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John Cheney II was born 30 June 1605 in Bennington, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom to John Cheney (1568-1623) and Elizabeth unknown (bef1595-) and died 19 June 1666 Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States of unspecified causes. He married Martha Parrot (1608-1684) 1625 in England, United Kingdom.

John Cheney was married before he married Martha. It is said he married in 1625 in Scotland to a woman named Amy who appears as the mother on the baptism records of the couples first three children in Mistley Parish, Essex County, England. They were Mary, Martha and John.


John Cheney (1605-1666) - Early New England Immigrant (1636)

Vital Statistics

  • Son of John Cheney (1568-1623) and Elizabeth
  • 1605-Jun-30 : Birth/Baptismal Record - Bennington, Lincolnshire, England
  • 1625 : Estimated year of marriage to Martha Parrot (1608-1684)
  • 1636 : Immigration to Massachusetts Bay Colony
  • 1636 : Visit to Roxbury / Relocation to Newbury
  • 1638-Jun-19 : Land grant at Newbury.
  • 1666-Jul-28 : Died at Newbury, MA

Biography

Visit to Roxbury

The following incident was recorded by John Eliot, the famous Indian Apostle and minister of Roxbury regarding the John Cheney family: "he came into the land in the years 1636. He brought 4 children Mary, Martha, John, Daniel. Sarah his 5th child was borne in the last month of the same year 1636 called February. He removed from our church to Newbury the end of the nect suer 1636 Martha Chany the wife of John Cheny."

Residence at Newbury

John Cheney is listed on the Newbury Founders Monument. Newbury was a well regulated township that strictly followed the Puritan way of life. 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.


John Cheney had a large allotment of land at Newbury that allowed his family to prosper. He had a good stand in the old town. He had three acres granted, June 19, 1638, at the westerly end of th egreat swamp behind the great hill and six acres of salt marsh, then a parcel of marsh with little island of upland on it, about twenty acres, little river of the northwest, formerly a part of the calf-common, assigned to him July 5, 1639. Lot No. 50 in the new town on Field street was granted him on January 10, 1643.


Civic Affairs in Newbury

John Cheney was a member of the grand jury, selectman often, 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 town (1654).

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 latter’s term drew near. He was one of ten men of Newbury who took such interest in the campaign of Governor Winthrop against Sir Harry Vane (1637) that they made a journey of forty miles to Cambridge to take the freeman's oath, admitted on May 17, 1637 and thus qualified to participate in the election.


Will of John Cheney

THE WILL OF JOHN CHENEY, SENIOR of Newbury in the Countye 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 and followeth ffirst I doe give unto my now dwelling house and Barne with al the Corne land patur and meddowes with al the profits and priveleges thear to belonging: it lying and being in the old Towne of Newbury. Also I doe give the said Daniel my Carte and plough and harrow with all the rest of my husbandry tooles: save what I dispose of otherwise. Next; I doe give unto Martha libertie of dwelling in the house her life time and I doe enjoyne my son DANIEL afore sayd 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 : Idoe give unto the sayd Martha Ten pounds by the year to be paied out of my living in good marchantable Wheat barley and Indian in equel propertions or in 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 unto the sayd 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 2 acker lott sometimes Anthony Shorts lying in the south field in Newbery old towne and a lott of salt marsh 3 ackers mor or less lying on the neck on the South side of Newbury River.also I do give the sayd John a tract of land 24 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 lether suit twoshirts two paiers of stokins and my hoes and my best Hatt. also my machlock musket: and the shortest Croscutt sawe also I doe give him one three year old haifer caled brendle: onelyI 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 marchantable 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 I C: and one white bed Rugg. Also I doe give unto the sayd John: six boshels 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 chaine also I doe give unto him Two Cowes with thier Calves the one Caled old Line: the other Called Pie and the one thre year old hayfer with the Calfe and a yearling Colte slso I doe give unto the sayd Nathaniel one yearling hayfer caled Kurle also I doe give unto him his Armes compleat. and one broad howe and one Axe and his Sithe 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 I doe give unto the sayd Nathaniel Twentye pounds to be payed one halfe in marchantable Corne halfe barley and the other halfe in wheat and Indian in equel propertions 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 sayd Nathaniel six boshels of Aples a year for 7 years. Next I doe give unto my daughter Elizabeth thre Cowes one called spark with her calfe: the other is called whitifaced. 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 equel propertions the other halfe in Cattle under eight year old. Next I doe give unto my Son Peter Cheney as an Adicion to what he bath had: Ten pounds which he 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 boshels of Aples out of the Orchyard yearly: for seven years after my decease. Also 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 Kendrick a Bill of four poundes which he owethe me. and I doe give him a Cow which he hath alredy in hand. Also I doe give unto Richard Smith five poundes to be payed within two years after my wifes decease by my executor. Also I doe give unto William Lawes three daughters namly Rebeca: Mary: and Priscilla: fourty shillings a piece: to be payed unto them: and either of them as they Come to the age of eighteen years: by my executor. And as Concarning my Grandchild Abiel Sadler. his father deceasing. befor he was borne I was by: the honnord Hampton Coarte. Intrusted to take Care of him as Gardian And the Honnered Coart Ordered him to have Ten poundes out of his ffathers esstatt: at the adge of one and twentye for performance whearof I stand engaged: And I doe also ad unto the same five poundes to be payed: the whol fivten pound unto the sayd Abiel at the adge of one and twentie by my Executor. Also I doe give unto sayd 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 his fathers which I enjoyne my Executor to deliver to him when he 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 hand and Seale. The 5th day of the fourth month 1666.


