations of and most likely cousins to John, Golding, & kin George & Mary, they all being siblings as named in the will of Hellen Warner. Note Matching and Little Laver are adjoining parishes and farmers / husbandmen often had multiple land holdings, I think the deceased John snr mentioned is the same person as the family do not appear in the Matching registers.

Mary Lucking of Upminster, her will links the Curtis family from the area further north, Matching, Little Laver and the Rodings. Aveley where we next see the four siblings, is adjacent to Upminster, hence the links and progression of the four siblings are established.

Unfortunately there  is a gap in the Aveley Parish Registers from 1647-1717. But the above can be ascertained from the two wills. In the Aveley register the surnames Warner and Lucking also appear perhaps indicating further close connections and common movements within these related families. In addition Golding's probable father-in-law, John Lovell a blacksmith of Aveley was found guilty of poaching in 1703 together with a Simon Lucking a yeoman of Aveley, again the connection to the Lucking family.

The four siblings are recorded in Aveley as follows :-

  • Mary
    2 Nov 1714 - Upminster - Marriage of Joseph Hunphreys widower & Mary Curtis spinster both of Aveley parish with a licence. [Upminster Parish Register]
     
  • George
    12 Jan 1714/15 - Saint Benet Pauls Wharf,London - Marriage of George Curtis of Aveley, Essex, batchelor and Mary Wibrow of the same spinster. [Saint Benet Pauls Wharf,London Marriage Register]
     
  • Golding / Golden
    Marriage Licence of Golding Curtis :-
    21 July 1720 - George Curtis, yeoman of Aveley, batchelor aged about 26 yrs & Mary Lovell of Aveley, spinster aged upwards of 21 yrs. To be married in St. James Dukes Place London. [Bishop of London Marriage Licences]
    The marriage does not appear in that church's marriage register, so whether they just got the licence and went from there without actually marrying, or got married in another yet to be ascertained church is unknown at present.
     
  • John
    1719 - Will of Mary Curtis widow of George Curtis (see marriage of George above in 1714 to Mary Wibrow) :-
    "It is the desire of Mrs Mary Curtis [of Aveley] the widow of George Curtis deceased to have William Cox and Golden [Golding] Curtis to be trustees to her two sons George and John and if Golden should die her brother John shall succeed him in his room (substitute)"
    She says John "her brother" but as she is not a Curtis but originally Mary Wibrow she must mean brother as in brother in law.
    Will follows further :- "And if the children both die John and Golden Curtis and Elizabeth Bragham (Bingham)2 to divide it equally among them." John is mentioned in conjunction with Golden / Golding.
    [Essex wills - 1720 Curtis, Mary, widow, Aveley 91/BR/18]

It is this accumulation of information that follows the trail of these siblings from Matching / Little Laver, to Upminster, to Aveley.
See a graphical map of these movements.

He was buried on 12 Dec 1728 in Aveley.

Golding Curtis "married" Mary LOVELL as above. Due to the gap in the Aveley register if Mary was christened there then there is no longer a record of it. Her father was most likely John Jovell.

Children were:-

  • Golding CURTIS was christened on the 20 Sep 1721 in Aveley, Essex.
  • John CURTIS was christened on the 20 July 1724 in Aveley, Essex.

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