Greetings,

I’m looking for information about the Betts family. Unfortunately, my resources are limited, so I have only been able to go so far in my research. My hope is that the information provided below will allow other Betts researchers to make links that I have been unable to do. Do not hesitate to contact me if you need more information or have information for me. I am available on instant messenger upon request.

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I’m looking for the links to the Betts family through my 2 Great grandfather William Curtis Betts (III), who lived from 1834 to 1930. He was a veteran of the Civil War (4th Wisconsin) and settled in Door County, Wisconsin where he served as lighthouse keeper of the Pottawatomie Light from 1867-1884. He married a woman named Emily Rohn and had 9 children.

His father was also named William Curtis Betts (II), was probably born around Schenectady, New York around 1797. According to family letters he may have been a twin and supposedly served as a fifer in the war of 1812. According to the same family accounts, William Curtis Betts (II) had a falling out with his father over a stepmother he did not like. He moved away and did not retain contact with his family, nor did he pass much family history on to his children. Around 1825 he married a woman named Almira Amelia Darrow. They lived in Tonawanda, New York for some time (this is confirmed via Census data) then around 1843, moved to a farmstead near Port Huron, Michigan. William Curtis (II) and Almira would have 6 children together (also confirmed by Census). Almira died shortly after the birth of their last child (confirmed by her son in family letters) and he married again to a woman named Mary (maiden name unknown, confirmed via Census), with whom he had three more children. He died in the 1880’s.

The names of their children were:

MOTHER: Almira Amelia Darrow
***James Nelson – served in the 12th Wisconsin Volunteers during the Civil War
***Jesse Augustus (18?? – after 1863)– Served in 12th Illinois Volunteers during the Civil War.
*** William Curtis (III) (mentioned above)
***Cornelia
***Emmaline
***Almira

MOTHER: Mary
***Charles
***Thomas
***Mary?

William Curtis Bett’s (II)’s father’s name was supposedly also William Curtis Betts (I). His actual name and the following information have not been confirmed and are gleaned from speculations written in the previously mentioned family letters. Family letters suggests he was born in Connecticut around 1750 at, or near Salisbury. He supposedly served in the Revolutionary War as a surgeon (enlisting in New York or Connecticut). He was married at least twice. He had 6 children by his first wife, a woman with the maiden name Chamberlain. After he was widowed, he married again. It was with this second wife that William Curtis Betts (II) supposedly had his falling out. William Curtis (I) is reported to have still been alive in 1843 at age 93.

The names of his children (unconfirmed) were:

MOTHER: Chamberlain
*** William Curtis (II)
*** Twin sister to William, name unknown
*** Jesse
*** James
*** Unknown
*** Unknown

Beyond this, I do not know anything about them, nor of William Curtis Bett’s (I) parents or siblings. Keep in mind that I have not confirmed that his name was William Curtis. It is possible, his middle name was different. The family letters claim, however, that it was William Curtis.

Thank you for your time in reading this through. Again, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any information that might link my branch to the main one. The letters I mentioned have been transcribed and are available upon request.