General Notes

THE

CHENEY GENEALOGY

compiled by:

CHARLES HENRY POPE,

MEMBER OF THE N. E. HISTORIC-GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY, COMPILER

OF THE DORCHESTER POPE FAMILY, THE RECORDS OF

THE FIRST CHURCH, DORCHESTER, ETC.

BOSTON, MASS.

PUBLISHED BY CHARLES H. POPE,

221 COLUMBUS AVE.,

1897.

Typography and Presswork

by

The Barta Press, Boston.

SOME ENGLISH FAMILIES

OF CHENEY OR SIMILAR NAMES,

BEFORE OR NEAR THE TIME OF THE SETTLEMENT OF

NEW ENGLAND.

The word Chˆne in French means an oak. A great many family names came from some peculiarity of the residence of the family. So, it seems to the writer probable that when a man lived near some conspicuous oak tree or in a grove of oaks (chenies), he was called William de Chˆne, i.e. William of the Oak. As this class of tree was common the name might be given to many unrelated persons. The manor of U--Ottery, 5 miles easterly from Honiton is said by Devonshire historians to have been given by William the Conqueror to

. by Devonshire historians to have been given by William the Conqueror to Ralph de Pomeroy, then passed to the proprietorship of the church of Rouen, "from which it passed to Sir Nicholas Cheyney in the reign of Henry III," (1207-1272.) The probate records of the diocese of Wells show no early wills of Cheyneys, but give two which may pertain to descendants of the family who altered the spelling of the name. 1. William Chinn of Otherie, June 15, 1584. Children: Richard, Isabel, Joane and Marye; wife Joane; brethren, Thomas and Richard. 2. William Chine of Otherie, May 14, 1631. Bequests to William Chine the elder, Thomas Chine the elder, Thomas Chine of Coombe; daughter, Marie; Elizabeth the daughter of John Water. Refers to some money in the hand of William Chine of muirluiche. Bequests to William Tyler my daughter's child, to son William Chine whom he appoints executor. A later will shows that there were some in the vicinity who kept the ancient form of the name. (3) Robert Cheyney of Yeovil; son John Cheyney; Richard and Elizabeth, children of his son Robert Cheyney. Pinhoe, a suburb of Exeter, was the home of William Cheney and family for a few years in the opening of the seventeenth century, but investigation shows that he received the lease of the manor through his wife, whose family were its owners, and his former residence and later home alike evaded our search.

3. Joan Cheyney, wife of John Cheyney of Thorley was buried Jan. 9, 1625.

4. William Cheyney of Broadhembury died, and Thomas Cheyney, vietor, was appointed administrator of his estate Jan. 10, 1633.

LONDON.

1. The will of Thomas Cheyner, mercer, To be buried in the church of St. Laurence, Jewry. Bequests for funeral expenses, to the church of St. L. and to the scholars of Balyol hall, Oxford. All his rents and tenements in the city of London to be sold for the payment of debts and legacies. Bequests to each anchorite in the city; to the ministers of hospitals and prisons; to the fabric of London Bridge; for the repair of roads around the city; to the convents of Clerkenwell, Haliwell, St. Elena, Stradford, Kilbourn, Chestehunte and Derteford; to his sister Johanne and others. Dated at London, the morrow of the nativity of John the Baptist, [24 June] A. D. 1361.

2. Henry Cheyner the father of Johanne, relict of Edmund Hemenhall, and Alice his wife, made his will Aug. 18, 1361.

3. William Cheyne, "recorder of London," is alluded to in connection with several wills in 1379 and other years.

4. Thomas Cheyney of St. Martin, Ludgate, London, haberdasher, had a marriage license from the bishop Dec. 30, 1615.

5. William Cheyney of London, pleb. was matriculated at St. John's College, Oxford June 22, 1610, aged 16; received degree of B. A. Jan. 31, 1610-11.

6. John Cheyney of St. Mary's, Islington, married Elizabeth Marshall May 20, 1625; he was buried Aug. 22 following; the widow administered on his estate the same day. 7. Richard Cheyney mar. Joan Halsey in that parish Dec. 19, 1634. 8. At St. Botolph's Bishopsgate, London, Thomas Cheney was christened Aug. 24, 1562; Margrett Cheney was buried Jan. 7, 1577; "John Cheney gent. of Dunstan in the East, and Susan Hatton, spinster, of this parish," were married June 19, 1655.

