Sketch of Bvt. Brig. Gen. Sylvester Churchill, Inspector General U. S. Army, with Notes and Appendices (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1888 Excerpt: ... NOTES. Note I. There is no evidence that John, Josias, and the two named William, or any two of the four, were related. It is opportune to refer, in this connection, to another point. I have seen persons of the name or blood of Churchill, and have heard of others, who are so weak and at the same time so ill informed as to believe that they are descendants of John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough. A lady showed me, at one time, a letter envelope, enclosing a note sent to her by a Mrs. Churchill, on which was an engraving, covering its entire face, of the Ducal Arms of Marlborough Waiving the point whether any one should take pride in being a descendant of the first Duke, exceptionally great as he undoubtedly was, those who, in this country, make any such claims, are ignorant of a few facts which may be mentioned. John Churchill, of Plymouth, was married in 1644; Josias, of Weathersfield, in 1638; William, of New York, was a resident previous to 1672, and William of Virginia, was probably an adult in 1666; while John Churchill, who was made Duke of Marlborough in 1702, was not born till 1650. Besides this, his only son died in his minority, and the title passed to his oldest daughter Henrietta, Countess of Godolphin, from whom it descended to her nephew, Charles Spencer, Earl of Sunderland, a son of her sister Anne. The family name of the present Duke is Spencer-Churchill. I may add, as to any supposition of relationship with the ducal family, that there is no basis for such supposition other than the name, and that the facts stated show that any relationship must be very remote. It has been suggested that, for the reason that the same Christian names are often found among the descendants of John and Josias, the two were related. I do not see any for...