James Churchill
Taken from Commemorative Biographical Record
James Buchanan Churchill in point of residence is the oldest settler of Grant township, Shawano County. In 1857 he purchased from the Fox River Improvement Co., a tract of 160 acres in Section 35. Grant township, distant a scant mile from the present flourishing little village of Marion, Waupaca County. This pioneer home was then under the territorial jurisdiction of Matteson township, and included what is now Grant, Pella, Matteson, Fairbanks and Split Rock townships. The little log house he built stood in the midst of the dense forests, and here for many years he lived, a pioneer, when pioneers were few, and when frontier life meant hardships and privations almost innumerable.
Mr. Churchill was born in Lock township, Cayuga Co., New York, in 1831, son of David A and Martha (Buchanan) Churchill. David A Churchill was the son of Daniel and Marion (Clark) Churchill, both of the New York nativity and English ancestry. Daniel Churchill was a Captain in the Continental army in the year 1812, and died in Cayuga county, N Y, where he was a large land owner. Miriam Buchanan was the daughter of of John and Miriam (Yaeger) Buchanan, John Buchanan was a native of Ireland, and served during the Revolutionary War as a Captain in the Patriot army. He was a relative of President Buchanan, and a farmer by occupation, living through life on a farm in Orange county, NY, to Tioga county, Penn., where he remained there until 1867. In that year he came to the Wisconsin home of his son, and remained here until his death in 1880; his wife died in 1887. Their family of eight children consisted of Clark l, a lumberman, who died in 1855 in Simcoe county, Canada West, (now Ontario); James Buchanan, subject of this sketch; Jerome, of Tioga county Penn; Wilber, a resident of the same county, who enlisted in a Pennsylvania cavalry regiment and served three years; William, his twin brother, now a resident of Larabee township, Waupaca county, who also saw active service in a Pennsylvania infantry regiment; David, also of Larabee township, Waupaca county, and a veteran of a New York regiment; Daniel, who died in Maryland while in the service, January 1, 1862; and Martha, wife of Ebenezer Burley (also a Union soldier) of Tioga county, Pennsylvania.
James B Churchill attended the district schools of Cayuga county, N.Y., and at the age of thirteen years accompanied his father’s family to Tioga county, Penn., remaining there, engaged in farm labors, until the age of twenty. In 1851 he went to Canada, and there followed lumbering, and six years later married Miss Mary Warnick, a native of Canada, after which, with his young wife, he started for his prospective home in the wilds of Wisconsin. The journey was made by rail to Fond du Lac, thence via boat to New London, and the balance by foot through the primeval forests. There were no roads, and here in the fastnesses of the woods the hardy and venturesome pioneer lived for years. For several years after their settlement their only beasts of burden were oxen, and the only vehicle a wood-shod sleigh, which was used summer and winter, no wagons having yet been brought by boat up to Clintonville, from which point Mr. Churchill would bring a 100-lb. sack on his shoulder to his home, a distance of ten miles as the roads run. The first interment in the adjoining graveyard at Marion was in 1872. In 1864 Mr. Churchill enlisted at Menasha, Wis., in Company K, first Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, which was assigned to the Twenty-second Army Corps and stationed a Arlington Heights and Ft Lyons, Alexandria, on garrison duty. He was mustered out at Washington D.C. in July 1865 and returned to Shawano county, Wisconsin.
Mr. Churchill’s first wife died July 1862 and in September, 1865 he was remarried in Bear creek township, Waupaca county, to Miss Elizabeth Hehman a lady of Holland birth, whose parents, Gerhard and bertha (Haytink) Hehman, emigrated in November 1856 from Holland to Milwaukee, Wis, and in May 1857 settled in section 18 Pella township, Shawano county. Their nearest neighbor then was a fourteen miles distant. Mr. Henman cut a road through the woods from a point two miles below Buckbee, Larabee township, Waupaca county, to Pella, Shawano county, and from the farm to embarrass village. He built a shanty 10 x 12 feet and lived in it from May to November, by which time he had erected a log cabin, quite commodious in comparison. By faithful and persistent labor he improved the farm, and he died at this pioneer home in 1872, his wife surviving until 1879. Their five children were; Henrietta, wife of Fred Stausburg, of Marion, Wis.; William, formerly of Seneca, Shawano county, who died of heart disease July 4 1895; John, who died in Grant township in March, 1893; Mrs. Churchill; and Gerhard, who lives in Sugar Bush, Outagamie county.
After his second marriage Mr. Churchill settled in Bear Creek township and operated the Welcome Hyde farm for about five years. He then returned to his old farm, which he improved, and in 1883 equipped with a good one and a half story dwelling 16 X 28, with an L 16 X 16 feet, and having a one story kitchen 14 X 15; his substantial barn, an imposing structure 36 X 56 feet, with 18 foot posts, he erected in 1869. Here Mr. Churchill is engaged in farming, and in raising an excellent grade of stock. In politics he is a Democrat and is one of the most public-spirited and enterprising citizens of the prosperous community in which he lives. In 1859 he served as commissioner of Mateson township. And in 869 he assisted activity in organizing Grant township. He was instrumental in building many roads throughout the township, and in various ways contributed liberally to the convenience and welfare of the tide of immigrants who later filled up this wild land and converted it into an expanse of happy and prosperous homes. In matters of local history Mr. Churchill is an undisputed authority, and none stand higher than he in the esteem and respect of his fellow citizens. Though not a member of any church or denomination, he has been a liberal contributor to the different churches of his neighborhood, having assisted all of them by donations at different times, for their erection and afterward in their support. Socially he is a member of Shawano Lodge I.O.O.F.
