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| Notes for Col. Benjamin CHURCH | ||||||||||
| He was the first "Englishman" to settle at Little Comption in 1675, but with the outbreak of King Philip's war later that year he accepted a commission as Captain in the Plymouth Colony forces. He was commissioned Major and commander-in-chief of the first expedition against the Indians in the "East" (Maine) in 1689 and likewise commanded all five expeditions. The 11 Feb. 1688/9 census of Bristol lists him with wife and 6 children. In a series of deeds, Benjamin Church provided for his surviving children. On 27 March 1702, land in Bristol (now RI) to son Edward; on 11 April 1705, land in Little Compton to son Thomas; on 20 July 1705, land in Bristol to only natural dau. Elizabeth Rosbotham and her husband Capt. Joseph Rosbotham; on 3 Feb. 1707, land in Little Compton to son Charles; on 12 April 1707, a mill in Tiverton (now RI) and land in Freetown to son Constant. In March 1716/7 Col. Benjamin Church and wife Alice were admitted to the United Congregational church in Little Compton. His inventory dated 5 Feb. 1717/8 was sworn 5 March 1717/8. On 6 March 1718 an agreement between the widow Alice and her children was signed by Thomas Church of Little Compton; Capt. Constant Church of Freetown; Charles Church of Bristol; John Sampson and Elizabeth his wife of Bristol. On 18 May 1736 a division was made of 500 acres among the heirs of Benjamin Church. The first share to Charles Church, being the share he had of his brother Thomas; the second share to Chalres Church, being his own share; the third share to Chare Church, being the share he purchased of Benjamin Church and George Wanton and his wife Abigail, heirs of Edward Church deceased; the fourth share to Elizabeth Sampson, dau. of Benjamin Church; the fifth share to representatives of Constant Church. Source: "The Phillips History of Fall River" by Arthur Sherman Phillips, 1941, Dover Press, Fall River, Mass., 1944, Fascicle I, p. 121. " He was a fearless man, he understood the savages better than any other colonist, and his accomplishments during the Indian war, ofttimes either alone or accompanied only by a single companion, amount almost to the heroic. His ancestry and his home surroundings all combined to perfect a character which was in its inception fearless and commanding. "'The Entertaining History of King Philip's War", printed in 1716 was written by Thomas Church, son of Col. Benjamin Church, largely from the father's dictation. It is the most noted of the publications relating to this period. (p. 122-123) "His first home was in Plymouth, but in 1870 he was listed as a freeman in Duxbury and in the following year was elected a constable there. From 1668 to 1673 he served five terms as a juryman. In the autumn of 1674 Church moved to his new home at Sakonet. "At the beginning of the war Church was an inferior officer and when reinforcements had arrived and the troops under command of his superior officers had drived the Indians into the Mr. Hope peninsula, whence they had escaped aqcross the bay to Pocasset, Church managed to have two brisk skirmished and to drive them into the Pocasset swamp. The main body then coming up an attack was made, but it was not followed up, and while they were striving to starve out the Indians it was found that the fighting men had escaped up the Taunton River on crude rafts, leaving the squaws and children to the philanthropy of the whites. Church was so disgusted that he withdrew from the war, only to return seven months later as a volunteer aide to Gov. Josiah Winslow who had been placed in command of the confederated forces. In an engagement which followed, Church received three wounds, one of which was severe. Later Church was sent for, but his request for entire freedom of action was deemed unreasonable, and he returned in bad humor to Rhode Island, but again feeling rebuked by inaction while his friends were in peril he returned to Plymouth and was given a captaion's commission with some discretionary powers. "Without waiting for the sixty English and 140 Indian followers which he was to raise, Church then went entirely alone into the hostile Sakonet camp and called upon the warriors to renounce Philip and to take the war path against him. A violent scene followed