My Genealogy Hound

Charles R. Church, editor and publisher of the Stockton Journal, is a native of Cedar County, Mo., and was born in 1861, being a son of Hardy J. and Mary A. (Corbin) Church, who were born in Maury County, Tenn., and Adair County, Ky., August 26, 1836, and July 22, 1839, respectively. Hardy J. Church came to Cedar County, Mo., with his parents, William Carroll Church and Mazey (Petty) Church (for their history see sketch of William Carroll Church), and was here reared to manhood, and married Miss Mary A. Corbin, who is now residing in Stockton, Mo. His early life was spent in farming, and, from 1870 to 1874, he acted as deputy sheriff and collector of Cedar County, and at the latter date was elected sheriff, and re-elected in 1876. He died in 1880, leaving, besides his widow, the following children to mourn their loss: Jennie M., wife of James L. Mitchell, a druggist, of Stockton; Charles R., Gertrude, William P., Frank L. and Fannie. Charles R. Church was educated in the schools of Stockton, and at the age of thirteen years entered the printing office of the Stockton Tribune, in which office he remained until about 1876, when the Journal and Tribune were consolidated. He continued in the same capacity three years, then filled the position of local editor two years, and, in 1881, became manager of the Stockton Journal for Hon. D. P. Stratton, the present circuit judge. He continued in this capacity until January, 1887, when he became editor and publisher of the same. He supports the principles of the Democratic party through the columns of his paper, and expresses his opinions in a fearless and straight forward manner. The Stockton Journal is ably edited and is a bright and newsy sheet, and has the largest circulation of any paper ever published in the county. It advocates the interests of Cedar County and her citizens, and deals largely and very fully with local news in all sections of the country. In April, 1882, Mr. Church was married to Miss Sarah C. Cheek, a daughter of ex-Judge W. A. Cheek, of Cedar County. She was born in Caldwell County, Mo., in 1863, and she and Mr. Church are the parents of two interesting little children: Raymond F. and Mildred I. They are worthy members of the Christian Church, and he belongs to the Knights of Pythias, Cedar Lodge No. 103, which he represented in the Grand Lodge at Hannibal in October, 1888.