William Cheney (1741 - 1803)

Born 8 Sep 1741 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Sweet) Cheney — married 17 Apr 1763 in Newbury, MA

Descendants

Died Apr 1803 at age 61 in Isle of Grand Manan, New Brunswick, Canada

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Biography

1741 William Cheney was born on 8 September 1741 in Newbury, Massachusetts, USA to Joseph and Elizabeth Cheney (6)^[1]

1759 Reported for duty at Louisberg, Davenport, Co., on June 13, 1759 joining the Infantry to fight in the French War (6).

1763 William and Elisabeth Sweet signed their intention to marry on 19 Mar 1763^[2] . The marriage took place on 14 Apr 1763, in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, USA^[3] (1)

The following three bullets may contain conflated information: at least one William Cheney of Mendon, Mass (married to Joanna Thayer or to Hannah Bowker) fought for the Revolution. This William Cheney was in NB in 1763, so any military records used should refer to the English troops, rather than the Revolutionary force:

• 1777-1778 William promoted to 2nd Lieutenant (4).
• 1779 Promoted from 2nd Lieutenant to Lieutenant and Adjutant (5,6).
• 1800 Residence Bennington, Vermont (3) - this may also be conflated.

Shortly after their marriage, William and Elizabeth (Sweet) Cheney emigrated to New Brunswick and settled on Cheney's Island^[1]. They later moved to Grand Manan Island^[4]. The land petitions noted here are available at the NB archives on microfilm, and may provide interesting genealogical information ^{[5] [6] [7]}. Any land grants that resulted from these petitions may also appear on the cadastral maps^{[8] [9]}

Children included

1. Ebenezer, born 1764, who returned to Massachusetts and married Hannah Eaton of Meredith, NH^[1]
2. William^[1]
3. Samuel, who was lost at sea^[1]
4. Edmund, who married Rebecca Daggett^[1]
5. Elizabeth, who married Mr. Thompson and then married Mr. MacDonald and lived in Maine^[1]
6. Susanna, who married Isaac Newton and then married Nathaniel Bancroft^[1]
7. Mary, who married Levi Richardson^[1]
8. Hannah, who married James Flagg^[1]
9. Sarah, who married John Ingalls^[1]
10. Ruth, who married William Gaston^[1]
11. Barbara, b. 1787, the first white child born on Grand Manan^[4][10], who married John Cole^[1]
12. Moses Cheney b. 16 Jan, 1790, the first male white child born on Grand Manan^[4], who married Jane Burton Frankland^[1]

Moses Cheney Sr died in April 1803^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14} The Cheney Genealogy Compiled by Charles Henry Pope. Published by Charles H. Pope 221 Columbus, Ave, Boston, Massachusetts
2. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHN8-DMV : 5 November 2017), William Cheney and Elisabeth Sweet, 19 Mar 1763; citing Marriage Notice, Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007009725.
3. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHLK-5HM : 5 November 2017), William Cheney and Elisabeth Sweet, 14 Apr 1763; citing Marriage, Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007009725.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} New Brunswick Genealogical Society suggests the following references: Grand Manan Museum: Manuscripts, Genealogies: Cheney family, microfilm reel F227
5. ↑ Provincial Archives of New Brunswick Index to Land Petitions: Original Series, 1783-1918 (RS108); Name CHENEY, WILLIAM; Year 1785; County Charlotte; Microfilm F1025
6. ↑ Provincial Archives of New Brunswick Index to Land Petitions: Original Series, 1783-1918 (RS108); Name CHENEY, WILLIAM; Year 1805; County Charlotte; Microfilm F1044; See petition of PAGAN, WILLIAM
7. ↑ Provincial Archives of New Brunswick Index to Land Petitions: Original Series, 1783-1918 (RS108); Name CHENEY, WILLIAM; Year 1805; County Charlotte; Microfilm F1044; See petition of ANDREWS, AARON
8. ↑ Provincial Archives of New Brunswick Place Names of New Brunswick: Where is Home? New Brunswick Communities Past and Present; Grand Manan; Cadastral Maps
9. ↑ Provincial Archives of New Brunswick Place Names of New Brunswick: Where is Home? New Brunswick Communities Past and Present; Cheney Island; Cadastral Maps
10. ↑ [https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/NewspaperVitalStats/Details.aspx?culture=en-CA&guid=B616A054-A081-4E50-8D4D-3AFCC7E61CA1 Provincial Archives of New Brunswick Daniel F Johnson's New Brunswick Newspaper Vital Statistics Volume 66 Number 844; Date March 25 1886; County Charlotte; Place Saint Andrews; Newspaper Bay Pilot, which states In April 1776, William CHENEY took up his residence on Grand Manan with his family. A settlement was attempted by others about the same time, but they incurred the enmity of the Indians and were obliged to seek homes elsewhere. Barbery CHENEY was the first white child born on the Island and Moses CHENEY the second. In 1829 Moses Cheney took up his residence on Nantucket Island and since then his son S.F. CHENEY, the naturalist, now 71 years old, has made Nantucket Island his home

See also:

• "Massachusetts, Compiled Marriages, 1633-1850 (database-on-line), Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc,, 2005.
• Godfrey Memorial Library, comp., "American Genealogical-Biographical Index," (AGBI) database on-line, Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 1999.
• "1800; United States Federal Census Place: Bennington, Bennington; Vermont; Series; M32; Ross: 51; Page: 156; Image: 94; Family History Library Film: 218688. Ancestry.com, 2010.
• "Revolutionary War Rolls 1775-1783: (National Archives Microfilm Publication M246, 138 rolls); War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records, Record Group 93; National Archives, Washington, D.C. (Promotion in rank)