E. Clarence Churchill. With the exception of a short period spent at St. Louis, E. Clarence Churchill has passed his entire career in Champaign County, where he is now known as a representative of the class of men who have added impetus and encouragement to business, financial and agricultural development. Mr. Churchill entered the Longview Bank in the fall of 1906, and has steadily risen in prestige and position until at this time he is occupying the office of vice president of this institution, to the success of which his abilities and energies have greatly contributed.
E. Clarence Churchill was born on the family farm in Raymond Township, Champaign County, Illinois, January 23, 1882, a son of John W. and Alice I. (Martinie) Churchill, the former a native of Cortland County, New York, and the latter of Kentucky. His father was stiu a youth when he came to Champaign County in 1857, and when the Civil War came on enlisted as a private in Company G, Seventy-sixth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Ingersoll. His service began in 1862 and continued until he received his honorable discharge, July 22, 1865, at Galveston, Texas, and between these dates he had seen some hard fighting and some exciting experiences as a soldier. Among the engagements in which he participated were the siege of Vicksburg, the engagements at and around Jackson, Mississippi, the sanguinary fighting at Fort Blakeley, and the battles at Mobile, and while he was with the Federal forces in Georgia, was captured by the enemy and held a prisoner for six months. After his military service was completed Mr. Churchill returned to Champaign County, where he continued to be engaged in agricultural pursuits for a number of years, but finally turned his attention to mercantile affairs and rounded out a long, successful and honorable career at Longview, where his death occurred in 1910. He was one of this community’s citizens who was not selfish in his aspirations, giving his support always to enterprises and institutions which assisted the community in it commercial, moral and civic growth. That he was successful in a material way is shown by the fact that before his death he had accumulated about 900 acres of land, in addition to having other holdings and interests. Mr. Churchill and his wife, who is also now deceased, had three children: Mary C., who is the wife of Horace B. Stevens, of Homer, New York; Charles F. and E. Clarence.
After attending the public schools of Longview, E. Clarence Churchill pursued a three-year course at the Westfield (Illinois) College, and with this preparation accepted a position with the American Radiator Company of St. Louis, Missouri. His connection with this concern extended only over a short period, however, for he was offered and accepted an engagement with the Longview Bank in the fall of 1906, and, as before noted, has advanced steadily with this banking house, of which he is now vice president. In addition, in partnership with his brother, Charles F. Churchill, he is engaged in superintending the operations of 680 acres of Champaign County farming land, some of which was purchased by his father at $6 per acre and more of which cost him $20.0 and $212 per acre for its purchase. In banking, business and financial circles, he has established and retained a reputation for sound judgment, reliability and acumen, and the confidence in which he is held by his fellow citizens was recently evidenced by his election to the office of village treasurer, to the duties of which post he is giving his abilities at the present time. Mr. Churchill is a Republican.
On June 7, 1909, Mr. Churchill was married to Miss Myrtle Goble, who was born in Clark County, Illinois, and they are the parents of two children: Winston Goble, born June 23, 1912; and Asenath Irene, born March 6, 1914.