Nathaniel Curtis was born to Zacheus and Lydia (Thomas) Curtis on March 26, 1756 in Plymouth, MA. He was the fifth of their six children, and the fourth to survive past childhood. His father was from Plymouth, and his mother from Dartmouth, MA. On April 20, 1775 Nathaniel marched to Marshfield with Captain Jesse Harlow's company of Minutemen in response to the Lexington Alarm that went out the revious day. He stayed with the company for seven days before they were dismissed