William Churchill

    William Churchill was born in Milford Ct April 8th 1781 , This would have been during the Revolutionary Way. To paint the picture of this period.. this is a letter written by George Washington to fellow Litchfield resident Benjamin Tallmadge

( on the same day he was born )

George Washington to Benjamin Tallmadge, 8 April 1781

Tallmadge Letter George Washington to Benjamin Tallmadge, 8 April 1781 Archives and Special Collections Catalog

Head Quarters New Windsor April 8th 1781

Dr Sir

I have received Your Letter of the 6th Inst.

The success of the enterprise proposed, must depend on the absence of the British Fleet, the secrecy of the Attempt, and a knowledge of the exact situation of the Enemy. If after you have been at the Westward, the circumstances, from your intelligence, shall appear favorable; You will be at liberty, to be the bearer of the inclosed Letter to His Excellency the Count De Rochambeau, to whose determination, I have referred the Matter; as any cooperation on our part by Moving Troops towards the Sound, would give such indications of the design as would effectually frustrate the success.

Should you not proceed to the Count you may destroy that Letter—If on the contrary you should go to New Port, by keeping an account of the expences, they will be repaid by the Public.

In the mean time, I wish you to be as particular as possible, in obtaining from your friend, an accurate account of the Enemy’s strength, on York, Long, and Staten Islands, specifying the several Corps, and their distributions. This I think from the Enemy’s present weak state, may be procured with more facility & accuracy, than at any former Period. I am Sir Your Most Obedient Servant

Go: Washington

P.S. I wish to know also, the strength of the last Detachment from New York, and of what Troops it was composed.

I need scarcely suggest, if you should go Eastward that it will be expedient to do it in such a manner as not to create suspicion—indeed, you know, secrecy is absolutely necessary in the whole affair.

As the Count De Rochambeau does not understand English, it may be well to communicate Your business to the Chevalier De Chattelus in the first instance, and thro’ him to the Count, lest it should by accident get abroad.

William was the fourth born of five children of John Churchill Sr. & Sarah ( Allen ) Churchill. He settled in Northfield ,Ct with his parents & siblings . He built a house and had a farm. He was married Dec 24th 1800, by Rev. Joseph E. Camp , to Keturah ( Moss ) Churchill ., born February 20,1785,She died November 2, 1868, eighty-three years old. She was daughter of Colonel David and Eunice Hall, daughter of Ephraim and Eunice Hall. Ephraim born Wallingford, Connecticut, April 25, 1723, son of Joseph Hall. Children born in Northfield, Litchfield, Connecticut. He died an accidental death at age 47. September 10, 1828, forty-seven years old

Children of William Churchill & Keturah ( Moss ) Churchill ( all born in Northfield, Ct )

1) Sarah “Sally” ( Churchill ) Hine , born April 26. 1802, she died February 27, 1878 ( Age 75 ) Married Sylvester Hine, son of Andrew Hine ( 1804-1845 ) , of Milford, Connecticut, December 31, 1824.

     Children of Sarah & Sylvester

1. William J. Hine.
2. Albert J. Hine.
3. Eliada 0. Hine.
4. Polly Sarah Hine; m. Andrew Lounsbury.
5. Catharine Emily Hine; m. Mr. Slade.
6. Julia Tyler Hine.
7. Adaline Clarinda Hme ; m. John Blakoslee.
8. Samuel David Hine.
2) David Morse born September 26, 1804. Died Aug 23 1859 Harwinton, Ct ( Age 54 ) Married Sally Mariah ( Hine ) Churchill

3) Almira ( Churchill ) Hine born December 3, 1806 died July 30th 1895 North Haven Ct ( Age 88 ) Married Joseph Hine ( 1805-1892 ) of Milford, Ct . son of Lemuel & Sally Hine

4) Eunice ( Churchill ) Smith born December 27, 1808 died Jan 25th 1845 Harwinton, Ct ( Age 36 ) Married Jeremiah "Jerry" Smith

        Children.

     1. Israel Jordan Smith.

2. Emma Jane Smith; m. Henry Iliggs. v
3. Clark Smith, who enlisted in the army in the Civil War, and died there.
5 ) Keturah Julia ( Churchill ) Tyler born August 18, 1811 died September 1st 1838 Indiana ( Age 27 ) Married Jesse Washington Tyler ( c 1810 - )

6 ) Emelia “Emily” ( Churchill ) Blakeslee born April 22, 1814 died 1905 New Haven , Ct ( Age 91 ) Married Asaph Humiston Blakeslee

7 ) Lucy N. Churchill. born September 7, 1816 died November 21st 1832 Northfield ( Age 6 )

8 ) Samuel Buel Churchill born August 3. 1818 died March 3rd 1819 ( Age 7 month )

9 ) Maria Buel ( Churchill ) Dowd / Cleveland born  January 5. 1821 died March 16th 1896 ( Age 75 ) .  married ( 1 ) Ezra Dowd of Burlington ( 1849 ).

               child of 1st husband

                 Stanley Ives Dowd married ( 2 ) Lorenzo Cleveland of Torrigton

              child of 2nd husband 

                  Edna ( Cleveland ) Bronson  who married Clark Bronson

10 ) Ashbel Wessels Churchill born January 28, 1823 died May 4th 1900 Northfield , Ct ( Age 77 )

m. 1st, Eveline Bronson, Burlington; m. 2d, Alma Harrison, of East Morris.

11) Chloe Elizabeth ( Churchill ) Davis born September 21, 1827 died after 1895 . Married Henry Dearborn Davis ( 1824-1895 ) married at Northfield, Oct. 1, 1847.He was the son of Jabez and Cynthia (Thwing) Davis, b. Sept. 10, 1824. Children born at Northfield.

1. Frederick Jefferson Davis, b. October, 1848 ; m. Harriet Folant in 1873.

2. Henrietta Davis, b. Jan. 20, 1851; d. Oct. 12, 1873.

3. Cynthia Isabelle, b. in Torrington, April 23, 1859 ; m. William H. Folant, Nov. 27, 1879.

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Burial: Northfield Cemetery Northfield Litchfield County Connecticut, USA

Stone: William Churchill died Sept 10, 1828 in his 48 year Epitaph " Watch for ye know not what / a day may bring forth" ( Proverbs 27:1) Birth: Apr. 8, 1781 Milford New Haven County Connecticut, USA Death: Sep. 10, 1828 Northfield Litchfield County Connecticut, USA Find A Grave Memorial# 15108320 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=15108320

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From the will of his father ( John Churchill Sr. ) To William Churchill son of the deceased a piece of land lying north of the Road heading ____ Samuel M Merwins to Benjamin Harts _________ ____ on land we this day set to John Churchill part and partly on Eleahin Curtiss land East David Morse’s land South on highway and west land we this day set to Sally Oviatt daughter of the deceased being Seventeen Rods wide at the south and sixteen roads at north end containing four

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