Smith Cessna Moberly Rowley genealogy » John Cheney (1605-1666)

Personal data John Cheney 

• He was born on June 30, 1605 in Roxburgh, Scotland.
• He died on July 28, 1666 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, he was 61 years old.
• A child of John Cheney and Elizabeth (Mrs. Cheney
• This information was last updated on October 12, 2008.

Household of John Cheney

He has/had a relationship with Martha Parrat.

Child(ren):

1. Daniel Cheney  ± 1633-1694 
2. Mary Cheney  ± 1627-????
3. Martha Cheney  ± 1629-????
4. John Cheney  ± 1631-????
5. Sarah Cheney  1635-????
6. Peter Cheney  1638-????
7. Lydia Cheney  1640-????
8. Hannah Cheney  1642-1722
9. Nathaniel Cheney  1644-????
10. Elizabeth Cheney  1647-????

Notes about John Cheney

THE CHENEY GENEALOGY. COMPILED BY CHARLES HENRTZ POPE, BOSTON, MASS. 1897

John of Newbury and His Descendants.
JOHN CHENEY, the head of the Newbury line, is introduced to us. by no less a person than the noble man who earned the title "Apostle to the Indians " - Rev. John Eliot. The first parish of Mr. Eliot was Roxbury ; and in his record of the church he gives the following very interesting minute respecting a couple who were associated with him in fellowship for a short time.
"John Cheny be came into the Land in the year e 1655. be brought 4 children, Mary, Martha, John, Daniel* - Sarah his fifth child was borne in the last month of the same year 1635, cold February, be removed from Martha Cbeny the wife of John Cheny.”
There is no record "of John Cheny’s buying property or having land assigned to him in Roxbury. A natural question rises, where did he live during that year ? . One explanation has occurred to every mind acquainted with the names of the early citizens of Roxbury, and that is this : he may have had a temporary home, with that pioneer who bore the same surname, William Cheney. This theory may be turned either way. If John and William were near relatives, - father and son or brothers,- the Roxbury man would gladly share all his " housings and lands “ with the other; or, if the one was lodged in the other's home, we may infer that they were closely related. Theories are easy to handle ; but they are of little historic weight. The name John is repeated in both families down to the present day; the name,- William, was of rare occurrence in the line of John for several generations.
The plantation of Newbury was in its infancy when John and Martha Cheney entered into it. An excellent group of people were at the fore, moulding its social and ecclesiastical shape after the most approved methods of the (then) neat way. Regulations and agreements, conveniences and schemes, worship and study, business, morals and religion, - they gave to all the best dictates of " established" English thought, quickened and improved by those fresh Bible studies and free Christian practices which characterized the Puritan movement. Newbury had certain erratic and dissonant elements, which engraved some unworthy lines on its record ; but it was, on the whole, a very upright, manly set of people who wrought and fellowshipped there. And this Cheney family took good rank from the first in that community of intelligent, earnest people. They intermarried with the leading households, and were respected and beloved at large. As Rev. John Eliot shows, they were members of the Roxbury church and were received at once to the communion of the Newbury church on arriving there ; and their children joined in the same fellowship in due time. Mr. Cheney took no part in the conflicts of citizens about local organization, and his name does not appear on either of the partisan and factious petitions.
He was very industrious in attention to his own affairs, so that he failed to show his face among the citizens at the annual town meeting April 21, 1638 ; a hasty judgment condemned him with other absentees and voted that he should pay a fine of two shillings and sixpence, which the constable was ordered to collect before the next Tuesday night ! But the record states later that his fine was " remitted on account of his having a sufficient excuse" !
His allotments of land were large. He had a good stand in the «• old town " and on shore and stream elsewhere. June 19, 1638, he had 3 acres of meadow at the westerly end of the great swamp behind the great hill; Aug. 25, 6 acres of salt " marish." " A parcel of marsh with little islands of upland hi it", about 20 acres in all, *' Little River on the northwest ; formerly part of the calf common ", was assigned to him July 5, l639. Lot No. 50 in the "New Towne ", "on the ffield street" was granted him Jan. 10, 1643. He was a member of the Grand Jury April 27, 1648.
John Cheney, senior, we learn from the historian, Coffin, took great interest in Governor Winthrop's campaign for the governorship against Sir Harry Vane, as the close of the tatter's term drew near. So Mr. Cheney, with nine others, made the journey of forty miles from Newbury to Cambridge on foot to take the " freeman's oath" and qualify themselves to vote in the election which was soon to take place. They were admitted freemen May 17, 1637. It was by such prompt movements that Winthrop was elected and the conservative party triumphed.
The following extract from the town records gives us some data for a plan of the new town of Newbury.
"January 11th, 1643-4. Itt is hereby ordered and determined by . the orderers of the towne affaires that the plan of the new towne is and J shall be laid out by die lott layers as the house lotts were determined by j their choice, beginning from the farthermost house lott in the South streete ; thence running through the Pine swampe, thence up the High streete numbering the lotts in the East streete' to John Bartlett's lott, the twenty-ninth, ', then through the west side of the High streete to Mr. Lowell's, the twenty-eighth, and so to the end of that streete, then ...... the Field streete to Mr. Woodman's, the forty-first, thence to the end of that streete to John Cheney's, the fiftieth, then taming to the first cross streete to John Emery's, ! the fifty-first, thence coming up from the river side on the east side of i the same streete to the other streete, the west side to Daniel Pierce's, ' the fifty-seventh, and so to the river side the side the streete to Mr. Clarke i and others to Frauds Plumer, the sixty-sixth, as hereinunder by names and figures appeare." John Cheney was elected to the board of selectmen more than once. The following document, on file at Salem, would naturally lead us to think he had been on the board before 1652, or at the time when Mr. Kent gave up his lot; the paper is wholly in his hand, except the clerk's note.
“Ther being Certain loots Resigned unto the townes hand by way of Exchang for lands elsewhear. amongst the which Richard Kent's lot ю acres in contente was one, the which lot Richard Kent resigned, on the same Condicions the latter end of the order specifies to my best knowledg this I Testifie
by me
Sworn» in the court at Ipswich the 28th of (7) 1652.
Robert Lord
cleric."

