| Notes |
- He was the GGG Uncle of Peter, Suzie, Cindy
He was a mason by trade.
Son of Medad; father of Frank; brother of George Edward, Cynthia Ann Curtiss, Robert Curtiss; Uncle of George Robert Curtiss.
Besides Frank, his other sons were Fred (died at age 18); Ed (died as a boy, said to be buried in Prospect Cemetery); Charles (died 3 Jul 1888)
at Kalamazoo at 18 years).
He was born on a farm near Genesee, New York. After country schooling,he was a student in Avon Academy, Buffalo, New York, specializing in Architecture and later learning Masonry working with his father. About 1835, James moved to Ypsilanti and followed his trade as Mason and building contractor.
His earliest building was the brick structure at Eloise, Michigan for the Wayne County Poor House. A wing has been added on each side of the old building.
He was the contractor-architect for the following buildings in Ypsilanti: Hewitt Block - 130 W. Michigan. This was a three story brick building built in 1851 after the disastrous fire of that year. The third floor was a large meeting hall used for exhibitions and public meetings. The
third floor was removed in 1936.
The Samson Drug Store - 118 W. Michigan and built after the 1851 fire - later the location of the Weinan-Mathews Drug Store.
The Follette House - E. Cross Street - built in 1858 and said to be the finest Hotel between Detroit and Chicago.
The Samson House - 302 W. Cross-brick residence with unusual architectural detail.
The Parmenio Davis residence - 112 S. Washington The Gilbert residence - 227 N. Grove - built 1860 and was one of the elegant show places of Washtenaw County.
James Curtis built the first Michigan State Normal college in 1852 - destroyed by fire two years later. He also built the old Union School (210 W. Cross), lost by fire in 1870. His last construction was the St. James Hotel, 117-23 W. Huron in Ann Arbor.
James M. Curtis married Harriet M. Samson, November 17, 1841. He was buried with Masonic honors on Sunday January 27, 1865, and was buried in the old cemetery on Prospect Street - later the bodies of the Curtisfamily were moved to the Highland Cemeter.
(Information furnished to the Ypsilanti Archives in 1931 by Frank Curtis of Chicago, Illinois, son of James.
NOTE Rev. A. Billings married them.
He resided at 47 Hamilton, 1878
In 1896 he rsided 410 Florence
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1818 - 1865 (46 years)