in which Church's persional magnetism alone saved his life, but finally his call was accepted and he was soon on the enemies' trail, and it was a hunting trip rather than a war with many prisoners taken, some of whom quickly became devoted to Church and enlisted against their own, often on the very day they were taken. Within three months Philip was surrounded at Mount Hope, and shot by a Sakonet Indian. Leading white men who were then in Church's little company included Lt. Jabez Howland, son of the first John of the Mayflower; Nathaniel Southworth, husband of a daughter of Edward Gray, was a cousin of Church's wife; Jacob Cook was grandson of the 1st Francis of the Mayflower and his uncle was married to Church's aunt; Jonathan Delano also was married to mary Warren, Church's first cousin. It seems almost like a family party. A little later the war ended in the capture of Anawan, Philips captain who had probably been the real leader of the war. This was accomplished at the Anawan rock in Rehoboth by Church and Cook and six friendly Indians, who by their audacity overcame a body of sixty Indian warriors. On November 4, 1676 the Court confirmed Church's engagement not to deport certain Indians who had `carried well', but one who had committed murder was excepted. "Church's home in Sakonet was destroyed during the war and at its close he settled temporarily in Bristol. He was a selectman there in 1682 and 1686 and was Deputy from Bristol to the General Court in 1682, 3, and 4. In July and October 1683 Church was defendant in the suit of one Saffin for damage caused by his damming a tideway between Bristol and Popasquash Neck, and was, after one verdict of "not proven", finally obligated to pay three pounds damage. In July 1681 he was authorized to cut a road from Bristol through colony lands to make a more direct road to Plymouth. In 1682 having sold three Indians into slavery, the Court approved a composition for their freedom. (At this period a sale "to slavery" within the colony meant little more than an enforced apprenticeship). "In 1689 Church was named commander in chief of the expedition against the eastern Indians and in 1690 the Court agreed that he might divide his plunder equally between his English and his Indian soldiers. In 1682 Church as Commissioner took the testimony for the Cour in the depositions relating to Hog Island ("Chessawanucke") "About 1700 Church built a house on the second lot of the freeman's purchase, i.e. north of Pine street in Fall River. He died on January 17th A.D. 1718, aged seventy-eight years; his family consisted of five sons and one daughter, and their descendants are a legion in our midst. "Church's death was due to a hemorrhage, caused by a fall from his horse; he had grown to be very corpulent, and when he was returning from his sister's home (Mrs. Irish) his horse stumbled and he was thrown forward with great violence. (p. 132) "So far as the records show the water power was first improved by Col. Church in 1703 when he erected was of the main road a saw mill, a grist and fulling mill. These seem to have been operated by him and his son, with other partnership interests, till 1714, when the Church interests were sold to Richard Borden of Tiverton and to Joseph Borden of Freetown. 703THE SETTLEMENT OF COL. BENJAMIN CHURCH'S ESTATE* Transcribed from the Original Documents and Records, BY GEORGE ERNEST BOWMAN Col. BENJAMIN CHURCH, the famous Indian fighter, was the son of Richard and Elizabeth (Warren) Church and the grandson of Richard Warren of the Mayflower. Col. Church married Alice, the daughter of Constant Southworth, who survived him a little more than a year. He died at Little Compton on 17 January, 1717/18, in the seventy-eighth year of his age, according to his gravestone and the account in the "Boston News—Letter." He left no will and his widow was appointed administratrix on 5 March, 1717/18. The settlement of the estate was recorded in the Bristol County Probate Records at Taunton, Mass., Little Compton being at that time a part of Massachusetts. The original papers now in the probate files are the bond of the administratrix, the inventory, the consent of the heirs to the sale of land to defray expenses, and the bond of Martha Church, widow of the son Edward, as guardian of her children. It is a curious