Henry Churchill

Henry Churchill (1768-1842) was the son of Colonel Armistead, Jr. (1733-95) and Elizabeth Blackwell Churchill (1741-1831), of "Blenheim" Plantation near Louisville. He was a wealthy farmer of Jefferson County, Ky., justice of the quarterly sessions court, 1796, and a member of the Kentucky Legislature, 1808-09, 1812-13. He inherited 1,000 acres of land from his father on the waters of the Elkhorn and Cedar Creeks in Fayette Co., Ky. and later lived in Bullitt and Hardin Counties, Ky. He married in 1793, Penelope Pope whose first husband was Colonel William Oldham (1753-91). Henry Churchill was an older brother of Colonel Samuel Churchill (1779-1863) who married Penelope Pope's daughter, Abigail Oldham (1789-1854). The seven children of Henry and Penelope Pope Churchill were Polly (1794-95), Judge Armistead Henry (1796-1880), Lucy Gordon (1799-1859), Henry (1802-03), Worden Pope (1804-30), Eliza Ann (1807-80) and Captain Alexander Pope Churchill (1809-78).

Worden Pope Churchill (1804-30) married in 1829, Mary Jane Prather (1809-83), daughter of Thomas (1770-1823) and Matilda Martha Fontaine Prather (1782-1850), of Louisville.  Their son, Judge Worden Pope Churchill Jr (1830-1915)(Louisville Law c1852), was an attorney in Henderson, Ky. and Louisville and Henderson County Judge.  He served in the Union Army during the Civil War.  He married in 1855, Sarah B. Harrison (1837-62), in Henderson, perhaps the daughter of James B. Harrison.

Penelope Pope died September 16, 1821. Her husband, Henry Churchill, died September 28, 1842. They are buried in the Churchill Family Cemetery "Blenheim Plantation" which is located in Churchill Park next to Churchill Park School in Louisville several blocks east of Churchill Downs. The property became part of the 2,700-acre Camp Zachary Taylor during World War I. No headstones or monuments remain in Churchill Park. The names of Penelope and both of her husbands are on the large Churchill monument which was moved from the family cemetery in 1910 to Cave Hill Cemetery to the lot purchased by Julia Churchill Blackburn.* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jul 14 2019, 5:22:50 UTC