Curtis Alexander Galttana Research

I have been researching my Great Great Grandfather Curtis Alexander Galttana for many years and have not been able to find any new records or who his parents are. I believe he was born about 1827 in Ohio or Indiana and he married Synthia Alverson on July 18, 1869 in Fort Worth, Tarrant, Texas.

Summary of information:

·         1850 and 1870 Census show he was born in Ohio[1], [2]

·         Marriage record of Alexander Goltana to Clementine Allen on February 23, 1850 in Jefferson Co., KY.[3]

·         1850 Census Louisville, Jefferson Co., KY Alexander, Clementine and her three children from previous marriage [1]

·         Not found on any 1860 census

·         1861 Postmaster of Relief Post Office in Holmes Co., MS[4]

·         1862 – 1864 Civil War Confederate Thirteenth Infantry, I Mississippi[5]

·         1865 Postmaster of Relief Post Office in Holmes Co., MS[6]

·         July 18, 1869 marriage to Synthia Alverson in Fort Worth, Tarrant Co., TX[7]

·         1870 Census Besleys Creek, Shackelford Co., TX Curtis and Synthia [2]

·         1875-1878 Tax records for Shackelford Co., TX[8]

·         Bible Record shows born May (year unreadable) in Indiana[9]

DNA Background Information

With documentary research not revealing the parents of Curtis Galttana, DNA opens another avenue for research. This project used the autosomal DNA test results for Linda H., Curtis’ great granddaughter. Autosomal DNA is randomly passed down to descendants and Linda would have inherited about 12.5% of his DNA and about 6.25% from each of his parents. Linda has over 78,000 DNA matches on AncestryDNA and isolating DNA matches who also descend from Curtis A. Galttana’s line could discover family connections for further research.

Mitochondrial DNA testing is not applicable since it is passed from female to female. Y-DNA would be applicable since the Y chromosome is passed from male to male if an unbroken male Galttana line existed. Currently there are no known all male lines that descend from Curtis Galttana.

Shared Matches

Proving genetic relationships through DNA involves identifying the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) between two matches. Each match would receive a segment of DNA from the MRCA. Working with thousands of matches can be facilitated by sorting matches into genetic groups for analysis. DNA matches could share more than one MRCA which could skew the amount of DNA shared. This will be considered throughout the DNA analysis.

I took known Galttana matches and used Shared Matches on AncestryDNA to label other matches who share DNA with Linda and this known Galttana match. I marked this group with colored dots. I then took this genetic network of matches and recorded the surnames on the ones that had trees. After many hours of research and analysis I discovered all the matches shared the Higginbotham surname. I then built a DNA tree with each match and built out their tree if needed and discovered all matches MRCA were Joseph H. Higginbotham 1763-1840 and his wife Mary Molly Reed 1765-1823. This DNA tree shows 13 matches to Linda who descend from Joseph and Mary Higginbotham. This means Linda is somehow related to Joseph and Mary Higginbotham.

I then did genealogy research to build out Joseph and Mary’s descendancy tree. They had eight children, one daughter Nancy Higginbotham married Alexander Gaultney. Alex and Nancy married on November 16, 1814 in Kanawha County, Virginia.[10] More research is needed on Alexander and Nancy Gaultney. Some family trees on ancestry show Nancy’s brother Samuel Higginbotham married Elizabeth Gaultney. More research is needed on this couple also.

I added Alexander Gaultney and Nancy Higginbotham as test parents of Curtis Galttana to see what ThruLines on AncestryDNA would show. No ThruLines showed for Alexander and Nancy but Nancy’s parents Joseph and Mary Higginbotham show 197 matches. ThruLines are created from matches trees so it depends on the accuracy of each person’s tree. ThruLines is not always correct so research and analysis has to be done to confirm the match. If no one has a tree with Alexander Gaultney in it then no ThruLine matches would show. The name is often misspelled also. Both reasons could account for no ThruLines for Alexander and Nancy. But, the high number of matches for Joseph and Mary Higginbotham point to a connection with this couple.

Hypothesis for next project:

Are Alexander Gaultney and Nancy Higginbotham born June 5, 1792 in Breenbrier Co., Virginia (Now West Virginia) the parents of Curtis Alexander Galttana? (Galttana is pronounced Gaultney) Alex and Nancy married November 16, 1814 in Kanawha Co., Virginia – Now West Virginia.

