Biographies:  Benjamin J. CHURCHILL, Eau Claire, Eau Claire Co., WI 

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** Posted for informational purposes only - poster is not related to the 
subject of this biography and has no further information.

Benjamin J. Churchill, deceased, for over half a century a resident of Eau 
Claire, was a native of Champlain, Clinton county, New York, where he was 
born February 22, 1831, the son of William and Isabella (Johnson) Churchill.  
His paternal grandfather, also named William Churchill, was born in Rutland, 
Vermont, February 10, 1763.  He was a pioneer of Clinton county, New York, 
and by occupation a farmer.  In religious belief he was a Presbyterian, and 
was prominently identified with affairs of easter New York.  He died May 24, 
1828.  His wife was Eunice Culver, born December 31, 1762, and died October 
3, 1839.  They had a family of ten children of whom William, father of our 
subject, was born in Champlain, New York, March 27, 1795, and died in 1868. 
He was also a farmer.  His wife, Isabella, was the daughter of John and 
Margaret (Ellwood) Johnson, natives of England, and she was the mother of 
Washington, Eleanor, Clarissa, Benjamin J. and William H. Churchill.  She 
died in 1858.

Benjamin J. Churchill received an academic education in his native town, and 
for several years followed the trade of carpenter and joiner.  In 1853 he 
located at Columbus, Wisconsin, where he married October 25, 1856, Hannah E. 
Pratt.  She was born in Michigan, January 25, 1839.  Their children who grew 
to maturity were:  Charles W., Jennie E., Cora E. and Homer.  Mrs. Churchill 
died August 10, 1905.  In 1857 Mr. Churchill came to Eau Claire and soon 
after settled in the town of Brunswick, where he took an active part in all 
public affairs pertaining to the town and county, being a member of the 
county board, and for some time its chairman.  He was constantly in office 
from 1858 to 1879, holding the positions of treasurer and town superintendent 
of schools, and from 1901 had continuously been a member of the county board, 
and since 1869 he was a continuous resident of Eau Claire.  He was appointed 
by the county board to examine the accounts of the county treasurer and 
county clerk from the organization of the county until 1870, a task he 
fulfilled to the satisfaction of all.  In 1871 he was elected county 
treasurer, and re-elected by the Republican party three consecutive times.  
Later he dealt in grain and bought and sold real estate.  Being an expert 
accountant, he was often consulted on important financial matters.  In 
religious belief he was a Presbyterian and for many years was an elder in 
the church.  His death occurred January 10, 1914.


--Transcribed from "The History of Eau Claire County, 1914, Past & Present", 
pages 673 & 674

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