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- I am stuck on his ancestry: can anyone help? He is on the Kentucky Mysteries page.
In 1799 "William Currents" appears on the KY census for Bracken Co., Ky.
According to one history, "William Currans is the next old citizen I shall speak of. He had a large tannery, and even at that day had accumulated by frugal industry quite a fortune; he was quiet and unobtrusive, attending strictly to his own business. Tanning was a popular trade at that time, and a great many of the sons of well-to-do farmers became his apprentices, some of whom became prominent and useful citizens. Three of Mr. C's daughters married men who had served a term of years with him. James Savage, John Gregg and Robert P. Dimmitt, who, after their marriages became successful merchants in Germantown. Mr. Savage and Dimmitt lived long lives and died here. Mr. Gregg moved to Rush Co., Ind., dying in old age, leaving a large family with a fine estate."
About a grandson (via Maria): "The Doctor's [i.e., Dr. Elijah Currens Dimmitt] mother was born in Bracken county, the daughter of William and Margaret (Thompson) Currens. William Currens started the tanner just north of the town of Germantown, in Bracken county, ran the business successfully and continued in the same operation until his death, in 1844, at which time Robert P. Dimmitt was in charge as manager and closed up the business. The Thompsons were millers in former generations . . ."
According to Henderson and Hinson, "A Mr. Currens taught the art of tanning to Jesse Grant. After finishing his training, he returned to Point Pleasant, Ohio where he married Hannah Simpson." They were the parents of General and President U.S. Grant. A note to this says that "Mr. Currins [sic] learned the tanner's trade as a young man. While working there [where?], he rescued a thirteen year old girl who fell into one of the vats. Soon afterwards they were married. Mr. Currins built the first store in Germantown." This is unsourced information in the article, though the article is taken from a book entitled 200 Years and Still the Best Little Town in Two Counties - 1795-1995, by Henderson and Hinson, which may have more information.
It would place their marriage abt. 1786-88, though, which accords with the birth of their first child in 1788.
There is also a William Currens who married Catherine Armstrong in Mercer Co., KY, on 27 Sept. 1814 (see in Kentucky Pioneer and Court Records).
One source to help with this family: June Dimmitt Houston, Three hundred years in America : the family of Robert P. Dimmitt, 1847-1906; I don't know, however, from the dates that it will include much of Robert Parker Dimmtt's ancestry. [5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
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