Future Research:

·         Research Alexander Goltney/Gaultney.

·         Research Nancy Higginbotham.

·         Research Samuel Higginbotham’s wife Elizabeth – Was she a Gaultney?

·         Look for more DNA connections through other lines.

 Click here for Galttana Research Report 2 Knoch

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[1] 1850 U.S. Census, Jefferson County, Kentucky, population schedule, 4th district, 7th Ward City, p. #374B, dwelling # 526, family # 602, Alexander Goltana; digital image 82, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 15 Sept 2020); citing NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 207.

[2] 1870 U.S. Census, Shackelford County, Texas, population schedule, Besleys Creek, p. 120 (stamped), p. 1 (penned), dwelling # 6, family # 6, Curtis Goltatine (Galttana), digital image 1, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 13 Aug 2017); citing NARA microfilm publication M593, roll 1604.


[3] "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2QD-1CD4 : accessed 4 September 2016), Alexander Goltana and Clementine Allen, 23 Jan 1850; citing , Jefferson, Kentucky, United States, Madison County Courthouse, Richmond; FHL microfilm 819,590.


[4] United States. Civil service commission. [from old catalog]., United States. Bureau of the census. [from old catalog]. (1861). Official register of the United States ... Washington: U.S. Govt. print. off., digital image 461, printed p. 225, Hathitrust (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=loc.ark:/13960/t4zg7dd9r&view=1up&seq=461: accessed 8 Jan 2022).


[5] U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865,” digital index, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/448899:1555?ssrc=pt&tid=34102448&pid=18585886608: accessed 14 Jan 2023), Curtis A Goltana, Mississippi, enlisted 1 May 1862; citing Index to Compiled Confederate Military Service Records.


[6] United States. Civil service commission. [from old catalog]., United States. Bureau of the census. [from old catalog]. (1865). Official register of the United States ... Washington: U.S. Govt. print. off., digital image 501, printed p. 183, Hathitrust (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=loc.ark:/13960/t4zg7dd9r&view=1up&seq=461: accessed 8 Jan 2022).


[7] Texas, Tarrant County, Marriage Certificate, C. A. Galttana and Miss S. A. Alverson, 18 July 1869, Personal photo copy of original, privately held by Tina Telesca, ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE, 2023. Faded copy, hard to read, previously belonged to Dessie Galttana Hardee, shows married at bride's fathers’ residence.


[8] "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939J-453T-7H?cc=1827575&wc=M63N-MZQ%3A161797801%2C161394802 : 14 Jan 2023), Shackelford county > 1875 - 1878; State Archives, Austin.


[9] Galttana Bible Record, 1800's, loose "Family Record" page from unknown Bible; digital image made by Tina Telesca, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Florida, 2009. The page was found in Dessie Galttana Hardee's possessions when she died in 1981. The page passed to Carolyn Harrison Moore and then to Tina Telesca. The original is crumbling and pieces are missing. The ink is very light making it hard to read.


[10] Kanawha County, West Virginia, West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, transcript, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/LZ8C-SR1: accessed 14 May 2022), Goltney-Higanbotham, 1814; citing FHL microfilm 521,719. Image link at West Virginia State Archives http://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view2.aspx?FilmNumber=521719&ImageNumber=179: accessed 14 May 2022).

John Calvin Galttana My Great Grandfather #7

John Calvin Galttana

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

John was born Christmas day in 1870. He was a twin to M.B. according to the Galttana family bible. No information is known about the twin, only that her initials are listed on the family bible. If her death date was listed it is gone forever as that piece is missing from the bible page. Some family trees have M.B. listed as male so I am unsure which is correct.

John was the oldest of seven children, which only four survived to adulthood.

His parents were Curtis Alexander Galttana and Synthia Ann Alverson Galttana. In the 1870 census dated November 1870, Curtis and Synthia are living in Besleys Creek in Shackelford County, Texas. John was born late the next month so I would guess he was born here at home. 

Curtis and Synthia lived on the land owned by Synthia's sister and brother-in-law and Curtis worked at the salt works. Curtis is listed as a saltmaker in the 1870 census. Only a few months before John was born his nine year old cousin John Calvin Ledbetter, son of William and Margaret Alverson Ledbetter (Synthia's sister on which they were living on their land) disappeared. He had been living at a ranch for school with his older brother when he disappeared. There are many stories that he was taken by the Indians and search parties searched for 20 days and never found a trace of  him. (A great story for another time.) It is possible that John Calvin Galttana was named after his cousin. 

