Tuscola-Saginaw-Genesee County MI Archives Biographies.....Church, William B. 1838 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 19, 2007, 7:37 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

WILLIAM B. CHURCH. This name will be recognized by many of our readers as that
of a prosperous farmer, residing on section 27, Watertown Township, Tuscola
County. He is a native of Canada, having been born in that country August 14,
1838. He was the son of Oliver Church, a native of Vermont, his native place
being near Lake Champlain. His father, the grandfather of our subject was also
named Oliver Church and was a native of England. He came to America at an early
day and located in the Green Mountain State, but at the time of the
Revolutionary War, refusing to take up arms against the mother country, his
property was confiscated. He then went to Canada when our subject's father was
eight years old and there he passed his last days. His wife, the grandmother of
William B. Church, was Margaret Pangburn and bore her husband four children. The
grandfather was an agriculturist.

  Oliver Church, Jr., was a farmer in Canada, in which place he was married to
the mother of our subject, a Miss Rhoda Smith, who was a native of New York
State and was of German descent. To our subject's parents were born thirteen
children, eight sons and five daughters. The father died in Canada in 1878, the
mother having preceded him to the beyond in 1864.

  William B. Church passed his boyhood days amid Canadian scenes and came,
December 6, 1862, to Michigan, making his first location in Saginaw and engaged
to work in lumber mills and in the woods cutting the timber. In 1864 he returned
to Canada, remaining one year, when on returning he located in Redfield
Township, Genesee County, and made that place his home until 1869. Mary O'Neal,
a native of Ireland, became the wife of our subject, December 3, 1869. She was
the daughter of Patrick O'Neal, a native of the Emerald Isle, and a sketch of
whom will be found elsewhere in this volume.

  To Mr. and Mrs. Church a family of three children were born, who were given
the respective names of William E., Hattie and John; all of them are living. Mr.
Church's first purchase of land was made in 1869, at which time he became the
possessor of eighty acres. This he has cleared and improved and made it to yield
bountifully. He is one of the oldest settlers in the township. His place is
embellished with convenient and substantial buildings. In addition to the tract
just mentioned, he owns seventy acres of arable land on section 13, same
township. Mr. and Mrs. Church are consistent and active members of the
Protestant Methodist Church. He is a Prohibitionist in his political belief,
having identified himself with that party five years ago.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties,
Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of
the Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892


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