Harriot Curtis
Encyclopedia
Harriot Sumner Curtis was an American
amateur golf
er and an early participant in the sport of skiing
. From the Manchester
, Massachusetts
area, she was one of ten children. Her father was a colonel in the Union Army
cavalry during the American Civil War
. Her brother, James Freeman Curtis became a lawyer in New York City
and was the Assistant United States Secretary of the Treasury
under President William Howard Taft
.
Her cousin, Laurence Curtis, who served as the second President of the United States Golf Association
in 1897-98, encouraged the family to take up the game of golf. As a result, Harriot and her sister younger Margaret
began playing golf at an early age. As young ladies they played out of the Essex County Club in Manchester and were members of the Women's Golf Association of Massachusetts. Founded in 1900, it the first state women's golf association in the United States.
In 1904, Harriot Curtis was a co-winner of the Medal given to the golfer who shoots the lowest score in qualifying rounds at the United States Women's Amateur Golf Championship
. At the 1906 U.S. Championship, held at the Brae Burn Country Club near Boston
, she defeated Mary B. Adams in the finals to win the title. In 1907 she met her sister Margaret in the final at the Midlothian Country Club, near Chicago
. Her sister won the title and went on to win the Championship two more times. In 1908, Harriot Curtis set a record with the lowest score at the U.S. Championship but lost in the second round.
In 1905 the Curtis sisters and four other American women golfers made the first informal visit to Britain
to play team matches and to compete in the British Ladies Amateur. This led to four British women coming to the United States to compete in the U.S. Championship a few years later in 1909. One of the British women was that year's British Amateur champion Dorothy Campbell
who won the U.S. title, becoming the first woman to hold both golf titles.
In 1932, Margaret Curtis and her sister donated the Curtis Cup
for the biennial golfing competition between the United States and Great Britain. Active in golfing matters for most of her life, in December 1955 the Women's Golf Association of Massachusetts established a tournament in her and her sister's honor. The trophy, known as "The Curtis Bowl," is a replica of the Curtis Cup.
She died in Manchester, Massachusetts, aged 93.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
amateur golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er and an early participant in the sport of skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
. From the Manchester
Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts
Manchester-by-the-Sea is a town on Cape Ann, in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 5,228.-History:...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
area, she was one of ten children. Her father was a colonel in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
cavalry during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Her brother, James Freeman Curtis became a lawyer in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and was the Assistant United States Secretary of the Treasury
United States Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
under President William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
.
Her cousin, Laurence Curtis, who served as the second President of the United States Golf Association
United States Golf Association
The United States Golf Association is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. The USGA also provides a national handicap system...
in 1897-98, encouraged the family to take up the game of golf. As a result, Harriot and her sister younger Margaret
Margaret Curtis
Margaret Curtis was an American golf and tennis champion and lifelong social worker.From the Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts area, she was the youngest of ten children. Her father was a colonel in the Union Army cavalry during the American Civil War...
began playing golf at an early age. As young ladies they played out of the Essex County Club in Manchester and were members of the Women's Golf Association of Massachusetts. Founded in 1900, it the first state women's golf association in the United States.
In 1904, Harriot Curtis was a co-winner of the Medal given to the golfer who shoots the lowest score in qualifying rounds at the United States Women's Amateur Golf Championship
United States Women's Amateur Golf Championship
The U.S. Women's Amateur is the leading golf tournament in the United States for female amateur golfers. It is played annually and is one of the 13 United States national golf championships organized by the United States Golf Association . Female amateurs from all nations are eligible to compete...
. At the 1906 U.S. Championship, held at the Brae Burn Country Club near Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, she defeated Mary B. Adams in the finals to win the title. In 1907 she met her sister Margaret in the final at the Midlothian Country Club, near Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Her sister won the title and went on to win the Championship two more times. In 1908, Harriot Curtis set a record with the lowest score at the U.S. Championship but lost in the second round.
In 1905 the Curtis sisters and four other American women golfers made the first informal visit to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to play team matches and to compete in the British Ladies Amateur. This led to four British women coming to the United States to compete in the U.S. Championship a few years later in 1909. One of the British women was that year's British Amateur champion Dorothy Campbell
Dorothy Campbell
Dorothy Iona Campbell was the first internationally dominant female golfer. She was also known in her lifetime as Dorothy Hurd, Mrs. J.V. Hurd and as Dorothy Howe...
who won the U.S. title, becoming the first woman to hold both golf titles.
In 1932, Margaret Curtis and her sister donated the Curtis Cup
Curtis Cup
The Curtis Cup is the best known team trophy for women amateur golfers, awarded in the biennial Curtis Cup Match . It is co-organised by the United States Golf Association and the Ladies Golf Union and is contested by teams representing the United States and "Great Britain and Ireland"...
for the biennial golfing competition between the United States and Great Britain. Active in golfing matters for most of her life, in December 1955 the Women's Golf Association of Massachusetts established a tournament in her and her sister's honor. The trophy, known as "The Curtis Bowl," is a replica of the Curtis Cup.
She died in Manchester, Massachusetts, aged 93.