My friends - I recently saw a posting to another list which contained information on the Churchill family. Because of this family's prominence in Calloway County over many years, and their numerous connections to other families of the area, I am passing along the information, with the permission of the original poster, Priscilla, even though the bulk of the material is concerned with the immediate ancestors of the Calloway group. -B =================================================================== "The Churchill Family Genealogy Vol 1" by Charles Timothy Todhunter. Armistead Churchill The seventh child and fifth son of Armistead Churchill II and his wife Elizabeth Blackwell. He was born in Fauquier Co, Va. on Monday, Apr 13, 1772 and died presumably in Calloway County, Ky. ca. 1845 at around the age of seventy-three years. Armisted Churchill was the second of his father's children of that name. He was a young boy of about fifteen years when his family settled at "Blenheim" south of the Town of Louisville in Jefferson County, Ky. by 1787. Eight years later Armistead Churchill would meet and marry Sally Hynes, the daughter of Col. Andrew Hynes and his wife Elizabeth Warford (Warfield) of Hardin County and later Nelson County, Ky. Sarah "Sally" Hyned was born in 1778, probably in Maryland, and died sometime after June 24, 1806. The marriage of Armistead Churchill to Sarah Hynes took place in Nelson County, Ky on Thursday, January 29, 1795. The bride was seventeen, and the groom was twenty-three. The subject's father-in- law, Col. Andrew Hynes, was one of the original trustees of Bardstown, Nelson County, Ky. at that town's official formation in 1797. Eight months after the marriage of Armistead Churchill, his father, Armistead Churchill II, died at "Blenheim" in Jefferson County, Ky. According to his father's will, Armistead Churchill was heired four slaves and 1,000 acres of land in Fayette County, Ky. on the Elkhorn and Cedar Creeks. Armistead Churchill would soon add to that on January 18, 1796 the land on which Hynes Fort was constructed near Elizabethtown in Hardin County, Ky. This 250 acre tract was purchased for five shillings and later surveyed on November 9, 1797. Armistead Churchill and his wife Sarah Hynes would sell this same tract to Ambrose Denton Geoghe- gan, Sr., who was living at Crab Orchard, Ky. at the time of the pur- chase. Ambrose Denton Geoghegan, Sr. landed in Baltimore, Md. on May 6, 1771 from Dublin, Ireland and from Hagertown, Md. He came to Kentucky in 1804. Consequently, the families of Armistead Chur- chill, Col. Andrew Hynes and Ambrose Denton Geoghegan, Sr. were friends for a number of years. Armistead Churchill was described by other members of his family as a "born trader." Tradition states that he would trade anything he had. It has been stated that he would frequently trade his horse with or with- out bridle and saddle while he was away from home, and he would oc- casionally return home without his horse while carrying his bridle and saddle on his shoulders. He had been further described as a fierce- tempered, vicious and bad fellow. Armistead Churchill and his wife Sarah Hynes made their home in Hardin County, Ky. It was there that Elizabethtown, the county seat of Hardin County, was established out of thirty acres owned by Col. An- drew Hynes on July 4, 1797. Such was done on a motion in court made by Col. Andrew Hynes, with Benjamin Helm as his security; and Armi- stead Churchill, along with Robert Hodgen, Benjamin Helm, John Ver- trees, Stephen Rawlings, Samuel Haycraft, Sr., Isaac Morrison, and James Crutcher, was made original trustees of that town. It was earlier in 1793 that Col. Andrew Hynes laid out Elizabethtown from his own thirty acres and named that new town after his wife Elizabeth (Warford) Hynes. While living in Hardin County, Armistead Churchill was ordered by the court of that county in August of 1801 to patrol the area eighteen hours every week for one year as a private under the command of Cart. Robert Huston, Captain Controller. Others to patrol along with Armi- stead Churchill were Robert Coleman Slaughter, Isaac Bush and Geo- rge Helm. In Hardin County Court in November of 1804, Armistead Churchill and Jacob Van Meter were appointed surveyor of the road leading from Elizabethtown to Jacob Van Meter's Mill. Also, in that same court on March 24, 1806 Armistead Churchill and Jacob Van Meter were assisted as surveyors of that same road by the subject's older brother John Churchill. Armistead Churchill and his wfie Sarah Hynes lived out their mar- ried life in or near Elizabethtown, Hardin County, Ky. All three of their children would most likely be born there. Sarah Hynes, wife of Armistead Churchill, was alive as of June 24, 1806 as her name ap- pears on the deed with her husband's that transfers 450 acres of Har- din County land to Ambrose Denton Geoghegan, Sr. She apparently died sometime thereafter and was most likely buried in the cemetery of her father, Col. Andrew Hynes, just north of the Town of Bardstown in Nelson County, Ky. An event that was significant in the life of Armistead Churchill as well as other members of the Churchill family, was the marriage of Mary Churchill to her second husband, Alexander Scott Bullitt of "Oxmoor" in eastern Jefferson County, Ky. One of the most promin- ent men in Kentucky at that time, Alexander Scott Bullitt served the State of Kentucky as the first Lieutenant-Governor form 1800 to 1804. This marriage of Mary Churchill