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H0431 The study's number for this person. Cite it and it will always lead here, whatever the spelling.
· A life in the study

Malinda Davis

Born in 1838.

born before 1838

Also written Malinda Curtis

Malinda Davis is known only as the mother of Nathan K. Curtis. On 1 January 1925, when the Iowa state census was taken at Spencer, Clay County, Nathan, seventy-two, gave his mother's name as Malinda Davis and his father's as "Phelander" (Philander) Curtis, and said that his parents had married in Indiana.1

Nathan was born in Indiana in January 1852, so Malinda was born before about 1838.2 Her son's answers about her birthplace varied: Kentucky in the census of 1880, and Indiana in 1900 and 1920.2–4 When and where she died has not been found.

What we know

Proven

  • Birth, 1838
  • Marriage to Philander Curtis at Indiana

What's still open

  • Sources. The 1925 Iowa state census index (Nathan's line, read 27 Sep 2026) is the only record that names her; the card image has not been read.
  • Parents. Not yet identified.

Sources

Source 1

1 Iowa, U.S., State Census Collection, 1853

Source 2

2 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Ontario [Township], 1852

Sources 3–4

3 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Jackson [Township], 1852
4 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Spencer Ward 3, 1853

Life in time

before 1838

Birth

proven Sources 1, 2, 3, 4

How we know

  1. 1838 Birth before 1838 · proven

    Estimated: the mother of Nathan K. Curtis, born Jan 1852. Her birthplace is given for her son's censuses as Kentucky (1880) and Indiana (1900 and 1920).

    Her son Nathan was born in Indiana in Jan 1852 (1900 census), so Malinda was born before about 1838. No record of her own birth has been read, and her son's censuses disagree on her birthplace.

    Sources 1, 2, 3, 4

  2. 1852 Son born: Nathan K. Curtis family event

    Their page →

  • proven
  • family event

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Places in this life

one place
1
  1. 1 Indiana, United States Marriage

Hollow markers are placed approximately, at the town, county or region.

Family

This page Malinda Davis b. bef. 1838
Husband Philander Curtis b. bef. 1836
Son Nathan K. Curtis 1852–aft. 1925
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The evidence 2 facts with their grades, 5 sources, and the research notes

Facts

Fact Date Place Grade Sources
Birth before 1838 proven 1 , 2 , 3 , 4
Marriage with Philander Curtis Indiana, United States proven 1

Research notes

  • Sources: The 1925 Iowa state census index (Nathan's line, read 27 Sep 2026) is the only record that names her; the card image has not been read. Nathan's censuses of 1880, 1900 and 1920 (indexes read) give her birthplace.1, 3, 2, 4
  • Relationship (probable): An informant's statement in 1925, known from the index only; it should be confirmed by the census card and an independent record of the family before 1870.
  • Name: Malinda Davis as indexed. The Hegnauer/Putt tree's DNA "potential parent" Malinda J Davis is a suggestion, not evidence.5
  • Birthplace: Kentucky (1880), Indiana (1900, 1920).3, 2, 4
  • Leads: Indiana marriage records for Philander Curtis and Malinda Davis (before 1852); the 1850–1870 censuses of northwestern Indiana.
  • This profile is part of the Hegnauer one-name study, as a great-great-grandmother of the children of Robert Lucius Hegnauer Jr. and Adelaide Louise Curtis.

Working notes

  • Mother of Nathan K. Curtis (H0041) per the 1925 Iowa state census index; Ancestry DNA "potential parent" Malinda J Davis

Sources

  1. 1

    "Iowa, U.S., State Census Collection, 1836–1925," database with images, Ancestry.com, 1925 Iowa state census, Spencer Ward 3, Clay County, 1 January 1925: "Mathan Courtis" [alternate reading Nathan Curtis] (white, male, 72, born about 1853, Indiana; head, married); spouse "Louisy" [Louisa] (71; given in the index as Louisy Thomas); father "Phelander" [Philander] Curtis; mother Malinda Davis; parents married in Indiana (her son's line, record 757286; index read 27 September 2026; the census card image has not been read).

    Ancestry

  2. 2

    1900 U.S. Federal Census, Ontario [Township], Knox County, Illinois, sheet 5, dwelling and family 82: "Nathen Curtis" [her son] (white, male, 48, born January 1852, Indiana; head, married 1872, 28 years; parents born Indiana; farmer, rents a farm), with his wife Louisa and three children (record 900446; index read 27 September 2026; image not read).

    Ancestry

  3. 3

    1880 U.S. Federal Census, Jackson [Township], Porter County, Indiana, E.D. 137, p. 415D, dwelling 184: Nathan K Curtis [her son] (white, male, 28, born about 1852, Indiana; head, married; day laborer; father born New York, mother born Kentucky), Louisa (27, wife) and Viola (6, daughter) (record 27903628; index read 27 September 2026; image not read).

    Ancestry

  4. 4

    1920 U.S. Federal Census, Spencer Ward 3, Clay County, Iowa, E.D. 43, p. 2B, 715 East Fifth Street: Nathan Curtis [her son] (white, male, 67, born about 1853, Indiana; head, married; father born United States, mother born Indiana) and Louisa (66, wife) (record 28794627; index read 27 September 2026; image not read).

    Ancestry

  5. 5

    Hegnauer/Putt family tree, Ancestry.com, tree person 102708297160, Nathan K Curtis: the profile shows "potential parents" Philander Augustus Curtis and Malinda J Davis from Ancestry's DNA feature (not a record; seen in the tree export of June 2026).