Mr. Cheney was a member of a committee to " lay out the way to the neck and through the neck to the marshes on the east side of the old Towne" Nov. 29, 1654. The town records show that he was one of the selectmen in 1661 and in 1664. In March, 1657, some charges were brought in the Ipswich Court against a very worthy citizen of Newbury ; and John Cheney signed his name, with nineteen others, to a petition, addressed to the Court, protesting that, having had long acquaintance with the accused, they felt certain he was innocent. A number of residents of Dover, Newbury, etc. petitioned the General Court of Massachusetts Bay for a grant of land at Pennacook (now Concord, N. H.) which was granted May 18, 1659. " Foen Thorsby is one of the names, which differs from the accredited autographs of John Cheney, Senior. It may have been put down on verbal permission by some misspelling friend, or forged; or the good man may, possibly, have varied his own spelling. Nothing ; was done about a settlement at Concord until after our man had gone to " a better country." He died July 28, 1666 ; and left, in his clear chirography,

THE WILL OF JOHN CHENEY, SENIOR. of Newbery in the , County e of Essex in New England : being weake in body : but having perfect knowledg and understanding doe ordaine and apoynt this present Act and writing be my last will and Testament as followetb
ffirst I doe give unto my son Daniel:: my now dwelling house and Barne with al the Corne land pastur and meddowes with al the profits and privileges tbearto belonging : it being all in one Inclosure to it selfe : it lying and being in the old Towns of Newbery.
Also I doe give the said Daniel my Carte and plough and barrow with all the rest of my husbandry tooles : save what I dispose of otberwise. Next : I doe give unto Martha Cheny my loving wife libertie of dwelling in the house her life time and I doe enjoye my Son Daniel aforesayd to maintaine her comfortably with meat and drink linen and wollen and other necessaries as her adg shall requier during the time of her naturall life. But if the sayd Martha my wife shall chuse rather to live elsewhere : I doe give unto the sayd Martha Ten pound by the year to be paied out of my living in good marchantable Wheat barley and Indian in equal propertions or the , thirds of my land which she pleas also I doe give the sayd Martha my wife all her wearing apparel linnen and wollen : also I doe leave unto the said Marthas disposing all my household goods save what I doe by will dispose of.
I doe also give unto Martha my wife my Mare with her furniture. ' Al the which premises I doe give unto the sayd Martha my wife.
Next unto my Son John Cheney I doe give one a acker lott sometimes Anthony Shorts lying in the south field in Newbery old towne and a lott of salt marsh 3 ackers mar or less lying on the neck on the South side of Newbery River, also I do give the sayd John a tract of land 34 Ackers be it more or less lying in Saulsbury new towne . bounds at the plane caled Cimbro, next to Haverel bounds butting on Salsbury river att one end: and the other end-butting on haverel hie way.
Also I doe give unto my Son John : my wearing Apparel : namely one Coate one cloke one cloth suit : one serg suit : one lefher suit two shirts two paiers of stokins and my boes and my best Hatt, also my macblock musket : and the shortest Croscutt sawe. also I do give him one 3year old haifer caled brendle : onely I doe Resarve the Crop on the lott called Shorts lott to the use of my executors- And after the decease of Martha my wife I doe give unto my son John : Thirty pounde to be payd out of my living in thre years next ensuing Ten pound a year the one half in good marchant - able barley and Indian the other halfe in Cattel under eight year old :
Also I do give unto the said John after my wifes decease the great brass kettel and one new pewter dish marked with 1C: and one white bed Rugg. Also I doe give unto the sayd John : six bosbels of Apples out of the Orchard yearly for Seven year after my decease.