and Alexander Scott Bullitt took place in Jefferson County, Ky. on July 31, 1807. Sometime thereafter her older brother Henry Churchill rented some farmland at "Dry Run," a part of the "Oxmoor" plantation. Apparently, Henry Churchill soon thereafter took as a business partner in this rental his younger brother Armistead Churchill. For reasons yet unknown, Armistead Churchill and his brother-in-law Alexander Scott Bullitt fell to disagreement. Supposedly as a result, Armistead Churchill was put off the plantation by Alexander Scott Bullitt; and at the death of the latter on April 13, 1816,; his widow Mary Churchill was left a life estate to the residence of her late husband as well as the part of "Oxmoor" called "Dry Run." Apparently, soon thereafter Mary Churchill had her nephew Armistead Guthrie Churchill, son of Armistead Churchill, work for her at "Dry Run" possibly as an overseer. In a letter to Mary Churchill written on Mon- day, August 26, 1816; William Christian Bullitt and his brother Cuth- bert Bullitt informed their stepmother that Armistead Guthrie Churchill had shot a Negro girl on Saturday night, August 24, 1816. After that related incident, he abruptly left the "Dry Run" plantation. The Bullitts further remarked that the tobacco crop was suffering, and that a per- son should be immediately employed to superintend the place. They further stated that they wanted nothing to do with her brother Armi- stead Churchill. Mary Churchill responded the same day in letter that she had no objections to a new overseer of "Dry Run" provided that they under no circumstances hire Joseph Frederick. She further stated that the Bullitts were mistaken in thinking that she wanted her brother Armistead Churchill to oversee "Dry Run." Ten days later Armistead Churchill apparently went to "Dry Run", engaged in an argument with Joseph Frederick, and shot Joseph Frederick to death, supposedly in front of the latter's home at "Dry Run." Armistead Churchill supposed- ly made his escape on a grey mare. It appears that Joseph Frederick had been hired by Cuthbert and William Christian Bullitt after the sud- den departure of Armistead Guthrie Churchill on August 24, 1816. These incidents were related to the subject's younger brother Samuel Churchill in a letter from Cuthbert and William Christian Churchill dated Thursday, September 5, 1816, the same day of Joseph Frederick's murder. This letter further contended that Samuel Churchill had inten- tionally put his brother Armistead Churchill on "Dry Run" for the pur- pose of "bullying and browbeating us while you would remain behind the scene." The letter further remarked that Armistead Churchill and Samuel Churchill had wrongfully conspired to turn Mary Churchill against members of the Bullitt family by attempting to convince her that she was being cheated in her business affairs at "Dry Run." This letter further alluded that after Armistead Churchill murdered Joseph Frederick, he disclosed his intention "to wade up to his knees in blood and that he would begin with Frederick, before his sister should be wronged." At the time of these threats, Armistead Churchill claim- ed that certain members of the Bullitt family refused him one of the horses on the "Dry Run" farm which it appears he claimed under a purchase from his sister Mary Churchill. Finally, this letter holds Sam- uel Churchill responsible for the actions of his older brother Armistead Churchill while absolving his older brother Henry Churchill of any wrongdoing. Samuel Churchill responded in a letter written the next day, stating that he had never attemped to infuse "a belief into the mind of Mrs. Bullitt that you wished to cheat her." Samuel Churchill further stated that he had no part in putting Armistead Churchill on "Dry Run" but in fact had advised his sister Mary Churchill to have no- thing to do with Armistead Churchill as Samuel Churchill considered him "a hasty passionate and indiscreet man in his conduct." Finally, Samuel Churchill stated that he could not be held responsible for the actions of others, even his brother. Upon the death of Joseph Frederick at the hands of Armistead Chur- chill on September 5, 1816, Cuthbert and William Christian Bullitt posted a $1,000 reward for the capture of Armistead Churchill as fol- lows: STOP THE MURDERED! $1,000 REWARD Will be paid to any person for apprehending ARMISTEAD CHURCHILL, SEN. and securing him in any jail in this State, or the United States, so that he can be brought to justice for the Murder of Joseph Frederick. Said Churchill is about six feet high, between forty-five and fifty years of age, slender made, walks very straight, blue eyes, thin brown hair, a thin visage, thick lips, a little marked with the small pox, the rim of his ears very thin, and apparently notched, a long prominent nose, smiling countenance when speaking, very polite and affable in his con- duct and conversation, and remarkable for his gentlemanlike appear- ance---his clothing can not be well described, as it is believed that he can change them as he pleases, but general wears a fine blue broad cloth coat. After Churchill commintted the murder, he took flight on a grey mare which he probably will exchange, as he is fond of trading. The above Reward will be paid to any person, when said Churchill is so secured and delivered up to proper authority, that justice can be obtained for the above murder by JACOB FREDERICK. Louisville, Ky. Sept. 5, 1816 Forty-eight days later on October 23, 1816 