William Cheney

Other Events and Attributes:

• Land/House: 1640, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; In the oldest record book of Roxbury, following an entry in 1640 is a list of inhabitants, with Wm Cheney listed as having 24½ acres.
• History: 1645; William was one of the subscribers and one of only a few who guaranteed the yearly payment for a public school
• Offices Held: 21 Feb 1648, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; He was on the Board of Assessors.
• Offices Held: 1654/55, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; He was appointed a Constable.
• Offices Held: 19 Jan 1656/57, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; He was elected a Selectman.
• Offices Held: 1663; He was chosen for the public school board of directors even though he could neither read nor write.
• Religion: 05 Mar 1664/65, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; William was admitted to full communion in the Roxbury Church.
• Freeman: 23 May 1666, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
• Will: 30 Apr 1667, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; Being sick in body, & of perfect understanding & memory according to my measure, I make this my last will & testament. My will is, that my deare & afflicted wife, Margaret Cheiney, be carfully & sufficiently provided for during the time of her life, & to that end my will is, that she have all the rents & proffitts yearely, & every years, during the afresayd tearms, of all my houses, lands, & orchards, that I die possessed of, wither in Roxbury, Boston, or els where, except such part of my lands or estate which I shall here after in this my will dispose of to my children or otherwise, which estate bequeathed by me unto my sayad wife, it is my will, that she enter upon & be possessed of immediately after my decease (to witt) the present cropp upon all the land & the use of all my household stuffe & goods, my debtts & funerall expenses being in the first place with all convenient speed fully discharged; & for my wifes more comfortable being, my desire is, that one of my executors may live in my house in Roxbury, with her, to injoy the housing & lands by the yeare which I have as is aforesayd given unto my wife, upon such equall termes as my other executor & overseers shall agree with him for, but in case both my executors see cause to refuse to accept of this motion in answer to my desire herein, then my will is, that it be let outt by my executors & overseers to the best advantage for my wife comfortable maintenance. When all my debts & Legacies are discharged out of my stock & husbandry utensills, as cartts, plows & such like, what remaines of my stock afterwards, my will is, it be let out or disposed of for my wifes use by my executors, with the advice of my overseers; And my will is, that all my moveables be for my wifes use during her life, except what is before disposed. And in case what is above expressed be not sufficient for the comfortable maintenance of my wife, then my will is, that the house at Boston be sold & improved for her further & better supply. I bequeath unto my sonne, John Cheiney, all that land both Aeirable & pasture lying on the east side of the great lotts, being with in the great lotts, being twenty accres, more or lesse, being nowe in the possession of the sayd John. Allso, I give to my sayd sonne, a percell of meadow in the fresh meades being two accres, be the same more or lesse, as it lyeth on the south of a ditch made to dreine the sayd meadow. Also I give unto him one accre of salt marsh, be it more or lesse, as it lyeth bounded with a Breeke next the marsh of John Bowles, formerly Isaack Heaths. Also I give unto him eitht accres of land, mor or lesse, lying neare the house of William Hopkinns, All & every of these percells of lands my will is, that my sayd sonne John, be possessed of immediately after my decease. I give to my sonne, William Cheiney, all my land lying in Medfield, lately in the possession of my sayd sonne, upon this condition or promise, that he & his wife, Deborah, be reconsiled & live together in Meedfield or ells where to the satisfaction of John Wiswall, of Boston, & Deacon Parke of Roxbury, but not in Providence or that Jurisdiction; provided allso, that what either my selfe or Deacon William Parke have allready payd, or doe stand ingaged for unto the Court in his behalfe, be first repayd & fully discharged by him, his heirs, or assignes; but otherwise, if my sayd sonne neglect or refuse to accept it with these provisoes, then my will is, that twenty pounds be payd to John Wiswall of Boston, out of my estate. To sonne, Joseph Cheiney, £60 (to witt) my land lying in the third devission, being thirty seaven accres, more or lesse, & twenty pounds to be payd to my sayd sonne, Joseph, out of my stock. My will is, that my three daughters (to witt) Ellin, Margret & mehitobell, have each of them £10 payd to them out of my stock. After my wifes decease, my will is, first that all my houses & lands in Roxbury undisposed of before by this will, I doe give unto two sonnes of my eldest sonne, Thomas Cheiney (to witt) his sonne, Thomas, & his sonne, William to be improved for their beniffitt by ther father untill they are 21 years old, then to be injoyed by them. What remaines of my estate after my wifes decease wither in stock or otherwise, in housing or lands (in any other towne) or estate in any kind undisposed of by this my will, My will is, that one halfe of it be given to my sonne, Joseph Cheiney, & for the other halfe thereof, my will is, that it be Devided into four equall parts, & so dispose of it to my sonne, John Cheiney, & to my three aforesayd daughters, to each of them an equall portion thereof. I make my two sonnes, Thomas Cheiney & Thomas Hasting, the executors of this my will, requesting my friends Mr. John Eliot, Deacon William Parke, & Edward Denison to be overseers. Aprill the last, sixty seaven. Witnesse, William X Cheiney John Newell, Samuell Scarborow [Suffolk Probate #458, proved July 30, 1667]
• Inventory: 10 Jul 1667, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; William's estate was inventoried and valued at £886 11/4.
• Probate/Proved: 30 Jul 1667, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts

