Melville A. Church
| Date | Location | Notes | Sources | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | 11 Aug 1840 | Greenfield, IN | [1] [2] [4] [6] [11] [12] | |
| Military | 21 Apr 1861 - 4 Aug 1861 | Co. D, 11th IN Infantry | [7] [9] [10] | |
| Military | Co. L, 5th IL Cavalry | [7] | ||
| Military | 16 Sep 1864 - 20 Jul 1865 | 25th IN Light Artillery | [7] [8] | |
| Marriage | 27 Aug 1874 | Adair Co., MO | Malinda A. Watson | [4] [7] [11] [13] |
| Death | 3 Jan 1892 | Kirksville, MO | at home | [6] [7] [12] |
| Burial | Brashear Cemetery, Brashear, Adair Co., MO | [12] |
Children
(children with Malinda A. Watson)
| Name | Gender | Date of Birth | Birthplace | Spouse | Notes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herman W. Church | M | ~1878 | MO | [4] | ||
| Chester C. Church | M | 24 Feb 1891 | MO | None | Died 8 Jan 1892 at 10 months old | [12] |
| Geoffrey Church | M | ~1892 | MO | [5] | ||
| unknown, based on total child count from 1910 census (still alive in 1910) | [5] |
Places of Residence
| Location | Dates | Notes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centre Twp., Hancock Co., IN | 1840, 1850 | [1] | |
| Terre Haute, Sugar Creek Twp., Vigo Co., IN | 1860 | [2] | |
| Salt River Twp., Adair Co., MO | 1880 - death | [4] [6] [12] |
Sources
| Ref. Num. | Description | Image of original |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1850 United States Federal Census, Centre Twp., Hancock Co., Indiana, page 5 and 6. Census dated 9 Sept 1850. Lines 32-42 (page 5) and 1-2 (page 6): Erastus Church, 42, farmer, $1500 real property; Lucy, 42; Warren, 17, farmer, Caroline, 19; Langdon, 15; Uzziel, 13; Oscar, 11; Melville, 9; Arminta, 7; Chester, 5; George, 3; Lucy Ann, 2; Elizabeth Church, 76. All children attended school. Erastus, Lucy,Warren and Caroline b. Vermont, Elizabeth b. New Hampshire, all others b. Indiana. |
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| 2 | 1860 United States Federal Census, Sugar Creek, Vigo Co., IN, page 11. Census dated 12 Jun 1860. There are three adjacent houses with members of the Church family represented here. In the center is the family of Erastus Church, and on either side of him are the families of two of his sons, Langdon Church and Erastus Warren Church. Lines 14-15: Langdon Church, 25, and his wife Jane Church, 26. They are both carpenters. Langdon was born in Indiana, Jane in Vermont |
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| 3 | 1870 United States Federal Census record has not yet been located. | |
| 4 | 1880 United States Federal Census, Salt River Twp., Adair Co., MO, district 143, pg. 10. Dated 8 Jun 1880. Lines 37-39: Melville A. Church, 32, and his wife Malinda A. Church, 21, live with their son Herman W. Church, 2. Melville is a carpenter. He and his parents were born in IN. Malinda was born in MO, her parents in IN. Herman was born in MO. |
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| 5 | 1910 United States Federal Census, Clay, Lafayette Co., MO, district 91, pg. 3. Dated 15 Apr 1910. Lines 33-39: Malinda Church, 48, widow, born 4 children 3 of which are still living. She lives with her son, Geoffery Church, 17, her nephew George Church, 24, her cousin Elmer Webb, 26, and three boarders: R. E. Brooking, 40, Earnest Williamson, 26, and Jesse Williams, 19. Everyone was born in MO except for Mr. Brooking. Malinda's parents were born in MO, Geoffery's father was born in IN, George's father was born in IN and his mother in MO. Elmer's parents were born in MO. Malinda is the proprietor of a hotel, Geoffery and George work as contract painters. Elmer is a department store merchant. |
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| 6 | Church family bible records contain birth, marriage, and death dates and locations for numerous members of the Church family. Relevant to this page, Melville A. Church was born at Greenfield, IN, on 11 Aug 1840 and died at home in Kirksville, MO, on 3 Jan 1892 at age 50. |     |
