Ancestors of Christopher John Augustine Morry

Nicholas Churchwill

Sex: M

Individual Information

Birth Date: Cir 1745 ¹⁸⁸ Christening: Death: Burial: Cause of Death:

Parents

Father: Samuel Churchwill ¹⁰⁹ ^,168 Mother: Ann Searle ¹⁰⁹

Spouses and Children

Children: 1. Elizabeth Churchwill 2. Nicholas Churchwill

Nicholas Churchwill

Sex: M
AKA: Nicholas Churchill ¹⁸⁰⁶
Individual Information

Birth Date: Dartmouth, Devon, England ¹⁸⁸ ^,1806 Christening: Death: Burial: Cause of Death:
Events
• Military: Royal Navy surgeon, 1817.
• Occupation: Medical Surgeon, 1817, Buckfastleigh, Devon, England.

Parents

Father: Nicholas Churchwill ²²²⁶ ^,3418 Mother:

Spouses and Children

1. *Margaret Bastard ¹⁷⁹⁸ Marriage: Mar 1774 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ¹⁷⁹⁸ Marriage Notes

060312 from DRO transcript of St. Saviours marriage register:

"? 03 1774: Nicholas Churchwill & Margaret Bastard, by license. Both sign. Wts. Jno Bastard and Ric. Pillar.

Notes
General:

311213 from NGB website:

The Churchill Estate and Its Rightful Heirs

Sir: -
In the later part of the seventeenth century Samuel Churchill, of Devonshire, England, brother of John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, came to Newfoundland and acquired large properties in St. John's West, known as Pye Corner property, extending back to Apple Tree Well, also fishing property in Petty Harbor, known as Calvers Room and Flag Staff Room, also property on the South Side of Ochre Pit Cove, North Side of Conception Bay, into which place he himself settled. This Samuel Churchill had one son, Nicholas and two daughters, namely, Elizabeth and Clarimond. Elizabeth married one Richard Halfyard, of Ochre Pit Cove, who was a native of Devonshire, and Clarimond eloped and married a young Irishman named Bolan, who was an employee of her father's. His only son, Nicholas, married and settled down in Devonshire, and had one son and one daughter, namely Nicholas and Elizabeth.

After the death of the aforesaid Samuel Churchill, his son Nicholas came into possession of all his property and appointed Newmans (merchants of St. John's at that time), agents for all his property at St. John's and Petty Harbour.

At his death he will all his estate to his only son and daughter, Nicholas and Elizabeth Churchill, also mentioning on his will that if they died without issue the aforesaid estate was to go to the children of his two sisters Elizabeth Halfyard and Clarimond Bolan and to their heirs forever.

Nicholas Churchill, Junior, was educated as a medical surgeon and joined the navy as such. He retired from the navy in 1817, on account of failing health and settled down in Buckfastl?eigh, Devon, with his sister Elizabeth, and continued his practice as a medical practitioner.

Elizabeth, after the death of her brother, removed to Kingsbridge in Devonshire, and settled there with her mother's relatives. She became dissatisfied with the way she was treated by Newmans' house with regard to the collection of rents, and therefore gave her cousin Stephen Halfyard, of Ochre Pit Cove, a power of attorney to act in her behalf. He then sold the interests in the property at Petty Harbor and before he could take over the property in St. John's he was taken sick and died, still leaving Newmans' house agents for the St. John's property which was at that time in the occupancy of Bartholomew Colbert.
Some years later Miss Elizabeth Churchill died at Kingsbridge, Devonshire, and she was the last of the Churchill family. After her death the Halfyards and other relatives of Elizabeth Halfyard made a claim for the state, out of which nothing resulted, except a few lawyers fees, which were paid by the claimants.

The property at Ochre Pit Cove, belonging to the Churchill estate, was willed to Richard Halfyard, nephew of Nicholas Churchill, Junior. This property is still in the possession of the Halfyards at Ochre Pit Cove.

The descendants of Elizabeth Halfyard and Clarimond Bolan are uniting their efforts in the last long fight to claim the Churchill estate, which is theirs by right.
Thanking you, Mr. Editor, for your very valuable space.
I remain, yours respectfully,

Joseph D. Halfyard

29½ Hayward Ave., St. John's, Nfld.

Source: The Evening Telegram, April 16, 1912, p. 7
Transcribed by Ron Dawe, February 24, 2003.