Next I doe give unto my son Nathaniel Cheney my four oxen with their yoaks and chains also I doe give unto him Two Cowes with tbier Calves the one Caled old Line : the other Called Pie and one thre year old bayfer with the Calf e and л yearling Colt e also I doe give unto the sayd Nathaniel one yearling bayfer caled Kurie also I doe give unto him his Armes compleat. and one broad howe and one Axe and his Sitbe and sickle.
Also I doe give unto him one half headed bedsted with the bed and one bolster and one pillow and one paier of shetes and a- Cotton yellow Rug : and I doe give unto Nathaniel the great yarn pott and the lesser posnit : and after my wives deceas doe give unto the sayd Nathaniel Twentye pounds to be payed ont halfe in marchantable Corne halfe barley and the other halfe in wheat and Indian in equal proportions out of my living within two year after my wives decease : also I doe give unto Nathaniel the best Chest and my Bible, and one pewter platter after my wives deceas and I doe give unto the sayd Nathaniel six bosbels of Aples a year for 7 years.
Next I doe give unto my daughter Elizabeth tbre Cowes one called spark with her calf e : the other is wbitifaced. the third is called Col : also I doe give her the two yearling bayfers.
Also I doe give unto Elizabeth abovesaid fiveten pounds out of my living to be payed withing two yeares after my decease the one halfe in marchantable Corne wheat barley and Indian in equal propertions the other halfe in Cattel under eight year old.
Next I doe give unto my Son Peter Cheney as an Adicion to what he hath had : Ten Pounds which be hath alredy in band : and five pound mor within 3 year after my wifes decease out of my living. Also I doe give unto the sayd Peter six hoshels of Aples out of the \ Orcbyard yearly : for seven years after my decease.
Next I doe give unto Joseph Plumer five poundes : to be payed out of my living within two years after my wifes deceas.
Also I doe give unto John Kenrick a Bill of four poundes which he owethe me. and I doe give him A Cow which he hath alredy in hand,
Also I do give unto Richard Smith five poundes to be payed within two years after my wifes decease by my execute.
Also I doe give unto William Lowes three daughters namly Rebeca: Mary: and Priscilla: forty shillings a piece: to be payed unto them : and either of them as they Come to the age of eighteen yeares :by my execute.
And as Concarning my Grandchild Abiel Sadler, his father de- , ceasing, befor he was borne I was by : the bonnord Hampton Coarte. Intrusted to take Care of him as Gardian And the Honnored Coart Ordered him to have Ten poundes out of his ffathers esstatt: at the adge of one and twentye for p formance whearof I stand engaged : And I doe also ad unto the same five poundes to be payed: the whol fioten pound unto the sayd Abiel at the adge of one and twentie by my Executor. Also I doe give unto the sayde Abiel Sadler My lastes and Toles belonging to my Trade, thear is also a great bosed bible and a pewter bason apertayning to him of bis fathers which I enioyne my Executor to deliver to him when be cometh to adge.
Lastly I doe give unto my Grandchild Hanna Burkebe. thre poundes to be payed when she cometh to eighten years of age by my Executor.
And I doe Ordayne and appoynt my Son Daniel Cheney to be my Soall and Alone Executor to this my last will and Testament in witnes whearof I have set to my band and Scale : The 5th day of the 4th Month: 1666---
Sighned and Sealed
John Cheney sonio (Seal)
in the presence of
us under written
Richard Dole
William Hslie

This will was prod by the oaths of Richard Dole and William Rsly to be the last will and testament of John Cheney that they saw him signe seale and publish it to be his last will and testament in there presence. In court held at Ipswich 25 of September 1666 as attest
Robert Ford cleric.
It is very important to notice that this will was written as well as signed by the testator.

