Benjamin Church (carpenter)

Benjamin F. Church (1807–1887) was a pioneer carpenter and builder in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, listed among the city's first settlers of 1835. He helped construct one of the city's first two big hotels, and built a Greek Revival temple-style house for his family that today is a public museum in Estabrook Park, Shorewood, Wisconsin. He also held varied public offices and volunteer roles in the young city.

Church was born in New Paltz, Ulster County, New York, on July 23, 1807. He was the fifth of ten children of Caleb Church and Hannah Baker Church. Caleb (1772–1856) was a farmer and cooper. Hannah (1775–1843) was a Quaker preacher who advocated for construction of a Quaker meeting house for Clintondale, New York, located in Plattekill Township, Ulster County.

Church was educated in carpentry and construction skills. His older brother Samuel received similar training in New York City.

In 1834, Church headed west to seek opportunities in the new states and territories of the upper Midwest. He went first to Chicago, Illinois, and then in the fall of 1835 went north to the new settlements that would become Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He took a drove of hogs with him on the journey to serve as a stake in his new location. The region now Wisconsin was then still part of the Michigan Territory; the Territory of Wisconsin was established in 1836.

Church settled in Kilbourntown, the village on the west side of the Milwaukee River named for its founder Byron Kilbourn. East of the river was Juneautown named for its founder Solomon Juneau. To the south was Walker's Point named for its founder George H. Walker. The three villages merged in 1846 as the City of Milwaukee.

In 1836, Church was either contractor or "boss carpenter" for the construction of Washington House, one of the first two big hotels in Milwaukee. It was located on Third Street in Juneautown. The hotel was renamed the Republican House soon after the founding of the Republican Party in 1854, and served as a Milwaukee meeting place for many decades.

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