He was the first "Englishman" to settle at Little Comption in1675, but with the outbreak of King Philip's war later that yearhe accepted a commission as Captain in the Plymouth Colonyforces. He was commissioned Major and commander-in-chief ofthe first expedition against the Indians in the "East" (Maine)in 1689 and likewise commanded all five expeditions.The 11 Feb. 1688/9 census of Bristol lists him with wife and 6children.In a series of deeds, Benjamin Church provided for his survivingchildren. On 27 March 1702, land in Bristol (now RI) to sonEdward; on 11 April 1705, land in Little Compton to son Thomas;on 20 July 1705, land in Bristol to only natural dau. ElizabethRosbotham and her husband Capt. Joseph Rosbotham; on 3 Feb.1707, land in Little Compton to son Charles; on 12 April 1707, amill in Tiverton (now RI) and land in Freetown to son Constant.In March 1716/7 Col. Benjamin Church and wife Alice wereadmitted to the United Congregational church in Little Compton.His inventory dated 5 Feb. 1717/8 was sworn 5 March 1717/8. On6 March 1718 an agreement between the widow Alice and herchildren was signed by Thomas Church of Little Compton; Capt.Constant Church of Freetown;Charles Church of Bristol; John Sampson and Elizabeth his wifeof Bristol. On 18 May 1736 a division was made of 500 acresamong the heirs of Benjamin Church. The first share to CharlesChurch, being the share he had of his brother Thomas; the secondshare to Chalres Church, being his own share; the third share toChare Church, being the share he purchased of Benjamin Churchand George Wanton and his wife Abigail, heirs of Edward Churchdeceased; the fourth share to Elizabeth Sampson, dau. ofBenjamin Church; the fifth share to representatives of ConstantChurch.Source: "The Phillips History of Fall River" by Arthur ShermanPhillips, 1941, Dover Press, Fall River, Mass., 1944, FascicleI, p. 121." He was a fearless man, he understood the savages better thanany other colonist, and his accomplishments during the Indianwar, ofttimes either alone or accompanied only by a singlecompanion, amount almost to the heroic. His ancestry and hishome surroundings all combined to perfect a character which wasin its inception fearless and commanding."'The Entertaining History of King Philip's War", printed in1716 was written by Thomas Church, son of Col. Benjamin Church,largely from the father's dictation. It is the most noted ofthe publications relating to this period.(p. 122-123)"His first home was in Plymouth, but in 1870 he was listed as afreeman in Duxbury and in the following year was elected aconstable there. From 1668 to 1673 he served five terms as ajuryman. In the autumn of 1674 Church moved to his new home atSakonet."At the beginning of the war Church was an inferior officer andwhen reinforcements had arrived and the troops under command ofhis superior officers had drived the Indians into the Mr. Hopepeninsula, whence they had escaped aqcross the bay to Pocasset,Church managed to have two brisk skirmished and to drive theminto the Pocasset swamp. The main body then coming up an attackwas made, but it was not followed up, and while they werestriving to starve out the Indians it was found that thefighting men had escaped up the Taunton River on crude rafts,leaving the squaws and children to the philanthropy of thewhites. Church was so disgusted that he withdrew from the war,only to return seven months later as a volunteer aide to Gov.Josiah Winslow who had been placed in command of theconfederated forces. In an engagement which followed, Churchreceived three wounds, one of which was severe. Later Churchwas sent for, but his request for entire freedom of action wasdeemed unreasonable, and he returned in bad humor to RhodeIsland, but again feeling rebuked by inaction while his friendswere in peril he returned to Plymouth and was given a captaion'scommission with some discretionary powers."Without waiting for the sixty English and 140 Indian followerswhich he was to raise, Church then went entirely alone into thehostile Sakonet camp and called upon the warriors to renouncePhilip and to take the war path against him. A violent scenefollowed in which Church's