Cornelius Curtis was a Verulam farmer in 1871. The Census lists him as a 48 year-old, Irish-born Baptist. There is some confusion about who opened a grocery store in Fenelon Falls about 1890, for both Curtis and Cornelius Curtis Junior are mentioned in the papers. D&B is more precise, listing a Cornelius Curtis from January 1890 to March 1897, followed in July 1897 by a Cornelius Curtis Jr. Just to confuse the issue, the Gazette states that Curtis Jr. had “been in business at the Falls for nearly 10 years” [FFG 22 April 1898; 5]. Certainly the grocery store was in operation by January 1890 on the west side of Colborne Street. Curtis formed a partnership with Isaac Hetherington in the spring of 1896, but it was dissolved by mutual consent in September [FFG 2 Oct 1896; 5]. The following spring (1898) Curtis Jr. began construction of a new store beside William Heard’s hardware store , and by June construction was well underway. The new store was called “an ornament to the main street” [FFG 3 June 1898; 4]. Curtis Senior died on May 31st, 1903 at the age of 87 [FFPL 03.5], and was buried in the Fenelon Falls Cemetery. The family business lasted until 1919 or 1920.
250 Variant name: Connie Curtis, C.G. Curtis.
251 “About a fortnight ago Mr. C. Curtis, Jr.,… bought from Mr. Henry Pearce a lot 20 by 108 feet, adjoining Mr. Heard’s hardware store on the south side, with a small frame building thereon, which has since been pulled down, to make room for a two-story brick store with dwelling above, for the erection of which preparations are being made. The new building, which will be of brick with plate glass front, is to measure 20 by 70 feet and will make a very commodious place of business. … [FFG 22 April 1898; 5].
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