fact that, although Martha Church did not sign the original document consenting to the sale of land, her name appears in the record found in Volume III, page 384, where it was interlined after the other names had been recorded. The inventory was recorded in Volume III, page 381, and the consent to the sale of land was recorded on page 384, but the original documents have been used in making the transcript for the printer. [APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATRIX] [III: 363 †] "The fifth day of March Administration Granted to Madam Allice Church on the Estate of Collo Benja Church deceased" [III: 380 †] Bristol . ss Nathaniel Paine Esqr Commissioned by his Excellencey Samuel Shute Esqr Capt generall and Governr * Printed in full at the request of a liberal contributor to the Old Colony Town Record Fund. † Bristol County Probate Records. in Cheif in and over his Majties Province of the Massachusets bay in New England by and with the Advice and Consent of the Councell to be the Judge of the Probate of wills and Granting of Administrations within the County of Bristol To Madam Allice Church widow Relecte of Collo Benjamin Church late of Little Compton Esqr Deceased Intestate: Trusting in your Care and fidellidie I do Appoint you Administratrix of all and singuler the Goods Chattells Rights & Credits of of the said Deceased with full power to Administr thereon as the law directs: And to Aske gather Levey Require and Receive of all & Every person & persons All such Goods Chattells Rights and Credits of the sd Deceased which to him while he lived and at the time of his death did appertain And to pay all such Debts in which the sd Deceased stood bound so farr as his said Goods Chattells Rights and Credits Can Extend according to the value thereof And to make a true and perfect Inventory of all & singuler the said Goods Chattells Rights and Credts of the said deceased and to Exhibbit the same into the Registers office for the said Court of Probate at or before the Tenth day of Aprill Next and allso to Render a true and plaine Accompt of your Administration upon Oath at or before the Tenth day of Aprill which will be in the year of our Lord one Thousand seven Hundred and Nineteen & I do by these presents Nominate Appoint Impower and Ordain you Allice Church to be Administratrix of all and singuler the said Goods Chattells Rights & Credits of the said Deceased In Testimony whereof I have set my hand & the seal of the said Office for the Court for Probate of wills &c within the County of Bristol the fifth day of March 1717:18: in the fourth year of his Majesties Reign John Cary Regr: Nathal Paine Entered March ye 5th 1717/18 By John Cary Register [BOND OF ADMINISTRATRIX] The original bond of the—administratrix is in the probate files. It is on a printed form and is dated 5 March, 1717/18. "Allice Church widow Relict of Collo Benjamin Church Late of Little Compton Esqr Deceased Thomas Church Constant Church & Charles Church all sons of the said Deceased and liveing in the County of Bristol" were the principal and sureties, and the amount of the bond was £1500. The widow signed by her mark; the sons all wrote their names. The witnesses were Samuel Gallup and Joshua Bailey. A True Inventory of the Estate Both Reall and personall left By the honourable Cornll Benjamin Church Esqr late of little Compton deceased . taken By us the subscribers this 5th day of feburary . 1717 - 18 £ s d Impr To his sword and Belt 05 00 0 to a Caine and gloves 0 12 0 to wearing apparell 28 15 0 to 2 gold Rings I & 3 pr of Buttons . I£ 10s all 02 10 0 to one pare of plate Buckles 00 15 0 to one tanker one Cup one poringer & 2 salt sellers plate and seven spoons all weighing 42 ounces 21 00 0 to a Case of knives and forks 00 28 0 to sundry Books 02 00 0 to land in Tiverton one six score Acre lot and half Being 180 acres: 280 00 0 to two guns 03 02 0 to one Bed 2 Blankets one Rug Curtains and valliens and two pillows and Bedsteail . &c :34 00 0 to another Bed Bedsted and 4 Blankets one Coverlid two pillows and Curtains &c 28 00 0 to another Bed Bedsted Bolster and 3 . Blankets &c 12 00 0 to 24 pare of sheets 21 00 0 to nine pillowbeers 01 26 0 to two dozen of napkins and Towels 03 12 0 to four Table Cloths 02 00 0 to three Tables 23 10 0 to one Cubbard 23 00 0 to six Chests 02 02 0 to seven Turkey workd Chaires 04 02 0 to . 