persional magnetism alone saved hislife, but finally his call was accepted and he was soon on theenemies' trail, and it was a hunting trip rather than a war withmany prisoners taken, some of whom quickly became devoted toChurch and enlisted against their own, often on the very daythey were taken. Within three months Philip was surrounded atMount Hope, and shot by a Sakonet Indian. Leading white men whowere then in Church's little company included Lt. Jabez Howland,son of the first John of the Mayflower; Nathaniel Southworth,husband of a daughter of Edward Gray, was a cousin of Church'swife; Jacob Cook was grandson of the 1st Francis of theMayflower and his uncle was married to Church's aunt;Jonathan Delano also was married to mary Warren, Church's firstcousin. It seems almost like a family party. A little laterthe war ended in the capture of Anawan, Philips captain who hadprobably been the real leader of the war. This was accomplishedat the Anawan rock in Rehoboth by Church and Cook and sixfriendly Indians, who by their audacity overcame a body of sixtyIndian warriors. On November 4, 1676 the Court confirmedChurch's engagement not to deport certain Indians who had`carried well', but one who had committed murder was excepted."Church's home in Sakonet was destroyed during the war and atits close he settled temporarily in Bristol. He was a selectmanthere in 1682 and 1686 and was Deputy from Bristol to theGeneral Court in 1682, 3, and 4. In July and October 1683Church was defendant in the suit of one Saffin for damage causedby his damming a tideway between Bristol and Popasquash Neck,and was, after one verdict of "not proven", finally obligated topay three pounds damage. In July 1681 he was authorized to cuta road from Bristol through colony lands to make a more directroad to Plymouth. In 1682 having sold three Indians intoslavery, the Court approved a composition for their freedom. (Atthis period a sale "to slavery" within the colony meant littlemore than an enforced apprenticeship)."In 1689 Church was named commander in chief of the expeditionagainst the eastern Indians and in 1690 the Court agreed that hemight divide his plunder equally between his English and hisIndian soldiers. In 1682 Church as Commissioner took thetestimony for the Cour in the depositions relating to Hog Island("Chessawanucke")"About 1700 Church built a house on the second lot of thefreeman's purchase, i.e. north of Pine street in Fall River. Hedied on January 17th A.D. 1718, aged seventy-eight years; hisfamily consisted of five sons and one daughter, and theirdescendants are a legion in our midst."Church's death was due to a hemorrhage, caused by a fall fromhis horse; he had grown to be very corpulent, and when he wasreturning from his sister's home (Mrs. Irish) his horse stumbledand he was thrown forward with great violence.(p. 132)"So far as the records show the water power was first improvedby Col. Church in 1703 when he erected was of the main road asaw mill, a grist and fulling mill. These seem to have beenoperated by him and his son, with other partnership interests,till 1714, when the Church interests were sold to Richard Bordenof Tiverton and to Joseph Borden of Freetown.THE SETTLEMENT OF COL. BENJAMIN CHURCH'S ESTATE*Transcribed from the Original Documents and Records,BY GEORGE ERNEST BOWMANCol. BENJAMIN CHURCH, the famous Indian fighter, was the son ofRichard and Elizabeth (Warren) Church and the grandson ofRichard Warren of the Mayflower. Col. Church married Alice, thedaughter of Constant Southworth, who survived him a little morethan a year. He died at Little Compton on 17 January, 1717/18,in the seventy-eighth year of his age, according to hisgravestone and the account in the "Boston NewsLetter." He leftno will and his widow was appointed administratrix on 5 March,1717/18. The settlement of the estate was recorded in theBristol County Probate Records at Taunton, Mass., Little Comptonbeing at that time a part of Massachusetts.The original papers now in the probate files are the bond of theadministratrix, the inventory, the consent of the heirs to thesale of land to defray expenses, and the bond of Martha Church,widow of the son Edward, as guardian of her children.It is a curious fact that, although Martha Church did not signthe original document consenting to the sale of land, her nameappears in the record found in Volume III, page 384, where itwas interlined after the other names had been recorded.The inventory was recorded in Volume III, page 381, and theconsent to the sale of land was recorded on page 384, but theoriginal documents have been used in making the transcript forthe printer.[APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATRIX][III: 363 ] "The fifth day of March Administration Granted toMadam Allice Church on the Estate of Collo Benja Churchdeceased"[III: 380 ] Bristol . ss Nathaniel Paine Esqr Commissioned byhis Excellencey Samuel Shute Esqr Capt generall and Governr* Printed in full at the request of a liberal contributor to theOld Colony Town Record Fund. Bristol County Probate Records.in Cheif in and over his Majties Province of the Massachusetsbay in New England by and with the Advice and Consent of theCouncell to be the Judge of the Probate of wills and Granting ofAdministrations within the County of Bristol To Madam AlliceChurch widow Relecte of Collo Benjamin Church late of LittleCompton Esqr Deceased Intestate: Trusting in your Care andfidellidie I do Appoint you Administratrix of all and singulerthe Goods Chattells Rights & Credits of of the said Deceasedwith full power to Administr thereon as the law directs: And toAske gather Levey Require and Receive of all & Every person &persons All such Goods Chattells Rights and Credits of the sdDeceased which to him while he lived and at the time of hisdeath did appertain And to pay all such Debts in which the sdDeceased stood bound so farr as his said Goods Chattells Rightsand Credits Can Extend according to the value thereof And tomake a true and perfect Inventory of all & singuler the saidGoods Chattells Rights and Credts of the said deceased and toExhibbit the same into the Registers office for the said Courtof Probate at or before the Tenth day of Aprill Next and allsoto Render a true and plaine Accompt of your Administration uponOath at or before the Tenth day of Aprill which will be in theyear of our Lord one Thousand seven Hundred and Nineteen & I doby these presents Nominate Appoint Impower and Ordain you AlliceChurch to be Administratrix of all and singuler the said GoodsChattells Rights & Credits of the said Deceased In Testimonywhereof I have set my hand & the seal of the said Office for theCourt for Probate of wills &c within the County of Bristol thefifth day of March 1717:18: in the fourth year of his MajestiesReignJohn Cary Regr: Nathal Paine Entered March ye 5th 1717/18 ByJohn Cary Register[BOND OF ADMINISTRATRIX]The original bond of theadministratrix is in the probate files.It is on a printed form and is dated 5 March, 1717/18. "AlliceChurch widow Relict of Collo Benjamin Church Late of LittleCompton Esqr Deceased Thomas Church Constant Church & CharlesChurch all sons of the said Deceased and liveing in the Countyof Bristol" were the principal and sureties, and the amount ofthe bond was £1500. The widow signed by her mark; the sons allwrote their names. The witnesses were Samuel Gallup and JoshuaBailey.A True Inventory of the Estate Both Reall and personall left Bythe honourable Cornll Benjamin Church Esqr late of littleCompton deceased . taken By us the subscribers this 5th day offeburary . 1717 - 18£ s dImpr To his sword and Belt 05 00 0to a Caine and gloves 0 12 0to wearing apparell 28 15 0to 2 gold Rings I & 3 pr of Buttons . I£ 10s all 02 10 0to one pare of plate Buckles 00 15 0to one tanker one Cup one poringer & 2 salt sellersplate and seven spoons all weighing 42 ounces 21 00 0to a Case of knives and forks 00 28 0to sundry Books 02 00 0to land in Tiverton one six score Acre lot and halfBeing 180 acres: 280 00 0to two guns 03 02 0to one Bed 2 Blankets one Rug Curtains and valliensand two pillows and Bedsteail . &c :34 00 0to another Bed Bedsted and 4 Blankets one Coverlidtwo pillows and Curtains &c 28 00 0to another Bed Bedsted Bolster and 3 . Blankets &c 12 00 0to 24 pare of sheets 21 00 0to nine pillowbeers 01 26 0to two dozen of napkins and Towels 03 12 0to four Table Cloths 02 00 0to three Tables 23 10 0to one Cubbard 23 00 0to six Chests 02 02 0to seven Turkey workd Chaires 04 02 0to . 