Samuel Eakin Curry, son of Mathew and Jane Curry, was born February 9, 1845, in Butler county, Pennsylvania, and passed away at his home in Carthage, October 24, 1926, aged 82 yearss [sic], 8 months and 15 days.  He came with his parents to Illinois in 1852.

He was united in marriage to Miss Florella Sweeney in Hamilton, September 12, 1872, and they built a home a quarter of a mile from his father's home on the Curry homestead, eight miles northeast of Carthage, where they remained until December, 1912, when they moved to their present home in Carthage, where they happily celebrated their golden wedding four years ago in September.

His parents were of Scotch Irish descent and devoted Presbyterians and he was brought up by the strict rules of the church but never made a public confession of religion until after moving to Carthage, when he and his wife united with the First Presbyterian church under the pastorate of Rev. W. F. Boyd.  He inherited a splendid physical constitution and having been early taught by his mother the virtues of honesty, truthfulness and temperance, these characteristics helped to bring him strength and health to a good old age.

Knowing the worth of a splendid mother, Mr. Curry was interested in boyss [sic], who were early left motherless and more than one boy was given a home for a time by him and particularly was this true of his wife's half-brother, Oscar Sweeney, who found a home with them for several years [until he was ready to enter a school to prepare for his chosen profession, that] of the gospel ministry.

Mr. Curry is survived by his widow and three children, who came to bless their home, Mrs. Mary E. Reed, of Webster; Mrs. Etta Champlin, of Hope, Ark.; and William W. Curry, of Carthage; seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.  He also leaves to mourn his departure, two sisters, Mrs. Isabel Ritchey, of Carthage, and Mrs. Margaret Baxter, of Horton, Kas.; a brother and sister having preceded him to the Beyond.

It seemeth such a little way to me
Across to that strange country - the Beyond;
And yet not strange, for it has grown to be
The home of those of whom I am so fond;
They make it seem familiar and most dear
As journeying friends bring distant regions near.

So close it lies that when my sight is clear
I think I almost see the gleaming strand;
I know I feel those who have gone from here
Come near enough sometimes to touch my hand.
I often think but for our veiled eyes,
We should find heaven right round us lies.

I cannot make it seem a day to dread,
When from this dear earth I shall journey out
To that still dearer country of the dead,
And join the lost ones so long dreamed about;
I love this world, yet shall I love to go
And meet the friends that wait for me, I know.

I never stand above a bier and see
The seal of death set on some well loved face,
But what I think, "One more to welcome me
When I shall cross the intervening space
Between this land and that one over there,
One more to make the strange Beyond see fair.

And so for me there is no sting to death,
And so the grave has lost it victory;
It is but crossing - withabated breath
And white set face - a little strip of sea,
To find the loved ones waiting on the shore,
More beautiful, more precious than before.

The funeral was held from the Ostrich funeral home Tuesday afternoon.  Rev. Wm. Harberts officiating.  Interment in Moss Ridge.

We desire to express our sincere gratitude for the many expressions of sympathy and of help in the hours of our bereavement.

David Sweeney moved - frequently.  Of his seven children documented in census records, their approximate birth years and locations were: 1849 and about 1851 - Indiana; about 1857 - Iowa; about 1858 - Illinois; about 1862 and 1866 - Alabama; about 1869 - Illinois.

We tentatively presume that the Sweeney family (which then included David's second wife, Mary E., maiden name undetermined) was living in Fountain Green Township, Hancock County, Illinois, when Mary Florella married Samuel Curry on September 12, 1872.  Marriage License

We have not yet located Mary Florella's family members after the Federal Census of 1870.

She died February 9, 1939, in Hempstead County, Arkansas, where her daughter and son-in-law, Etta and Charles Champlin, had lived for a number of years.  We expect to find Mary Florella buried at Moss Ridge Cemetery.

The Curry children were probably all born in Hancock Township, Hancock County.  They were:

i.	Mary Evelyn Curry, born July 7, 1873, died February 11, 1963, at Carthage, burial at Moss Ridge Cemetery.
ii.	Etta Elizabeth Curry, born ca. 1876, died after February 11, 1963, perhaps in or near Hope, Hempstead County, Arkansas.  She married Charles A. Champlin, brother of Myrtle Perle Champlin.
iii.	William Walter Curry, born July 12, 1878, died in November of 1966 in Carthage.  He married Perle Champlin, sister of Charles A. Champlin.