ESSEX. The colony which originally settled Roxbury, in New England, contained a large number of persons from Essex county, England, particularly from Nazeing, which had been the seat of a Puritan congregation. Rev. John Eliot, second pastor of the Roxbury church and afterward the "Apostle to the Indians" was born at Widford, in Hertfordshire,

a few miles north of Nazeing. The region is an interesting one for American genealogists.

At Waltham Abbey, Robert Cheney, [so signed] yeoman, made his will Oct. 1, 1567: wife Johan, sons John, Raufe, William and Robert; he devised lands, houses, rents, leases, &c. in Waltham, and "in Harfordsheare beyonde Smalynge bridge" to Daughter Agnes. A license to marry was issued to "William Cheyney of Waltham Holy Cross, Essex, yeoman, and Margaret Lloyde, widow, of the same," Feb. 1, 1580/1; and they were mar. in the church four days later, his name being spelled "Chenye" by the clerk. Other records there are the following: "Elizabath Chayny dau. of Rape Chayny was baptised March 29, 1584." "Willm Chenye son to John Chenne was baptised 21 Feb. 1584." "Richarde Chenne was buried 12 Sept. 1584." "Elizabeth Chenye the daughter of John Chenye was baptised 11 February, 1587." The parish of St. Peter's, Colchester, was the home of "Isaac Cheineye" or "Cheyney;" in his will which was probated June 27, 1634, he mentions his daughters, Jane Martin, widow, Priscilla George, Katharine Bloise, Thomasine Browne, and dau.-in-law, Katharen Arnold; grandson Isaac Cheiney, son of John Cheiney; Ann, Mary and Thomas Streaton, children of his daughter Thomasin Browne; grandchildren, Elizabeth Rose and Deborah Prisman; sons-in-law, Robert George and Thomas Bloise, residuary legatees and executors.

HERTFORDSHIRE. In the parish records of Bishop's Stortford.

1. John Chayne noted as a parishioner in the year 1542, was assessed XVIII d. in 1558, was buried April 22, 1564. 2. George Cheany paid a church tax of 4 shillings, 8 pence, in 1558; m. Johanna Gibbs Jan. 30, 1581; she was buried June 30, 1587; he m. Elizabeth Dawset Nov. 2, 1591. 3. "John Cheny thelder" married Margaret Sweting Jan. 22, 1566, was buried Sept. 23, 1587. 4. John Cheny m. Agnes Wright March 10, 1595, was buried Sept. 22, 1604. 5. John Cheny, gent., had dau. Elizabeth baptized Nov. 18, 1632, and dau. Sara baptized Sept. 21, 1634. Widow Cheny was buried May 21, 1655. John Cheyney was buried Aug. 25, 1670. The will of (No. 4) John Cheany of Stortford, Herts. yeoman, was probated Oct. 8, 1604; bequests to wife Agnes, brother George Cheany and George's sons, John, Thomas and William Cheany. George and John Cheany executors.

At Thorley (adjacent) Joan Cheyney ye wife of John Cheyney was buried Jan. 9, 1625.

LINCOLNSHIRE. The probate records contain wills of many persons by the name of Cheney and Cheyney from a remote period. Thomas Cheney of Quadring, 1520; Christopher

