Revolutionary War Historical Article Sergeant Elijah Churchill
of the Second Continental Light Dragoons by Donald N. Moran
Editor's Note: This article was reprinted from the April 2007
Edition of the Liberty Tree Newsletter Typical of the average
18th century American citizen, we know very little about Elijah
Churchill. He was born on September 5th, 1755, at Newington,
Connecticut, the son of Giles Churchill. And, yes, he shares an
ancestor with the famous Compatriot Sir Winston Churchill.
According to the 1790 Federal census he was a carpenter by
trade. His enlistment record in the 5th Connecticut Regiment of
the Continental Line stated he was 5 feet nine inches tall, dark
complexion, gray eyes and dark hair. On March 10th, 1777, he
married Elinor Nooney of Simsbury, Connecticut. They had the
following children: Sophia, (born: 8 February 1782), Elijah, Jr.
(born: 21 April 1784), James (born: 11 November 1785), Eleanor
(born 14 November 1788), Eleanor (born: 7 July 1790) ,Giles
(born: 28 July 1793), Charles (