Sadly, at age 7 John became an orphan. I believe his mother died in May of 1878, only three months after giving birth to her seventh child who did not survive. I do not know when his father died, but by 1880 John and his youngest sister Louisa are living with their maternal Grandfather, Henderson B. Alverson in Tarrant County Texas and the middle two children Margaret and Louis are living with their cousin Harvey Ledbetter and his wife in Shackelford County Texas. In the 1880 census they are listed with the last name of Ledbetter and it states they are the adopted son and daughter. Later in life they used the Galttana name. 

An interesting story - The 1880 census is dated June 20, 1880 which shows H.B. Alverson and two of his daughters, Julia Alverson age 16 and M. Ballard (Mary Martha Alverson) age 38 and the two Galttana children, John age 9 and Louisa age 4 living in Tarrant County Texas.  Another record I have shows H.B. Alverson married Drucy Roberts in Fayette County, Alabama on December 25, 1880. (Another record lists it as Lamar County which is the next county over.)  Drucy was 20-30 years younger then H.B. I know that in 1840 H.B. and  his first wife lived in Fayette County Alabama and their first five children were born in Alabama. I have no idea how H.B. and Drucy met and married. He had ties to Fayette County since he live there and I can only guess he kept in touch with people from that area. I also don't know if H.B. Alverson went to Alabama by himself or if he took all or part of the family. Possible he took his grandson John Galttana to help him out as H.B was 64 years old in 1880.

Now the interesting part - Eight years later on March 11, 1888 John Calvin Galttana married Mary Jane Corbell in Fort Worth, Tarrant County Texas. The oral history is that Mary's family was killed by Indians and she was raised by the King family. I have not found any records for her family being killed by Indians but I did find M.J. Corbel age 11 in the 1870 census living with a King family in Fayette County Alabama. John and Fannie King also listed in their house Drucy Roberts. No relations are listed in the 1870 census, but in the 1880 census Drucy Roberts is listed as a widow and daughter and Mary Corberell (sic) is listed as no relation to the head of household Fama (Fannie) King.

It took me years to figure all this out. I was able to tie everything together when my cousin gave me a copy of H.B. and Drucy's marriage license. In that record it lists that they were married at the house of Fanny King. I didn't know who that was, but with that information I was able to find them on the 1870 and 1880 census.

So the question is how did John and Mary meet and marry? Did John meet Mary Corbel/King when he went to Alabama with his Grandfather H.B in 1880- if he did go on that trip, or did Mary travel to Texas to visit Drucy whom she grew up with and meet John that way? Did H.B. and Drucy play matchmaker. We may never know, but I find it very interesting.

John was only 17 when they married and Mary was 28. In the 1880's Mary was past the age most women got married. I would love to have a time machine to see how all this played out.

John and Mary Galttana - Date unknown

 From the stories I have been told, it seems John and Mary traveled to the areas that needed farm work. Like migrant workers. In 1900 they are living in Chickasaw County, Indian Territory - IT (Now Oklahoma.) He is listed as a farmer and age 29. Mary is 37 and she had six children and four are living. Maggie is eight and born in Texas, Elmer is five, Ella is 3 and Baby (yes that is how she is listed) is 3 months. Baby is Ora Faye. the last three were all born  in IT.

In a book titled "Newark, It's Heritage and Landmarks" it states:

"So, in 1905 he [H.B. Alverson] bought three-fourth acre of land that had been the home place of Dr. Stewart about one-half mile north of Newark, and built a cotton gin. It was operated by Charley Duke and the engine fired by John Gaultney. The gin was destroyed by fire and never rebuilt."

There are many errors in this book so I am not sure if this is true. I will note here that the name Galttana is pronounced Galtney. Almost every record I have has the name spelled differently.

But, I believe the Galttana family was back in Texas. The 1907 Fort Worth Star-Telegram Newspaper states:

John Galltna and family spent Sunday with Grandpa and Grandma Alverson.

