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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
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Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County
Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890

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The Biography of George W. CURFMAN 

Pages 344-345, transcribed in full by Danni Hopkins 

[Surnames: CURFMAN, HARRIS, WATSON] 

    
GEORGE W. CURFMAN is a fine representative of the brave soldiers who fought so nobly in the late war, and to whose unflinching courage and unswerving loyalty it is due that our glorious banner waves over a free and undivided country. He is a highly respected resident of Harris Township, where he is acting as the efficient agent of the Toledo, Peoria and Warsaw Railway Company, at the station at the village of Seville. 
    
Our subject is a son of one of the early pioneer families of this county, of which he is a native, born at Barker's Grove, March 2, 1843. His parents, Adam and Elizabeth Curfman, were natives respectively of Frederick County, Md. and Virginia, the former born in 1791, and the latter in 1806. They were married in Franklin County, Ohio, in 1831, and came immediately to this county, and began their wedded life in a primitive pioneer home at Lewistown. They located on the banks of Big Creek, on what is now known as the Ike Harris place, and there Mr. Curfman made his first clearing. He and his wife lived there the ensuing year, but during the year of the Black Hawk War he took his wife and the one child that had been born to them in the meantime, to Mason City for safety, and while there stayed in the blockhouse and watched the Indians. After the close of hostilities with the savages in 1833, the family removed to where the village of Marietta now stands, and there Mr. Curfman built the first house that was ever erected in that town. He lived there two years and then entered a piece of land at Barker's Grove, where he remained until about 1845, when he came to Harris Township, and settled on section 12. He opened up a farm here on which he dwelt until 1855, when he sold it, having traded for it in the first place. To the last place he purchased he had been given a forged deed, and the rightful owner subsequently took possession of the land and in his old age the father of our subject was left without a home, when George was a lad of twelve years. After that misfortune Mr. Curfman went to Cass Township in 1858 and rented a farm and there made his home until death closed his mortal career February 7, 1882, at the venerable age of ninety-one years, he having arrived at that age the September previous. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was in all respects an honest, upright man. 
    
George Curfman, of whom we write, was reared in this his native county and gleaned his education in its district schools. When the war broke out he was a youth of eighteen years, and with enthusiastic ardor and patriotism he resolved to give his services to his country, and if need be sacrifice his life for the old flag. October 19, 1861, he enlisted at Canton in Company D, Fifty-fifth Illinois Infantry. From Chicago his regiment was dispatched to the South and our subject had the honor of taking an active part in thirty-three different battles, among which were those fought at Shiloh, Corinth, Champion Hills, Jackson (Miss.), Black river and Vicksburg. He was present at the assaults on that city and he fought at Missionary Ridge, Kenesaw Mountains, did good service at Atlanta, at Ezra Church and at Jonesboro. Mr. Curfman was one of the brave men who attacked Ft. McCallister and engaged with the enemy at Bentonville, N. C., which was the last of the many big battles in which he fought. He was an actor in many skirmishes, took part with his regiment in all its fights and was under fire one hundred days. He was with Sherman in his march to the sea and through the Carolinas to Washington where he took part in the Grand Review. 
    
Mr. Curfman had a long and honorable career as a soldier, lacking but a few days of four years' continuous service. During that time he had veteranized after three years for another three years, or during the war. He was twice wounded; once at the battle of Kenesaw by a piece of shell, but he pluckily remained with his regiment, and was again hit by a musket ball the 10th of August, 1864, in front of Atlanta. The latter wound laid him up for about two weeks, but he sturdily refused to go to the hospital. He still bears the scars so bravely won by him while defending his country's honor. After the Grand Review the rest of the army was mustered out, but the Second Division of the Fifteenth Corps, which included our subject's regiment, was sent to Little Rock, Ark., where he and his comrades continued in service two months, and were then honorably discharged and sent home. 
    
After his long and hard experience of life in the army our subject returned to Fulton County, and quietly resumed farming, the occupation to which he had been bred. In 1872 he obtained the companionship and help of a good wife in his labors, by his marriage to Miss Phoebe J. Watson, of Smithfield, the daughter of A. S. Watson, a well-known man of this county. Since their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Curfman have lived in Harris Township, where he has held the position of agent for the past five years, at the Seville station on the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw Railway. He also operates the engine for the pumping works in connection with his other duties. He is prompt and faithful in the discharge of his duties, devoting his best energies to looking after the interests of the company that employs him, and is regarded by the officials of the road as one of their most useful men. 
    
Five children have blessed their marriage to our subject and his amiable wife, whom they have named: Charles C., Mary Ellen, Joseph Martin, John L., and Lula May. Mr. Curfman is a Republican in politics, but does not care to take a very active part in the political life of the town, though the value of his citizenship is never questioned. He proved his loyalty by his conduct during the war. He was then often in the midst of very hotly contested battles, and of one of these the history of his regiment states that five hundred and twelve men went into the fight, and in two hours and twenty minutes, two hundred and forty-eight of them had been slain by the enemy or severely wounded, and twenty-six were taken prisoners.