Horatio Nelson Curtis (1802-1874)

Horatio Nelson Curtis arrived in northwest Ohio by dugout canoe in 1825 to begin a new life along the Maumee River. That year he helped organize Crane Township and became its first Justice of the Peace, keeping order and settling disputes in a lawless wilderness. He built a two-story brick home that still stands as the oldest structure in Paulding County, and it served as a post office, trading post, militia headquarters, and winter refuge for local Native Americans. He welcomed them kindly, learned their language, and earned their lasting trust. In the 1840s, his leadership in the Ohio Militia brought him the title General Curtis. In 1841, he worked with surveyor W. Wilshire Riley to lay out the nearby town of Antwerp. He spent his whole life in Crane Township, raised a large family, and served his community for nearly 50 years. His obituary called him a friend to the poor man and praised his lifelong devotion to Paulding County. He was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Antwerp.

Ohio · United States