Native American Church Families
Topic: Genealogy
Posted by Richard Church on September 10, 2003 at 15:39:18:
(churchrj@charter.net)
I'm a Stockbridge (Mohican) / Menominee / Oneida / Brothertown man living in Milwaukee trying to find where my Native ancestors got pegged with this name Church.

In surfing the churchtree site, my curiosity is peaked as my ancestors also have many ties to what is today upstate New York (Oneida lands in early 1800;s), Hudson valley (Mohican lands 1700's), Eastern Connecticut - including Stonington - (16-1700's), and Rhode Island (16-1700's). Perhaps a branch of the Church family kept moving west and intermarrying with my Christian Native ancestors...(Brothertown was formed as a community of Christian Indians near what is today Utica, New York)...from southern New England, to upstate New York, to Wisconsin???

I see some speculation on your site about a wife of someone in this family back in the 1700's with an Indian wife...

The earliest I can get for Church name in Wisconsin around the early 1900's: Frederick M. Church who's mothers name was Mary. Fred's son George was a Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican.

I also have Native ancestors who fought in the American Revolution...

Going back further, this is a very interesting possibility as I may very well be distantly related to Capt. Benjamin Church who killed King Phillip. I have Native ancestors who assisted the Wompanoag during the war...

Gives real meaning to "full circle" doesn't it?

BTW, I have many Church cousins who are members of the Stockbridge-Munsee band of Mohicans in Wisconsin.

Wondering where to explore further.

Thaks for any contacts we can create.

Rich Church
Sept, 2003

Reply to Rich Church posting:

Posted by dewey bruce church 2nd on December 13, 2003 at 20:25:23:
In Reply to: Posted by on September 10, 2003 at 15:39:18:
(hunttwenty47@yahoo.com)

hello, rich. i am your 1st cousin. have you gotten a copy of the book "a man called samson"?
or read some of it? you may get some ideas from this book. i have been searching for some info on our ancestry as well. well, everyone says hello and good hunting. if i hear or see anything that would help, i will get hold of you as soon as i can.

take care and happy holidays,
dewey church