ALBERT A. CURRY

I am thankful for the Curry family because the Curry family provided many farming jobs for my family, the Witham family. There were 2 Albert Currys, the elder Albert Curry was Albert A. Curry and his son was Albert E. Curry. This is some fascinating information I found on the elder Albert Curry, Albert A. Did you know he came to the Pisgah area with just 25 cents in his pocket? But, he was blessed with a gift for business. Read on…

(Source: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilmaga/morgan/cemetery/union/obits/curry_albert.html)

ALBERT CURRY IS SUMMONED BY DEATH
Well Known Resident of County Dies Monday Morning

At 11:20 o’clock Monday morning, Albert A. Curry passed away at Passavant hospital in Jacksonville where he had been a patient for several weeks. Mr. Curry had not been in good healthy for some time. The manner in which he and Mrs. Curry were obliged to abandon their intended foreign tour is well known.

He was born on September 4, 1861 in Elizabeth, Ind., his parents being Isaiah and Sarah Duggins Curry. The decedent never knew the blessing of a father’s care as his parent heard the call of his country and enlisted in the Union army and died a prisoner in the Libby prison.

In 1872 the elder brother, Edward decided to try his fortune in this vicinity and coming to Morgan county secured employment on the farm of the late James T. Holmes of near Orleans. Two years later the younger brother decided to follow. He had to walk twenty miles to get to a railroad train and landed here with but 25 cents in his pocket.

The youngest man was possessed of natural born business ability and early in life struck out for himself doing a great deal of trading. When twenty-five years of age he acquired a farm of eighty acres and not long after added to his possessions, another.

He kept on from year to year and finally was possessor of the Samuel Rannells farm at Pisgah station and made it his home. He also had extensive holdings in Greene county and some in other states. He took much interest in livestock and many hundred animals, both cattle and hogs, he fattened for market.

In later years he took his son, Albert into partnership and the firm of Curry & Son has a high standing in financial circles. In banking and various other lines he has also manifested great ability.

Early in life Mr. Curry embraced the Christian religion and at once took an unusual interest in church affairs. He took an especially active interest in the Union Baptist church near Pisgah, serving as deacon, trustee and for thirty years was superintendent of the Sunday school.

For one year he was moderator of the State Baptist convention. He was moderator of the Morgan-Scott County Baptist association since two years after its organization. He was trustee of the Huddleston Baptist Orphanage at Irving, Ill., for a long period of years.

He was generous to the public with his time and unusual talent as head of Oak Lawn Sanitarium, Passavant hospital board of trustees and various positions of importance and usefulness.

For years he was president of the board of trustees of Shurtleff College, chosen at a time when the assets of the institution were at a low ebb. The college owned property in St. Louis and elsewhere and thru his good management and liberal contributions he very materially assisted the institution.

On November 16, 1892, Mr. Curry was married to Mrs. Minnie Wood Wallbaum, who with one son, Albert and two grandchildren survive. The decedent and his wife ever maintained a home noted for hospitality, where neighbors were welcome and where many gathered at various times for pleasure and were never disappointed. – Jacksonville Journal.

Funeral services were conducted Wednesday afternoon at the residence at Pisgah, and were largely attended. Besides the many friends, neighbors and business associates who attended the funeral, President C. W. Potter and the board of trustees of Shurtleff College and several members of the Illinois Baptist Association were present.

The services were in charge of Rev. W. R. Johnson of Jacksonville, who took for his text, “and he was a good man, full of Holy Spirit and faith and much people were added to the Lord.” Dr. F. J. McKinney, pastor of the Cherry St. Baptist church of Alton, read the scripture at the service and N. L. Hilton, superintendent of the Southern Division of the Illinois Baptist Association offered prayer.

Music was furnished by a quartet composed of Mrs. W. A. Barrow, Mrs. J. H. Shutt, W. R. Turnbull and Homer Wood, with Miss Stella Rodgers as accompanist. Mr. Wood sang “My Faith In Thee” and Mrs. F. Wallbaum sang, “In The Garden.”

Following the services at the home the funeral cortege moved to the Baptist Church in Pisgah where brief services were conducted. Rev. Mr. Johnson spoke briefly and the brother of the decedent, Rev. J. E. Curry offered prayer.

The body was then removed to the Union cemetery with the bearers being C. W. Witham, Lloyd Cox, Arthur Swain, F. E. Ferrell, Ed Barrow, Clark Wallbaum, J. L. Owen and Grif Rogers.

The honorary bearers were Henry Mosely, H. J. Rodgers, A. C. Moffet, S. O. Cromwell, W. G. Goebel, Joshua Hubbs, J. J. Reeve and G. H. Kopperl.

 

If you have any information to add to this page, please don’t hesitate to contact me: Mike@PisgahILHistory.com