Hiram Curtis

Item

Title

Hiram Curtis

issuer

A

locator

11

prefix name

Hiram

suffix name

Curtis

Has Part

Private

Instructional Method

M231 ROLL 11; Wounded in Action 09 Aug 1862; No Other Records after this Date;

interest

Along with notorious criminal Hiram Curtis, he broke into a store in New Middleton, Smith County and was caught. It is unknown whether this crime occurred before or after the murder. He turned State Evidence in this case and was directly credited with breaking up the High Curtis gang of thieves. https://www.tngenes.net/index.php/history/allison-murders-1875/334-the-allison-murders-1875-part-i; Johnson was a member of the High Curtis Gang: a notorious band of outlaws who terrorized Middle Tennessee in the late 1860s and early 1870s by larceny, house breaking, horse stealing, and murder. Sometime late in 1875, the Curtis Gang broke into a store near New Middleton, Tennessee and stole $1500 in goods. Sometime after, they were arrested. Their court case came to trial on 27 December 1875 in the Circuit Court of Smith County. Johnson was called to testify in this trial. Fearing that he might be arrested, he confessed to William H. Aust and Bartlett Allison James, Justices of the Peace for Smith County, that he was present at the Allison/Isbell home on the night of the murder. In exchange for turning States Evidence in both the Allison Murder Trial and the High Curtis Gang Larceny Trial, Johnson would not be charged with any crime.

membershipClass

7th TN Infantry