Hello family members, MY MAIN EMAIL ADDRESS IS ...dvalosich@yahoo.com

This family tree is the begining of our family history. One of the main people 
who played an active role in our family was RENETHA LAYTON or better known as 
DOROTHY ELIZABETH MCCURDY.

Dorothy McCurdy was born as Renetha Layton. She was the biological daughter of
Jane Hannah Hulse and George Riley Layton. She was one of 13 children. 
Renetha was 2 years old when her mother Jane died. During her mothers funeral 
Renetha's younger sibbling a baby, died, choking from eating whlie being fed by 
one of the Grandmothers. 
Renetha being the youngest of the remaining 12 children was taken back and 
forth to her Aunt Catherine's so her father George could go to work. This was 
making Renetha very confused bouncing back and forth between her father George 
and her Aunt Catherine Hulse, who was Jane Hannah Hulse's sister. 
So George, Catherine and her husband Samuel McCurdy decided it would be best 
for Renetha to remain with Catherine and Samuel McCurdy and they would raise 
her as their own daughter. 
In doing this they changed her name to Dorothy Elizabeth McCurdy. Also changing 
her birth year from Nov.7,1907 to Nov.7,1899,(I'm asuming....to be able fit 
Dorothy in the McCurdy children's birth line years they all had to run fairly 
close together they are all from 1873 to 1898. 1899<--Dorothy)
So from a small child Dorothy Elizabeth McCurdy grew up beliving that her 
McCurdy Family were her brothers, sisters, MaMa and Papa. In reality they were
her cousins, Aunt and Uncle. The Layton's were here boilogical family.(Click on 
the LAYTON name in the names list) 
Some years later BELMONT DERWOOD BATES went to live with the McCurdy's. His 
parents were divorced, he didn't get along with his step father so a family 
friend who was a "Preacher" brought Belmont to the McCurdy's. The McCurdy's 
also changed Belmont's birth year. From June 10,1903 to June 10,1892, fitting 
him into the McCurdy childrens birth years as well. Belmont and Dorothy married 
as teenagers. So begins the Bates Family saga....

I've been told by a geneologist that has written books on his own families last 
name(BREAU-MY Moms side)that everyone is linked to the ONE BASE person in a 
direct bloodline or a branch of that said TREE. 
This information I got from a book Mom gave me on "Forgotten Towns in New 
Jersey" Also in the book there is info about "Dog Corner, Alligator Ridge and 
Bedbug HIll" SOUND FIMILLAR? Grandmother used to talk about those places all 
the time. There are other towns in the book around our stomping grounds. It 
will take a bit of time But I'll get the information in here.
Which brings me to "CAPTAIN BENONI BATES" born 1917-died 
May ,1936. "PREACHER,CAPTAIN in the Revolutionary War, Founder of the "BATES 
MILL" a Saw Mill in "OLD BATES MILL".**See he's photo and read hi bio.
I also had gotten some other information on Benoni Bates off the internet.
There is the "BATES CEMETERY" in Southern New Jersey. He was also on the Town 
Council as a CONSTABLE and COLLECTOR of some sort. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE 
ARE RELATED TO BENONI BATES DIRECTLY, BUT WHO KNOWS..but it made for some 
interesting reading. On the internet I got the following..Bates Names that went 
to AMHERST COLLAGE from 1824-1924. Bates Cemetery in Rhode Island dating from 
1746c-1993. I'm not saying any of these people are in our direct bloodline 
either BUT - because of the same last name we are all connected back to the ONE 
BASE person who started it all here in the USA. Someone had to start it..
whoever he is..where ever he came from.