George Churly and Mary Ann Stone

Stawley : St Michael's Church & House
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/3921235

George Churly (b. 28 Jun 1831, bap. 26 Jul 1831 in Silverton, Devon), son of William Churly and Melony Godfrey, married Mary Ann Stone (b. 17 Aug 1834, bap. 25 Dec 1834 in Langford Budville, Somerset), daughter of William Stone and Elizabeth Sprague, in the Jul-Aug-Sep quarter of 1853, in the district of Wellington, Somerset. (George and Mary Ann Churly were the witnesses at the marriage of my 2x great-grandparents, Henry Stone and Mary Ridgeway, in 1854. Mary Ann was Henry's half-sister.)

Spellings of this surname are widely varied, often as Churley, sometimes Chorley and even Charley, but Churly is used on George's baptism, as well as his and Mary Ann's marriage, so I am considering that the correct one.

George and Mary Ann Churly had nine children:

1. Laura Churly bap. (as Laura Chorley) 30 Jul 1854 in Stawley, Somerset
2. Abel Asa Charley (sic) b. 24 Aug 1856 (1856 S Quarter in WELLINGTON - SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 357), bap. (as Abel Asa Chorley) 3 Jan 1858 in Stawley, Somerset
3. Eli Churly b. 23 Sep 1858, bap. 5 Jun 1859 in Stawley, Somerset. Died, aged 35, in 1894 S Quarter in WELLINGTON Volume 05C Page 177
4. Ada Churly b. 1861 D Quarter in WELLINGTON Volume 05C Page 380, bap. (as Ada Charley) in 1863 in Holcombe Rogus, Devon
5. Obadiah Churly b. 17 Sep 1863, bap. 1869 in Holcombe Rogus, Devon
6. William Wilfred Churly b. 23 Oct 1866 (1866 D Quarter in WELLINGTON-SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 355), bap. (as William Wilfrid Chorley) 1869 in Holcombe Rogus, Devon
7. Levi Churly b. 1870 J Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 396, bap. (as Levi Chorley) in 1870 in Holcombe Rogus, Devon. Died, aged 4, in 1874 S Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 233 and was buried at All Saints' Parish Church, Holcombe Rogus
8. Frederick John Churly b. 1873 M Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 376, bap. 1875 in Holcombe Rogus
9. Levi George Churly b. 1875 J Quarter in WELLINGTON SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 359, bap. 1875 in Holcombe Rogus

On Laura's baptism, George's occupation is listed as Carpenter. There don't appear to be GRO civil birth registrations for Laura, Eli or Obadiah.

In 1861, George Churley (sic) (28) Sawyer from Silverton, Devon, was living in South Street, Holcombe Rogus with Mary Ann Churley (26) from Langford Budville, Somerset; Laura Churley (6); Abel A Churley (4); and Eli Churly (2).

In 1871, George Churley (sic) (39) was living in Fore Street, Holcombe Rogus with Mary Ann Churly (36); Eli Churly (11); Ada Churly (8); Obediah Churly (6); William Churly (4) and Levi Churly (1). Laura Chorley (sic) (16) from Stawley, Somerset, was a Servant in the household of William J C Browne (William James Caulfeild Browne) in Kittisford, Somerset (Rev. William J. C. Browne M.A. was rector of Kittisford 1862—91); and Abel Chorley (sic) (13) was a Servant in the household of Thomas Cape, also in Kittisford.

In 1881, George Churley (sic) (49) Carpenter, was living in Fore Street, Holcombe Rogus with Mary Ann Churly (46); Obadiah Churly (16) Grocers assistant; Frederick Churly (8) and Levi George Churly (6). Laura married in 1878; Abel Asa Churly (23) Blacksmith was a Visitor in the household of his married sister Laura Downing (25) Wife of Ships Carpenter, in Cross Street, Northam, Devon. (There also was Mary Ann Fry (22) who Abel married in 1886 in Ontario, Canada); Eli Churly (22) Gunner RMA (Royal Marine Artillery) from Wellington, Somerset, was with HMS Audacious at Devonport Stoke-Damerel; Ada Churley (sic) (19) was Housemaid in the household of Elizabeth J Wilmot, Widow at Clevehouses (Clift Cottage), Northam, Devon and there also was William Churley (sic) (14) Stable Boy.

In 1891, George Churly (59) was once again living in Holcombe Rogus with Mary Ann Churly (56), Levi Churly (16) and Eli Churly (31). 

George Churly died, aged 60, in 1891 D Quarter in WELLINGTON, SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 249.

Eli Churly had enlisted in the Royal Marines at Taunton, Somerset on his 18th birthday, 23 Sep 1876. At that time he was 5ft 7¼in with a fair complexion, brown hair and hazel eyes. On final discharge from the service, in 1888, he had grown to 5ft 10in. Much of his career was listed simply with R M Artillery. He was with HMS Audacious from 8 Aug 1879 and transferred to HMS Repulse on 15 Apr 1881, confirmed here as it states, "Portsmouth 21 Apr 1881 Crew of the Audacious, from Devonport, turned over to the Repulse, guardship in the River Humber." On 28 Aug 1882 Eli Churly suffered "gun shot wounds both thighs (severe)" and was transferred to To Hosp[ital]. It was an important enough incident to be reported in the Portsmouth Evening News of 31 Aug 1882. However, he was back in service on 25 Sep 1882 for a further six years. From 1883 to 1885 he was with HMS Hercules, flagship of the reserve fleet from 1881 until 1890. Eli Churly was finally Discharged Invalided on 10 Oct 1888 and died, aged 35, in 1894.

In 1901, Mary A Churly (66) Widowed, was living alone in Holcombe Rogus.

Mary Ann Churly died, aged 71, in 1905 S Quarter in BIDEFORD Volume 05B Page 290 and was buried in Northam, Devon.