John Cheney was born in 1568 in Bennington, County Lincolnshire, England and died 21 March 1623 where he was born. His will was made on 04 May 1621 and proved at Boston, Lincs on 08 April 1624. He married in 1594/1595, at Bennington, Lincs, Elizabeth (–) who was born ca 157x and died 12 June 1614 a Bennington,Lincs. John Cheney was one of the wardens of his parish and apparently a man of fine qualities. John evidently married, on 1614+, as his second wife, Alive (–) who is mentioned in his will. The amount of bequests made in his will would indicate that our John Cheney was a man of some means. The church registers at Bennington, Lincs. reflect the baptisms of all of the children of John and Elizabeth (–) Cheney. Included we see “John Cheney” baptized 30 June 1605 and “John Cheney” baptized 09 Nov. 1609. It is assumed that the first John Cheney died young. We also find “William Cheney” baptized 05 Feb. 1597.

The above information is found on pages 11-12 of “The Cheney Genealogy” by Charles Henry Pope published in 1897. There is no definitive proof that this John Cheney was the father of our immigrant John Cheney who was noted in Roxbury, Ma. in 1635 and subsequently removed to Newbury, Ma. in the summer of 1636. However, there is much circumstantial evidence to support this premise. First of all the chronology fits very well. Of equal importance is that the other known Cheney immigrant, i.e., one William Cheney was of Roxbury, Ma. and was living there when our John Cheney showed up in Roxbury, Ma. Many researchers today have thought that they were related.
References: FH70:10-12.

Our John Cheney, the immigrant, as noted was baptized on 09 Nov. 1609 at Bennington,Lincs and died 28 July 1666 at Newbury, Ma.. He married, on 08 Oct. 1625, probably at Bennington, Lincs., Martha Smithe who was born ca 160x probably at Benningtonm,Lincs. She died in June 1696 at Newbury, Ma.

William Cheney is noted as having been a very early resident of Roxbury, Ma. which was initially settled early in 1630. We are introduced to our John Cheney by that noble man Rev John Elliot, who earned the title of “Apostle to the Indians” who noted “John Cheney, he came into the land, Roxbury, in the yeare 1635; he brought 4 children, Mary, Martha, John, and Daniel; Sarah his 5th child was born in Feb. 1636; he removed from our church to Newbury in the summer of 1636". There are no known records of our John Cheney having any land or a home in Roxbury If this be the case, where was he and his family living in Roxbury in 1635 until the the summer of 1636 at which time he removed to Newbury? The natural assumption is that he was living with his older brother, William, who had come to Roxbury “as a very early resident”. The case for our John Cheney and his probable brother, William, being the sons of the first John and Elizabeth (–) Cheney has merit.

The plantation of Newbury was in its infancy when John and Martha Cheney entered into it. The mode of operations reflected 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 and his family took good rank from the first in that community of intelligent, earnest people. They intermarried with the leading households and they were beloved at large. John Cheney was very industrious to his own affairs. His allotments of land were large. He had a good stand in the “olde town” and on shore and stream elsewhere. He had three acres of meadow at the westerly end of the great swamp behind the great hill. He had six acres of salt marsh and a parcel of marsh with little islands of upland in it coming to a total of about 20 acres. Little River on the northwest, formerly a part of the “calf common” was assigned to him 05 July 1639. Lot No. 50 in the “New Towne” was granted to him on 10 Jan 1643.

We learn from the historian Coffin that John Cheney took great interest in Gov. Winthrop’s campaign for the governorship against Sir Harry Vane. He, with nine others, made the journey of forty miles from Newbury to Cambridge on foot to take the “freeman’s oath” and qualify them- selves to vote in the election that was soon to take place. Gov. Winthrop was elected and the conservative party triumphed. John Cheney was a member of the Grand Jury in1648 and he was elected to the board of selectmen many different years. Mr. Cheney was a member of a the committee to “lay out the way to the neck and through the neck to the marshes on the east side of the Olde Towne”. John Cheney was an active man in his community.

