CLARISSA JEROME - WINSTON CHURCHILLS GRANDMOTHER

One set of Winston Churchills great-grandparents were born here in Palmyra, New York.  His great-grandparents were Ambrose and Clarissa Hall.  They had a daughter, also named Clarissa, who married a man named Leonard Jerome.  In fact, they were married in the Western Presbyterian Church in Palmyra, NY, which is one of the four corner churches.

At first the Jeromes lived  on Canal Street where Jerone practiced law.  Eventually they moved to Rochester, New York where Leonard worked with his brother in the newspaper.  Again they moved, this time to New York City where Leonard worked in the stock business on wall street. It is said that he made and lost several fortunes over his career.

In 1854, they had a daughter named Jeannette, called Jennie.  Due to her family's wealth and position, Jennie spent a great deal of time over seas with the high society in Europe.  It was in Europe where Jeannie met, Lord Randolph Churchill, the son of the seventh Duke of Marlborough.  Three days after they met, they were engaged.  They were married in 1874.  Their son Winston was born less than a year later on November 30, 1874.

So, as you can see, the small town I live in is part of the history of Winston Churchill who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1940 to 1945).