26, wooden Chaires 02 28 0 puter to 21 . plates . I -27-0 . to 7 . platters 3£ all 04 27 0 to . 11 . Basons . I -23-O & 3 Chamber pots 8 all 02 01 0 Tin to one Collender one Cauldron & one Tee pott all 00 23 0 Brass to one Chafing Dish and one warming pan 01 10 0 to two Cettles & one Bellmettle skillet 26 00 0 Iron to three potts & one Cettle 01 10 0 to one spit 3 . andirons 2 pare of tongues one fire slice 2 tramells one hook and one frying pan all 02 02 0 to . 8 kelers 8 . pailes . 3 . pigens . 3 trays & one suger Box all to 5 Cheesfatts one Churn & 3 Ceder tubs all 02 04 0 to one meal trough one Barrel and one tray all 00 06 0 to 3 . Bags . 12s . to Earthen ware 6s & 12 glas Bottles 4s all 01 02 0 to 2 . Ropes 6s to 5 old sythes . 5s to . 3 . old Iron hoops & 3 . Iron Boxes 8s all 00 19 0 to a Betle & wedges 6s . and 3 . syth sneaths 3s all 00 09 0 to . 3 . hows . 6s, one Bill hook and 4 axes . ll s . all 00 17 0 to Iron fetters horstracies one Coller hames and old Iron all 00 14 0 to . 3 . augers 4 Chesells one drawing knife one hand saw one hammer and one square all 00 08 0 to one old tenant saw . 2 pr of sheares & 2 pr of stillieards all 00 08 0 to one sikle . 3 . stirrop Irons and one lanthorn all 00 04 0 to 3 Riddle sieves . 3s . and 14 old Cask. 1£ 8s all 01 11 0 to 25 Bushels salt . 3£ . 15s . and two Chees presses 8s all 04 03 0 to 2 . spinning wheels and one pr of Cards 00 10 0 to 2 . Barrells of Bief & one Barell of pork 05 00 0 to nine Cows 54 00 0 to . 4 . heifers 20 00 0 to a pare of oxen 14 00 0 to a pare of steers 12 00 0 to one Bull 02 10 0 to seven two year old Cattle 21 00 0 to a Cart & wheels . 2 yokes . 2 Chains & Clevis and pin all 04 1 0 0 to . 2 Iron Barrs and one sledge 01 00 0 to yern and flax 03 15 0 to about 250 weight of Chees 04 00 0 to 13 . Bushels of Barley 02 00 0 to 2 . old Barrells and som Beans 00 10 0 to . 20 Bushels of oats 02 10 0 to about 40 . Bushells of Indian Corn 08 00 0 to one tub and pork 04 00 0 to 2 Barrels of Cyder l£. and . 3 Empty Cask 6s all 01 06 0 to one sorild horse 12 00 0 to one Black horse 16 00 0 to a Callash with the horse sadle & Bridle &c 12 00 0 to one Bay maire 18 00 0 to 2 old plows and one Brake 01 05 0 to ten yearling Cattle 15 00 0 to . 5 . swine 02 10 0 to . 3 . scieves one pr of tongues and pr of Bellows all 00 05 6 to one pare of holsters & an old portmantle 00 12 0 to a looking glass and hour glass 00 08 6 to about 15 . pound of . Butter 00 10 0 to a negro man Clothing and Beding &c 60 00 0 to a negro woman Clothing and Beding &c 40 00 0 to a servant Boy Called william heard 10 00 0 to John Tomlin 03 00 0 to . 3 . Rakes and two pitchforks 00 26 0 to an Iron Back 01 10 0 to a score of sheep 06 16 0 to a Close stool pan . a pr of specticles & Inkhorn all 00 09 0 to silver and gold Butons 02 02 6 to Cash 02 16 6 to his Right in a small lot of land in Tiverton 05 00 0 This Inventory was Taken the day and year above written By us John Wood Thomas Gray william pabodie Bristol ss : March the 5th 1717: 18 Before the Honrable Nathal Paine Esqr Judge of ye Probate of wills & Granting of Administration within the County of Bristol: Came Madam Allice Church widow & Relict of Collo Benjan Church late of Little Compton Esqr Deceased Intestate and made Oath that the Inventory before written Containes the whole of that Estate which the said Deceased Dyed seized of & is Come to her Knowledge & that when she Knowes of any more she will Reveal it that it may be of Record herewith John Cary . Regr: Nathl Paine Bristol ss in the 3d Book folio 381: & 382 the abovewritten was Entered March 21st 1717/18 by John Cary Recorder [CONSENT OF THE HEIRS TO SALE OF LAND *] To All People To Whome thes presents shall come Know yee That We Who are the Children of our Honered father Coll Benjamen Church Late of Little Compton in the County of Bristoll in the provence of the Massusetes Bay in new England . Deseased Who died Intested and That the Law of this Provence Doath Provide that all Just Debts And funeral Charges shall be Paid out of the Personall Estate Which Will be a Grate Damage to our honered mother Mrs Ales Church Who is Administratricks to said Estate— These are therefore to Give full Power and Lawfull Authority to our Above named Honered Mother as administrtxs