| Notes |
- John Edward Churchill was described as a tall, dignified, fearless man
with a commanding figure. Early on in his life he found successas a
carpenter and builder, a talent he passed on to his sons. Next, John
Edward Churchill served for 14 years as Calloway County Jailer and while
jailer in 1863 was driven from office by the same Union troops from
Paducah, KY that ousted Paris M. and Robert L. Ellison from their county
and circuit clerk offices. John Edward Churchill was Calloway County
Jailer during the time after the Civil War when renegades from hangers-on
of both the Union and Confederate Armies which were still engaged in
skirmishes in the Calloway County area. It was during this time that
"Pud" Diggs, a Tennessean and a member of a guerrilla band, murdered
George Miller. Diggs was arrested, tried, and sentenced to the gallows.
Pending his appeal, he was incarcerated in the Murray jail and chained to
the floor as the jail was susceptible to break-ins by his guerrilla
friends who had vowed to free him. However, in light of the fact that
John Edward Churchill was not a man to be triffled with, no such attempt
was made. On the day of the hanging, thousands of people gathered, and
just as John Edward Churchill was leading the prisoner to the gallows, a
local citizen named Ryan in the spirit of fun fired his pistol. Thinking
the guerrillas had arrived to free "Pud" Diggs, the great crowd panicked
and scattered in all directions. Reportedly, one boy "fell out of a tree
and landed on Aunt Bettie Coleman's neck." John Edward Churchill, who was
armed only with a single barrel shotgun, calmly escorted "Pud" Diggs to
his awaited fate at the gallows. After his tenure as county jailer, he
returned to his carpentry trade and through the construction of coffins,
began his funeral business which was inherited by his oldest child James
Horace Churchill at his death in 1890. Leaving no will, his oldest son
James Horace Churchill was appointed administrator of his father's estate
in March of 1891.
|
1833 - 1890 (57 years)
