Churchman

The earliest Churchman I have found was John Churchman, born c. 1665 in Saffron-Walden, Essex Co., England. For extensive information about this family, check the Churchman Website.  John emigrated to America, arriving onboard the ship "Amity" 23 April 1682, and settled in what became East Nottingham, Chester Co., Penn. He married Hannah Cerie (b. c. 1676 in Oxford, England) in 1696 at Philadelphia, Penn. Hannah and her parents had been fellow passengers on the voyage from England. He and Hannah were the parents of the following children:

1. George Churchman, b. 13 Sep 1697, d. 29 Apr 1767

2. Dinah Churchman b. 7 Aug 1699, d. 1 Jan 1766, m. Mercer Brown

3. Susanna Churchman b. 13 Sep 1701, d. 25 Aug 1790, m. William Brown

4. John Churchman b. 29 Oct 1703, d. 8 Nov 1703

5. John Churchman b. 4 Aug 1705, d. 24 Jul 1775, m. Margaret Brown

6. Thomas Churchman b. 16 Jan 1707, d. 8 Apr 1788, m. Rachel Reynolds 6 Jun 1745

7. Miriam Churchman b. 25 Oct 1710, d. 19 Nov 1750, m. James Brown 4 Dec 1734

8. Edward Churchman b. 14 Nov 1713, d. Feb 1732

9. William Churchman b. 29 Jan 1720, d. Apr 1798, m. Abigail Brown 8 Dec 1743.   William and Abigail were the parents of the following children:

Hannah Churchman b. 15 Oct 1745

John Churchman b. 21 Oct 1747, m. Jane Taylor

Elijah Churchman b. 10 Oct 1749, d. 25 Jun 1812, m. Ann Knight c. 1775

William C. Churchman b. 22 Mar 1750, d. 6 Mar 1814, m. Mary Wilson 10 Aug 1773

Dinah Churchman b. 14 Nov 1753, d. 22 Mar 1827

Abigail Churchman b. 12 Nov 1755, d. 28 Aug 1829

Mariam Churchman b. 15 Aug 1757

Deborah Churchman b. 20 Feb 1759, m. John Pew

Enoch Churchman b. 2 Nov 1762, d. c. 1850, m. Martha Morris

William C. and Mary Wilson Churchman were parents of the following Children:

John Wesley Churchman b. c. 1774, d. 1870-80, m. Francis _____

Rueben Churchman b. 7 Jul 1775, d. 1 May 1860, m. Sarah Carney 16 Sep 1809

Stephen Churchman b. Levice Smith 16 Sep 1809

Joseph Churchman, m. Polly Brittain 9 May 1812

James W. Churchman b. c. 1787, d. c. 1861, m. Nancy Bradberry 9 Oct 1815

John Wesley Churchman was born 1774 in Culpepper Co., Virginia according to census records. He married Francis _____ who was a native of North Carolina, c. 1798-1808. His father William C., and brothers moved with him or soon after his arrival, into eastern Tennessee.

A deed which is on file in the Jefferson County, Tennessee courthouse records a transaction of 18 July 1798 where John Churchman purchased 127 acres of land from Jonathan Douglass of Knox County (Vol E of Register of Deeds). This land was on the south side of the Holston River in Jefferson County, believed near Panther Creek. Thirty three years later on 2 April 1832 he sold the same tract of land to his son William H. Churchman. John Churchman paid taxes in Jefferson County for the years 1800 and 1822. John was not listed in the 1810, 1820, or 1830 Tennessee census indexes. But, I did find him on page 302 of the 1830 census for Jefferson county.

The Churchman land was very near Cherokee settlements in eastern Tennessee, and only a few miles (10-12) from the Davy Crockett tavern. The Churchman’s would have been contemporaries of his.

John and his family must have moved to Arkansas sometime between 1832 (when he sold his land to his son) and 1839. He may have moved first with some members of his family following later.  John is listed in the 1840 census for Marion County Arkansas with all of his family. He is identified in the Arkansas Tax Records as paying taxes in Marion County for the year 1843, on 160 acres of land located in Section 18, township 18, Range 18. During the 1850 census, he is listed as a member of his son William's household in Riley township, Yell County, Arkansas. In 1860 he and Frances were living with his son John Wesley, Jr. in the same township and county. The 1870 census does not list either John or Frances.

He and his wife were parents of the following children, all of whom are believed to have been born in Jefferson County, Tennessee: James, William, Jacob, John W.(Jr), and Stephen.

