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Individual:
Note: CHURCHILL, JOHN-John Churchill married on 18 December 1644 Hannah Pontus
(PCR 2:79), daughter of William Pontus (MD 11:93). On 18 August 1645 he
bought land from Richard Higgins (PCR 12-.111). On 1 May 1649 the court
allowed John Churchill to dispose of the house and land of George Clarke,
deceased, for the use of Clarke's daughter, Abigail Clarke (PCR 2:138).
On 5 June 1651 he became a freeman (PCR 2:167), On 3 May 1664 widow
Hannah Churchill was awarded one-half of the land of her deceased father,
William Pontus (PCR 4:58). John Churchill died 1 January 1662/63 (PCR
8:23). He made a nuncupative will, which was exhibited to the court on 3
March 1662/63, and Abigail Clarke, age about twenty, deposed that on 24
December 1662, her kinsman John Churchill willed that his sons Joseph and
Eleazer should have all his lands except fifty acres which he would give
to his son John, and some land at Punckateesett that he would give his
son William. His wife would have a lifetime interest in his house and
lands, and he named a Hannah (see PCR 8:7 for birth of his daughter
Hannah on 12 November 1649). He also mentioned unnamed children, who
might include, but not necessarily, some of the above (MD 18:40). PCR
8:16 also shows that he had a daughter Mary born I August 1654. On 25
June 1669 his widow Hannah Churchill married Gyles Rickard, Sr. (PCR
8:32). The descendants are quite numerous, and a family history is
Gardner A. Churchill and Nathaniel W. Churchill, Churchill Family in
America (1904), which is not well documented.
Source: Plymouth Colony Its History & People 1620-1691 by Eugene Aubrey
Stratton
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The original Churchill Immigrant. Came to Plymouth in 1643. Note: May
have also married a Giles Rickard (-1669) on 18 Dec 1644 in Plymouth.
Death: Between 24 Dec 1661 (will) and 3 Mar 1662 (Ratified) !Will:
Reprinted in Mayf.Des 18:40. Text is as follows:
[On folio 82] The Will Nuncupative of John Churchill senir: late Deceased
exhibited before the Court helt att Plymouth the 3 of March 1662 Attested
upon oath as followeth Abigaill Clarke aged twenty years or theraboutes
being Deposed saith; That on Tusday the 24th of December last past before
the Date heerof; her kinsman viz John Churchill senir: being ill att ease
but of pfect memory Did expresse him selfe in manor as followeth that his
mind and will was that his son Josepth Churchill and his son Eliezer
Churchill shall have and enjoy all his lands both uplands and meddowes
within the Township of Plymouth accepting onely fifty acrees of land
graunted to him by the Towne lying att Mannomett ponds; which hee gave
then unto John Churchill his son; morover that his will was that his son
William shall have his purchase land att Punckateesett viz: his share of
the townes land there; further that hee Did expresse him selfe that his
son Josepth shall have his New house att his wifes Death and for the use
of all the lands aforsaid that they shalbee for teh use and Improvement
of his wife as long as shee lives; and that hee alsoe said that incase
Josepth should marry or bee for him selfe that then hee should have the
use of the old Dwelling house and some land to make use of; and as for
his estate remaining hee said, that hee knew not whether there would bee
any thing left when his Children were brought up or noe; but if his wife
Could spare it then that Josepth should have a yeake of oxen and Eliezer
a yeake of oxen and Hannah a Cow if not two and incase any thinge should
bee left att his wifes Decease that then such of his Children as have had
nothinge in prticulare as above given them should have what is left in
equall proportions to equallice what is given to them forenamed as farr
as it will goe. The oath of Abigaill Clarke taken in the Court held att
Plymouth the third Day of march 1662 Attested p me Nathaniel Morton;
Clarke; Att the Court of his Matie held att Plymouth in New England the
2cond Day of March anno Dom 1668 Joseph Churchill Came before the said
Court and alowed approved Rattifyed and Confeirmed the will of his father
John Churchill Deceased above expressed in all and every prticulars
therof; the said Will and Testament to stand remaine and Continew
unalterable and Inviolable for ever. From Leon Clark Hills' book: He
appeared first in Plymouth 1643, and purchased a farm of Richard Higgins
in 1645. He was propouded a freeman 1650, and admitted 1651. A
nuncupative will was made and exhibited before court held at Plymouth,
Mar. 3, 1662. Book of Wills, 2nd Part, Vol. 2, page 83.
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Notes for John Churchill:
From letters that James Churchill wrote in 1894, we learn that the name
Churchill was originally French starting with Wandril De Leon, Lord of
Coureil (later
Coureilles), from Les Andelys, Normandy. Wandril then adopted the name
Coureilles.
Wandril's sons fought in the battle of Hastings in 1066 under William the
Conqueror. For this they received land grants.
The first of this name (Churchill) appears in England in 1200. Elias,
born in 1275 during Edward the 2nd's reighn, got a land grant in 1325.
It is unclear why John left England in his early twenties. The early
1640s were a time of great turmoil in England (Civil War) and nearly
250,000 emigrated to
America in the 20 years after the Mayflower (1620). Appeared in Plymouth,
1643.
John and Hannah are frequently cited in works about Plymouth colony.
From Stephen Churchill:
"According to the LDS, John Churchill and his ancestors back to his great
grandfather William Churchill came from Dorset county on the south coast
of England.
Muston, a now non-existent town in Dorset, seems to have been the
ancestral home of Churchills, according to Burke's Family Index. Based on
historical maps,
Muston may have been located near the present day town of Winterbourne
Kinston."
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