Marion Advertiser
27 Apr 1917
Reminiscences of Old Times by D A Ramsdell
Up to my acquaintance with him (J B Churchill), he must have done some labor, for it ws called one of the best farms n Grant. In the place of oxen, he was driving a team of grey horses, which he told me were captured on the plains of Texas and cost him $600. He and his brother, wm., with their teams. I engaged to bring our first goods, and household effects in Perry’s Mill. From what….? And association a friendship was formed, which never ceased, J. B. Churchill was man well known and respected in Shawano county. Generous and jovial, when with boon companies, could partake of the following bowl with as keen a relish as any, in those days we had organized a I.O.G.T. lodge in which we tried to make him a member, but with no success. About this time the Temple of Honor started in Shawano. One day he said to me, “Dan. If you will agree to go to Shawano with me, I will furnish the team and we will join the Temple of Honor and if you will do that, I will join the I.O.G.T. here.” I told him to hitch up the horses, and we would be on our way. He was not a professor of religion, but always liberal to donate, in fact was Chairman of the Committee that built the M.E. Church on Garfield Ave. A few years before his death, he purchased a home and lot in Siegert’s Addition, but returned to his home in Grant where he died, His wife, Elizabeth was a woman respected and admired by her many friends and neighbors. In all our gatherings she was a participant ready and willing to do her share, generous and charitable. Upon the death of her husband, there came a change that was apparent to all. She seemed to be possessed with the idea that her property was fading away and she would become a pauper and die in a poor house. I think none of us realized the condition she was in until it was to late. One morning she was found suspended from the ceiling in an upper room, lifeless, by stepping of a chair placed in the center of the room. She attached a towel to the lamp in the center ceiling, fastened the towel about her neck, and then stepped from the chair, and died of strangulation, insane from worry and fear of poverty with a beautiful home, fine farm and money in the bank. How strange and wonderful is life. They had no children and from the will found after her demise, the property was equally divided between the Churchill and Hehman families. The farm was sold to Mr. Cochran. He resold it to Sylvester Leiby and he later sold it to the present occupant.
David and his wife have long since passed to the life beyond, but their son Roy, their only child, is a prosperous farmer in Dupont, and known to you all. In the Marion Cemetery lie the remains of David C and wife Martha, James B and wife Elizabeth, David and wife Harriet and William.
Marion Advertiser
31 April 1899
James B Churchill
Died, in Marion, Monday, March 27, James B Churchill, aged 68 years, two months and twenty days. Funeral services from the residence Thursday afternoon, Rev. A. J. Buxton of Verona, Ill, officiating.
James Buchanan Churchill was born in Lock Township, Cayuga Co., New York, Jan 7, 1831. At the age of 18, he moved with his father's family to Tioga County, Penn., where he resided until 1851, when he went to Canada and engaged in the lumber business. Six years later he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Warnick, with whom he lived until 1862 when the union was severed by her death in Sept. 1865, he again married, to Miss Elizabeth Hehman of Bear Creek, who still survives him. His residence for the most part, since his second marriage, has been on the farm which he occupied at the time of his death. In 1864 he enlisted in the service of his country, at Menasha, Wis., and became a member of company K, First Wis., Heavy Artillery, and served until July 1865, when he was mustered out at Washington D.C., and returned to his Marion Home.
There are left to mourn his loss, besides his wife, three brothers and a vast host of friends. He was a man greatly respected in the community and all extend the hand of sympathy to the sorrowing ones.
By the Deceased request, Rev. Buxton of Verona, Ill., a former well beloved pastor of this place, was called to deliver the sermon at his burial. The eloquent discourse was listened to by an immense crowd of people, the sermon was from the text found in Acts, 13:26: "After he had served his own generation by the will of God, he fell asleep." The services were conducted under the auspices if the I.O.O.F., of which he was a member. Forty members of this order, dressed in regalia, marched in double file to the Cemetery. The pall bearers were Paul Michaels Sr., Wm Phiel, John Seivers, W. H. McKay, Scott Spaulding and Wm. Philpot.
The remains were interred in the Marion Cemetery.
Gerrit Hehman, a brother of Mrs. J. Churchill, and wife, Mr. Rockdashell, and several others from Sugar Busch, attended the funeral of Mr. Churchill here Thursday. Abe Hedges of Shawano, was also here.
Mrs. Henry Ramsdell of Mountain, attended the funeral Thursday.
Mr. Wm, Donaldson of Hurley, attended the funeral of Mr. Churchill.
Marion Advitiser
7 Apr 1899
Card of Thanks
I desire to extend thanks to the numerous friends and relatives who so ably assisted me during the illness and death of my beloved husband. Mrs. J. B. Churchill
James Buchanan Churchill
Enlisted as Pvt 1st Wis H A Co K/F on 8 Sep 1864 at Menasha, Wis
Mustered out as Pvt 1st Wis H A Co K/F on 26 Jun 1865
Time Served 9m 18d
Born 7 Jan 1831 at Lock Twp, Cayuga, NY
Died 27 Mar 1899 at Marion, Waupaca Co. WI
Buried at Greenleaf Cemetery, Marion WI
Father David A Churchill (1804-1880)
Mother Martha Buchanan (1805-1887)
1st wife Mary Warnick (1838-1862)
2nd Wife Johanna Elizabeth Hehman (1841-1899)
Siblings: Clark, Jerome, Wilber, William, David, Daniel and Martha
Pension