In 1910 they are living in Precinct 5, North Decatur Road, Tarrant County, Texas. John is 39 years old and works as a farmer and cannot read or write.  Mary is 46 years old and a mother of seven but five are living. The children are listed as:
M.L. Golttana [Maggie Lee] age 17 born in IT
L.E. Golttana [Louis Elmer] age 15 born in IT
B.L. Golttana [Bertha Lou Ellen "Doll"] age 13 born in Texas
O.F. Golttana [Ora Fay] age 10 born in Texas
D.P. Golttana [Dessie Pearl] age 7 born in Texas - My Grandmother

Front: John, Bertha "Doll", Ora Faye, Dessie, Mary Galttana. Back: Louis Elmer, Maggie, ?Wm Columbus Davis?

 I have oral histories that says the whole Galttana family would travel by wagon into Fort Worth to purchase supplies and it was an all day trip. Once there they would purchase their supplies and then Mary and the children would sleep in the wagon while John would go out dancing and having fun. I have no proof of this but just the stories people have told me.

In 1920 John and Mary rent a house in Tarrant County, Texas. John is 49 years old and listed as a laborer as a general farmer and in this census it says he is able to read and write. Mary is 59. Also living in the household is daughter Bertha Galttana who is 22 and single. Daughter Dessie who is 16 and Willie B. age 5 and Bertie age 1 who are Bertha's two children.

I found a very interesting article in the Fort Worth Star Telegram dated January 22, 1922. It states:

Thirty Gallons of Liquor and Still Captured
Thirty gallons of corn whisky (sic) loaded on a wagon which S.E. Miller and J.C. Galttana admitted was enroute to Fort Worth, were it was to have been sold, were confiscated on the Fort Worth-Weatherford road Saturday afternoon by Constable A. B. Carter of Azle and Constable  J. C. Payne of Newark.
Charges of possessing intoxicating liquor for the purpose of sale were filed in the Justice Court against Galttana and Miller. In statements they made to Assistant District Attorney Will R. Parker they admitted that it was "two run" corn and that they had intended it for the Fort Worth market.
A fifty-gallon still was taken by the officers. It was in Parker County near the county line and is believed to have been used in making the thirty gallons of confiscated liquor. It was still warm indicating that the thirty gallons had just been made.

I love the "intoxicating liquor" part. I don't know why but I find this article intriguing. My cousin, Mary who was married to Willie "Bill" Galttana said he was about six years old when this happened and he remembered when all the police came to the house and tore the still apart. It was a scary time for a six year old. I don't know what the outcome of the case was. I need to follow up on this.

John and Mary Galttana ca 1928

 In 1930 they live on Newark Road in Tarrant County, Texas. John is 59 and still listed as a farm laborer and Mary is 68. Daughter Bertha Galttana and her two children "Bill" and Birdie Mae are also listed in the household.

In 1940 John and Mary are renting a place for $2 per month. One household away is his sister Lula (Louisa) Galttana Duke and her husband George Duke. They own a farm worth $2000. Both John and Mary list they are unable to work and have no income. John is 69 and Mary is 80. It is a guess that they rent a place owned by George and Lula Duke. John and Mary's Granddaughter Bertie is the next family listed on the census after John and Mary. Bertie and her much older husband, James Meyers also rent a house for $2 a month and have a son named Roy Wayne Meyers. All state they lived here in 1935 also.

John also lists in the 1940 census that he attended school through the fourth grade.

In 1942 John and Mary are living with their youngest daughter Dessie Galttana Hardee and her husband Joseph A. Hardee at 2801 Clinton Ave, Fort Worth, Texas. Dessie and Joe have seven children  and six would have been living at home, which with 10 people in a rented house would be very crowed.  I can only imagine the chaos.

 Mary died in October of 1942 and in 1943 John is still living with Joe and Dessie but at 2813 Loving Ave., Fort Worth Texas. Also living in the household is Joseph's widowed mother, Georgiana Hardee.

With a surprise ending, John Galttana and Georgiana Hardee are married on February 15, 1944. But, sadly, five days later John died from choking on a prune or fig. His death certificate says Peritonitis and intestinal obstruction. His obituary says he died in the hospital so this sounds like it was not instant and must have been very painful for him.

His obituary appeared in the Fort Wort Star Telegram, Evening Edition, February 24, 1944.

GALTTANA, JOHN CALUIN (sic), age 73, of Rt. 9 box 75, passed away in local hospital Sunday. Survivors: wife; three daughters, Mrs. Dessie Hardee, Mrs. Fay Davis, Mrs. Bertha Godley, all of Fort Worth, Services 2 p.m. Thursday, Dido School, Rev. Stewart officiating. Interment, Dido. Arrangements, Gause-Ware.