James (L.?) Churchman, born c. 1810, died Yellville, Marion County, Ark 1 Sep 1849

William H. Churchman, born c. 1811

Jacob E. Churchman, born c. 1814

John Wesley Churchman, Jr born c. 1819

Stephen Churchman, born c. 1823

I believe Reuben Churchman (born c. 1800) may also have been a nephew of John Wesley, since Reuben is found on some censuses in Jefferson County, Tennessee, then shows up in Marion county, Arkansas along with the other members of the Churchman family. John was also a witness when Reuben bought some land in Jefferson County, Tennessee. Reuben was living in Prairie township, Marion Co. at the time of the 1850 census, with wife Nancy (b. 1801 TN) and children: Francis J. 21, and Robert M. 7.

James is identified as paying taxes in Marion County, Arkansas during the years 1842, 43, and 44. He had 160 acres of land at the same location as his father. James married Abigail Coker (b. 1819), c. 1838 in Marion County (see the Coker line).

According to Tillman Churchman, Abigail's grandson, The Cokers were also from eastern Tennessee, and were full-blood Cherokee. They arrived in Arkansas when she was thirteen (in 1832), and had been two years enroute by ox-drawn wagon. Her father (William) had died enroute.

The only thing I have verified is her age, and the Cokers did come from east Tennessee, some by way of Alabama, but in 1814. Somewhere in my reading of the Cokers, I found it took them two months of travel. Census records show Abigail having been born in 1819, and the two censuses where she is enumerated list her birthplace as Arkansas. Her father William and his family arrived in what was then a part of Missouri Territory c. 1814.

The following is from the 20 Sep 1849 issue of the weekly Arkansas Gazette:

"North of Yellville, two men (Coker and Churchman) were playing cards on Saturday evening (Sept. 1st). They fell out about two dimes, when Coker drew his knife and stabbed Churchman in the breast, killing him instantly."

According to one great uncle, this was Bill (or William) Coker, Abigail's brother, but other sources say it was Abigail’s young cousin John Rogers Coker.

After James's death in 1849, Abigail married his brother William H., as they were listed together on the 1850 Yell County, Arkansas census. James and Abigail were the parents of the following children (this is not certain, since names listed are derived from the census after James's death, when all children (William's and James') were members of the William Churchman household): Adaline, and Melinda.

Adaline Churchman, b. 1839 m. Henry J. Madden c. 1859. One known child:

William W. Madden b. c. 1861, d. c. 1900 in Galveston, Tx

Melinda E. Churchman, b. 1843, m. Joseph Carter (see Carter line)

 

William H. Churchman was surely married, prior to his marriage to Abigail Coker, but no information of his first wife is known. On the 1850 Arkansas census, three children are listed with birthdates prior to his marriage to Abigail; Sarah, William Jr., and Nancy.

Sarah A. Churchman, born c. 1841

William H. Churchman Jr., born c. 1846, died 1 Mar 1864, joined the union army at Dardanelle 4 Oct 1863, for a period of three years, as a private. He was a member of Company C & E, 4th Arkansas Cavalry. He was mustered in at Benton, Arkansas 10 Dec 1863. He was 18 at the time of enlistment. He either brought his horse or was assigned one valued at $55.00. His physical description: 5 feet 7 inches in height, fair complexion, red hair, hazel eyes. His occupation was given as farmer. He died in quarters at Dardanelle, of "inflammation of the brain" 1 Mar 1864. Military records state his possessions were given to his mother (Abigail).

Nancy A. Churchman, born c. 1849

The following are William and Abigail's children: Mary, John J., and Joseph.

Mary C. Churchman, born c. 1853, m. Alexander Fryar, later moved to Briggs, I.T.

John James Churchman, born Aug 1854, m. Charlotte Kansas Bezzo 17 Dec 1891 in the Cherokee Nation, I.T. Since his first four children’s birthdates precede his marriage, I assume there was a first marriage prior to this one. His children were:

Gertrude, b. Jul 1881 in Ark

Charlotte Abbie, b. Aug 1883 in Ark

Lamont C., b. Dec 1885 in Ark

Lena L., b. Mar 1890 in Cherokee Nation, I.T.

Grace, b. Dec 1893 in Cherokee Nation, I.T.

Katie M., b. 13 Oct 1895 in Cherokee Nation, I.T.

Jimmie, b. 13 Oct 1895 in Cherokee Nation, I.T.

Homer, b. Nov 1901, Okla. Territory

Joseph W. Churchman, born c. 1858, m. Nancy Shurrell 21 July 1878 in Logan Co., Ar. Joseph and Nancy were parents of Tillman, Abigail, and Leona. The parents apparently died at early ages in OK, and Tillman and Abigail returned to Ark to live with relatives, while Leona married and remained in OK.

