Person:Stephen Churchill (2)

Stephen's parents were Giles and Jessie Churchill.

Giles Churchill brought his family in the middle of the eighteen century and settled on the Delaware River, at the junction of the East and West Branches Like other hardy pioneers of his time, he began clearing the wilderness, and erected a log house; but in 1765 he was driven out by the Indians, and he and his family went back to Massachusetts, where the parents spent the rest of their days.

Their son, Stephen Churchill, was born on April 15, 1758. In 1780, while the Revolution was in progress, Stephen Churchill was married to Esther Lloyd. After a few years residence in the old Bay State, Mr. Churchill went back to the home of his early childhood in Delaware County, and settled on land ^A now owned by Judge Gilbert, near the village of Stamford. There he put up a log house and rough barn. The nearest grist-mills were at least thirty miles away; and the Churchills had to pound up corn in a hollow stone to prepare food for their nine children- Mary, Phebe, Giles, Esther, Samuel,Stephen, Elijah, Joseph, and Melinda. The father found the hardships of pioneer life too great for his endurance, and died during the War of 1812, at the age of fifty-four.

^A From Book A of Delaware County Deeds: 'Stephen Churchill of Harpersfield, Otsego County, NY, yeoman, on November 11, 1791, purchased from Andrew Raber of the town of Palatine, Montgomery County, yeoman, land in Harpersfield, Otsego County, lot 210, 141 acres. Witnesses John Harper and John Kees. Recorded July 25, 1797. Pages 35-37."