THE INVENTORY.
The invitory of the goods and Cattell of John Cheny senior of neubury ; now deceased August 22 1666.
ItemOne house, barne and twelve agres of plowground 40 Acres of marsh and medow with the orchard with 20 acres of pasture £350 00 00
Itm3 parcels of land more containg 3 acres of upland & marsh40 00 00 Itm17 neat Catell60 00 00 Itmone mare & colt 10 00 00
Itm8 swine05 00 00
Itm12 acres of come upon the land & at the barne12 00 00
Itmthe wearinge clothes12 00 00
Itmone bed Sc. bolster & bilo w & budsted and Rngg & a payr of sheets Sc. Curtains as it stand in the parlor10 00 00 Itmone trundlebed Si bedsted & Rugg02 00 00 Itmone Chist Si box01 00 00 Itmone Table in the pariore00 12 00 Itmone Chaier00 04 00 Itma parcell of yarne01 10 00
Itmparcell of Books01 00 00 Itm3 payer of sheets 03 00 00
Itm3 Cotton Blankets01 10 00 Itm5 pilow cases01 10 00 Itm3 napkins & 3 table Cloths In the little roome01 00 00
Itmone Chist & box00 12 00 Itmsmall cubord & smale table00 08 00 Itm two spining wheles00 08 00 Itmworking tooles 42 lastes00 10 00 Itm9 aule haftes with 13 sole blades00 04 00 Itmtwo payr of pinchers & 8 tackes & one punch 3 knives & two dressers two krissing wedges one hollowing sticke one stoping sticke one cutting knife and paturing one Shoemakers hamer00 0-1 00
Itm in the Chamber one bed & bedsted &_Rugg & pilow and bolster one blankett £04 oo oo ; Itma parcell of Cotton wool00 16 00 Itma parcell of Indian Come in trash01 00 00
Itmin the parlor Chamber one bed & bolster & one pilow & one Rage & one payr of sheetes & one bedsted & one blankett 04 00 00 Itm20 Cheese 01 00 00 Itmone peece of bakon01 00 00 Itmone great Brass* Ketle 01 10 00
Itmone title Brasse Ketle00 08 00 Itmtwo Brasse skilits 00 08 00 Itmone warming pane & a Bras Skimer ....... 00 08 00 Itmone brass Candlesticke 00 02 00 Itm4 puter platers01 00 00 Itmone baster00 03 00 " Itm3 porengers & one pint pot 00 06 00 Itmhalf a dozen spoones00 02 00 Itm2 puter Chamber potts00 06 00 Itmone great Iron pott00 16 00 Itmone leser Iron pott 00 14 00 Itmone Iron dripinge pane 00 04 00
Itmone slate & one friinge pane 00 06 00 Itmone payer of andirons 00 05 00 Itmtwo trameis in the chimny00 08 00 Itmone fire pan & tongs00 03 00 Itmone payer of beloows 00 03 00 Itmone silver spoone 00 05 00, Itmone table & form in ye kitchen 00 04 00 Itmone hoar glass 00 01 00 Itm3 chayers Si two coshins 00 04 00 Itmtrayes & dishes & trenchers00 06 00 Itm4 palles & a churne 00 10 00Itmhogsheads & tubs & barrels01 10 00 Itmone gune & sword & bandiliiers01 10 00 Itmone old musket00 05 00 Itmearthen ware00 04 00 Itmtwo Croscut saws and one handsaw01 00 00 Itmone payer of cards 00 02 00 Itmtwo bags 00 04 00 Itmone vigner botle & 3 wedges & one ax00 10 00 Itmtwo broad hows00 04 00 Itmone Cart & wheeles02 10 00
Itmyoaks & chain & plow & harow £01 00 00 Itmone spade one shovell 00 08 00 Itmone Cart rope & 3 prongs 00 05 00 Itmsithes & sickles 00 06 00 Itmone Iron postell 00 01 00 Itma smoothing Iron & baakett 00 02 00 Itmone sadle & pilion & bridle 01 06 00 Itma parsell of flaxe 00 10 00Itm3 rakes 00 210 00 Itmone hide att the taners 00 10 00 Itmdepts at unsertaine 10 00 00
This Inventory bt in upon oath by the executor in court at Ipswich 25 (7)1666
Robert Ford cleric."

