Gen. Mendal Churchill
Notable Career of One of Ohio’s Patriotic Sons Whose Last Years Was Spent in California.
The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California 28 Oct 1902, Tue • Page 6
The sudden death of Gen. Mendal Churchill at Coronado on the 21st inst. He is sincerely lamented wherever he was known in Ohio, where he was born and spent the flower of his manhood, and in California, which was the home of his ripe old age. Especially will he be missed by his companions of the Loyal Legion, who honored him for his gallantry in war and his manly worth in all walks of civil life.
Gen. Churchill was a fine example of the class of patriots who saved the Union during the dark days of 1861-5. He was of Puritan ancestry, the family having come to Massachusetts as early as 1643. He was born in Lawrence County, Ohio, on 23 July 1829 and was 73 years old at the time of his death.
His father died in middle life, leaving a widow and six small children and but little property. Young Mendel was taught self-reliance at an early age by being compelled to shift for himself. He obtained employment in a country store and spent most of his boyhood behind the counter. His education was limited to the common country school course and two terms at the county-seat academy. At the age of 21, he obtained a position as storekeeper and bookkeeper at the Keystone, Ohio, iron furnace, where he remained until the outbreak of the Civil War.
At the call to arms, he volunteered as a private and was soon after elected captain of Co. E. Twenty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry. In December 1862, he became major of the regiment and was subsequently advanced to the rank of lieutenant-colonel and colonel, successively, and brigadier-general by brevet for meritorious service.
Twenty-seventh Ohio was one of the great fighting regiments of the war and participated in many battles, first as part of the Army of Missouri, then of the Army of the Mississippi, and lastly, the Army of Tennessee.
In one battle, Nick-o’-Jack Creek, Capt. Churchill’s company lost forty-two men in less than two minutes. At the Battle of Atlanta on 22 July 1864, the regiment suffered a loss of 150 killed and wounded. Col. Churchill himself was among the latter. A button of his vest, which deflected a minnie ball, was all that saved his life on that occasion. After the battle of Atlanta, his health was too much impaired for further service, and he resigned his commission, his farewell order being dated 17 September 1864.
Returning to Ohio, Gen. Churchill conducted a blast furnace at Logan for one year, then removed to Zanesville, where he engaged in the Iron business and became prominently Identified with the iron trade and various other enterprises.
In that section of Ohio, remaining so until 1891, when he retired. After that, he traveled extensively, visiting the West Indies, Florida, Hawaii, and California, usually spending his winters in some mild climate, and finally making his home at Coronado. Here he suffered a second stroke or paralysis last Tuesday evening, dying almost Immediately. His body was sent to Zanesville, Ohio, for Interment.
Gen. Churchill had been a widower since 1886 and was childless. He was married to Miss Mary C. Loughry in Cincinnati in 1861. He held many positions of honor and trust in private life and was an ardent Republican in politics.
He was a Presidential elector in 1880 and a delegate to the national convention in 1858 that nominated Gen. Harrison for President. He was a warm personal friend of the late President McKinley.
San Diego Union and Daily Bee, 23 Oct. 1902
Funeral of Gen. Churchill
It Will Be Held Today at 2:00 From the Coronado Residence
Something of the Life Work of a Busy Man – A Solider from Private to General by Brevet in the Civil War.
Of General Manuel Churchill, whose sudden death occurred on Tuesday evening at his Coronado home, will take place from the Coronado residence this afternoon at 2:00 o’clock, after which the remains will be accompanied by sorrowing friends to the old home in Zanesville, OH, for internment.
General Churchill was long a resident of Coronado, and no man was more beloved by those about and dependent on him or more honored for every virtue which adorns a man and citizen. He was gentle, kind, and tender in every relation of life. His heart was ever open to the cry of affliction, and his hand ever ready to help.
General Churchill was born in Rome Township, Lawrence County, Ohio, on July 23rd, 18,29, and was, therefore, 73 years of age at the time of his death. His father, Solomon Churchill, was a native of Massachusetts, where the family had resided from 1643 when John Churchill arrived from England at Plymouth.
The father died in middle life, leaving the mother with six small children and but little property of the other sons. Charles W. died in California in 1855, and Solomon died in Columbus, OH, in 1886.
Mendel secured employment in a country store and spent most of his boyhood there. His education was limited to the customary country school courses and two terms at the Academy at the county seat. In 1850 he moved to Keystone Furnace, where he remained for 11 years as a storekeeper, then as a bookkeeper, and finally as the furnace manager.
At the outbreak of the war, he enlisted as a private in July of 1861 but was soon after elected as captain of Company E of the 27th Ohio Volunteers. Captain Churchill became Major on the 22nd of December in 1862. A little later was advanced to Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel being finally made general by Brevet for meritorious services during the war.
His regiment was first with the army of Missouri under Generals Sturgis, Fremont, Hunter, Halleck, and Pope. Afterward, with the army of the Mississippi and finally, with the army of Tennessee with which it remained to the close of the war, Major Churchill was with it in the several marches through Missouri, including that to Springfield. He was also with it at New Madrid Island No. 10, Iuka, Cornith, Parker’s Crossroads, and he commanded it at Resaea, Dellar, Kenesaw Mountain, Nick’o-Jack Creek-in which the last engagement, 42 men were lost in less than two minutes. And the Memorial Battle of Atlanta on July the 22nd, 1864, in which the regiment lost 130 killed and wounded. General Churchill was among the latter, and his career would have ended then and there but for the kindly intervention of a button on his vest, which a mini ball struck and was deflected.
After the fall of Atlanta, his health became too much impaired for further effective service, and the end being then insight, he resigned, issuing his farewell order on September 17, 1864.
Returning to Ohio, General Churchill went to Logan for a year and conducted a blast furnace there. In January 1866, he removed to Zanesville, attracted by his interest in the Ohio Iron Company, in which he had been a stockholder since 1857. For the first year, he superintended the blast furnace, and from there to 1891, he was chief in control, relinquishing the helm that year to go abroad for a time. He held many positions of honor and trust in private life and was officially connected with about every enterprise which went to the building up of the Zanesville section of Ohio.
He was a Republican in politics, was an elector in 1880, and was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in Chicago in 1888. He could have had a seat in Congress if he would have permitted the use of his name, and indeed he was once nominated when he was away from home, and though the nomination meant election, he declined the honor.
He was married on November the 28th, 1861, in Cincinnati, OH, to Miss Mary C. Loughrey, who died in 1886, leaving him childless. He retired from business in 1891, and with his niece Miss Mary L. Pratt, he has traveled much. Some of the time each summer was spent in Ohio, but the winters forwarded him in the West Indies, Florida, Bermuda, or Hawaii until he found at Coronado the place of all for which he had been looking, and there he camped.
He was a member of the loyal legion and other organizations of soldiers and lost no opportunity to do them a service. They will attend his funeral as an organization today.
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