Benjamin F. Church
Encyclopedia
Benjamin F. Church was a pioneer carpenter and builder in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, listed among the city's first settlers of 1835. He helped construct one of the city's first two big hotels, and built a Greek Revival temple-style house for his family that today is a public museum in Estabrook Park, Shorewood, Wisconsin
. He also held varied public offices and volunteer roles in the young city.
, on July 23, 1807. He was the fifth of ten children of Caleb Church and Hannah Baker Church. Caleb (1772–1856) was a farmer and cooper. Hannah (1775–1843) was a Quaker preacher who advocated for construction of a Quaker meeting house for Clintondale, New York
, located in Plattekill Township, Ulster County.
Benjamin was educated in carpentry and construction skills. His older brother Samuel received similar training in New York City
.
In 1834, Benjamin headed west to seek opportunities in the new states and territories of the upper Midwest. He went first to Chicago
, Illinois
, and then in the fall of 1835 went north to the new settlements that would become Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He took a drove of hogs with him on the journey to serve as a stake in his new location. The region now Wisconsin was then still part of the Michigan Territory
; the Territory of Wisconsin was established in 1836.
Church settled in Kilbourntown, the village on the west side of the Milwaukee River
named for its founder Byron Kilbourn
. East of the river was Juneautown named for its founder Solomon Juneau. To the south was Walker's Point named for its founder George H. Walker
. The three villages merged in 1846 as the City of Milwaukee.
Also in 1836, he purchased land on Fourth Street between Cherry and Galena, at the intersection with Court Street. In 1844, he built his family home here using the Greek Revival architecture
style he brought from the East Coast. The home was in Juneautown, the area west of the Milwaukee River.
On May 29, 1839, Church purchased 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) in Section 31 of what is today Germantown, Washington County, Wisconsin. This was some of the first land to be purchased there. He and his wife sold the land the following year.
Carpentry and construction remained his career until he retired, except for a brief foray into pump manufacturing. Many pumps in those days made of wood.
.”
During the 1850s, Benjamin Church was elected to represent his ward on the Board of School Commissioners and to serve as assessor for his ward.
Chapter No. 1 in Milwaukee. In 1862, it was renamed the Kilbourn Chapter.
On July 5–7, 1847, he was among a large contingent of delegates from Milwaukee County to the River and Harbor Convention in Chicago. The convention drew 2,315 delegates from 19 states to advocate for federal support of improvements to inland rivers and harbors.
Then, in 1854-1855, he was one of the seven founders and one of three three original trustees of the Second Ward Cemetery Association, incorporated under Wisconsin state law.
Benjamin was a member of Milwaukee's Old Settlers Club, founded in 1869. His entry in the membership rolls shows he was born on July 23, 1807, in Ulster County, New York; arrived in Milwaukee November 15, 1835; and still lived in Milwaukee when the club was founded and its members signed the constitution.
In 1938, as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project, the Benjamin Church House was rescued from its location in Milwaukee and moved to Estabrook Park
just north of West Capitol Drive to serve as a public museum. Its Greek Revival architectural style, Doric
columns, hand-hewn timbers, local bricks dated 1844 and other features gave it historic significance. Other partners in the rescue and restoration were the Milwaukee County Historical Society
, the Milwaukee County Park Commission, and The National Society of Colonial Dames in Wisconsin.
In 1972, the house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
. It is also known as Kilbourntown House, recognizing the part of Milwaukee where it was originally located. Today the Milwaukee County Historical Society maintains the house and opens it to the public during the summer.
along with many members of his family.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, listed among the city's first settlers of 1835. He helped construct one of the city's first two big hotels, and built a Greek Revival temple-style house for his family that today is a public museum in Estabrook Park, Shorewood, Wisconsin
Shorewood, Wisconsin
Shorewood is a village in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 13,763 at the 2000 census. Howell Raines of The New York Times said in 1979 that "[t]his maplestudded town on Lake Michigan dotes on its reputation as Milwaukee's most liberal suburb."-Geography:Shorewood is...
. He also held varied public offices and volunteer roles in the young city.
Early life and education
Benjamin F. Church was born in New Paltz, Ulster County, New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, on July 23, 1807. He was the fifth of ten children of Caleb Church and Hannah Baker Church. Caleb (1772–1856) was a farmer and cooper. Hannah (1775–1843) was a Quaker preacher who advocated for construction of a Quaker meeting house for Clintondale, New York
Clintondale, New York
Clintondale is a hamlet in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 1,424 at the 2000 census.Clintondale is located at the north town line of the Town of Plattekill...
, located in Plattekill Township, Ulster County.
Benjamin was educated in carpentry and construction skills. His older brother Samuel received similar training in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
In 1834, Benjamin headed west to seek opportunities in the new states and territories of the upper Midwest. He went first to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, and then in the fall of 1835 went north to the new settlements that would become Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He took a drove of hogs with him on the journey to serve as a stake in his new location. The region now Wisconsin was then still part of the Michigan Territory
Michigan Territory
The Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan...
; the Territory of Wisconsin was established in 1836.
Church settled in Kilbourntown, the village on the west side of the Milwaukee River
Milwaukee River
The Milwaukee River is a river in the state of Wisconsin. It is about long.- Description :The river begins in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin and flows south past Grafton to downtown Milwaukee, where it empties into Lake Michigan...
named for its founder Byron Kilbourn
Byron Kilbourn
Byron Kilbourn was an American surveyor, railroad executive, and politician who was an important figure in the founding of Milwaukee, Wisconsin....