 

Buried at Dido Cemetery, Texas

Civil War Ancestors - Alverson

In recognition of April 12, 2011 which marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War at Fort Sumter in South Carolina I will be posting about my Civil War Ancestors.

Henderson B. Alverson
My first ancestor to join was Henderson B. Alverson also know as H. B. Alverson.

In 1861 at the age of 44, H. B.Alverson decided to join the civil war. I don’t know why he decided to travel from Texas to Mississippi to join, but he enlisted in Corinth, Mississippi on May 28, 1861. He joined Capt. O. R. Singleton's Company, Company C, 18th Regiment Mississippi Volunteers as a private for a period of 12 months. The unit was ordered to Virginia, and fought at First Manassas under D.R. Jones, then was engaged at Leesburg. On September  21, 1861 H.B. was discharged.

His Certificate of  Disability for Discharge states:

“…H. B. Alverson, Private of Captain O. R .Singleton’s Company (C) of the 18th Regiment of

Confederate States Misp Vols, was enlisted by Capt. Walker at Corinth, Misp on the 28th day of

May, 1861, so serve one year; he was born in Surry Co., in the State of N. Carolina, is forty-five

years of age, 5 feet, 7-1/2 inches high, ruddy complexion, blue eyes, sandy hair, and by

occupation when enlisted a farmer. During the last two months said soldier has been unfit for

duty 10 or 12 days. He ought to be discharged on account of his family. He has a wife and eleven

children (nearly all small) upon the frontiers of Texas, poor, sick, and defenseless since the war

broke out in the west. Common humanity requires his presence at home.”

This document was signed near Leesburg, Virginia on September 21, 1861. He was allowed travel expenses for 1000 miles from Manassas, Virginia to Corinth, Mississippi. He was paid $29.70 for two months and 21 days service and 50 rations at .22 ½ for $11.25 for a total of $40.95. It would be interesting to learn H.B.’s method of transportation back to Corinth, Virginia. Did he travel the 1000 miles on foot, by horse or by railroad? We may never know, but whatever the method I'm sure it was a long and arduous trip. When he did finally make it back to Corinth, he still needed to travel 700 miles back to Texas. During this time there were no railroads to Texas so he would have to travel by foot or by horse or wagon. Let’s hope he had a horse.

Interesting to note he served four month before being discharged. I would love to see his pension record but don't have $75 to order it. So if anyone has H. B. Alverson's pension record I would love to see it.

He Served Three Times

This was H. B. Alverson's third time as a soldier. He served in the 1836 Creek War for about three months and he served almost five months as a Texas Ranger in 1860.

A Texas Ranger in the Family?

According to Henderson B. Alverson's Obituary it stated: "Mr. Alverson saw service as a Texas Ranger in the frontier days, and also served in the Confederate army from the beginning to the close of hostilities between the states."

I had found his record for the civil war and knew he only served from May 1861 to September 1861. Only a few months, not quite till "the close of hostilities between the states."

So I wondered if the Texas Ranger story was true. I searched online but found no information. I then wrote to the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame Research Center in Waco, Texas. I paid my fee and waited. I few weeks later I got my proof.

Information printed in a book called: Texas Ranger Service Records 1847 - 1900, "A" "B" "C", Volume I
By Frances T. Ingmire showed that:
H. B. Alverson joined as a private on May 15, 1860 in Belknap (Texas) under Captain T.J. Johnson as a Mounted Ranger. He was discharged October 10, 1860 after serving 4 months, 26 days at $25 for a total of $121.66. He owed $30 for a pistol and was paid $91.66 for his service.


 So I now have the honor of saying that I had a Texas Ranger in my family, even if only for a few months.

New Records for Curtis Alexander Galttana Part 3

Read Part 1 of Curtis Alexander Galttana
Read Part 2 of Curtis Alexander Galttana

My next great discovery
I had visited the Fort Worth Archives and a lady there pulled up my ggg grandfather's H.B. Alverson's civil war record from Footnote.com. When I got home I decided to subscribe to Footnote and started searching. Bingo, I found civil war records for Curtis A. Golttana. I was on a roll now and felt pretty confident that this was my Curtis Galttana.

