Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Just exactly how much information IS out there about Mrs. Churchill's son?

I don't know much of anything about Mrs. Churchill's son, Angel. Do you have him in mind as a possible suspect?

He's a cipher. I'm surprised the police focused on interrogating his mother, and didn't question everyone else Chez Churchill as thoroughly.

Mrs. C really seemed to want to control the dissemination of info about her household, obviously being sensitive re the subject of boarders.

Her attitude comes across as, "I am the spokesperson for my household."

My extrapolation is that Emma and Lizzie didn't mix and mingle much with anyone Chez Churchill.

If there was any bonhomie between the neighbors, it appears to have been between Mrs. Churchill and Abby.

Perhaps, for that very reason, The Girls felt above Mrs. Churchill and everyone who lived in her house.

Household Record 1880 United States Census

Household:

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Comfort BUFFINTON Self W Female W 60 RI Keeps House RI RI
Adelaide CHURCHILL Dau W Female W 30 MA At Home MA RI
Arthur BUFFINTON Son M Male W 27 MA Butcher MA RI
Effie BUFFINTON Dau S Female W 19 MA At Home MA RI
Charles H. CHURCHILL GSon S Male W 2 MA MA MA


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Information:
Census Place Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts
Family History Library Film 1254525
NA Film Number T9-0525
Page Number 480C

Source: FamilySearch.Org

Charles H. Churchill, born in 1878, was Mrs. Churchill's son. Kat had posted some census data in the Privy under Buffinton-Churchill in 2005. We were looking at Mrs. Churchill's father-a former mayor, known as Butcher Buffinton. In 1880 (above) the mayor's brother Arthur is also listed as a butcher. We had speculated on the forum at one time if Charles had followed his grandfather and great-uncle into the same profession of butcher. He would have been 14 in 1892. I suspect no one ever looked at hatchets in Mrs. Churchill's house.

We were just making idle speculation about Charles and men who could slaughter with a hatchet living right next door.

Unfortunately, Charles was missing in the 1900 City census posted, and though he was on the 1910 City census, occupations were not listed. We never found out his occupation.

The sage of Fall River, Len Rebello, has this on page 98:

"...The Churchills had one son, Charles Henry Churchill (1878-1952). ..."

As Cynthia posted above he was but a lad of 14 at the time of the murders.

Len also has this on the father:

"He was Clerk and Registrar at the Water Works. He died at the age of thirty-five on February 6, 1879. .."

This would make the young Charles at the most one year old at the time of his father's death. Poor Addie.

Yes, if my mind servers me well, I believe young Charles Churchill was a bookkeeper and teller at the First National and Durfee Banks for many years. He lived with his mother most his life, or at least at the same address.

Yes, found it.

In 1921 (age 43) Charles was still living at the old homestead and is listed as a bookkeeper at the First National Bank.

In 1926 (age 48) he was still in banking and still living at Mommies.

Thanks MB for the additional info. Interesting your last entry mentions he was still living at Second St. in 1926. Addie Churchill passed away that year.

I was not aware that Addie's husband had passed away so young and left her virtually with a new born baby. This has given me a new respect for her.

IMO, her testimony is some of the best and impartial at the hearings.

Good question , Angel.

Thanks, everyone!

I suppose the reason he wasn't questioned was because of his age.

I would like to reiterate that Mrs. Churchill-- from her testimony, throughout the ordeal-- seemed to get along well with Abby. Also, Mr. Borden-- I mentioned in another thread that I even thought she had something of a "thing" for him.

Harry-- I agree, her testimony and statements seem far more direct and to the point than, say, the hesitant, rather nervous Miss Russell.

Also-- don't you sense that she didn't care all that much for Lizzie? I suspect that she saw and heard as much as anyone outside the household, as she was practically in it, being so close, and able to observe the comings and goings at the side door. With windows open on hot days, no telling what she heard.

Anyway, she seems to be a reliable, largely unprejudiced witness. She also leans on the side of Lizzie's guilt.

If Mrs. Churchill had seen Lizzie burn a dress, I've no doubt she would have walked out the side door and right down to the police station to report it.

Yes Harry:

The 1926 fall river Directory shows Charles living at 216 Second Street along with Mrs Churchill. I don't have access to the 1927 directory, but in all likely hood it would still list her, but as deceased if she died in 1926. All directories after 1927 would omit her name.

In the 1926 directory it appears Charles is a teller at the Durfee Bank. Not sure what the obligations or job description is for a teller, but it a appears as a demotion from his bookkeeper's job, (?) at least by today's job description.

Though Charles is reported to have died in 1952, he is missing from my 1949 fall river Directory.

I found Adelaide and son Charles living with her widowed sister Estelle Cheetham on second street in the 1920 Fall River census. It said that Estelle was the head of household and yes Charles did work at the bank. Estelle's daughter Addie was 55 and single as was charles also single.

48 years old and still living with mommy? Must be a mommys' boy.

Maybe some feeling of obligation to help out the widowed mother caused him to give up any chance of another relationship.

It was quite common back then for unmarried children to remain at home...especially when they had widowed parents. There was no real need to move out on ones own unless you had a family of your own...and even then, it was common to marry and then live with the parents of one of the couple. I doubt it had anything to do with being a "mommy's boy", he just remained unmarried and saw no need to estabish his own residence..especially with a widowed mother dependent upon him.

OK, then- how about Arthur Buffington? Any info on him?