Tillman F., b. 8 Jun 1879

Abigail b. c. 1891

Leona

William H. Churchman paid taxes in Marion County during the years 1841, 43, and 44. He had 120 acres in Marion County located in Section 6, township 18, Range 18. After his marriage to Abigail, they  lived in Riley township, Yell County, Arkansas at the time of the 1850 census, and in Clark township, Johnson (later Logan) County during the 1860 census. According to Joe Carter, Jr., William and Abigail settled on a site four miles west of old Ellsworth, on Pine Ridge. This site had a spring that was known locally as "Cherokee Springs".  Due to problems with the Little Rock and Ft Smith Railroad being given a right-of-way, William was unable to complete his purchase of this site before his death. Abigail died c. 1869 and William died c. 1874. Both are buried at the home place by the spring.

Jacob E. Churchman, b. 1814 m. c. 1834-44 Mary Ezell b.1813, in Jefferson County, Tennessee. He appears on the 1844 tax records for Marion county, Ark. He may have moved his family to Missouri sometime during the mid-1840's since his two oldest children were born there (1845 and 1846), returning prior to the 1850 census. On the 1860 census their places of birth are listed as Tennessee. The following were their children: John, Eliza, Mary, Rachell, Dorcas, Frances, Alley, and Martha.

John, b.1845 in Mo, d. 3 Apr 1865, Devalls Bluff, Ark (member CSA army)

Eliza C., b. 1846 in Mo

Mary J., b. 1850 in Ark

Rachell A., born c. 1852 in Ark, believe m. W.M.H. Hunt 1 Aug 1878 in Logan Co., Ark.

Dorcas E., born c. 1854 in Ark

Frances, born c. 1856 in Ark, believe m. James S. Reed 23 July 1876 in Pope Co.

Alley, born c. 1858 in Ark

Martha M., born c. 1860 in Ark

I have Jacob’s exact date of death listed as 15 Mar 1862 in Newton County, Arkansas, but he (or another Jacob) appears on Arkansas Tax Records as paying taxes in 1895. 

John Wesley Churchman, Jr, b. 1819 m. c. 1849 Milly Hodge b. 1821 in Ky. They were the parents of the following children: Elizabeth, Tabitha, Frances, Sarah, and Mary.

Elizabeth C., born c. 1851, in Ark

Tabitha A., born c. 1853, in Ark

Frances A., born c. 1855, in Ark

Sarah J., born c. 1857, in Ark

Mary L., born c. 1860, in Ark

John W. is listed in the Marion county, Ark. tax records for the years 1842 through 1845. He and his wife were living in Spring Creek township of Yell County at the time of the 1850 census, and in Riley township of Yell County at the 1860 census.

Stephen Churchman m. 18 Feb 1847 Purety (or Purity) Ezell b. c. 1828. Their children were as follows: Joseph, Dorcas, Alley, Frances, Mary, Nancy, and Eliza.

Joseph, born c. 1846 in Ark, d. 22 Apr 1865 Devalls Bluff, AR (member CSA army)

Dorcas Ann, born 7 Mar 1847 in Mo.

Alley Elizabeth, born c. 1850 in Mo.

Frances A., born c. 1852 in Ark

Mary M., born 27 June 1854, d. 11 Feb 1907, m. Nathan McCarl Jenkins

Nancy J., born c. 1857 in Ark, m. 17 May 1885 Marion B. Jones

Eliza Eliot, born 7 Dec 1857 in Ark, m. Samuel Z. Luman 28 Dec 1879 in Logan Co., d. 16 Apr 1929, bur. McKendree Cemetery, Logan Co., AR.

Records show Stephen Churchman also bought 25 acres of land from James Smith in Jefferson County, Tennessee. Like James Churchman's land it was on Panther Creek, South of the Holston River.

Stephen paid taxes in 1843 and 1844 on 120 acres of land in Marion county, Ark., in Section 6, township 18, Range 18. At the time of the 1860 census, he was living next to Jacob at Jimmie's Creek township, in Marion county.

Stephen and William H. Jr. his nephew, are named in "Damn Yankees" (as is Joseph Carter), a book listing Arkansans who joined the union army during the Civil War. He joined Company C & E, 4th Arkansas Cavalry as a private, 01 Oct 1863, three days before his nephew joined the same unit. Like William Jr, he is shown as dying while in service, at Dardanelle, Ark 3 Apr 1864.