Living

Sex: F

Parents

Father: John Churchwill ¹⁰⁹ ^,168 Mother: Grace Bray ¹⁰⁹

Rebecca Churchwill

Sex: F

Individual Information

Birth Date: Bef 14 Jan 1726/27 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ¹⁰⁹ ^,806 Christening: 14 Jan 1726/27 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ⁸⁰⁶ Death: Burial: Cause of Death:
Events
• Alt. Christening: 16 Jan 1724/25, Dartmouth, Devon, England.

Parents

Father: John Churchwill ⁷⁸ ^,109 ^,168 ^,454 ^,458 ^,459 Mother: Christian Buck ⁷⁸ ^,168 ^,454

Spouses and Children

1. *Thomas Johnson ¹⁰⁹ Marriage: 10 Dec 1745 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ¹⁰⁹ ^,1798 ^,3434

Notes
General:

230221:

From Family Search Indexing Project C05079-1 Film 917192

Richard Churchwill

Sex: M

Individual Information

Birth Date: Cir 1750 ⁷⁶⁶ Christening: Death: Burial: Cause of Death:

Parents

Father: John Churchwill ¹⁰⁹ ^,168 Mother: Grace Bray ¹⁰⁹

Spouses and Children

1. Living Children: 1. Living

Richard Churchwill

Sex: M

Individual Information

Birth Date: Bef 15 Mar 1720/21 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ¹⁰⁹ Christening: 15 Mar 1722/23 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ¹⁰⁹ Death: Burial: Cause of Death:

Parents

Father: John Churchwill ⁷⁸ ^,109 ^,168 ^,454 ^,458 ^,459 Mother: Christian Buck ⁷⁸ ^,168 ^,454

Richard Churchwill

Sex: M

Individual Information

Birth Date: Cir 1669 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ⁷⁸ ^,109 ^,454 ^,455 Christening: Death: Burial: Cause of Death:

Spouses and Children

1. *Elizabeth ¹⁶⁸ Marriage: Cir 1685 - Somerset, England Children: 1. James Churchwill 2. Emlin Churchwell 3. Elizabeth Churchwood 4. Thomas Churchwill 5. John Churchwill 6. Jane Churchwood 7. Samuel Churchwill 8. Willyam Churchwill

Samuel Churchwill

Sex: M
AKA: Sammuel Churchwil ⁴⁵⁷
Individual Information

Birth Date: Bef 3 Jan 1702/03 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ⁴⁵⁷ Christening: 3 Jan 1702/03 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ⁴⁵⁷ ^,458 Death: Bef 10 Jan 1702/03 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ¹⁰⁹ ^,458 ^,3435 Burial: 10 Jan 1702/03 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ¹⁰⁹ ^,3435 Cause of Death:
Events
• Alt. Birth: Bef 3 Jun 1702, Dartmouth, Devon, England.
• Alt. Christening: 3 Jun 1702, Dartmouth, Devon, England.

Parents

Father: Richard Churchwill ⁷⁸ ^,109 ^,454 ^,455 Mother: Elizabeth ¹⁶⁸

Notes
General:

230212: Christening date is 3 Jun 1702 in Family Search according to Aunt Jean's input but this is likely an error and should be 3 Jan 1702

Samuel Churchwill

Sex: M

Individual Information

Birth Date: Bef 6 Jan 1717/18 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ¹⁰⁹ Christening: 6 Jan 1717/18 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ¹⁰⁹ ^,3436 Death: 1772 - At Sea Burial: Cause of Death: Drowned at Sea
Events
• Immigration: from Dartmouth, Ochre Pit Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Occupation: Joiner Dartmouth, Devon, England, 1770.

Parents

Father: John Churchwill ⁷⁸ ^,109 ^,168 ^,454 ^,458 ^,459 Mother: Christian Buck ⁷⁸ ^,168 ^,454

Spouses and Children

1. *Ann Searle ¹⁰⁹ Marriage: 15 Apr 1745 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ¹⁰⁹ ^,1798 Children: 1. Clarimond Churchwill 2. Nicholas Churchwill 3. Elizabeth Churchill 2. Hannah Furlow ¹⁷⁹⁸ Marriage: 16 Oct 1770 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ¹⁷⁹⁸ Marriage Notes

060412 from DRO transcript of St. Saviours register:

"16/10/1770: Samuel Churchwill, Widower, Joiner, & Hannah Furlow. He signs. Wits. Rich. Weekes, Ric. Pillar"

Notes
General:

011109 from NGB website, thanks to Paula Graham Marshall for pointing it out to me: Evening Telegram Archived Obituaries and Tid Bits 1911 to 1920

