Connecticut western news., 1903-07-02
DEATH OF GEORGE CHURCH
Native of Canaan and Prominent Citizen of Berkshire County.

| Native of Canaan and Prominent Citizen of Berkshire County.
 Col. George Church, one of the most prominent business men in Berkshire county, Mass, died at his home ill Ct.
 Harrington, Mass. early last Saturday morning. He had been ill for some weeks with complication of diseases. The funeral was held at his late home on Tuesday afternoon at 2.30, Rev. L. l D. Bliss, pastor of the Congregational | church of Great Harrington, and Rev. H. M. Dumbell, rector of the Episcopal church of that town, officiating. The burial was in Mahaiwe cemetery at Ct. Burlington.
 George Church was born i'll Canaan, Conn.,, July 20, 1926, his birthplace be- ing at the foot of Church s hill, so-called, and near the house now occupied by Mrs. Hamm. His father was Leman Church, a prominent member of the Litchtield county bar. Leman Church s wife was Sarah Pomeroy, a prominent Methodist of her day and a very regular attendant of the old Methodist church i'll Canaan Valley. Leman Church died in 1S49 and his wife Sarah in 1852. In memory of this good woman, her son GeOrge-the subject of this sketch-pre- here the bell for the new church which was dedicated ill 1868 in the village of Canaan. Col. Church always remem- bered his native town, and he lately took deep interest ill the movement for a soldiers monument in Canaan and had expressed willingness to contribute | toward its erection. Col Church was the last survivor of his fathers family. George Church lived in Canaan till he was fifteen years old, then he went to Huntsville, some ten miles away then ill the same town, where he remained for twelve years employed at the iron furnace. In 1853 he went to VanDeu- senville, Mass. where he was connected with the Richmond iron works. During i the Civil war his firm sold material to the government for guns and cannon. | In 1861 Col. Church became identified with the Monument mills in Housatonic, Mass. In 1867 in partnership with J. H. Coffing, his brother, George Coffing, and Charles J. Taylor, Great Barring l tons well-known historian and long i time treasurer of it's savings bank, the Lenox iron furnace was established at Lenox Furnace. Still later, Col. Church. l with George Coffing and John H. Golf 1 fing, incorporated the Ramapo Wheel | Foundry Company and the Ramapo iron gagged also for twenty years ill the busi- ness of the Berkshire Glass Sand Com pany of Cheshire. He was a director of several banks, and was prominent in the financial circles of the country.
 Col. Church married. i'll 1861. Maria Louise Bostwick of VanDeusenville, and she with three of their eight children survive. The surviving children are: Charles Bostwick Church of Hillburn, N. Y, John H. c. Church of Great 1 Harrington, and Mrs. Clark T. Durant of Albany. Col. Church moved to Great Burlington the year of his marriage.
 Col. Church-with the late George w. Peet-represented the town of Canaan in the General Assembly of Connecticut in 1854 being elected by the Democrats. He voted for Lincoln in 1860 and has continued as a Republican since. He was selectman of Great Harrington
 ls61-64 and again in 1876. He was one of the old Free Masons of the town ,Gf Great Harrington having joined Cinein- natus Lodge in 1858, and was 8 charter member of Monument Chapter, R. A. M.
 Col. Church was kind hearted and
 benevolent, always looking for the op-
 portunity to aid a worthy person or cause. His aims were without ostenta-
 ton and his left hand knew not what
 his right hand did ill relieving cases of
 destitution and distress, but the recipi- ents of his bounty were legion and many
 voluntarily testify to his innumerable good deeds and acts of kindness.