Category Archives: James’ life apart from the Lost Continent of Mu

George Jackson Churchward

James Churchward

Albert Churchward

Beginning in 1889, as documented from US Patent Office records, James Churchward started to file for patents on his inventions. As covered in a previous blog entry, James was affiliated with both the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad and the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Companies, however he was known for his writing and outdoor skills in the performance of those duties.
According to the records from the US Patent Office that I have viewed, James had 31 patents. The first eight are applicable to his work on the railroad. In addition to his two books on the subject of hunting and fishing, James was also a salesman as mentioned in his 1936 biography “My Friend Churchey” by Percy Tate Griffith. It does not seem to be a stretch of the imagination that while on board, his analytical mind saw improvements and acted upon them. This viewpoint is also supported by evidence that James presented a paper, “And Rail Fastenings” to the Society of Railway Superintendents prior to October 1890 [Descriptive index of current engineering literature, Vol 1; Board of managers of the Association of Engineering societies; Chicago, 1892; page 299].

Some drawings from James’ Railroad patents

In the obituary of his younger brother Albert, recorded in the London based “The Freemason“[September 12, 1925], mention is made of his inventions:

“Bro. Churchward was the inventor of a hygienic bicycle saddle, improved cycle pedals, and a new process of hardening and toughening steel and armour plates.”

Alexander Churchward, James’ son, patented 56 new inventions, including “Electrical lighting and battery charge system for vehicles”(1915), “Starting mechanism for internal combustion engines”(1920), and Electric arc welding”(1922). My father, Jack Churchward (and Alex’s son) had seventeen inventions, including different welding processes, welding electrode holders, and boat anchors. I remember the boat anchors because from time to time as a kid, I would help out on the line at his shop, cleaning the slag from the welds. I have not been awarded any patents yet (but I’m hopeful).
Another of James’ cousins was also an inventor by the name of George Jackson Churchward, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Great Western Railway in the UK from 1902 to 1922.
I didn’t recount the list of inventors with the name Churchward just to toot the family horn. James Churchward, although known as the author of several books about the Lost Continent of Mu, was also an inventor. This posting isn’t meant to be an exhaustive study of his inventions (his patents are listed here,) only to indicate to interested readers that my great-grandfather was more than just some spiritualist writer of the early twentieth century.
After his Railroad inventions, all of which were patented using a Brooklyn address, James started to work on Steel. Steel processes and alloys were patented seven years after his railroad inventions. His steel patents were awarded to him starting when he was 55 years old with an address in Manhattan. In the years 1906-1907, he was awarded eleven more patents and three more in 1908. Another piece of the puzzle falls into place when you see the following newspaper clippings:

I have also read about Churchward International Steel in James’ biography by Percy Tate Griffith entitled “My Friend Churchey.” After reading about it, I went online and made enquiries to the Delaware Department of State to learn more about who the stock-holders were and when the corporation existed, but my letter must have disappeared into that black hole of bureaucracy. I’ll be sending another letter in the future to clear up any confusion.

Churchward International Steel Court Transcripts
September 1915 9 Pages 676K	October 1915 9 Pages 648K	May 1917 196 Pages 10.5 M	March 1920 81 Pages 5 M

Even with the pending lawsuit, James still wasn’t idle, in 1911, he filed for five more patents on alloys of Steel. As a result of the litigation, James was awarded a large settlement and four years later (1914), his common law wife, Louise (Haier) Churchward purchased 7.22 acres of land in Lakeville, Connecticut. One would imagine that since his un-divorced wife (and my great-grandmother,) Mary Julia, still lived in Boston, he might care to keep the property out of his name. The details of that are best suited for another blog at another time.
Now in 1916, James was 65 years old and had twenty-seven patents under his belt over the past 27 years. For most people that have that type of record, it would be considered a career, but James wasn’t done. One notable point is that until 1917, James accorded himself as “a subject of the King of England” in his patent applications. Only in his last four patent applications would he describe himself as a citizen of the United States. At the age of sixty-six, he filed the last four application, the last one being awarded in 1922.
So, because of his career as an inventor and engineer (and the infringement on his patents), he was able to undertake/continue his study of the Lost Continent of Mu, probably starting sometime after 1917, when he finished his last patents. Over the next nine years he was able to gather his notes, research and explore until he released his first (non-hunting/fishing) book entitled “Lost Continent of Mu The Motherland of Man” in 1926 at the age of seventy-five.
These are some facts about the work of James Churchward, engineer & inventor. Another reason to mention the other Churchwards was to provide for full disclosure. The careful reader will notice that George Jackson Churchward worked on railroads as a mechanical engineer and although he was younger than James, it is possible that they knew each other and that James simply helped himself to a little intellectual property and applied for the patents in the United States. As noted in the clipping about Albert his brother, he was also an inventor and patented armour plating in the UK. Some might say that James simply spent those 28 years as an inventor because he helped himself to other people’s ideas. While I think I have shown that at least some of his offspring continued inventing (and thereby implying that he had the ‘invention’ gene), there is other clear evidence to dispel those accusations. Since GJ Churchward worked on locomotives and James appears to have settled on improvements in the tracks and there are references to the James’ papers on those improvements, I believe that such rumors can be silenced. Also, there is no evidence that clearly indicates he had any contact with G.J. Churchward, or that James copied his brother’s work. As far as their theories about early man (Albert was a prolific lecturer and author), James and Albert were miles apart, but that again is a subject for another blog entry.