. East of the river was Juneautown named for its founder Solomon Juneau. To the south was Walker's Point named for its founder George H. Walker
George H. Walker
George H. Walker was an American trader and politician who helped found the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Walker was born in Lynchburg, Virginia. He moved with his family to Illinois in 1825....
. The three villages merged in 1846 as the City of Milwaukee.
Career
In 1836, Benjamin Church was either contractor or "boss carpenter" for the construction of Washington House, one of the first two big hotels in Milwaukee. It was located on Third Street in Juneautown. The hotel was renamed the Republican House soon after the founding of the Republican Party in 1854, and served as a Milwaukee meeting place for many decades.Also in 1836, he purchased land on Fourth Street between Cherry and Galena, at the intersection with Court Street. In 1844, he built his family home here using the Greek Revival architecture
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
style he brought from the East Coast. The home was in Juneautown, the area west of the Milwaukee River.
On May 29, 1839, Church purchased 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) in Section 31 of what is today Germantown, Washington County, Wisconsin. This was some of the first land to be purchased there. He and his wife sold the land the following year.
Carpentry and construction remained his career until he retired, except for a brief foray into pump manufacturing. Many pumps in those days made of wood.
Public service
Benjamin Church was elected to a series of public service posts in Milwaukee. On January 1, 1844, he was elected one of five trustees of the West Ward and was reelected in 1845. He, Byron Kilbourn and three others were the West Ward trustees at the historic first meeting on May 7, 1845, of representatives of all three wards of what would become Milwaukee officially on January 31, 1846. The meeting occurred during the infamous “Milwaukee Bridge WarMilwaukee Bridge War
The Milwaukee Bridge War, sometimes simply the Bridge War, was an 1845 conflict between different regions of what is now Milwaukee, Wisconsin over the construction of a bridge crossing the Milwaukee River....
.”
During the 1850s, Benjamin Church was elected to represent his ward on the Board of School Commissioners and to serve as assessor for his ward.
Delegate, founder or member
On February 16, 1844, Benjamin Church was one of the five founders of Royal Arch MasonsRoyal Arch Masonry
Royal Arch Masonry is the term used to denote the first part of the York Rite system of Masonic degrees. Royal Arch Masons meet as a Chapter, and the Chapter confers four degrees: Mark Master Mason, Past Master, Most Excellent Master, and Royal Arch Mason.-Chapter level:A Chapter is in many ways...
Chapter No. 1 in Milwaukee. In 1862, it was renamed the Kilbourn Chapter.
On July 5–7, 1847, he was among a large contingent of delegates from Milwaukee County to the River and Harbor Convention in Chicago. The convention drew 2,315 delegates from 19 states to advocate for federal support of improvements to inland rivers and harbors.
Then, in 1854-1855, he was one of the seven founders and one of three three original trustees of the Second Ward Cemetery Association, incorporated under Wisconsin state law.
Benjamin was a member of Milwaukee's Old Settlers Club, founded in 1869. His entry in the membership rolls shows he was born on July 23, 1807, in Ulster County, New York; arrived in Milwaukee November 15, 1835; and still lived in Milwaukee when the club was founded and its members signed the constitution.
Family
Benjamin Church and his wife Permelia, who was born in 1815 in New Hampshire, had six children. They were Ann Maria or Hannah, who married Sherman A. Bradley, a native of Connecticut; Ann Augusta or Anna, who married Henry C. Moore, a native of New Hampshire; Charles B. Church; Benjamin Church Jr.; John B. Church who married Margaret Legard Gunyon, a native of England; and Susan.Benjamin Church House
Parks of Milwaukee
-List of parks in Milwaukee County park system:The Milwaukee County Park system was awarded the 2009 National Gold Medal Award "for excellence in the field of park and recreation management" by the National Recreation and Park Association.-Other parks:...
just north of West Capitol Drive to serve as a public museum. Its Greek Revival architectural style, Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
columns, hand-hewn timbers, local bricks dated 1844 and other features gave it historic significance. Other partners in the rescue and restoration were the Milwaukee County Historical Society
Milwaukee County Historical Society
The Milwaukee County Historical is the largest of a network of local historical societies in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. It was founded in 1935 and is located in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin in a former bank building that was deeded to the county in the 1960s...
, the Milwaukee County Park Commission, and The National Society of Colonial Dames in Wisconsin.
In 1972, the house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. It is also known as Kilbourntown House, recognizing the part of Milwaukee where it was originally located. Today the Milwaukee County Historical Society maintains the house and opens it to the public during the summer.
Death
Benjamin F. Church died November 29, 1887 in Milwaukee. His funeral was held on December 1, 1887, according to Milwaukee historian James S. Buck's Pioneer history of Milwaukee. Buck officiated as marshall at this and many other Old Settlers Club members' funerals. Church is buried in Forest Home CemeteryForest Home Cemetery
Forest Home Cemetery located in the Lincoln Village neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the final resting place of many of the city's famed beer barons, politicians and social elite...
along with many members of his family.
External links
- Kilbourntown House built in 1844 by Benjamin Church, Milwaukee County Historical Society
- Benjamin Church House, Estabrook Park, in The WPA Guide to Wisconsin
- Photograph of the Benjamin Church House, on Flickr.com