| 7 | Civil War Pension Index 1861-1931 has an entry for Melville A. Church. His widow is Malinda A. Church. His service record includes "25 Indpt. Batty. Ind. L. A.," Company D., 11th IN Infantry., Company L 5th IL Cavalry. The first pension filing was made from MO on 8 Dec 1890, class "Invalid," application number 959495, certificate number 817961. The second filing was made from IL on 16 Jan 1892, class "widow," application number 537157, certificate number 349464. |  |
| 8 | American Civil War Soliders has an entry for Melville Church enlisting on 16 Sep 1864, serving IN for the Union. He enlisted as a private in the 25th Light Artillery Regiment, IN, and was promoted to Full Corporal. He mustered out on 20 Jul 1865 at Indianapolis, IN. | |
| 9 | American Civil War Soliders has an entry for Melville Church of Vigo Co., IN, enlisting on 21 Apr 1861, serving IN for the Union. He enlisted as a private in Company D, 11th Infantry Regiment Indiana. He mustered out of the same company on 4 Aug 1861 at Indianapolis, IN. | |
| 10 | U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865, has an entry for Melville A. Church, serving with 11th Regiment, IN Infantry (3 months, 1861). Company D. Rank in and out was Private. | |
| 11 | U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, has an entry for Melville Church, born 1844 in IN, and Malinda Watson, born 1858 in MO, were married in 1874 in MO. | |
| 12 | Gravestone for Melville Church at Brashear Cemetery, Brashear, Adair Co., MO, indicates that Melville was born 11 Aug 1844(1?), died 3 Jan 1892. On the right side the headstone is another engraving for Chester C. Church, son of M. A. and M. A. Church. Chester was born 24 Feb 1891 and died 8 Jan 1892. |    |
| 13 | Marriage record from the Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002, Adair Co., 1894, pg. 1. Mellville A Church was married to Malinda A. Watsen on 27 Aug 1874. |
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Research
We have uncovered a wealth of historical documents relating to people named Melville A. Church and I'm trying to determine what relates to the Melville A. Church in our family, and what does not. Starting with what we know, the Church family bible records absolutely relate to our ancestors, without a doubt. Also, we have 1850 and 1860 census entries showing Melville living with his known parents and siblings. These, also, are without question the correct Melville.
| R1 | Church family bible records contain birth, marriage, and death dates and locations for numerous members of the Church family. Relevant to this page, Melville A. Church was born at Greenfield, IN, on 11 Aug 1840 and died at home in Kirksville, MO, on 3 Jan 1892 at age 50. | |
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| R2 | 1850 United States Federal Census, Centre Twp., Hancock Co., Indiana, page 5 and 6. Census dated 9 Sept 1850. Lines 32-42 (page 5) and 1-2 (page 6): Erastus Church, 42, farmer, $1500 real property; Lucy, 42; Warren, 17, farmer, Caroline, 19; Langdon, 15; Uzziel, 13; Oscar, 11; Melville, 9; Arminta, 7; Chester, 5; George, 3; Lucy Ann, 2; Elizabeth Church, 76. All children attended school. Erastus, Lucy,Warren and Caroline b. Vermont, Elizabeth b. New Hampshire, all others b. Indiana. |
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| R3 | 1860 United States Federal Census, Sugar Creek, Vigo Co., IN, page 11. Census dated 12 Jun 1860. There are three adjacent houses with members of the Church family represented here. In the center is the family of Erastus Church, and on either side of him are the families of two of his sons, Langdon Church and Erastus Warren Church. Lines 14-15: Langdon Church, 25, and his wife Jane Church, 26. They are both carpenters. Langdon was born in Indiana, Jane in Vermont |
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So [R1] tells us that he was born in late 1840, the calculated age in [R3] agrees, and the calculated age in [R2] is off by less than a month. Thus far, we have been unable to locate Melville in an 1870 census; perhaps he was displaced as a result of the Civil War. All we know, from the bible records, is that when he dies on 3 Jan 1892, he is living in Kirksville, Adair Co., MO.