Ancestry

Cheney is derived from the French word chene, meaning oak, and it came into use originally in Normandy or England to signify the residence probably of the progenitor. It is certain that Cheney, Chine, Cheyney or Cheyne, as it was variously spelled, was of the of the earliest surnames used in England.

Sir Nicholas Cheyney acquired the manor of Up-Ottery in Devonshire in the reigh of Henry III (13th century).

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, records of the Cheney family are found in Northampton, Wiltshire, Sussex, Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Hertfordshire, Essex and Devonshire, well diffused throughout England.

The American Cheneys originate from two early Cheney immigrants that both landed in Roxbury, MA (today part of Boston) in the early seventeenth century, William and John Cheney. The Cheney surname appears frequently in Essex County, England and appears to be the origination point of the American Cheney's.

See also: Tudor Place Cheney Ancestry

Family of John and Martha Cheney

The first four children were born in Lincolnshire, England, next two in Roxbury and the remainder in Newbury.

  1. Mary Cheney - born in England about 1627
  2. Martha Cheney - born in England about 1629
  3. John Cheney - born in England about 1631
  4. Daniel Cheney (1633-1694) - born in England
  5. Sarah Cheney (1635-1676) - born in Roxbury, MA (Feb 1636), md Joseph Plummer
  6. Peter Cheney (1638-1694) - b. 1638
  7. Lydia Cheney - b. 1640? - Newbury
  8. Hannah Cheney - b 1642-Nov-16
  9. Nathaniel Cheney - b. 1644-Jan-12 - Newbury
  10. Elizabeth Cheney - b. 1647-Jan-12



Children


Offspring of John Cheney II and Martha Parrot (1608-1684)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Mary Cheney (1627-)
Martha Cheney (1629-)
John Cheney (1631-)
Daniel Cheney (1633-1694) 1633 Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom 10 September 1694 Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States Sarah Bayley (1644-1714)
Sarah Cheney (1635-1676) 6 February 1635 Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts 26 May 1676 Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts Joseph Plummer (1630-1683)
Peter Cheney (1638-1694) 1638 Massachusetts January 1694 Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts Hannah Noyes (1643-1705)
Lydia Cheney (1640-)
Hannah Cheney (1640-)
Nathaniel Cheney (1644-)
Elizabeth Cheney (1647-)



Siblings


Offspring of John Cheney (1568-1623) and Mrs Elizabeth Cheney
Name Birth Death Joined with
William Cheney (1603-1667) 1603 Bennington, Lincolnshire, England 20 June 1666 Roxbury, Norfolk County, Massachusetts Margaret Cole (1604-1686)
John Cheney (1605-1666) 30 June 1605 Bennington, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom 19 June 1666 Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States Martha Parrot (1608-1684)


Famous Descendants

References

  • Cheney Family Ancestry
  • Condensed Genealogy Stowell Family with Allied Families - edited by Charles Henry Stowell
  • John Cheney Biography -
  • The Cheney Genealogy - Online Text Archive by Charles Henry Pope. 1897. (Self-published) Barta Press, Boston
  • Frederick Adams Virkus, ed. 1937. The Compendium of American Genealogy: the Standard Genealogical Encyclopedia of the First Families of America. Vol. VI. Institute of American Genealogy, Chicago (reprinted 1968 by Genealogical Publ. Co., Baltimore, MD; Broderbund CD-200). In Vol. VI, on p. 764, under the heading "Immigrant Ancestors":
  • Cheney Family Ancestry - Family Genealogy Research
  • Cheney Genealogy





Footnotes (including sources)

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