CHILDREN OF JOHN AND MARTHA. CHENEY.
I.MARY b. in England, about 1627, m. Sept. 3, 1645, William Laves of Rowley; Children: (i) Rebecca. Lawes, b. June i, 1655 ; (2) Mary Lawes, b. Oct. 15, 1657 ; and (3) Priscilla Lawes, b. Nor. 9, 1662; whom their grandfather remembered in his will. William Lawes was buried March 30, 1668.
II.MARTHA,1 b. in England about 1629 ; m. ist, Anthony Sadler; Child: Abiel Sadler, b. Nor. 2, 1650. The father died a. little before the birth of the boy. Mr. Cheney was appointed guardian of the child Oct. 5, 1652, and remembered him in his win, very particularly. She m. 2nd, Thomas Burkby, of Ipswich; Children : several who died in infancy, and Hannah Burkby, b. in March, 1655, mentioned in her grandfather's will. Martha, (Cheney) Burkby was buried Jan. 24, 1658. •
III.JOHN,* b. in England, about 1631.
IV.DANIEL,1 b. in England, about 1633.
V. SARAH,* b, in Roxbury, Mass, February, 1635-6; m. Dec. 23, 1652, Joseph Plumer, of Newbury ; Children: (i) Joseph Plumer, b. Sept, 1654; (2) Benjamin Plumer, b. Oct. 23, 1656; (3) Sarah Plumer, b. May 13, 1660; (4) Francis Plumer, b. April 23, 1662; (5) Nathaniel Plumer, b. Jan. 31, 1665; (6) Jonathan Plumer, b. May 23, 1668.
VI.PETER,* b. Newbury, 1638. i
VII.LYDIA, b. Newbury, 1640; m. Nov. 12, 1657, John Kenrick, of Ipswich.
VIII.HANNAH, b. Nov. 16, 1642 ; m. Nov. 16, 1659, Richard Smith, Jr, of Ipswich. Children : Richard Smith, Daniel Smith, Martha Smith, Nathaniel Smith, John Smith, Hannah Smith, Dorothy Smith, Elizabeth Smith, Joseph Smith. Richard Smith, the father, d. Sept 24, 1714, aged 82; Hannah d. May 9, 1722.
IX.NATHANIEL,* b. in Newbury, Jan. 12, 1644; he does not appear to have married. Before his death, which occurred April 4, 1684, he made a will, in which he bequeathed one third of his estate (including what was yet to fall to him from his father's estate). He gave it to his brother Peter and his sisters, Lydia Kenrick and Elizabeth Cross ; but devised a few things to others. His great Bible, after the death of his mother, was to go to his sister Elizabeth, or, in the event of her death, to her son Daniel Smith; his “skillet" to Sarah, eldest daughter of his brother Daniel, or to "his cousin," her sister Hannah; he requested his friends and brothers in the Lord, George Little and Cutting Noyes, to act as executors. In his inventory we note " a parcel of meadow at haverhall " appraised at £25, which shows how he had been looking westward. The records of Siffield in the Connecticut valley show that he had travelled much further, for he had lands assigned him there Dec. i, 1680. He deeded this to his nephew John, son of Peter, April i, 1684, just before making his will. His name occurs in the list of the members of the First Baptist chorea of Newbury, in 1681. George Little, one of those he asked to attend to his estate, was a "brother" in that particular church.
X.ELIZABETH,* b. in Newbury Jan. 12, 1647; m. Stephen Cross, of Ipswich. After this marriage questions arose respecting property, and John Perkins gave testimony (in 1672) that he was present when the "widow Cheney" and Robert Cross, senior, made a " treaty, when Robert's son Steven was a suitor to Elizabeth, daughter of the widow." Stephen Cross died and his son John, "a minor seventeen years of age," had guardian appointed Jan. 22, 1 704-5.

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Timeline John Cheney

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