California Biographies, San Joaquin Valley

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

Source:
History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin 
Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from 
its earliest settlement to the present time.
Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M.
The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905
Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176


 DENVER S. CHURCH. The genealogy of this well-known attorney of Fresno is traced back to the 
east, where several generations of the family lived and labored. Joshua Church, a native of 
Pennsylvania, grew to manhood in that state, married, and settled upon a farm there, but later 
removed to Chautauqua county, N. Y. At the time of the removal to New York his son, E. J., who 
was born in western Pennsylvania, was a lad in years, and he aided in bringing the new farm 
under cultivation. In 1852 he crossed the plains with ox-teams to California, in company with 
Millard Church, who afterward returned east and died there; also an older brother, M. J. 
Church, who is remembered as the founder of the irrigation system in Fresno county. Settling 
at Diamond Spring, E. J. Church engaged in mining, but not finding the occupation profitable, he 
removed to Woodbridge, San Joaquin county, where he followed the blacksmith's trade. After 
a very short time he removed to Folsom City, Sacramento county, where in addition to 
blacksmithing he also devoted considerable attention to the stock business. A later location was 
in the vicinity of St. Helena, Napa county, where he took up general farming in connection with 
stock-raising. For a long period he continued there, but finally advancing years made further 
manual labor unwise, and he thereupon retired, coming to Fresno about 1898. In this city he 
now makes his home. 

The marriage o f E. J. Church united him with Catherine Rutan, who was born in Illinois and 
during the early '50s crossed the plains with her father, Samuel Rutan, settling on a farm near 
Woodbridge. By her marriage four sons and one daughter were born, of whom the following 
survive : Millard D., a merchant in Fresno ; L. H. Church, M. D., who is a well-known physician of 
Grand Junction, Colo. ; and Denver S., the youngest of the family, who was four years of age 
when he lost his mother by death. He was born at Folsom City, Cal, December 11, 1864, and 
received his education primarily in St. Helena, after which he was a student in Healdsburg 
College, completing the regular course of study in that institution. In 1877 he first came to 
Fresno, joining an uncle, M. J. Church, whom he helped to carry the chain that surveyed the 
boundaries of the Temperance Colony. After settling permanently in Fresno during 1887 he 
engaged in the study of law and in 1893 was admitted to the bar, since which time he has 
conducted a general practice. At this writing he acts as attorney for the public administrator. 
From January, 1899, to January, 1903, he served as deputy district attorney under O. L. Everts. 
The Democratic party has always received his allegiance and he is one of its leading members in 
his home city. Various societies number him among their members, among these being the 
County Bar Association, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Fresno Parlor No. 2^, N. S. 
G. W., and the Woodmen of the World. Sharing with him the esteem of the community is his 
wife, whom he married in Reno, Nev., and who was Miss Louise Derrick, a native of that city, 
her parents having been pioneers of the Carson valley. In their family are three children, Earl, 
Fern and an infant unnamed. Through his accurate knowledge of the law Mr. Church has won a 
position of deserved prominence among the practitioners of Fresno and his high standing may 
be attributed to his unaided efforts, for he had no assistance except such as could be given by 
his own determination, intelligence and resourceful mind.