Curtis A. Galttana Enlists in the Civil War
He enlisted April 13, 1862 at Granada, Mississippi. He served as a private in Company I, 30 Mississipi Volunteer Regiment.  If this is the same man as Alexander Goltana in the 1850 census then I wonder what brought him to Mississippi? Did he float down the Ohio River to the Mississippi River to get to Mississippi?


As the above record shows he was "Detailed as Teamster Jany 12, 1863 By order Col. G. F. Neill."

What is a Teamster and a Drayman
A Teamster in the Civil War was someone who drove a wagon with a team of horses, oxen or mules. This is interesting because the Alexander in the 1850 census was a Drayman. A Drayman is someone who drives a dray, which is a low, flat bead wagon with no sides usually pulled by horses or mules. Interesting.

Curtis A. Galttana Goes Missing
But, then on the night of August 22, 1863 Curtis Deserted. He "Left his command ... at Chattahorsckee Bridge, Ga."  He then "Joined from desertion December 29, 1863." Where did he go for four months? I know many men would desert for a few months to check on family and get their farm/house in order. This was common. Did Curtis have family in the area? What was he doing?


Also interesting to note, is if Curtis Alexander was born in Ohio or Indiana then why would he fight on the Confederate side and not the Union side?

I wish I knew the answer to this.

Just who was Curtis Alexander Galttana?

Curtis Alexander Galttana seemed to appear from nowhere and then disappear eight years later. The name is so unique. Pretty much anyone with this name today is related to me.

The name is pronounced Galt-ney so I have often wondered if he is related to the Gwaltney/Gaultney families. But, unfortunally there are no all male Galttana's to test for DNA. The Galttana name continued through an unmarried Galttana daughter.

I first learned of him when I found him in the 1870 Shackelford County, Texas census with his wife Cynthia. As always the name is spelled incorrectly. I viewed it as Goltatine, others have it listed as Goltahne.

He is listed as Curtis Goltatine, age 42 (1828). He was a saltmaker born in Ohio. His wife Cynthia Goltatine (Alverson) was 23 and born in Mississippi. They lived next to Cynthia's sister and brother-in-law William and Margaret Ledbetter who owned and ran the salt mine.

Over the next eight years they had seven children with one set of twins. Then they are both gone. Only four of their children lived to adulthood. In the 1880 census two kids, John and Louisa (Lou) Gattwney are living with their grandfather Henderson B. Alverson. Margaret and Louis are listed as adopted children of Harvey and Margaret Ledbetter. Harvey is their first cousin.

No gravesites have been found for Curtis and Cynthia Galttana.

My next clue for what happened to them came from Henderson B. Alverson's Estate papers filed in 1910. Pg. 4 states:

"Cyntha Ann Galttana, who intermarried with one Alaxander Galttanta, and that said Cyntha die May 15th, A.D. 1878; both having died previous to the death of the said  H.B. Alverson; and that the said Cyntha Ann Galttana and Alexander Galttana left surviving them as their heirs and only heirs at law, the following named persons, to-wit:
(a) John Galttana, who now lives near Newark, Texas
(b) Louis Galttana, who now resides in Carter County, Okla.
(c) Lou Galttana Duke, who has since intermarried with George Duke and lives near Newark, in Tarrant County, Texas
(d) Maggie Galttana Campbell, who intermarried with one_____Campbell, and who now lives at Erick, Okla."

According to this, Cynthia died in 1878 (her last child was born Feb. 1878). Did she die in childbirth? Did Alexander die also or did he leave the children with family after Cynthia died and leave, which was common then? Alverson's estate paper's state that both died previous to H.B. death in 1910 so Alexander could have been alive until that time. However, I did not find him in any census searches. I tend to believe he died. Just wish I could find a record for him.

But the question is: Where was Curtis Alexander Galttana before 1870?

He was 42 in 1870 so where was he before that?

There is a lot of conflicting information on Curtis Alexander Galttana. In the 1870 census he states he was born in Ohio. In the next five census his children list him as born in five different states. Since the children did not grow up with their father they probably did not know much about him. 

Galttana Family Bible Page

A page that is said to be from the Galttana Family Bible shows the Galttana family and all seven children. It is very light and hard to read and some of the information is torn off. I have no way of knowing who or when the information was written. It shows C.A. Galttana as born in Indiana. His birth is in May but the year is unreadable to me.

For a very long time this was all I had on him. Until recently, when I found new information that may or may not be him. I will post that information next time. Stay tuned!

Curtis Alexander Galttana part 2