▁Cr ump ▁and ▁his ▁machine ▁politics . ▁ ▁Church ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁advis er ▁to ▁Republican ▁pres idents ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁but ▁decl ined ▁any ▁political ▁appoint ments . ▁Church ▁eventually ▁married ▁a ▁third ▁time , ▁after ▁Anna ▁died . ▁ ▁The ▁senior ▁Church ▁generally ▁chose ▁to ▁stay ▁outside ▁the ▁politics ▁of ▁his ▁era , ▁which ▁enabled ▁him ▁to ▁maintain ▁influence ▁among ▁both ▁white ▁and ▁black ▁Mem phi ans . ▁He ▁was ▁chosen ▁as ▁a ▁delegate ▁for ▁William ▁McK in ley ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁Republican ▁Convention . ▁ ▁Death ▁ ▁Church ▁died ▁August ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 1 2 , ▁after ▁a ▁brief ▁ ▁ill ness . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁buried ▁in ▁El m wood ▁C emetery ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁side ▁of ▁dow nt own ▁M emph is . ▁ ▁Church ▁family ▁home ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁M emph is ▁hosted ▁a ▁demonstr ation ▁of ▁fire ▁equipment ▁during ▁which ▁the ▁home ▁Robert ▁Church ▁had ▁built ▁for ▁his ▁family ▁in ▁a ▁wealth y ▁mixed ▁race ▁neighborhood ▁was ▁burn ed ▁to ▁the ▁ground . ▁The ▁event ▁was ▁an ▁act ▁of ▁reven ge ▁on ▁the ▁part ▁of ▁M emph is ▁Mayor ▁Edward ▁H ull ▁" B oss " ▁Cr ump ▁for ▁the ▁Church ▁family ' s ▁black ▁vot er ▁rights ▁activ ism . ▁The ▁Tri - State ▁Def ender ▁called ▁the ▁burning ▁of ▁the ▁Church ▁house ▁" An ▁act ▁of ▁inf amy ." ▁In ▁ 1 9 5