Hugh Churchman (1593 - 1644)

Born 1593 in Brome Hall, Sussex, England

Ancestors

Husband of Anne Mary (UNKNOWN) Churchman — married about 1615 in Broomehall, Sussex, England

Descendants

Died 9 Jul 1644 at about age 51 in Lynn, Essex Co., Massachusetts

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GENEALOGICAL NOTE: This is NOT the father of the "Hannah Churchman" that married John Rogers, son of Mayflower passenger, Thomas Rogers. This man's daughter, Hannah or Annis, married William Witter and had a son, Josiah Witter.

Biography

"Hugh Churchman was born about 1592 probably in England. [He was born in late 1593, son of John Hugh Churchman and Alice (Hancock) Churchman, in Shropshire, England.]

He was married to Anne (Mary) [UNKNOWN] probably around 1615 in England. They had child, Hannah [or Annis], born about 1616 who married William Witter, [ca. 1638 in Massachusetts]."^[1]

"He is found at Lynn, Massachusetts in 1640. In the History of Lynn, Massachusetts it says Hugh Churchman came in 1640. However in a court case in 1643 it says that he had lived without his wife for 7 or 8 years. That means he came around 1635. Of this individual, little is known. He was, no doubt, the same person alluded to in the presentation to the Salem Court, 27 May 1643:^[2]

“Wee present oulde Churchman for living 7 or 8 yeares without his wife; and for having the wife of Hugh Burt locked with him alone in his house. Witness, Joseph Flood, Jarrard Spenser.”

“Ould Churchman for living 7 or 8 yeares without his wyff, unless he bring unto Mr. Endecot, our depty Govr a certificate for Mr. Dumer, yt he haty used meanes for his wyfs comeing, and then he is discharged.”

"Hugh must have come to America without her and the town was trying to get him to send for her to come. The town thought he had the “meanes” to send for her."

Will 1644

Hugh Churchman left a will, which was probated in 1644.^[3] Hugh Burt and Robert Driver were appraisers. The amount of his estate was 24.9.11 Pounds Sterling.

Hugh Churchman's will, from the Essex Court files, is here given in abstract in the quaint old orthography of the original document:

"I Hugh Churchman of Len [Lynn MA] do make this my last will ... first my howseand Lot in Len [Lynn] ... and all other appurtenances the re unto belonging to wilyam Wenter [sic. William Witter] tel his son Josias shae atayn the age of twenty-one years and then to his son Josias and his Ayeres [heirs] for ever; with this condicon that ... he shale paye to his sister hannah winter [sic. Hannah Witter] ten pounds within one hole year ... and if Josiah and Hannah shall both dy before they shale atayen the age of twenty one yeres that then William Winter [sic - Witter] or his now wif or the longer liver of them to have it ...." Hugh Churchman made William Witter his Executor.

No Rogers Family Connection

"The Anna Churchman that married John Rogers, son of the Pilgrim Thomas Rogers, claims this Hugh Churchman as their ancestor." [sic - Hugh Churchman's 1644 will proved in Lynn MA [See above] conclusively proved that his daughter Hannah Churchman married William Witter, not John Rogers. It is possible that Anna (Churchman) Roger's father was John Churchman, a passenger on the "Lyon" that arrived in Boson MA on Sept. 16, 1632. That John Churchman was from Kent, not Suffolk, England. He is not mentioned in other early MA genealogies. Other sources say Hannah's sister, "Anna" b. ca. 1620, married John Rogers but the Rogers Society says her "parents are unknown." See: https://web.archive.org/web/20220704124935/https://www.thomasrogerssociety.com/p1.htm#i26].

Hugh Churchman died 9 July 1644 at Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts.

Research Notes

Great Migration Directory, p 65: Churchman, Hugh: Unknown; 1640; Lynn [EPR 1:32-34; EQC 1:56].

Sources

1. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20150113123949/http://jacquesancestry.com/ancestors-histories/c/hugh-churchmanann/
2. ↑ History of Lynn, Essex Co., Massachusetts, pg 191
3. ↑ Essex County Probate records 1638-1691, Vol. 1:9-12, Will & inventory of Hugh Churchman 1644

• New England Marriages Prior to 1700, by Clarence Almon Torrey (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston: 2011) Vol. I, p. 316. CHURCHMAN, Hugh (-1644) & ___________ (left wf in Eng); in Eng; Lynn {Lynn Hist. 191; Essex Ant. 1:177, 185; Sv. 1:387; EIHC 1:3, 50:300-1; Putnam;s Mag. 1:135; Brainerd Anc. 89; Warner-Harrington 115}
• Ancestors of An American Girl V.3 11-2014 - Hugh Churchman
• The Essex Antiquarian (Salem, Massachusetts, 1897) Vol. 1, Page 177.