James McCurdy I1,2,3,4

M, b. 1760, d. 10 August 1833
FatherHugh McCurdy b. c 1734, d. b 14 Apr 1813
MotherJane Cooke d. b 1800
     James was born in 1760 probably at Lowther Manor, Allen Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. James married Elizabeth Taylor, daughter of William Taylor and Martha (?), circa 1802 in Path Valley, Fannett Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. James is first found on a deed dated 29 April 1801 where his father Hugh of Fannett Twp. assigns to him 40 acres of mountain land in Metal Twp. for three pounds. [Franklin County Deeds, V 6, p 410.] On the same date, Hugh conveyed 86 acres, part of Hugh's original warranted land applied for in 1767. Also, a deed dated 19 December 1812, Hugh and wife Catherine of Fannett Twp., convey to James land situate in Metal Twp. containing 37 2/4 acres and 61 perches to James McCurdy of Metal Twp. [Franklin County Deeds, Vol. 11, p 377]. On 1 April 1822, James sold two tracts of land to Jacob Brinley. The deed states that one tract was originally owned by his father, Hugh McCurdy with Warranted surveys 11 January 1770 & 11 November 1792, and conveyed to James in 1801. James & his family left Path Valley 3 June 1822. The family went as far as Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio where Elizabeth & the younger children stayed while James & their son William went on to their land to build a log cabin. It was on 13 November 1822, James McCurdy, of Ohio, purchased from the government 80 acres in the east half of the southwest quarter of section 34 T2S R17E and 80 acres in the west half of the southeast quarter of section 34 T2S R17R. This land was four miles east of Bucyrus in Liberty Township, Crawford County. James & William rejoined the family & wintered over there at Mansfield. In the spring when the family returned to their land in the spring, they had difficulty finding the cabin. This cabin was located where the original farm building stood until the late 1960's. A new home was built closer to the road but reminants still remain. This is stated in the History of Crawford County and Ohio as a reference from the Pioneer sketches of Dr. Squires. It is also noted that James was one of the first elders of the Presbyterian Church of Bucyrus. After the death of James, his wife Elizabeth remained on the land residing with their son John. As of July 1997 this property is in the possession of John Russell McCurdy, great grandchild of James. The 1810 U.S. Federal Census enumerates at Path Valley, Fannett Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, the family of James McCurdy [10011:31110].5 The 1830 U.S. Federal Census enumerates at Liberty Township, Crawford County, Ohio, the family of James McCurdy [021010001:000120100].6 James departed this life on Saturday, 10 August 1833 in Liberty Township at age 73 years. He was buried at Whetstone Township, Crawford County, Ohio, in Stewart Cemetery.7,8