Notes:

Name:


Religion:
The date was recorded as 5th 1m 1664/5

Buried:
His burial date was recorded as "1667. Moneth 5 day 2."

William married Margaret Cule about 1626 in England. Margaret was born before 1612 in England; died on 2 Jul 1686 in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; was buried on 3 Jul 1686 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 20 Mar 1643, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; Captain Humphrey Johnson, the son of Captian John and Mary (Heath) Johnson. He was christened on 5 November 1620 in St. John the Baptist Church, Great Amwell, Hertfordshire, England. They moved about 1651 to Scituate, Massachusetts. He fought in Capt. Isaac Johnson's Company during King Philip's War. After Ellen's death, on 6 December 1678 in Roxbury, Massachusetts, Humphrey married (2) Abigail Stansfull. He died on Friday 24 July 1693 in Hingham, Massachusetts. Issue: 1. Mehitabel Johnson (1644-1689) 2. Martha Johnson (1647-____) 3. Deborah Johnson (1649-____) 4. John Johnson (1653-1674) 5. Joseph Johnson (1655-____) 6. Benjamin Johnson (1657-1707) 7. Margaret Johnson (1659-1739) 8. Deborah Johnson (1661-1669) 9. Mary Johnson (1663-____) 10. Joseph Johnson (____-1676) 11. Nathaniel Johnson (1666-____) 12. Isaac Johnson (1668-1738)
• Will: 30 Apr 1667, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; She is mentioned in her father's will.

Notes:

Name:


Died:
She died in the night.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: Apr 1651, Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; Deacon Thomas Hastings, the son of Henry Hastings. He was born about 1605 in England. Thomas, married (1) Susanna ______, in England. He and Susanna emigrated on 10 April 1634 from Ipswich, England, on board the Elizabeth, William Andrews, Master. He became a freeman on 6 May 1635 in Watertown, Massachusetts. He was elected in 1639 in Watertown, Massachusetts a Selectman. He served again many times until 1680. He served between 1670 and 1671 in Watertown, Massachusetts as the Town Clerk. He was elected in 1673 as a Representative to the Massachusetts General Court for Watertown. He left a will on 12 March 1682/83 in Watertown, Massachusetts. He died in 1685 in Watertown, Massachusetts. Thomas' will was proved on 7 September 1685 in Watertown, Massachusetts. Thomas' estate was inventoried on 9 September 1685 in Watertown, Massachusetts and valued at £421. Issue: 1. Thomas Hastings (1652-1712) 2. John Hastings (1654-1718) 3. William Hastings (1655-1669) 4. Joseph Hastings (1657-1695) 5. Benjamin Hastings (1659-1711) 6. Nathaniel Hastings (1661-1694) 7. Hephzibah Hastings (1664-____) 8. Samuel Hastings (1666-1723)
• Will: 30 Apr 1667, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; She is mentioned in her father's will.
• Will: 15 May 1686, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; She is mentioned in her mother's will.

Notes:

Name:

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 11 Jan 1655, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; Jane Atkinson. She was born before 1640. As a widow she lived in Cambridge with her children. She signed a business statement 13 July 1724, but was referred in the probate papers of her son Benjamin as dead 29 July 1724. Issue: 1. Margaret Cheney (1656-____) 2. Thomas Cheney (1656-____) 3. Mehitabel Cheney (1656-____) 4. John Cheney (1656-____) 5. William Cheney (1656-____) 6. Mary Cheney (1656-____) 7. Jane Cheney (1656-____) 8. Joseph Cheney (1656-____) 9. Hannah Cheney (1656-____) 10. Benjamin Cheney (1656-____) 11. Ebenezer Cheney (1656-____)
• Offices Held: 29 Jan 1654/55, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; He was appointed a member of a committee to inspect the bounds between Roxbury and Dorchester.
• Offices Held: 1659, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; He was appointed a Constable.
• Land/House: 26 Apr 1659, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; He purchased a house and land in Cambridge from Richard and Ann Dana. He purchase another lot 20 December 1665, and a third 16 February 1665/66.
• Offices Held: 1662, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; He was appointed the Surveyor of Highways.
• Freeman: 23 May 1666, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
• Moved to: 1667, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; He removed to Roxbury to take care of his sick mother after his father's death where he remained.
• Will: 23 Oct 1693, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; He mentions his wife, Jane, and his children: Benjamin, Joseph, Thomas, William, Jane, and Hannah.
• Inventory: 04 Mar 1694/95, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; Thomas' estate was inventoried and valued at £1064.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Moved To: 1662, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
• Will: 30 Apr 1667, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; He is mentioned in his father's will.
• History: 1676; He first lived in Medfield, Mass. then removed to Dorchester, Mass. in 1676 It appears that William had both a wife and a mistress. He had obviously left his wife and was living with Sarah Daniels for a time. In his father's will of 1677 appear the following words: "I bequeath unto my sonn William Cheiney all that lying & being in medfield, latly in the possession of my said son upon this condition or proviso that hee & his wife Deborah bee Reconsiled & live together in Meadfeild or Elsewhere, to the sattisfaction of John Wisewell of Boston & Deacon Williams of Roxbury." By 1670, they were together again if the births of children are an indicator. In his will, he mentions his wife and brother Joseph. He also gives Lydia Winsor ten shillings "for going of errands for me in my late imprisonment."
• Will: 15 May 1686, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; He is mentioned in his mother's will.

Notes:

Died:
He died by being hung. He was found guilty of rape of a young servant girl living under his roof, however his wife, Deborah, called the victim, Experience Holbrook, the daughter of Capt. Joseph and Elizabeth Holbrook, a "lying wench."

William married Deborah Wiswel in say 1657 in Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Deborah was christened on 30 May 1641 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; died on 26 Feb 1717/18 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Sarah Daniels in N (They were not married). Sarah (daughter of Robert Daniels and Elizabeth Morse) was born in 1638 in Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Education: say 1657, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; John entered Harvard College, but we know nothing other then his entrance.
• Will: 30 Apr 1667, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; He is mentioned in his father's will.
• Estate Admin: 29 Jan 1671/72; The estate of John Cheney was administered by Humphrey Johnson of Hingham.
• Will: 15 May 1686, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; He is mentioned in his mother's will.

Notes:

Died:
He drowned in a river, probably the Charles. The following record tells the sad story: "Found dead in our river; it was apprehended by ye Jury that he slipd in accidentally as he was catching of Eales."

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: say 1662; Thomas Wight, the son of Thomas and Alice Wight. He was born in Isle of Wight, England. He was accepted as a townsman in Medfield in 1658. He died in 1690 in Medfield, Massachusetts. Issue: 1. Mehitabel Wight (1663-____) 2. Thomas Wight (1665-____) 3. Marie Wight (1667-1705) 4. Eleazer Wight (1669-1747) 5. Joshua Wight (1681-1762)
• Will: 30 Apr 1667, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; She is mentioned in her father's will.
• History: 1676; Their home was burnt by the Indians.

Notes:

Christened:
Her baptism was recorded as 4 (4) 1643.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Will: 30 Apr 1667, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; He is mentioned in his father's will.
• Married: 12 Mar 1668, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts; (1) Hannah Thurstune, the daughter of John and Margaret Thurstune. She was born on 28 April 1650 and was christened on 5 May 1650 both in Dedham, Massachusetts. She died on Friday 29 December 1690 in Medfield, Massachusetts. Issue: 1. Hannah Cheney (1669-____) 2. Margaret Cheney (1670-____) 3. Prudence Cheney (1672-1686) 4. Joseph Cheney (1674-____) 5. Susannah Cheney (1677-1690) 6. Mehitabel Cheney (1680-____) 7. Mary Cheney (1683-____) 8. Josiah Cheney (1685-1754) 9. Prudence Cheney (1687-____) 10. Meltiah Cheney (1690-1780)
• Will: 15 May 1686, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; He is mentioned in his mother's will.
• Married: 21 Jul 1691, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts; (2) Mehitabel Plimpton, the daughter of John and Jane (Damon) Plimpton. She was born in 1655 in Medfield, Massachusetts. In 1676 Mehitabel, married (1) Ephraim Hinsdale, son of Robert Hinsdale, in Medfield, Massachusetts. After the death of Joseph, on 12 December 1717 Mehitabel, married (2) Captain Jonathan Adams, at age 62, son of Ensign Edward and Lydia (Rockwood) Adams, in Medway, Massachusetts. She died in 1725 in Medfield, Massachusetts. Issue: 1. Hannah Cheney (1692-1694) 2. Joseph Cheney (1694-1718) 3. Ephraim Cheney (1696-____) 4. Hannah Cheney (1699-____)
• Religion: 26 Sep 1697, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts; Joseph and Mehitabel were "received into full communion" in the Medfield Church.
• Will: 15 Sep 1704, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts; He mentions his wife, Mehitabel, and his children: Margaret, Mehitabel, Joseph, Ephraim, and Josiah.
• Inventory: 02 Jan 1704/5, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts; Joseph's estate was inventoried and valued at £239 11/6.

Notes:

Birth:
The page registering her birth was torn. She was born on the 24th, but the month is unknown.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Land/House: say 1690; Benjamin had a share in the town of Ashburnham in the right of a younger brother who died in the campaign of 1690, but he never occupied it.
• Married: 22 Feb 1699, Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; Martha Royal, the daughter of William and Mary Royal. She was born on 6 September 1679 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. On 17 January 1758, Martha, then a widow, sold the family homestead to her son, Jacob. She died on Friday 21 August 1767 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Mas, at age 87 years, 11 months and 15 days. Issue: 1. John Cheney (1700-____) 2. Benjamin Cheney (1703-____) 3. Deborah Cheney (1704-____) 4. Benjamin Cheney (1706-____) 5. Jacob Cheney (1709-____) 6. Mary Cheney (1712-____) 7. Samuel Cheney (1716-____) 8. Jacob Cheney (1719-____)
• Occupation: say 1700; He was a cordwainer.

Notes:

Buried:
Here Lyes
y^e Body of
Benjamin Cheney
who died
Decr y^e
17th 1737
in y^e 61^st year of his age

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: 1695; Both William and Margaret were members of the church in Mendon. He was taxed to support the minister in Mendon, October 1695.
• Land/House: 1705; William received grants of land in 1705/06 and 1706.
• History: 25 Nov 1741; He signed a petition of the residents that lived east of the Mill River, to form a new town, which in 1780 was incorporated as Milford.
• History: 1750; Pope (1897) says of him, "He was a man of excellent character and much esteemed by all who knew him. In 1750 a member of the Milford church was disciplined for intoxication and for 'casting vile reflections' at Mr. Cheney; and the pastor took occasion to record his opinion of Mr. Cheney as an "honourable and aged' man."

William married Margaret in say 1694 in Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Margaret died on 1 Apr 1740 in Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: say 1715; _____ White.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 28 Apr 1720, Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts; John White, the son of Thomas and Mehitable White. He was born on 12 March 1698 in Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: say 1724; He was a joiner and farmer.
• Religion: 1741; He was dismissed from the church in Mendon to help form the church in Milford in 1741.
• History: 25 Nov 1741; He signed a petition of the residents that lived east of the Mill River, to form a new town, which in 1780 was incorporated as Milford.
• Offices Held: 1742 to 1747; He was the clerk of the precinct of Milford from its inception until 1747.
• Religion: say 1742; According to Ballou (1882) , he and his wife "were original members of the Cong. ch.; though the fr[William] fell under serious censure toward the end of his days, on account of intemperate habits. He was a man of ability, a good penman for those times."

William married Joanna Thayer on 20 May 1726 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Joanna (daughter of Nathaniel Thayer and Sarah Wales) was born on 18 Aug 1706 in Braintree, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: say 1726; Hannah Bigelow, the daughter of Joshua and Hannah (Fisk) Bigelow. She was born on 6 March 1703/4 in Weston, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. She was admitted to the church in 1725 in Weston, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. After Ebenezer's death, in 1742 Hannah, married Ichabod Thayer, son of Isaac Thayer and Mary _____. She died in March 1791 in Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Issue: 1. John Cheney (1737-____) 2. Silence Cheney (1740-____)
• Inventory: 21 Jul 1740, Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts; His estate was valued at £400.
• History: 1897; Pope (1897) says of him, "[He was] energetic, capable and prosperous."