Early Life and Photographic Beginnings Born: February 16, 1868, Whitewater, Wisconsin Parents: Asahel "Johnson" Curtis (Reverend, farmer, Civil War veteran) and Ellen Sheriff. Siblings: Raphael, Edward, Eva, and Asahel Curtis. Early hardships due to his father's struggles led the family to relocate to Minnesota. Left school in the sixth grade but demonstrated an early interest in photography, building his own camera. Appre…