See also:

Matthew Curry and Jane Curry  (Samuel's parents)

Mathew Curry, 47, male, farmer, value of real estate 1000, born Ireland
Jane, 47, female, born PA
Isabella, 10, female, born PA, attended school within the year
Adam, 9, male, born PA, attended school within the year
Eliza, 7, male [sic], born PA, attended school within the year
Margaret, 6, female, born PA, attended school within the year
Samuel, 5, male, born PA, attended school within the year

Daniel Sweeny, 27, male, 27, male, miller, born PA
Mary Jane, 22, female, born OH
Florella, 1, female, born IN

Mathew Curry, 57, farmer, value of real estate owned 3000, value of personal estate owned 1000, born PA
Jane, 57, born PA
Isabel, 20, born PA
Adam, 13 [sic], born PA, attended school within the year
Eliza, 17, born PA, attended school within the year
Margaret, 15, born PA, attended school within the year
Samuel, 15, born PA, attended school within the year

Danl Swinny, 28, male, miller, born PA
Mary, 22, female, born OH
Mary R, 11, female, born IN, attended school within the year
Wm, 8, male, born IN, attended school within the year
Ida, 3, female, born IA
Carrie, 1, female, born IL
G W Cox, 24, male, miller, born OH

Currey, Mathew, 67, male, white, farmer, value of real estate 7000, value of personal estate 2000, born Ireland, both both parents foreign born, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Jane, 67, female, white, keeping house, born PA
Isabella, 26, female, white, born PA, father foreign born
Samuel, 22, male, white, born PA, father foreign born, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Margaret, 24, female, white, born PA, father foreign born

Sweeney, David, 49, white, miller & millwright, value of personal estate 1000, born PA, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Mary E, 32, female, white, keeping house born OH
Flora, 21, female, white, born IN
William, 19, male, white, born IN, attended school within the year
Ida, 13, female, white, born IA, attended school within the year
Carrie, 12, female, white, born IL, attended school within the year
[continued on next page]
Sweeney, Ellie, 8, male, white, born AL, attended school within the year
Oscar, 4, male, white, born AL
Sadie, 9/12, female, white, born IL, born Sept

Curry, Samuel E, white, male, 34, married, farmer, born PA, father born Ireland, mother born PA
Mary F, white, female, 31, wife, married, keeping house, born IN, father born MD, mother
born MA
Mary E, white, female, 6, daughter, single, attended school within the census year, born IL, father born PA, mother born IN
Etta E, white, female, 4, daughter, single, born IL, father born PA, mother born IN
William, white, male, 2, son, single, born IL, father born PA, mother born IN
Sweaney, Oscar D, white, male, 14, brother-in-law, single, farm laborer, attended school within the census year, born AL, father born MD, mother born OH
Long, John W, white, male, 21, single, laborer, born IL, father born IL, mother born MD

Curry, Samuel, head, white, male, Feb 1845, 55, married for 28 years, born PA, father born Ireland, mother born PA, farmer, months not employed, could read, write and speak English, paying on a mortgage on his farm home, farm schedule 182

Mary F, wife, white, female, March 1849, 51,married for 28 years; mother of 3 children, all living; born IN, father born PA, mother born OH, could read, write and speak English

Ettie E, daughter, white, female, May 1876, 24, single, born IL, father born PA, mother born IN, could read, write and speak English

William W, son, white, male, July 1878, 21, single, born IL, father born PA, mother born IN, farmer, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English

Huff, Ida, boarder, white, female, Mar 1885, 15, single, born IL, both parents born IL, servant, months not employed - 6, could read, write and speak English

Curry, Samuel, head, male, white, 65, married (1st) for 37 years, born PA, father born Ireland - Ir, mother born PA, spoke English, farmer, general farm, employer, could read and write, paying on a mortgage on his farm home, farm schedule 11

Flora, wife, female, white, 61, married (1st) for 37 years; mother of 3 children, all living; born IN, both parents born IN, spoke English, could read and write

Curry, Samuel, head, owned his home free of mortgage, male, white, 74, married, could read and write, born PA, father born Ireland, mother tongue Irish, mother born Scotland, mother tongue Scotch, spoke English

Mary F, wife, female, white, 70, married, could read and write, born IN, father born MD, mother born IN, spoke English

Champlin, Charles A, head, owner, home value 6000, did not own a radio, male, white, 55, married, age at first marriage - 28, could read and write, born IL, father born NY, mother born IL, spoke English, physician, osteopath, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition - no

Etta C, wife, female, white, 53, married, age at first marriage - 26, could read and write, born IL, father born PA, mother born IN, spoke English, physician, osteopath

Twitchell, Mamie E, cousin, female, white, 37, single, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Curry, Mary Florella, mother, female, white, 81, widow, age at first marriage - 22, could read and write, born IN, father born PA, mother born OH, spoke English