"Portrait and biographical album of Coles County, Illinois"
  
TERLING P. CURTIS, senior member of the firm of Curtis & Reel, who are successfully engaged in general merchandising at Oakland, is well known to people of the village, as he has lived here all his life, and this also was his birthplace. He was born June 19, 1858, and is the son of Philander and Elizabeth (Modrell) Curtis, natives respectively of Ohio and Kentucky. Philander Curtis was born in Somerset County in October, 1825, came to Illinois when a small boy and resided in Coles County: he followed farming nearly all his life. He was a good man in even sense of the word, and a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Although quiet and unobtrusive in his life, mixing but little in public matters, he uniformly voted with the Republican party, and was a stanch believer in its principles. He served in the Civil War, and after that spent his declining years in Oakland, this State. and rested from his earthly labors in February, 1879.
The mother of our subject was born Sept. 12, 1825, the same year as her husband, and died in July, 1879, six months after his decease. She also was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Of their six children the record is as follows: Carlos C. married Miss Abigail Fickett, and is a resident of Wellington, Kan.; Belle J. is the wife of A. N. Chapman, of Oakland: Catherine married E. C. Brown, of Tuscola. Ill., who died leaving two children: her second husband was E. A. Pearce, and they reside in Lamont, Ill. Orcelia was married in Iowa to John Glasburner, who died leaving one child, and she then married Dr. Elmer Booth, of Waynetown, Ind.; Walter A. married Miss Estella Strange, and lives in Oakland, Ill.; Sterling P., of our sketch, married Miss Susan Taber, in August, 1879.
Mr. Curtis was educated in the common schools and worked on the farm part of the time until four- teen years of age. He then began clerking in a store, and was variously employed until 1881, when he became a member of the firm of Lippincott & Curtis, which continued until January 1886 and our subject then became associated with Mr. Reel.
The firm of Curtis & Reel carries a stock of drygoods, boots and shoes, and everything pertaining to the needs of a family either in the town or country. They occupy two large storerooms, a part of which is devoted to drugs and groceries, and probably transact the largest amount of business of any firm of the kind in the county, their sales averaging annually about $50, 000. They are live business men, and valued members of the community. Contributing their full share toward its trade interest and its progress and advancement morally and intellectually.
The wife of our subject was born in Edgar County, in March, 1858 and is the daughter of James C. and Hester A. (Norton) Taber, natives respectively of Indiana. Of her marriage with Mr. Curtis there has been one child, a son. Herbert, who was born in March, 1881, and died in July following. Mr. Curtis is a member in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and has taken much interest in Sunday-school work, having officiated as Superintendent for some years. He has also served as Alderman, and upon becoming of suitable age identified himself decidedly with the Republican party. He is one of the valued and enterprising young citizens of Oakland, from whom much is expected in the future.
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