Biography of Cyrus Church

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Christy
(Hall) Thompson  <  blondie2jt@aol.com  >

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Cyrus Church

   Cyrus Church has longer been a resident of Walworth County
than any other of it’s citizens, and this history would be 
incomplete without the record of his life.  He resides on section
21, Walworth Twsp, and there expects to spend his remaining
days.  He was born near New Haven, Connecticut on July 27,
1817 and was the eldest in a family of four children, but with
the exception of himself, all are now deceased.  His parents
were Elijah and Violet (Holcomb) Church.  His father was also
a native of Connecticut, and about 1842 came to Wisconsin,
locating on the farm, which adjoins that belonging to our subject.
From there he moved to Woodstock, Illinois; then came again
to Walworth County, where he spent his remaining days.  His
death occurring on May 31, 1877 at the age of eighty-four.  The
family is of English extraction, but at an early day in the history
of the country was founded in America.  The paternal grandfather
of our subject, Uriah Church, was one of the heroes of the                                                               
Revolution.  Mrs. Church, mother of our subject was born in
Massachusetts and died at the early age of twenty-eight years.
She was also of English descent.

   When Cyrus was four years of age his parents moved to Broome
County, New York, and then when he was sixteen moved from
there to Trumbull County, Ohio.  He early became familiar with
all the duties of farm life and to his father gave the benefit of
his services until twenty years of age.  At that time he came to
the West, and making his way on foot, journeyed to Lake Geneva,
Wisconsin then known as Big Foot Lake.  Reaching his destination
after fifteen days of travel.  He followed the Indian trail from
Chicago, and made his way across the prairie and through the
Timber to Walworth County.  At that time Chicago was a mere
Hamlet, and there were only three cabins between that place and
Lake Geneva.  Jacob Sanders and James Van Slyke were the only
residents of this part of the county, the latter being the first white
settler of this locality.  Mr. Church made a claim upon the land
which he yet owns, and for a time lived in the family of Mr. Van
Slyke.  Chicago was the nearest post office for two years, but as
the county became more thickly settled and an office was
established at Delevan Lake.  He often went to the office and
paid twenty-five cents postage on letters received.  Some of
these old letters he still retains.  In 1838, Mr. Church built a
small farmhouse, the second in the township, and began 
improving his land.  Mr. Sanders and his family lived with his
family until the 17th of December, 1843, when our subject was
united in marriage with Miss Emeline Russell, who was born in
Ohio, June 25, 1826, and came with her brother to the territory
of  Wisconsin.  She died June 25, 1854 leaving a family of five
children.  Delia, now the wife of J.D. Clark, resides in Illinois.
Leonard owns the greater part of the old homestead, which his
father purchased from the Government.  He enlisted in Company
L, Third Wisconsin Calvary, in October 1871.  Although only
sixteen years of age, and continues in the service for three years
and five months.  He was very fortunate, in that he was never
wounded or taken prisoner.  He then returned home and engaged
in the operation of the farm until 1870, when he embarked in the
commission business, in Chicago, continuing in the same for
three years.  From 1873 until 1886 he again carried on
agricultural pursuits in ticket, filling the office for three terms
of two years each.  He was married November 21, 1872, to Miss
Adelina M. Porter, daughter of D.C. Porter, whose sketch
appears elsewhere in this work, and unto them has been born
five children:  Wells D., Nannie I., Grace A., Hattie E. and
Emeline A.  The son and eldest daughter are both school
teachers.  Leonard Church formerly served as Secretary of the
dairy business.  Hiram, the second son of the Church family,
is a prominent farmer and stock-dealer of Idaho.  Eugene, who
invented the Church Hay Carrier at the age of fifteen years, is a
man of much genius, and resides in Harvard, Illinois.  David is
associated in business with his brother Hiram, of Idaho.

   After the death of his first wife, Mr. Church was again married,
the lady of his choice being Miss Mary Boorman, who was born
June 5, 1828, in Maidstone, England.  During her girlhood she
Came to America with her parents, who were first settled in
New York, and in the spring of 1838 came to Wisconsin.  Her
Father died at the age of fifty-two, while his wife passed away
at the age of eighty-five.  By the second marriage have been
born three children:  Merlin H., a resident of Austin, Illinois,
Henry, who is in a store in Sumner, Washington.  Millie, a 
highly educated lady now engaged in teaching in Rockford,
Illinois.

Reference-Wisconsin W 2a
Portraits and Biographies of Walworth County, Wisconsin