As some of you may know, a year ago I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. I took part in a genetic study called 23 and Me. Recently they have been matching our DNA with possible relatives. So far I have corresponded with one (we had a 70+% match that we were related). And there was the connection, right on the family tree… a Du Mond had married a Leighton http://www.currfamily.com/wp-content/themes/curr1/CurrFamilyWeb/wc01/wc01_163.htm I had the spelling wrong, using “Dumond” instead of “Du Mond.” Thanks to Charles for helping me fill in the blanks!

Hi Debbie, You are definitely proved correct!!

We have been busy, 4 people in all, back again at the Nambour Library,
Qld.

The original work on our family tree was done by an uncle in the 1960′s,
so I was very hesitant to change anything without definite proof. Also it
didn’t help that the same error has been continued in a few places
including the records that I sent to you. The Latter Day Saint’s site can
be joined and I have done this and will see if the correction can be done
on the online records.

We chased the records of both the “Mary Smiths” from their boats when
originally arrived through to marriage and death. We were still
struggling for “the light” when my friend suggested that if you were
correct and Mary Smith was a convict when she married, she would have had
to get permission. This (as attached) was the final piece in the puzzle
as John Curr was by then a free man and he applied to marry Mary Smith a
bonded person. Please note that John Curr was listed as a widower.

In my searches we believe that Mary’s parents were actually the correct
ones as we chased up her death in Birth, Deaths & Marriages and they are
listed there. You may of course already have had these details but they
were new to me. We will continue and confirm other details. You do not
have John or Mary’s certificates by any chance? Anything that you have
would be appreciated.

One correction on the list that you sent to me is that she was convicted
of Man Robbery. The “O” on Man was a curl on the beginning of the capital
“R” when we looked at the original details on the microfiche. We still
wonder if that means that she robbed a man?

As you will remember we are travelling until September but at home I have
a picture taken of my great grandfather, John Adams and his wife Margaret
(John Curr’s daughter) and in the background is sitting no other that John
Curr, our guy. Would you like a copy? We have many records from here on
but as to wether they are part of your family I am yet to find out from
you.

I think from memory John Curr had quite a few children but my records are
of course at home.We have quite good records from there on but the family
is very large with 12 to 14 children in a lot of the old families. My own
father is one of 14 so it is a very big tree.

Hope to talk with you again soon, Rob

HI Bill, Do you remember me from earlier in the year? Re “Mary Smith” wife of John Curr.

Thank you for putting me in contact with Debbie Hodgson. I did indeed have incorrect data on ‘Mary Smith”. This data had come through the family for a few generations and I was very concerned about changing records that had stood for so long. There is even a great uncle named after the wrong ‘Mary Smith” as his second name is Westhorpe. This leads me to wonder if the name means anything but I doubt that any more can be done in that area.

With the help of a few friends while we were holidaying for the winter in Queensland I managed to satisfy myself that Deb had the correct records. Someone has posted the incorrect ones on the
www.familysearch.org . I have had no success contacting that person so no changes have been made.

We finally proved which “Mary Smith” belonged to our ancestors by using the Convict Applications to Marry. Separately I will forward on to you the email that I sent to Debbie during the Winter when we finally made the breakthrough.

I have downloaded your original email and have tried to look at your family at your family tree but got the error message of 404 not found. The same message came up every time except for the communications with other Curr relatives.

Every now and then I put a family name in at random into Google. While I was away I struck gold and found the ancestors (for hundreds of years) for the Adams family (who married Margaret Louisa CURR). I really though it was Christmas. The writer of the site must have gone to England and spent at least a year there.

Regards Robyn Baker

From: “KEN CURR”

Bill

Thanks for your reply. The Canadian side is of interest as my grandmother used to say that her brother-in -law went to Canada at the turn of the 20th Century. I will contact Jim Curr.

There appears to be 2 sides to the Curr family in Scotland, both originating from Germany in the mid 1800′s. My side of the family settled in the Tayside area. In those days shipbuilding was a major industry on the River Tay. The other side of the family settled in the Scottish Borders. They were mainly farmers or works in industries related to farming.

My cousin is producing a family tree and I will send you a copy when I receive it.

Many thanks for the trouble you have went to in replying to my email.

Ken Curr

From: Jim Curr

Thanks for replying Bill.
I was actually born in Scotland 1956, although I was quite young when we came to
Canada. My family all came from the village of Stonehouse, county of 
Lanarkshire. The village cemetery has Curr’s going back to the 1700′s. My father
”James Curr” was the manager of a woolen knitwear mill, his cousin “James Curr”
was the manager of a tartan factory. My grandfather “James Curr”, was the
manager of a silk weaving factory. COULD GET CONFUSING !
Some time ago I was in E-correspondence with a Curr from Phoenix Arizona, who
was able to trace lineage back to Stonehouse. His address has since been
 canceled so I’ve been out of touch with him. I have also been in touch with
Curr’s in Toronto and in Winnipeg. The Toronto contact is a Mary Curr, who is
 rather a famous artist herself ( or so I’m told ), and has had features in
Toronto and Winnipeg newspapers. So far as I know, I’m no relation to either of
them.
Also, as far as I know, I have no relations in NY.
The family however, has different branches, so you never know. The name is not
all that common, even in Scotland.
For general interest, there are two theories of the origin of the surname. 1. A
sir William deCur, was named in the “domesday book” commissioned by William the
Conqueror in 1104 2. The actual title of Richard the Lionhearted ( king of
England ), was Richard Couer de Lion, in English, Richard Heart of the Lion.
Some feel that our family name comes from the “Couer”. Either way, the name is
of Norman nobility origin.

Cheers again !
Please reply.

Jim.


From: “KEN CURR”
To:
Subject: FAMILY TRACE
Date: Tuesday, August 06, 2002 1:16 PM

Hi Bill

I am tracing my family tree and have come across you on the net. My family are from the Perth/ Dundee area of Scotland, UK but many members moved abroad to Australia, Canada and the USA in the 1930′s and 40′s.

Do you have any Scottish connections?

If so would you mind answering a few questions.

A reply, even in the negative would be appreciated.

Ken Curr
Uphall, West Lothian, Scotland, UK

Amy, at towner@btinet.net is trying to find a Rhoda Curr who was born in NY. She may be the carrier of hemophilia. She read that some of the Leightons carried hemophilia. Anyone aware of it’s existence in your tree anywhere? Found a Rhoda anywhere?

The Family Tree section is now installed, with a Name Index and a list of all the Surnames that are contained in it. This is a first version and there is a lot of information missing at this point. This will be updated as much as possible.

The search is now working also. Give it a whirl! Next up to do is adding images and files to their respective areas.

This is a site dedicated to the history of the Curr family. We are searching for information about our family all of the time. If you have any information to share, are a Curr or a relative of a Curr, or are just curious, let us know! Make sure to take a look at our online family tree, or our images and files section.