MARY'S GENEALOGY TREASURES
Jack Curliss, born April 22, 1879 in Swayzee,
Indiana. One of ten children, nine boys and one
girl. He came to Canada in 1916 with J.D.Watson.
Jack worked for him and Ray Knight on the Blood
Reserve which they leased to run cattle. Jack worked
for them until 1919. He was well respected by the
Indians of the Reserve for his fair and honest dealings.
Rose Matkin Curliss, born July 29. 1919 in Lethbridge,
Alberta. They had two boys
They moved to Spring Coulee in 1923. They lived
in the house of the west side of Spring Coulee. Jack
worked as a stockman looking after the cattle and
horses for C. C. Thompson Co. When the boys got
older they rode horses and helped with the cattle.
They moved the cattle 18 miles east of Spring Coulee
for summer pasture and brought them back in the fall.
In the winter Jack would ride to St. Mary's River and
cut long trenches in the ice so the cattle could drink.
The cattle stayed out all winter around huge straw
stacks. We had lots of snow in 1937 and roads were
all blocked but people got around with horses and
sleighs.
When Jack retired in 1946 they moved to Cardston,
where they lived until their passing. Jack passed
away in 1970. Rose passed away in 1978.
In June 1944, when son Blaine was 18 years old,
he joined the Royal Canadian Active Service Corps.
R.C.A.S.C. He was stationed in Calgary, Grande
Praire and Brandon. Then he left from there to
England. He was stationed in England until 1944.
In 1944 they invaded France, and Blaine was killed
there on August 10, 1944.