Family

Elizabeth Taylor b. 13 Oct 1781, d. 23 Aug 1871
Children

Citations

  1. [S423] Land Record: Apr 1801 .....From Hugh McCurdy of Fannett Twp. to James McCurdy (son) of Fannett Twp. for certain considerations including payment of 100 pounds to sister Nancy Moore, wife of John Moore, in the course of eight years. a parcel of land containing 86 acres in Fannett Twp. bearing survey date of 27 Jan 1767 Recorded 22 Feb 1805. Witnessed: John Moore & Thomas McCurdy [Volume 6: pages 411-412 - Franklin County]
    ..... survey of 27 Jan 1767 of Hugh McCurdy indicates 167 acres 97 perches plus allowances
    ..... survey of August 1791 of Hugh McCurdy indicated 171 acres 96 perches - includes
    additional land that goes down to the creek
    Apr 1801 ..... From Hugh McCurdy to James McCurdy both of Fannett Twp. for the sum of Pounds, 40 acres of Mountain Tract in Metal Twp. also includes other lands invoved in a court battle. part of a tract of land surveyed to Hugh Mc Curdy 1 Oct 1792 Recorded 9 Mar 1805. Witnessed: John Moore & Thomas McCurdy [Volume 6: pages 410-411 - Franklin County]
    Dec 1812 ..... From Hugh McCurdy & Catherine, his wife of Fannett Twp., Franklin Co., Penn. to James McCurdy of Metal Twp., Franklin Co. land situate in Metal Twp. containing 37 2/4 acres 61 perches, part of a larger tract surveyed November 11, 1792 in pursuance of a warrant granted to said Hugh McCurdy, dated Oct. 1, 1792 Witnessed: R. Childerstone & Abigail Johnson [Volume 10: page 84 - Franklin County]
    Apr 1822 ..... From James McCurdy & Elizabeth [his wife] of Fannett Twp. to Jacob Brinley for $1868.60 [$25.00 per acre for 74 acres 119 perches] - land bounded by property of Jacob Shearer , John Johnston, Samuel Moore, & Martin Hammon - part of a larger tract of land surveyed to Hugh McCurdy, father of James, - also a piece of land in Metal Twp. containing 39 3/4 acres also a part of a larger parcel of land surveyed 11 Nov 1792 in persuant of a warrant granted to Hugh McCurdy, this tract bounded in part by land of Richard Childerstone, Esq., James McCurdy, Esq., & Jacob Shearer, Witnessed by: James McCurdy, Jr., & William McCurdy [Volume 13: page 472 - Franklin County] [Note: this document links James McCurdy and his wife Elizabeth who went to Ohio in the spring of 1822 back to his birthplace in Path Valley to his father Hugh McCurdy-klm].
  2. [S204] History of Crawford County and Ohio, page 383 - It is not certain who were elected and ordained Elders of the church at its organization: but it is believed that they were Messrs. Robert Walker, William V. Marquis and James McCurdy.
    page 563 - Dr. Squires, in his pioneer sketch, says: The year 1823 was marked by numerous accessions to the early settlers, among whom may be mentioned Ichabod Smith, James McCurdy, Asa Cobb, Simeon Parcher, Calvin Stone, Garrett Dorland, with his sons James, Isaac and Luke, Jacob Gurwell, Mathias Markley, Thomas Smith, Benjamin Manwell, Thomas Scott, Samuel Smalley, Joseph Chandler, John Chandler, Charles Doney and Edward Hartford.
    page 565 - Liberty was undoubtedly fully organized, and township officers chosen at the spring election in 1825, but there is no positive proof who filled the various offices from the date of organization until the year 1831, for, if the Clerk kept any record of business transacted by the Trustees, the books containing the minutes have all been lost or destroyed. From the year 1831, the records are nearly complete. John G. Stough thinks that John Kroft was the first Clerk, as he held this office for many years when the township was first organized. Stough says he attended the election in the spring of 1827, and was chosen one of the three Trustees, and James McCurdy was another.
  3. [S203] D. E. McCurdy, The Historical Genealogy of the McCurdy Family, pages 61-62 - James McCurdy, the eldest son of David, was born in Maine about 1789. When a young man he went to Pennsylvania and there married Elizabeth Taylor and located in Path Valley, but in 1822 he removd to Richland county Ohio. The following spring removd to Crawford county Ohio and settled on a homestead. He died in 1833. His wife died in 1873. Their children were: William, James, Thomas, Nancy, Jane and John. William McCurdy married Zilpha Mathews and lived on part of the old McCurdy homestead. They had six children, Washington, Elisha, James N., Thomas, Donald, and Sarah. James and Thomas went to Kansas about 1840 and married there. Some of their children are located near Williamsburg, Kansas. Among them were John, Nancy, and Jane. Nancy married Sidney Smith and moved to Elenswood, Ill., where Mr. Smith died, and she married a Mr. German who died in the sixties. Nancy died in Keithburg, Ill. in 1872. They had no children. Jane McCurdy married J. S. Sweney, who went from Pa., and they had seven children, James A., Newton, William, Thomas, Sidney and two girls who died in early womanhood. John McCurdy was born in Richland county Ohio Aug. 11th, 1822. He was married about 1850 and had one child. Wife and child both died before the Civil War. In 1864 he married Catherine (Bowerman) McIntyre a widow who died in 1906. To them three children were born; Albert J., born in 1866; died in 1890. James F., born 1863, and Sidney, born in 1871. James F. started west in 1893, and after marrying and staying ten years in Southwest Iowa removd to they Yakima Valley, Washington. He is a grower and shipper of choice Washington fruits and resides near Toppenish, Washington.
    [ERROR: James was born 1760 according to his tombstone. Research proves he was born in Path Valley to Hugh McCurdy & Jane Cooke. Daughters: Martha & Elizabeth are missing from the list of James' children. Martha is listed on James' same stone.-klm]
  4. [S414] Bureau of Land Management of the United States Government: 13 November 1822, James McCurdy, of Ohio, purchased from the government 80 acres in the east half of the southwest quarter of section 34 T2S R17E and 80 acres in the west half of the southeast quarter of section 34 R2S R17E. This land was four miles east of Bucyrus in Liberty Township, Crawford County. - www.glorecords.blm.gov.
  5. [S670] 1810 United States Federal Census: Franklin County, Pennsylvania - page 910 [Note: James is listed next to Hugh on this census-klm] - transcribed by Larry & Kathy McCurdy.
  6. [S672] 1830 United States Federal Census: Crawford County, Ohio - page 173 [Note: James is of 60 but under 70 years & Elizabeth is of 40 & under 50 years-klm] - transcribed by Larry & Kathy McCurdy.
  7. [S225] Carl Shumaker, Cemeteries of Crawford County, Ohio, Volume III: page 336 - James McCurdy born: __; died 10 August 1833 age 73 years - row 11, lot 19 - stone 119.
  8. [S407] Tombstone Inscription: Stewart Cemetery: James McCurdy August 10, 1833 age ____ [unreadable] Stone also bears dates for his wife Elizabeth and daughter Martha. It had fallen over. [Transcribe by Larry & Kathy McCurdy - August 1983]
    same information but thought second numeral in James age could be a "2" [Transcribed by Liz Richards & her daughter, Madona July 2005].