My Genealogy Hound

William H. Curless, a pioneer farmer of LeRoy Township, is a native of Clermont County, Ohio, his birth occurring in 1827. His parents, Joseph and Lucy (Hood) Curless, were born in New Jersey and Maryland, respectively, and at an early day were taken by their parents to Ohio, where they were married and made their home until 1846, when they moved to Fulton County, Ill., where Mr. Curless died in 1850. He was a glass blower in early life, but afterwards took up farming, which he continued until his death. His father, Asher Curless, was born in Scotland, and died in Brown County, Ohio, where he had been engaged in farming. The maternal grandfather was also a Scotchman, and died in Ohio. The mother of our subject died, in 1877, at the age of seventy years. William H. Curless is the second of ten children, and in his youth received a very limited education. He went with his parents to Illinois, but the next year returned to Ohio (1847), and was married to Zanetta, a daughter of Hugh and Margaret Kennedy, who were born in Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively, and were married in the latter State, Here the father died, having been a farmer and shoemaker by trade. His wife was born in 1800, and died in Douglass County, Kan., in 1886. Mrs. Curless was born in Brown County, Ohio, and is the mother of these children: Joseph; Catherine, wife of David Hessford; Frank; Josephine, wife of Albert Scovill; Mollie, wife of George Scovill; George, Nellie, Charley, Edward; and Jennie, the wife of Arthur Guffee. Mr. Curless lived in Illinois until 1855, then removed to Douglass County, Kan., and in 1866, to Barton County, where he has since lived, being the owner of 320 acres of well improved land. He and his sons have property adjoining Liberal, which is underlaid with an abundance of fine building stone, and also a superior quality of coal, both of which are developed to some extent. When Mr. Curless first came to Barton County, there were only ten voters in three townships, LeRoy, Ozark and Center. At that time there was not a house between his home and Lamar. During the war he was in the Kansas State service. He is a Republican, though formerly a Democrat, and cast his first presidential vote for Pierce, in 1852.