The Churchill Estate and Its Rightful Heirs

Sir: - In the later part of the seventeenth century Samuel Churchill, of Devonshire, England, brother of John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, came to Newfoundland and acquired large properties in St. John's West, known as Pye Corner property, extending back to Apple Tree Well, also fishing property in Petty Harbor, known as Calvers Room and Flag Staff Room, also property on the South Side of Ochre Pit Cove, North Side of Conception Bay, into which place he himself settled. This Samuel Churchill had one son, Nicholas and two daughters, namely, Elizabeth and Clarimond. Elizabeth married one Richard Halfyard, of Ochre Pit Cove, who was a native of Devonshire, and Clarimond eloped and married a young Irishman named Bolan, who was an employee of her father's. His only son, Nicholas, married and settled down in Devonshire, and had one son and one daughter, namely Nicholas and Elizabeth. After the death of the aforesaid Samuel Churchill, his son Nicholas came into possession of all his property and appointed Newmans (merchants of St. John's at that time), agents for all his property at St. John's and Petty Harbour. At his death he will all his estate to his only son and daughter, Nicholas and Elizabeth Churchill, also mentioning on his will that if they died without issue the aforesaid estate was to go to the children of his two sisters Elizabeth Halfyard and Clarimond Bolan and to their heirs forever. Nicholas Churchill, Junior, was educated as a medical surgeon and joined the navy as such. He retired from the navy in 1817, on account of failing health and settled down in Buckfastl?eigh, Devon, with his sister Elizabeth, and continued his practice as a medical practitioner. Elizabeth, after the death of her brother, removed to Kingsbridge in Devonshire, and settled there with her mother's relatives. She became dissatisfied with the way she was treated by Newmans' house with regard to the collection of rents, and therefore gave her cousin Stephen Halfyard, of Ochre Pit Cove, a power of attorney to act in her behalf. He then sold the interests in the property at Petty Harbor and before he could take over the property in St. John's he was taken sick and died, still leaving Newmans' house agents for the St. John's property which was at that time in the occupancy of Bartholomew Colbert. Some years later Miss Elizabeth Churchill died at Kingsbridge, Devonshire, and she was the last of the Churchill family. After her death the Halfyards and other relatives of Elizabeth Halfyard made a claim for the state, out of which nothing resulted, except a few lawyers fees, which were paid by the claimants. The property at Ochre Pit Cove, belonging to the Churchill estate, was willed to Richard Halfyard, nephew of Nicholas Churchill, Junior. This property is still in the possession of the Halfyards at Ochre Pit Cove. The descendants of Elizabeth Halfyard and Clarimond Bolan are uniting their efforts in the last long fight to claim the Churchill estate, which is theirs by right. Thanking you, Mr. Editor, for your very valuable space. I remain, yours respectfully, Joseph D. Halfyard 29½ Hayward Ave., St. John's, Nfld. Source: The Evening Telegram, April 16, 1912, p. 7 Transcribed by Ron Dawe, February 24, 2003.

It should be noted that Mr. Halfyard was incorrect in assuming Samuel was a brother of John Churchill, the 1st Duke of Marlborough. In fact Samuel was born the year after the Duke of Marlborough's death. Moreover, Samuel's original name before coming from Dartmouth to Newfoundland was Churchwill, not Churchill. It isn't known when or why the change was made. But in effect, the two families were in no way related to one another. Finally, Samuel could not have come to Newfoundland in the "latter part of the 17th century because he wasn't born until 1718 -- the 18th century.

Considering these serious errors in the report, it is hard to say how much credit to place in the remaining "facts".

291214:

His birth date precedes the date of marriage of his parents. This would not have been a normal occurrence in Dartmouth at the time and requires verification.

Thomas Churchwill

Sex: M

Individual Information

Birth Date: 7 Aug 1696 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ⁴⁵⁷ Christening: 16 Aug 1696 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ¹⁰⁹ ^,457 ^,458 Death: Bef 4 Apr 1697 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ¹⁰⁹ ^,458 Burial: 4 Apr 1697 - Dartmouth, Devon, England ¹⁰⁹ ^,3435 Cause of Death:

Parents

Father: Richard Churchwill ⁷⁸ ^,109 ^,454 ^,455 Mother: Elizabeth ¹⁶⁸

Home | Table of Contents | Surnames | Name List

This website was created 9 Apr 2026 with Legacy 10.0, a division of MyHeritage.com; content copyrighted and maintained by cjmorry@ncf.ca