Searching on findagrave.com, we find a gravestone (with no photo) for a Melville Church in Adair Co., MO:
| [R4] | Gravestone for Melville Church at Brashear Cemetery, Brashear, Adair Co., MO, indicates that Melville was born 11 Aug 1844, died 3 Jan 1892. | Pic N/A on findagrave.com |
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This seems like a very plausible hit. Brashear is only 10 miles or so from Kirksville, so it is a conceivable local cemetery for someone living there. The death date is an exact match with the family bible records, and the birth day and month are an exact match as well. The birth year differs by 4 years, but this magnitude of error for dates on gravestones is not uncommon (the accuracy of the family bible records is by no means unassailable, either). We would very much like to get a photograph of the gravestone to make sure there isn't any additional information engraved on the stone. However, at this time, we have high confidence that this gravestone is for our Melville.
Assuming that Melville lived in the Kirksville area for some time prior to his death, we return to the census looking for clues. Unfortunately the 1890 census was lost in the fire. However, in 1880, we find a Melville A. Church living in Salt River Township, which is about 10 miles from Kirksville. In fact, it is very close to Brashear, and a quick look at Google Maps suggests that Brashear would be the closest cemetery to Salt River Twp.
| [R5] | 1880 United States Federal Census, Salt River Twp., Adair Co., MO, district 143, pg. 10. Dated 8 Jun 1880. Lines 37-39: Melville A. Church, 32, and his wife Malinda A. Church, 21, live with their son Herman W. Church, 2. Melville is a carpenter. He and his parents were born in IN. Malinda was born in MO, her parents in IN. Herman was born in MO. |
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So here we have a Melville with the correct name and the correct birth state, and he lives in a believable location. There are a few issues here, though. Our Melville's father, Erastus Church, was born in Vermont. His mother, Lucy Whitten, was born in either VT or NH (according to [R2] and [R3], respectively). The fact that [R5] lists them both as being born in IN is not hugely distressing, since obviously there errors along these lines for Lucy in R2 and R3 which we have already come to terms with. It is very possible that Malinda spoke to the census enumerator and was unaware that Melville's parents weren't born in IN like he was. The other problem with R5 is that the birth year for Melville is now given as ~1847 (assuming the birthday of 11 Aug), which is starting to get to be a significant discrepancy.
If we believe that [R5] is our Melville, then it opens up a lot of additional information via knowledge of his wife's name. For starter's here is a likely marriage record:
| [R6] | U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, has a record for Melville Church, born 1844 in IN, marrying Malinda Watson, born 1858 in MO. They were married in 1874 in MO. |
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Everything in [R6] matches nicely with [R5] with the exception of Melville's birth year, which at this point seems to be something of an unknown quantity. Finding an actual marriage certificate for this ceremony would be great and would probably make this source a little stronger, but this is good enough for inclusion with [R5] for now. The link between [R5-6] and [R1-4] is still quite tenuous, however. What we need is another source strongly linked to [R5-6] which has clear ties to something in [R1-4] as well.
To find this, we continue searching for sources which include Melville's wife's name and we land at this:
| R7 | Civil War Pension Index 1861-1931 has an entry for Melville A. Church. His widow is Malinda A. Church. His service record includes "25 Indpt. Batty. Ind. L. A.," Company D., 11th IN Infantry., Company L 5th IL Cavalry. The first pension filing was made from MO on 8 Dec 1890, class "Invalid," application number 959495, certificate number 817961. The second filing was made from IL on 16 Jan 1892, class "widow," application number 537157, certificate number 349464. | |
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This is Malinda applying for Melville's veteran's pension, first after he becomes an invalid, and second after his death. The dates of the two filings, 8 Dec 1890, and 16 Jan 1892, put a pretty narrow window of just over one year on the date of Melville's death. The date of death given in the bible records and on the gravestone (which match exactly), is 3 Jan 1892, and this fits perfectly within the window defined by the pension filings. It suggests that Malinda filed for veteran's widow pension status less than two weeks after his death, which seems very reasonable.
It is on the strength of that date match that we believe that the Melville A. Church which married Malinda A. Watson and lived in Salt River Twp., Adair Co., MO, in 1880, is the same Melville A. Church described in our family bible records.
To firm up this connection, we'd love to find the following:
- 1870 census record for Melville A. Church
- Marriage certificate for Melville A. Church and Malinda A. Watson
- Original pension applications written by Malinda A. Watson
- Photo of grave site for Melville Church