to our abovesd honrd fathers Estate To Bargain sell allien & Dispose of all our Right title claime or Demands of one sixcoare Acre Lott & an half in the Township of Tiverton * Transcribed from the original document. In pocasett purchas the Whole Lott being the fourtenth in number and the half Lot the thirtenth Lot in number Which Lot and an half being mentioned in the Inventary of our said fathers Estate & is buted & Bouned as by the Records of said pocasett Land may appear and that ye Whol sum of mony Which the abovesaid Land is sold for shall be to help pay the Just Debts & funeral charges of our said Honed father deasesed as witnis our hands & seales Dated in Bristoll this sixth day of March in the fourth year of his Majesties Reign annoque Domini 1717/8 Signed sealed & Delevered Thos Church (seal) in presence of us Constant Church (seal) Samll Gallup Charles Church (seal) Joshua Bailey John Sampson (seal) Eliz Sampson (seal) Bristoll ss March: 20th: 1718/17 mr Thomas Church mr Constantt Church mr Charles Church mr Jno Sampson & mrs Elizabeth Sampson the subcribers to ye above mentioned order and agreementt personally appeared before me Nathin Paine Esqr Judge of Probate of Wills &c within ye County of Bristoll and acknowledged the same to be theire free voluantary act & Deed Nathll Paine [On the left hand margin, opposite the preceding acknowledgment, was the endorsement of John Cary, that he recorded the instrument in Book III, folio 384, on 21 March 1717/18, but the greater part of it has been worn off.] [III: 563 *] To the Honrable Coll Paine Esqr Judge of Probats Articles of agreement made Conclud & Agreed upon in Little Compton in the County of Bristol in the Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England: By and between Thomas Church of said Little Compton Esqr Capt Constant Church of ffreetown Charles Church of Bristol Esqr Martha Church of Rhoad Island widow of Edward Church Deceast & John Sampson & Elizabeth his wife of the Town of Bristol all being Children and Legatees of Our Honrd ffather Collo Benjamin Church Esq, and of our Honrd Mother Allice his wife both deceast Haveing Mutually agreed & made a Divission of all & singuler of the Estate both Reall & personall which our Honrd ffather and Mother dyed seized with (Excepting some Right of land Punkatest Neck or Outlet & theyr Right in land in * Bristol County Probate. Records. Middlebery) which Divission of said Estate which we have Muttually made be all Contented and fully sattisfyed therewith Do therefore by these presents bind our selves and our heires Executors & Administrs to each other to stand and abide to the Divission of the abovesaid Estate for Ever In Witness whereof we the sd Thomas Church Esqr Capt Constant Church Charles Church Esqr Martha Church widow of Edward Church deceast & John Sampson and Elizabeth his wife have all mutually hereunto set Our hands & seals the Twenty seventh day of march in the fifth year of the Reign of our Sovereign King George of great Brittain &c. in the year of our Lord One thousand seven Hundred & Nineteen Allso it is Mutually agreed before signing & sealing of these presents that if any mony happen to be due to the sd Coll Benjan Church our Honrd father from the Country or any other person or persons whatsoever It when got be divided Equally into six shares: also if any debts Happen to be due from said Estate to be Equally Reimbursed from every one of us above named in proportion Signed sealed and Delivered Thomas Churc (s) In the presence of Constant Church (s) William Pabodie Charles Church (s) Thomas Gray Martha Church (s) John wood John Sampson (s) Elizabeth Sampson (s) Bristol ss April 16 : 1719 Capt Thomas Church mr Charles Church mrs Martha Church mr John Sampson & his wife mrs Elizab: Sampson the subscribers to ye Articles or agreement on ye other side personally appeared before Nathal Paine Esqr Judge of Probate &c and acknowledged the sd agreement to be theyr free voluntary Act and Deed dated at Bristol in the fifth year of his Majties Reign Nathal Paine Entered May the 20th 1719 By John Cary Regr | ||||||||||
| Notes for Alice (Spouse 1) | ||||||||||
| The will of Constant Southworh of Duxborrow dated 27 Feb. 1678 names wife Elizabeth and dau. Allice Church. | ||||||||||
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