Sgt. Joseph Churchill

Joseph Churchill

• Birth: Dec 4 1649 - Wethersfield, Hartford, Connecticut
• Death: Apr 1 1699 - Wethersfield, Hartford, Connecticut
• Parents: Josiah Churchill, Elizabeth Foote
• Wife: Mary Catlin

Joseph was a sergeant in the train band in 1697

Stiles' "Families of Ancient Wethersfield, CT" (NY, 1904), II:220ff, states that Joseph made his will and died the same day. His estate was valued at 461 pounds

Joseph Churchill married on 13 May 1674 to Mary Catlin, daughter of Thomas Catlin of Leyburn, Kentshire, England, and Mary Partridge. Ref.: < http://www.clingram.com/famhis/getperson.phppersonID=I25668&tree=tree1>

Children

1. Mary b 6 Apr 1675
2. Nathaniel b 9 July 1677
3. Elizabeth
4. Dinah.[5]
5. Samuel, "Ensign Samuel"
6. Joseph
7. David
8. Jonathan
9. Hannah
10. Estate

Joseph Churchill died 5 Apr 1699 about 50 years old ... widow Mary, children: Nathaniel 22 yrs, Mary Edwards age 25, Elizabeth Butler 21, Dina 18, Samuel 11, Joseph 9, David & Jonathan 7, Hannah 3 years old ... 11 Apr 1700 will not allowed, adm to Mary, the relict and Nathaniel, eldest son ... Nathaniel to be guardian to David & Jonathan ... John FRANCIS to be guardian to Samuel, Joseph, & Hannah Churchill, minor children... [6]

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REF.: <http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=67983588> Per The Churchill Family In America by Gardner Asaph Churchill and Nathaniel Wiley Churchill: Joseph Churchill was one of the beneficiaries named in the will of his maternal grandmother Elizabeth (Deming) Foote Welles. In the inventory of his estate his home lot is mentioned as consisting of three acres, which would indicate that he passed his life on the homestead bequeathed by his father. That he was a man of ability and influence is shown by his gradual advancement to places of trust and influence. The Wethersfield Records show that at the age of thirty he was chosen one of the town surveyors; and the next year, 1684, he was made collector of taxes; in 1689 was chosen constable, assessor again in 1695 and at the annual meeting, held 27 December 1697, Sergeant Joseph Churchill was chosen "Selectman" and again elected in 1698 and was still holding that office when he died, 1 April 1699 at the age of forty-nine years. Joseph died 1 April 1699 and Mary survived him and lived to an advanced age. She is mentioned as "Widow Mary, Senior," in the settlement of her son Nathaniel's estate, 2 April 1728. An estate, apparently her, was inventoried 4 July 1738. This would indicate that she died that year.

Per Boyd R. Churchill: Joseph was born and lived his entire life at Wethersfield. As a boy of seven he probably was present the day the church bell was installed at the meeting house in 1657. Before this time people had been called to church by a "roll of drums." He wore homemade clothes as did all of the family (it would be another 200 years before clothing could be purchased ready made in stores). The material (flax) was carded by hand and spun by hand in the home. The spinning wheel was introduced into America during Joseph's life time. As a boy in his early teens he probably visited the tannery and brick factory. He must have spent many hours at the blacksmith shop since his brother-in-law, Henry Buck (husband of Joseph's older sister Elizabeth) was co-owner of the shop. Henry and Thomas Hurlbut had been given land for the shop by the town in 1658 two years before Henry and Elizabeth were married. Joseph learned the use of a gun at an early age. At the time every able bodied male was required to join the trainband (early colonial form of militia) at age sixteen.

"Churchell, Jose and Mary his wife, were m July 8, 1674, issue Mary b 6 Apr 1675, Nathaniell, July 9, 1677 [3]

Maiden Name of Wife Mary

Probably Mary BURNHAM see extensive discussion of Mary's surname at http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/churchill/2604/ which explains that the attribution to Towsey, Tousey, etc, was mistakenly made by Royal Ralph Hinman in "A Catalogue of the First Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut," the 1846 edition, appendix p 124 https://archive.org/details/acataloguenames00hinmgoog and he corrected it in the 1852 p 592 https://archive.org/stream/acataloguenames02hinmgoog#page/n619/mode... and subsequent editions, however many later works repeated the mistake."

Links

• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=branagak&...
• "Churchill Family in America" complied by Gardner Asaph Churchill, Nathaniel Wiley Chuchill and George M. Bodge, publ by the family of Gardner A. Churchill, date 1904 handwritten, pp 326-327 https://archive.org/stream/churchillfamilyi01chur#page/326/mode/2up