Cheyney, Grantham, 1620; John Cheney, Bennington, 1624; Thomas Cheney, Howell, 1633. The latter was entitled "Esquire"; gave to his wife Bridget, daughters, Ann, Elizabeth, and Jane; brother William Chiney; signs "Thomas Cheyney." The will of John of Bennington is worthy of perpetuation. He was one of the wardens of his parish and apparently a man of fine qualities. "In the name of god Amen the Twenty & fowerth day of May 1621 I John Cheney of Bennington in the pts of Holland & county of Lincoln gent. whole in body & of good & pfect remembrance praise be given to almighty god doe ordeine & make this my last will and testament in manner & forme following hereby revoking all other wills by me formerly made -- ffirst I commit my soule into the hands of almighty god trusting most assuredly that by the death of Jesus Christ my Saviour & redeemer my sinnes are forgiven me & my body to be buryed within the quire of Bennington aforesayd nigh unto my wife (???) & for my mortuary as the Lawes of this Realm doe requier Itm I doe give to Lincoln mynster XII6 Itm I doe give to the pore of Bennington one quarter of barly to be distributed amongst the needyest at the feiste of the Nativity of Our Saviour Christ next after my decease Itm I doe give to William Cheney my sonne a double Soveraigne Itm I doe give to John Cheny the elder my sonne fowere pounds Itm I doe give to Thomas Cheney my sonne Thertye poundes Itm I doe give to John Cheny the younger my sonne ffortye poundes Itm I doe give to ffrances Cheney my daughter if she be then living ffive poundes Itm I doe give to Anne Cheney my daughter twenty poundes Itm I doe give to Elisabeth Cheney my dawghter fforty poundes [Then follow other bequests.] The residue of all my goodes & Chattles not given or bequeathed my debts & Legacyes discharged I give them wholly to Alysce my wife whom I doe ordeine & make the sole executrix of this my last will & testament [Signed] John Cheyney." Proved at Boston April 80 1624. The church registers at Bennington give the baptism of children of John and Elizabeth Cheney as follows: Frances, Dec. 20, 1596; William, Feb. 5, 1597; Jane, Feb. 28, 1600; John, June 30, 1605; Edward, July 20 1606; Thomas, July 25, 1607; Agnes, Oct. 16, 1608; John, Nov. 9, 1609; Richard, Sept. 29, 1611; Elizabeth, June 2, 1614. Edward was buried Dec. 8, 1613; the wife Elizabeth was buried June 12, 1614; and the husband and father was buried March 21, 1623. At Leverton, an adjacent parish, Thomas Peeps married Isabel Chenie May 11, 1590. At Freiston another neighboring parish, Walter Cheney was assessed in 1591. In the annals of the town of Boston, near by, the heirs of Christopher Cheyney are stated to have owned land; the date not given. Thomas Cheyney was an alderman of Boston in 1685. John Cheyney was mayor in 1725, and others of the name have borne honors and held large properties there and in Skirbeck. YORKSHIRE. Thomas Cheney, Knight, bought the manor of Thornton, or Thornton Bridge, with lands there and in Norton Milby and Humberton and a third part of the manor of Letby; at Michalmas in the 27th year of Henry VIII [1535.] He settled upon his daughter "Frances Cheyney alias Jesper whom William Cheyney is about to marry," "the manors of Thornegumbolde and Pauleholme, and 12 messuages with lands," &c. in 1547. William and Frances Cheyney sold land in Great Cowdon in Holderness [not dated]. Sir Thomas Cheyney ("armiger") died Feb. 22, 1632, at Paull or Thornegumbald, leaving a widow Priscilla and daughters: Anna, 6 years, 6 mos. old, Elizabeth, 5 years, 6 mos., and Jane, 3 years, 3 mos. A large property, traceable to that in the family almost a century before. The widow is said in Post Mortem proceedings to have gone to Spaulding, Lincoln county. NORFOLK. 1. Robert Chenye of Taysborough, 1572, document not examined. 2. John Cheney of Hempnall, tailor, made his will July 26, 1632; sons, Edmund, John, Robert, Edmund's wife, Prudence, daughter Anna Lord, grandson Huee Cheney, son of Huee [Hughie?], son-in-law Michael Herde. He had leased lands and owned farming implements &c. 3. Edward Cheny, Norwich, 1630; administration granted to widow Margaret. SUFFOLK. 1. Thomas Cheney of Aldeburgh, mariner, made his will March 6, 1626. Wife Anne; Henrie, son of his late brother John; Thomas, son of brother Henrie; if his wife marry again œ100 goes to the towne of Aldeborough with which to provide a sermon on every Good Friday for the improvement of the people. Margaret and Ann, daughters of his brother John. Thomas, Henrie, John and Robert, sons of his brother Henrie. Daughter Marie. Wife executrix, and brother Henrie and friend Thomas Boone supervisors. Probated May 1, 1628. 2. Anne Cheney of Aldeburgh, widow, will Feb. 7, 1628; bequests to her brethren by the name of Wainfleete; to Henry Cheney and to Robert his son. 3. John Cheany of Yarmouth, "caelebs;" administration granted to James Cheany his brother, 1636. BERKSHIRE. Thomas Cheyney, of Berks. gent., matriculated at Brasenose College, Oxford, Jan. 25, 1582, aged 18; M. A. July 8, 1585. 1. Thomas Chaynie of Up-Lambourne, made his will April 29, 1605. Bequests to the church, to the poor &c.; to his brothers Edward, John and William Chaynie, his godson Thomas Chaynie, the children of Lawrence Chaynie, viz. John, Dorothy, and Elizabeth. To Alice Cooper. Brother Lawrence Chaynie residuary legatee and executer. 2. John Cheyney of Cheping Lambourne, husbandman: wife Elizabeth; brother Lawrence; kinsmen Edward Cheyney and Roger Cooper. March 1, 1618. THIS PARISH OF LAMBOURNE is worthy of note because it is positively known to have been the birth-place of one family of Cheneys who came to America in early times. John Cheyney came to the township of Middleton in the county of Chester, in the colony of Pennsylvania; died there in 1722. Two years afterward his sons John and Thomas went to London and bought of John Bollors a tract of land, 1500 acres, in Thornburg, Pa. In the deed they are described as being "of Upper Lambourne in the parish of Chipping Lamborne, in the co. of Berks." A large and respectable progeny have descended from these brothers. A town named Cheyney has grown up on the family estates. Representatives of the family are found in Philadelphia, among whom are Mr. T. Barton Cheyney, of the Ladies' Home Journal, Charles H. Cheyney, Jr. and Horace L. Cheyney, Esquires. 3. Thomas Chenney of Radley, will Dec. 21, 1610. Brother William Chenney and his now wife, and his sons John and Raphe; to John Chenney, son of his brother John, and to John's other children. Brother-in-law William Crouch and his daughter Agnes, and to his now wife, my sister; to the church of Radley; to Richard Everlie and his mother; my [ . . . ] Edwardes [ . . . ] Brother John Cheyney residuary legatee. A codicil gives to the wife of John Chenney the son of his brother William, the debts due the testator. 4. Thomas Cheyney of Wallingford; will April 14, 1617. Sons Richard Thomas and Henry; wife Elizabeth; daughters Dorothie, Elizabeth, Margaret, Mary, Anne, Frances. 5. William Cheyney of Wallingford, tailor, deeded all his property to his son Thomas Cheyney on condition that Thomas would maintain him suitably the rest of his life. John Cheyney is one of the witnesses. Oct. 26, 1635. 6. John Cheney of Bayworth in the parish of Soningwell, Berkshire; will dated Aug. 20, 1626; wife Joane, dau. Alice; five sons, John, Ralph, Thomas, Oliver and William, all under 21 years of age; bro.-in-law, John Shurd. James Batte, one of the appraisers.