John Cheney, who died 28 July 1666 at Newbury, made his will, in his clear chirography, on 05 July 1666. The interesting thing about this will is the degree of detail that he speaks of, i.e., every last tool, every piece of clothing, each of the different livestock, each piece of furniture, the number of sheets, blanket, pillow cases, each plate, skillet, kettles, etc etc. The inventory plus his many bequests amounted to L557 14 Shillings. The will was proved and attested by Robert Ford , Clerk on 25 Sept. 1666. The will was written and signed by the testator, John Cheney, which indicates that he did have some education.

Martha Smithe Cheney, the wife of our John, is mentioned in his will which indicates that she survived him. One source, Charles Pope’s “Pioneers of Massachusetts” indicates that she died at
Newbury about 1684. Wm. E. Chute’s “Chute Family in America”, pg xxi notes “The records of Newbury says ”Aged Sister Cheney was buryed June,1686,” and is supposed to be the wife of John Cheney”.
References:FH70:17-20,199-209;FH90:xxi; PH7:148; PH43:1535-1536; PH87:1806; PH97:97; PH178:V2:619; PH212:262-264; PH222:V3:3610362; V5:22-23; 2nd Boat:V10-6:15; MD4:V10:79-81.

Peter Cheney, the third son and sixth child of John and Martha Smithe Cheney, was born in Newbury, Ma. about 1639. He married, 14 May 1663, Hannah, daughter of Deacon Nicholas and Mary (Cutting) Noyes, born 30 Oct 1643. Deacon Nicholas was a brother of Rev. William and Anne (Parker) Noyes of Cholderton, Wiltshire, Eng. Anne Parker was the daughter of Rev. Robert Parker who was a very celebrated preacher and author. Anne Parker Noyes’s will, probated 20 April 1658, made bequests to “her sons James and Nicholas in New England”.

On 18 Jun 1663, Peter Cheney bought of John Bishop, (his wife, Rebecca, joining in the deed) “all the mill and mill house lately erected in Newbury on the little river between land of Nicholas Noyes and land lately of William. Gerrish. Included were the stones, wheel, cog, trough, six mill bills, iron bar, the rope that puts up the stone, a shop lately near to above said mill, and the riparian rights. The last item is “ of or relating to the banks of a natural course of water”. The price was “two hundred and fifty pounds sterling”. Here Peter Cheney did good service as a miller for a few years and trained up his sons for the business. On 07 March 1670, Peter Cheney asked the town leaders for an acre of land ,on or about the little hill this side of the mill, for building a wind mill for grinding the corn for the town when the water mill fails. This was granted on “condition that he build a good mill to answer the end proposed for the said service”. Peter took the oath of allegiance in 1678. Peter Cheney, as he found himself nearing the close of his life, conveyed by a deed of gift to his son John, 04 Nov 1693, a considerable amount of his land and possessions. He conveyed a similar deed to his son Peter on 10 Jan 1695. His wife Hannah also signed both of these deeds of coveryances. These deeds were, in effect, a will in that they spoke of all members of his family and to the taking care of same.

Peter Cheney died 10 Jan 1695+. Evidently, the two prior mentioned deeds were considered sufficient to preclude the need for a formal probate. Peter Cheney’s wife, Hannah Noyes Cheney remarried John Atkinson on 03 June 1700; she died at Newbury on 05 Jan 1705.
References: FH70:208,217-221; FH90:xxii; PH7:149; PH43:1536; PH87:1806; PH97:97; PH178: V2:619; PH212: 264; PH222:V7:156-157; MD4:V10:81

Mary Cheney, the fifth child and first daughter of Peter and Hannah Noyes Cheney was born 02 Sept. 1671 at New Bury, Ma. and died in 1759 in Salisbury, Ma. She married, on 20 Jan. 1691, at Bradford, Ma, Francis Worcester who was born 1665+/- at Rowley, Ma, and died 17 Dec. 1717. He was the son of Samuel and Elizabeth Parrat Worcester.
References: FH70:220; PH7:841; FH90:xxii; PH43:1536; PH87:1806; PH178:V2:619; MD4: V10:81.