Jack Churchward
Clearwater, Florida

While I was browsing the internet the other day, I came across ‘A Big Game and Fishing Guide to Northeastern Maine‘, one of two books that I thought I would never see by my great grandfather, James Churchward. It had been scanned by the folks at Google and is part of their online repository of old books at: books.google.com. A great many old books are available and can be downloaded in either plain text or pdf format. This particular work from 1897 has nothing to do with old legends, ancient history, or lost continents, but does provide a glimpse of how well acquainted James was with hunting and fishing.
The book was issued under the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad banner and credit is given to James Churchward as author. The work was produced in support of Maine tourism (and riding the B&A Railroad) and targets the hunting and fishing sportsmen of the northeast US. James did work on the railroad as a salesman as mentioned in the 1936 biography, “My Friend Churchey” by Percy Tate Griffith and he also designed and patented railroad hardware between 1889 and 1893 as can be seen in the seven patents he was issued during that time. P.T. Griffith also mentions on a number of occasions that James was a great fisherman and this work is confirmation of that fact. Also mentioned in the work is James’ past as a hunter in India. In the introduction on page 8, he says:

“We have hunted tigers, elephants, buffalo and other big game in India, but nothing in our experience surpasses the ugliness and wickedness of a wounded bull-moose when he turns on you, which fortunately does not often happen, for, like most other large animals, they will try to get off, even when wounded.”

The rustic images portrayed in the photographs from the book and the written text bring alive a different era, one that has disappeared except through the pages of this book and books like it. It was an era where a broad segment of the population knew how to use guns and fishing tackle, something that the urbanization of the United States over the past 110 years has diminished considerably. While the use of firearms throughout the history of the United States has sometimes been contested, the written text provides the reader a look inside the mind of a 19th century sportsman and his thoughts on the subject. (As a point of reference, a table provided in the book [page 120] details the ‘Game Record.’ In the four year period between 1894 and 1898, 7,767 deer were shot and transported via the railroad, either to be stuffed or brought home for sustenance. This number did not count the number of animals brought down for food in the hunting camps or for the local population. This number does not include the Caribou or Moose that were transported via the railway.)
Although primarily a vehicle for advertising, James treats the reader to his heart-felt ideas on how to bring down big game in the woods or carefully hook and land the biggest fish. The reader will also enjoy the drawings of wildlife and their habitats that accompany the photographs and written instructions and for those that have read any of James’ other works, they will recognize the characteristics of his illustrations. First, he sets the stage by introducing the reader to the various locales and what might be expected there. With this discussion, he introduces the reader to guides and camps to be contacted, distances to traverse and special areas to keep in mind. The descriptions provided in the book leave the reader with no doubts that the author travelled to these places and undertook the activities he so vividly describes. This chapter ends with a list of Taxidermists and places to stay.
The next chapter details fishing. James covers the species, their habits and where they might be found. Illustrations of each variety are also produced for easy identification. James also provides an in-depth discussion about tackle, rods, reels, and even the clothes to bring along. He also engages in a discussion of the best way to sink the hook and land the biggest fish. Special sections are devoted to the “Science of Trolling” and “Hints to Young Fishermen.” In the later, he states:

Bear in mind that you are fishing with a rod and a flimsy thread, not with a telegraph pole and a clothes line.
Your line should be a rein to guide the fish to you, not a hawser to haul it there.

The next chapter details the species of game and hints to bring them down. James discusses different places to shoot the game, with the final admonishment to ‘whenever the opportunity offers, take the shoulder shot, and make it well down and forward.’ Also, James describes the best outfit to obtain, from footwear to hats. In addition to a hunting knife (not double-edged), he suggests a holstered revolver (38 or 44 caliber) and has a whole section on selecting rifles and shooting them. Just before the chapter is completed by a list of registered guides, the author suggests the latest in bedding for sleep comfort.
The next chapter is devoted to the game laws of Maine, followed by the aforementioned ‘Game Record’, rates for the B&A Railroad to various points, and stage (coach) connections.
This book adds another dimension to the life of James Churchward and shows that he was a man of his times. Remembering that he was born in 1851, this book was researched and authored while he was in his late forties and from all appearances, he had the energy, drive, and stamina to negotiate the uncharted wilderness. These characteristics would be needed later when he had settled his lawsuits with ‘Big Steel’ and had the time and finances to pursue his study of old legends, ancient history, and lost continents.
btw, the title of the other book that I thought I would never see is “Copies of Stone Tablets Found by William Niven at Santiago Ahuizoctla Near Mexico City” published in 1927 and that volume is also listed in the same Google repository, although no scanned copies are available, nor do any of the book sources listed have a copy for sale, nor do any libraries show a copy available. This book would be an invaluable addition to any research library engaged in studying Niven’s tablets as mentioned in James books after 1930.
Another book by James Churchward has also been revealed during recent research:
“Fishing Among the 1,000 Islands of the St. Lawrence” by James Churchward (New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company; 56 pages; 4 track series. Printed by American Bank Note Co (1894))
This book is also listed by Google Books, however there are no copies available.
Jack Churchward
Clearwater, Florida