BEDFORDSHIRE.

1. Sir Thomas Cheyney of Sundon, (called also "Esquire,") made his will Aug. 22, 1612. Bequeathed to the poor of several parishes; to his wife, Frances; daughters, Dionis, Anne, Helen, Frances, Mary--and her five children; sons Francis, Thomas, "Knight," Robert, Henry, John and Rotheram; son, Mr. Samuel Bryan; grand-children, Edmund and Francis Harding; Thomas, John, Francis and Anne Cheyney, children of his son John Cheyney; Thomas and Dorothy Cheyney, children of his son Thomas; and Brockas Scullar.

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.

1. Sir Francis Cheyney of Drayton Beauchamps, will, Dec. 31, 1619; wife, servants, poor, &c. nephews Edmond Cheyney, and Francis Cheyney, the latter chief heir; brother Thomas Cheyney, sisters mentioned by surnames only.

2. Ralph Cheney of Hoveney, will Feb. 13, 1640; wife Elizabeth, children under 14 years, Thomas, Elizabeth, and Margerie; brother Thomas; children of his cousins Thomas and John Cheney of Wallingford; nephew John Cheney, now living with him.

Henry Cheyney of Buckinghamshire, armiger, entered Trinity College, Oxford, April 10, 1581, aged 18 years.

Francis and Charles Cheyne of Chesham Bois, Bucks., were at Oxford in 1639 and 1640.

OXFORDSHIRE.

John Cheney of Rooke, husbandman, died Aug. 23, 1628. Verbal will. Eldest son, Anthony Cheney, to have all his lands in Rooke and Berwick Salome. Son John Cheney œ40 when he is brought up. Son Walter Cheney œ40 when he is brought up. Wife Anna Cheney.

SUSSEX.

1. Thomas Cheyney of Sussex, gent. matriculated at Brasenose College, Oxford, June 22, 1604, aged 18.

2. Robert Cheyney of "St. Peters the Great within the Gates, Chichester, county of Sussex, yeoman," will May 12, 1619, daughters, Susan, Mary, Martha and Bridget; wife Elizabeth.

3. In St. Lawrence church, Guestling, between Hastings and Winchelsea, there is a monument to John Cheyney Esq. who m. Elizabeth dau. of John Palmer of Lincoln's Inn, Esq., who had one son and one dau., and d. Sept. 20, 1603.

WILTSHIRE.

1. On the north side of Salisbury Cathedral is an alabaster effigy of Sir John Cheney who fought in the battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

2. John Cheyney of Everleigh, husbandman, will June 22, 1616. To be buried in the church or church-yard. Bequests to the parish church; to son John Cheyney, daughters Susan and Joyce Cheyney; to wife not called by name; father-in-law, Richard Greene, brother-in-law, William Browne. Inventory shows good farming outfit and comfortable home. The name is spelled throughout the document Cheyney, but signed clearly "Cheney."