Armistead Churchill was arrested and brought to Louisville to be jailed without bail. About three weeks later on November 11, 1816 Armistead Churchill was indicted for the murder of Joseph Frederick at a meeting of the Jefferson County Circuit Court. His case was to be tried in the April 1817 term of that court, and he was committed without bail. Throughout the next two months emotions ran high and intense feelings were engendered by much of the citizenry of Louisville. Consequently, at the next session of the State Legislature in Frankfort, friends of Armistead Churchill secured the passage of an act entitled "An Act providing for a change of venue in the case of Armistead Churchill," which was approved on February 3, 1817. This act stipulated the following: "Whereas, it is represented to this General Assembly that Armistead Churchill stands indicted in the Jefferson Circuit Court for murder, and that owing to the unusual prejudice existing there, he cannot have a fair and impartial trial." It further provided that Armistead Churchill had the option to be tried in Bullitt Circuit Court in Bullitt County, Ky. On April 21, 1817 he was elected to be tried there, at which time he as taken to Shepards- ville and held without bail for trial during the June term. In the mean- time, Armistead Churchill had secured the legal services of Benjamin Hardin and John Rowan to engage in his defense. Benjamin Hardin, a resident of Bardstown, Nelson County, Ky., was considered to be one of the finest criminal lawyers of his time. The trial began on June 3, 1817 in the Bullitt Circuit Court and last two days. Benjamin Hardin and John Rowan based much of their defense of Armistead Churchill on the contention that William Christian and Cuthbert Bullitt apparent- ly contrived to expel their stepmother Mary Churchill from their late father's "Dry Run" plantation and that they further employed Joseph Frederick as an instrument to execute this plot. The case was submit- ted to the jury on June 5, 1817 at which time the jury could not agree on a verdict. Records state that they continued to consider until Sep- tember 27, 1817 when one of the jurors, James Daougherty, disap- peared. It just so happens that the day before, September 26, 1817, Mary Churchill died at "Dry Run" plantation. What connection there is between the disappearance of the juror James Dougherty and the guilt or innocence of Armistead Churchill is not known. Armistead Churchill was admitted to bail on September 27, 1817 at which time he attended the funeral of his sister Mary Churchill at "Blenheim" Cemetery in Louisville, Ky. His case was continued until the February 1818 term of the Bullitt Circuit Court. At that February term, the judge awarded the Commonwealth a venire facias de novo (a new writ of venue issued to summon a jury on some irregularity or defect in the proceed- ing under the first venue, or an order granting a new trial for any rea- son). However, on a motion by the defense this venire facias de novo was annulled. Finally, on February 25, 1818 Armistead Churchill was discharged without further trial. In conclusion, through what facts are available in the case of the Commonwealth of Kentucky versus Armistead Churchill, it appears that Armistead Churchill did indeed take the life of Joseph Frederick, and that he may have well acted in a manner which he felt was in the best interest and protection of his sister Mary Churchill. It further appears that Armistead Churchill may well have believed that Cuthbert Bullitt and William Christian Bullitt were indeed plotting to remove their step- mother Mary Churchill from "Dry Run"; however, the facts seem to in- dicate that the Bullitt family had no such intention. Their outrage at this contention was reflected in a series of letters written to Attorney Benjamin Hardin from Cuthbert and William Christian Bullitt challen- ging Mr. Hardin to a duel as the Bullitts felt that their honor and inte- grity had been seriously wronged. Incidentally, Benjamin Hardin de- clined to duel on the grounds that his remarks were not to be taken personally but were to be construed only as part of his job as legal defendant of his client. Finally, as to the disappearance of the juror James Dougherty, only speculation can be offered. Having been freed from jail and the legal charges against him, Armistead Churchill returned to his home in Hardin County, Ky where he resided until some time after 1820. By 1830 Armistead Churchill was living in Simpson County, Ky. His son Andrew Chur- chill was known to be living in nearby Warren County, Ly. where he is known to have married his second wife in September of 1821. By 1840 at the age of sixty-eight, Armistead Churchill was living in Calloway County, Ky. in the household of his oldest child Armistead Guthrie Churchill. Armistead Churchill appears as executor of his oldest son's will written in Calloway County, Ky. in 1841. Armistead Churchill most likely died sometime between the death of his son in February of 1841 and 1850. At his death, most likely in Calloway County, Ky., Armistead Churchill was probably taken to the cem- etery of his father-in-law, Col. Andrew Hynes, just outside the Town of Bardstown in Nelson County, Ky. Armistead Churchill and his wife Sarah Hynes were the parents of the following three children: Armistead Guthrie Churchill---born ca. 1796. Died February 28, 1841. Andrew Churchill---born ca. 1798. Died ca. 1836. Elizabeth Hynes Churchill---born ca. 1800. Died ca. 1841.