Our Unique Stories

carlton curry

1888-1962

Life Story

Farmer, Family Man, and Survivor of a Remarkable Storm

Early Life and Roots in Newton County

Carlton Curry, whose name occasionally appeared in records as “Carleton,” was born on April 21, 1888, in Mississippi to Jake Curry and Sarah Windham Curry. He spent his life in the Lawrence community of Newton County, where generations of the Curry family worked the land and built deep roots within the local community.

By 1900, twelve-year-old Carlton was already listed as a farm laborer in his parents’ household. Like many children growing up in rural Mississippi at the turn of the twentieth century, he learned the demands of agricultural life early. He shared his childhood with a large group of siblings, including William, Frankie, Lee, Dock, Sallie, Jake, Mayetta, and Bessie.

Life in Beat 4 revolved around family, church, and farming. These influences would shape Carlton throughout his seventy-four years.

Marriage and Building a Family

Around 1911, Carlton married Sarah Williams. Together they established a home in the Lawrence community and built a large family.

Over the years, their household grew to include:

Like many families in rural Newton County, the Currys depended upon agriculture for their livelihood. Carlton spent his life working as a farmer on his own account, planting crops, maintaining his land, and supporting his family through years that included economic hardship, drought, war, and social change.

Despite limited educational opportunities available to many African Americans of his generation, Carlton completed approximately five years of schooling and was able to read and write. Census records consistently describe him as a hardworking farmer who devoted long hours to his occupation. By 1940, he owned his home, which census records valued at $500, a significant accomplishment during the years following the Great Depression.

By 1950, even in his early sixties, Carlton continued working more than fifty hours a week managing his farming operation.

The Lightning Storm of 1941

One of the most remarkable events in the Curry family’s history occurred on June 14, 1941.

According to a newspaper account published in The Echo, a powerful summer thunderstorm swept through the Lawrence community. During the storm, a bolt of lightning struck the Curry family home.

The lightning reportedly traveled across the length of the house, shocking several members of the household.

Carlton and two of his sons escaped with only minor effects and quickly recovered. His wife, Sarah, however, suffered the most severe impact. The strike left her temporarily unable to speak and seriously ill from the shock.

For a family already accustomed to the uncertainties of farming life, the incident must have been terrifying. In an era when rural emergency medical services were limited and lightning strikes often proved fatal, the survival of the family was considered remarkable.

The event became one of those stories remembered for years within the community—a dramatic reminder of both the dangers of rural life and the resilience of the Curry family.

Later Years in Newton County

As the years passed, Carlton remained devoted to farming and family.

By 1950, he and Sarah were residing on South 7th Street in Newton while he continued to oversee his farming business. Their children had begun establishing families of their own, and Carlton witnessed the growth of a new generation of Curry descendants.

Throughout his life, he remained connected to the community that had shaped him. The Lawrence and Newton areas were not simply places where he lived; they were home to generations of family history, friendships, church relationships, and shared experiences.

Death and Legacy

Carlton Curry passed away on October 2, 1962, at the age of seventy-four.

He was laid to rest at Union Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery in Lawrence, Newton County, Mississippi, among the community and family members who had been part of his life for decades.

His legacy survives through his children, grandchildren, and the many descendants who carry forward the Curry family name. His life reflected the experiences of countless African American farmers who labored through the challenges of the early twentieth century while building families, communities, and opportunities for future generations.

Though he never sought public recognition, Carlton’s greatest achievements were found in the family he raised, the land he worked, and the enduring legacy he left behind in Newton County.

Resting Place

Union Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery

Photos/Albums

Carlton Curry
Carlton Curry, 1888-1962

Sources

  1. Mississippi birth records, death records, and census records identify Carlton Curry (sometimes recorded as “Carleton Curry”) as having been born on April 21, 1888, in Mississippi to Jake Curry and Sarah Curry.
  2. 1900 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Beat 4, household of Jake and Sarah Curry; documenting twelve-year-old Carlton Curry living with his parents and siblings and working as a farm laborer.
  3. 1900 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, household of Jake Curry; documenting members of the Curry family, including William, Frank, Lee, Jack, Sallie, Jake, Mayetta, Bessie, and Carlton.
  4. Newton County marriage records indicate that Carlton Curry married Sarah Williams around 1911.
  5. 1920 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Lawrence community, household of Carlton and Sarah Curry; documenting the couple’s growing family and farming occupation.
  6. 1930 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, household of Carlton and Sarah Curry; documenting the continued growth of the Curry family and Carlton’s occupation as a farmer.
  7. Family records, census records, obituaries, and descendant information identify the children of Carlton Curry and Sarah Williams Curry as Willie Mae Curry Saulter, Arthur Curry, Nathaniel Curry, Inez Curry, Mildred Curry, Jerlean Curry McDonald, Imagene (Omigene) Curry, Ernestine Curry, and Eugene Carleton Curry.
  8. 1940 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, household of Carlton Curry; documenting Carlton as a farmer working on his own account, his educational attainment, literacy, and ownership of a home valued at $500.
  9. 1940 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi; documenting Carlton Curry’s completion of approximately five years of schooling and his ability to read and write.
  10. 1950 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, South 7th Street, household of Carlton and Sarah Curry; documenting Carlton’s continued work as a farmer and recording his weekly work hours.
  11. The Echo (Lauderdale County, Mississippi), June 20, 1941, reporting on a lightning strike that hit the Curry family home in Lawrence on June 14, 1941, injuring members of the household and leaving Sarah Curry temporarily speechless from the shock.
  12. The Echo (Lauderdale County, Mississippi), June 20, 1941; documenting that Carlton Curry and two of his sons were only slightly shocked by the lightning strike and recovered quickly.
  13. Rural Mississippi communities during the early twentieth century often faced limited access to emergency medical care, making severe lightning strikes particularly dangerous events for farming families.
  14. 1950 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, South 7th Street; documenting Carlton and Sarah Curry’s residence in Newton while Carlton continued to manage his farming operation.
  15. The veteran notation appearing on the 1950 census should be interpreted cautiously until supported by military service records. Additional research is recommended before identifying Carlton Curry as a veteran of any specific conflict.
  16. Mississippi death records document the death of Carlton Curry on October 2, 1962, at the age of seventy-four.
  17. Union Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery, Lawrence, Newton County, Mississippi; burial records documenting the interment of Carlton Curry.
  18. Family records, census records, newspaper accounts, cemetery records, and oral histories collectively document Carlton Curry’s life as a farmer, husband, father, and longtime resident of the Lawrence community in Newton County, Mississippi.

Leave a Reply