3. John Cheyney, senior, of Wilcot in Pewsey sold land in Ore or Owre for œ200, at the Hilary term, 1633. The following extracts from the parish registers of Wilcott are of interest. "1580, 18th day of July John Cheyney and Christianna Ploodall [?] were marryed." "1580 [old style] 19th day of Januarie John sonne to John Cheyney was baptized." Other children were George, Elizabeth, Symon, and Thomas. "1594. 21st day of September John Cheyney & Margaret Chandler were marryed." "1610. 24th day of November John Cheyney thelder was buryed." "1611. 18th day of September beinge Sonday John the sonne of John Cheyney the younger was baptized." "1631. Margaret the daughter of John Cheyney & Joane his wife was buryed." Several Johns thus appear, at least one of whom d. in the parish in 1643.

NORTHAMPTON.

1. John Chenye, prebendarie of the cathedral of Peterborough made will Nov. 12, 1553. No allusion to wife or child; bequests to other functionaries of the cathedral; to his servant Anne Susan and her children, to Henry Dray, his sister's son, to Bartholomew Taylor; refers to his brother-in-law, Henry [Jumay?]; residue to John Collman, clerk. Richard Whitte, prebendarie, named as supervisor of the will.

VARIOUS.

1. John Cheyne was arch-deacon of Exeter July 10, 1379, prebend of Landiacre, i.e. one of the clergy of Litchfield cathedral in June, 1382; prebend of Huntingdon March 3, 1387-8.

2. Richard Cheyney was B. A. at Oxford in 1529 and held various positions in the church. Was made D. D. in 1569; was consecrated bishop of the dioceses of Bristol and Gloucester April 29, 1562. He died in April, 1579, and was buried in Gloucester cathedral.

3. Thomas Cheyne, clerk, parson of Paston made his will, bequeathing to Anne Susan, &c. making his brother John Cheyney residuary legatee. John Cheyney was one of the witnesses. Probated June 4, 1548.

4. Henry Cheynie of St. Alban's Hall, Oxford, B. A. Nov. 3, 1568, M. A. June 17, 1573, a member of Gray's Inn, 1563, rector of Ringwold, co. Kent, 1569.

5. John Cheyney was graduated M.A. from University College, Oxford, May 21, 1590.

6. Richard Cheyney, b. Jan. 1, 1595, was admitted to the Merchant Taylor's School in London in 1611, and Thomas Cheyney, b. March 21, 1597, was admitted in 1612. Richard "subscribed" at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, April 30, 1613, received B. A. in 1615 and M. A. in 1618; was rector of Tarrant Rushton, Dorsetshire in 1617 and onward.

7. Asteley (or Ashley) Cheney entered Merchant Taylor's School, London, in Oct. 1606, registered as "born July, 1595." The editor of the printed rolls of the school says he was second son of Josias Cheney of Milstead in Kent.

8. John Cheney, "born May, 1598," entered the school in Aug. 1605; and the editor says he was "probably son" of the same Josias Cheney.

9. William Cheyne of Dorset, pleb. matriculated at Balliol College June 28, 1604, aged 18; B. A. May 20, 1605; M. A. from Broadgates Hall July 8, 1612; rector of Manston, Dorsetshire, 1614.

"THE ORIGINAL COAT OF ARMS OF CHENEY," says Burke, "was, erm. on a bend sa. three martlets, or. Crest-- A bull's scalp ar." Lord Toddington, Sir Henry Cheney, used this shield with modifications, and had for his motto: "Le mieux que je puis."

Sir John Cheney of Sherland in the isle of Sheppey, in the north of the county of Kent, off whose shore "Cheney Rock" is a land-mark, adopted the arms of the family of his wife, the heiress of the Russells. "Az. six lions ramp. ar. a canton erm." Crest, a bull's scalp.

The Cheneys of Stafford, Derby and Salop have the Russell-Cheney arms, and this motto: Fato prudentia major.

Cheney of Up-Ottery, Devon, temp. Edward IV, had Gu. four fusils in fess ar. each charged with an escalop sa.

Cheney of Bucks. and Berks. Ar. a fesse gu. in chief three martlets of the second. Crest -- A bear's head erased gu. environed around the neck twice with a chain, passing also through the mouth ar. at the end a ring Or.

A coat of arms which any branch of the family might not hesitate to adopt is that given by Burke in a general way: "Cheney, Az. a cross flory ar."