26, wooden Chaires 02 28 0puterto 21 . plates . I -27-0 . to 7 . platters 3£ all 04 27 0to . 11 . Basons . I -23-O & 3 Chamber pots 8 all 02 01 0Tinto one Collender one Cauldron & one Tee pott all 00 23 0Brassto one Chafing Dish and one warming pan 01 10 0to two Cettles & one Bellmettle skillet 26 00 0Ironto three potts & one Cettle 01 10 0to one spit 3 . andirons 2 pare of tongues one fire slice2 tramells one hook and one frying pan all 02 02 0to . 8 kelers 8 . pailes . 3 . pigens . 3 trays & one sugerBox allto 5 Cheesfatts one Churn & 3 Ceder tubs all 02 04 0to one meal trough one Barrel and one tray all 00 06 0to 3 . Bags . 12s . to Earthen ware 6s & 12 glas Bottles4s all 01 02 0to 2 . Ropes 6s to 5 old sythes . 5s to . 3 . old Iron hoops& 3 . Iron Boxes 8s all 00 19 0to a Betle & wedges 6s . and 3 . syth sneaths 3s all 00 09 0to . 3 . hows . 6s, one Bill hook and 4 axes . ll s . all 00 170to Iron fetters horstracies one Coller hames and old Ironall 00 14 0to . 3 . augers 4 Chesells one drawing knife one handsaw one hammer and one square all 00 08 0to one old tenant saw . 2 pr of sheares & 2 pr ofstillieards all 00 08 0to one sikle . 3 . stirrop Irons and one lanthorn all 00 04 0to 3 Riddle sieves . 3s . and 14 old Cask. 1£ 8s all 01 11 0to 25 Bushels salt . 3£ . 15s . and two Chees presses 8s all 0403 0to 2 . spinning wheels and one pr of Cards 00 10 0to 2 . Barrells of Bief & one Barell of pork 05 00 0to nine Cows 54 00 0to . 4 . heifers 20 00 0to a pare of oxen 14 00 0to a pare of steers 12 00 0to one Bull 02 10 0to seven two year old Cattle 21 00 0to a Cart & wheels . 2 yokes . 2 Chains & Clevis andpin all 04 1 0 0to . 2 Iron Barrs and one sledge 01 00 0to yern and flax 03 15 0to about 250 weight of Chees 04 00 0to 13 . Bushels of Barley 02 00 0to 2 . old Barrells and som Beans 00 10 0to . 20 Bushels of oats 02 10 0to about 40 . Bushells of Indian Corn 08 00 0to one tub and pork 04 00 0to 2 Barrels of Cyder l£. and . 3 Empty Cask 6s all 01 06 0to one sorild horse 12 00 0to one Black horse 16 00 0to a Callash with the horse sadle & Bridle &c 12 00 0to one Bay maire 18 00 0to 2 old plows and one Brake 01 05 0to ten yearling Cattle 15 00 0to . 5 . swine 02 10 0to . 3 . scieves one pr of tongues and pr of Bellows all 00 05 6to one pare of holsters & an old portmantle 00 12 0to a looking glass and hour glass 00 08 6to about 15 . pound of . Butter 00 10 0to a negro man Clothing and Beding &c 60 00 0to a negro woman Clothing and Beding &c 40 00 0to a servant Boy Called william heard 10 00 0to John Tomlin 03 00 0to . 3 . Rakes and two pitchforks 00 26 0to an Iron Back 01 10 0to a score of sheep 06 16 0to a Close stool pan . a pr of specticles & Inkhorn all 00 09 0to silver and gold Butons 02 02 6to Cash 02 16 6to his Right in a small lot of land in Tiverton 05 00 0This Inventory was Taken the day and year above written By usJohn Wood Thomas Gray william pabodieBristol ss : March the 5th 1717: 18 Before the Honrable NathalPaine Esqr Judge of ye Probate of wills & Granting ofAdministration within the County of Bristol: Came Madam AlliceChurch widow & Relict of Collo Benjan Church late of LittleCompton Esqr Deceased Intestate and made Oath that the Inventorybefore written Containes the whole of that Estate which the saidDeceased Dyed seized of & is Come to her Knowledge & that whenshe Knowes of any more she will Reveal it that it may be ofRecord herewithJohn Cary . Regr: Nathl Paine Bristol ss in the 3d Book folio 381: & 382 the abovewritten wasEntered March 21st 1717/18 by John Cary Recorder[CONSENT OF THE HEIRS TO SALE OF LAND *]To All People To Whome thes presents shall come Know yee That WeWho are the Children of our Honered father Coll Benjamen ChurchLate of Little Compton in the County of Bristoll in the provenceof the Massusetes Bay in new England . Deseased Who diedIntested and That the Law of this Provence Doath Provide thatall Just Debts And funeral Charges shall be Paid out of thePersonall Estate Which Will be a Grate Damage to our honeredmother Mrs Ales Church Who is Administratricks to said EstateThese are therefore to Give full Power and Lawfull Authority toour Above named Honered Mother as administrtxs to our abovesdhonrd fathers Estate To Bargain sell allien & Dispose of all ourRight title claime or Demands of one sixcoare Acre Lott & anhalf in the Township of Tiverton* Transcribed from the original document.In pocasett purchas the Whole Lott being the fourtenth in numberand the half Lot the thirtenth Lot in number Which Lot and anhalf being mentioned in the Inventary of our said fathers Estate& is buted & Bouned as by the Records of said pocasett Land mayappear and that ye Whol sum of mony Which the abovesaid Land issold for shall be to help pay the Just Debts & funeral chargesof our said Honed father deasesed as witnis our hands & sealesDated in Bristoll this sixth day of March in the fourth year ofhis Majesties Reign annoque Domini 1717/8Signed sealed & Delevered Thos Church (seal)in presence of us Constant Church (seal)Samll Gallup Charles Church (seal)Joshua Bailey John Sampson (seal)Eliz Sampson (seal)Bristoll ss March: 20th: 1718/17mr Thomas Church mr Constantt Church mr Charles Church mr JnoSampson & mrs Elizabeth Sampson the subcribers to ye abovementioned order and agreementt personally appeared before meNathin Paine Esqr Judge of Probate of Wills &c within ye Countyof Bristoll and acknowledged the same to be theire freevoluantary act & Deed Nathll Paine[On the left hand margin, opposite the preceding acknowledgment,was the endorsement of John Cary, that he recorded theinstrument in Book III, folio 384, on 21 March 1717/18, but thegreater part of it has been worn off.][III: 563 *] To the Honrable Coll Paine Esqr Judge of ProbatsArticles of agreement made Conclud & Agreed upon in LittleCompton in the County of Bristol in the Province of theMassachusets Bay in New England: By and between Thomas Church ofsaid Little Compton Esqr Capt Constant Church of ffreetownCharles Church of Bristol Esqr Martha Church of Rhoad Islandwidow of Edward Church Deceast & John Sampson & Elizabeth hiswife of the Town of Bristol all being Children and Legatees ofOur Honrd ffather Collo Benjamin Church Esq, and of our HonrdMother Allice his wife both deceast Haveing Mutually agreed &made a Divission of all & singuler of the Estate both Reall &personall which our Honrd ffather and Mother dyed seized with(Excepting some Right of land Punkatest Neck or Outlet & theyrRight in land in* Bristol County Probate. Records.Middlebery) which Divission of said Estate which we haveMuttually made be all Contented and fully sattisfyed therewithDo therefore by these presents bind our selves and our heiresExecutors & Administrs to each other to stand and abide to theDivission of the abovesaid Estate for Ever In Witness whereof wethe sd Thomas Church Esqr Capt Constant Church Charles ChurchEsqr Martha Church widow of Edward Church deceast & John Sampsonand Elizabeth his wife have all mutually hereunto set Our hands& seals the Twenty seventh day of march in the fifth year of theReign of our Sovereign King George of great Brittain &c. in theyear of our Lord One thousand seven Hundred & NineteenAllso it is Mutually agreed before signing & sealing of thesepresents that if any mony happen to be due to the sd Coll BenjanChurch our Honrd father from the Country or any other person orpersons whatsoever It when got be divided Equally into sixshares: also if any debts Happen to be due from said Estate tobe Equally Reimbursed from every one of us above named inproportionSigned sealed and Delivered Thomas Churc (s)In the presence of Constant Church (s)William Pabodie Charles Church (s)Thomas Gray Martha Church (s)John wood John Sampson (s)Elizabeth Sampson (s)Bristol ss April 16 : 1719 Capt Thomas Church mr Charles Churchmrs Martha Church mr John Sampson & his wife mrs Elizab: Sampsonthe subscribers to ye Articles or agreement on ye other sidepersonally appeared before Nathal Paine Esqr Judge of Probate &cand acknowledged the sd agreement to be theyr free voluntary Actand Deed dated at Bristol in the fifth year of his Majties ReignNathal Paine Entered May the 20th 1719 By John Cary Regr