Thomas Cheney was born 1630 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts to William Cheney (1603-1667) and Margaret Cole (1604-1686) and died 4 March 1695 Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts of unspecified causes. He married Jane Atkinson (1634-1724) 11 January 1655 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.
Biography
Thomas CHENEY (William-3, Lawrence-2, John-1) b. 1633 in Roxbury, Suffolk, MA, d. in 1694 in Cambridge, MA, m. Jane ATKINSON on 11 Jan 1655/56 in Roxbury, Suffolk, MA. b. 1634 in Roxbury, Suffolk, MA, d. on 29 Jul 1724 in Cambridge, Middlesex, MA.
Thomas Cheiny of Roxbury was made a Freeman on April 18 , 1690 (From the New England Historic GenealogicalRegiste r, Volume 3, 1849, page 348). It may be assumed that he until this time was serving and indenture, likely in exchange for land, as was the custom of the times.
Cambridge Homestead
Thomas lived on the South side of the Charles River. (From the"History of Cam bridge, Mass 16 30-1877" page 124.) In November 1659,Thomas was a constable for the Town of Cambridge. (From "The Recordsof the Town of Cambridge, Mass 1630-1703" page 130.) He owned 10 acres in Cambridge in February of 1664. (From "The Proprietors Records of the Town of Cambridge, Mass 1 630-1703" page 145.)
Indian Wars
In 1675 Thomas served in Captain Johnson's "Celebrated Roxbury company of soldiers" who marched from Boston for Mount Hope, an Indian stronghold. Thomas rendered 'very efficient service' in December of 1675 when Captain Johnson was killed.
This battle appears to be an important incident in King Philip's War when in Sept 1675, indian chief King Philip led and attack on the English that burned the town of Springfield to the ground with many casualties.
As the colonial forces went through Rhode Island, they found and burned several Indian towns which had been abandoned by the Narragansett, who had retreated to a massive fort in a frozen swamp. The cold weather in December froze the swamp so it was relatively easy to traverse. Led by an Indian guide, on a very cold December 16, 1675, the colonial force found the Narragansett fort near present-day South Kingstown, Rhode Island. A combined force of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Connecticut militia numbering about 1,000 men, including about 150 Pequots and Mohican Indian allies, attacked the Indian fort. The fierce battle that followed is known as the Great Swamp Fight. It is believed that the militia killed about 300 Narragansett. The militia burned the fort and destroyed most of the tribe's winter stores.
Most of the Narragansett warriors and their families escaped into the frozen swamp. Facing a winter with little food and shelter, the entire surviving Narragansett tribe was forced out of quasi-neutrality and joined the fight. The colonists lost many of their officers in this assault: about 70 of their men were killed and nearly 150 more wounded. Lacking supplies for an extended campaign the rest of the colonial assembled forces returned to their homes. The nearby towns in Rhode Island provided care for the wounded until they could return to their homes.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Margaret Cheney (1656-1717) | |||
| Thomas Cheney (1658-1717) | |||
| Mehitable Cheney 1660-) | |||
| John Cheney (1662-1698) | |||
| William Cheney (1663-1695) | 30 June 1663 Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts | 25 March 1695 Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts | Rebecca Newell (1667-1717) |
| Mary Cheney (1665-1751) | |||
| Jane Cheney (1669-) | |||
| Joseph Cheney (1670-1709) | |||
| Hannah Cheney (1673-1735) | |||
| Benjamin Cheney (1675-1718) | 29 January 1675 Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts | 13 July 1718 Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts | Mary Cheney (1683-1705) Mary Harbert (1681-1760) |
| Ebenezer Cheney (1678-1689) | |||
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Eleanor Cheney (1625-) | |||
| Margaret Cheney (1628-1678) | 26 November 1628 England | 29 September 1678 Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts | Thomas Hastings (c1605-1685) |
| Thomas Cheney (1630-1695) | 1630 Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts | 4 March 1695 Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts | Jane Atkinson (1634-1724) |
| William Cheney (1636-) | |||
| John Cheney (1639-1639) | |||
| John Cheney (1640-1671) | |||
| Mehitable Cheney (1643-1693) | 6 January 1643 Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts | 1693 Medfield, Suffolk County, Massachusetts | Thomas Wight (1633-1690) |
| Joseph Cheney (1647-1704) | 6 June 1647 Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts | 16 September 1704 Massachusetts | Hannah Thurston (1650-1690) |
References
- John Cheney List of Famous Descendants
- Ebenezer Cheney Immigrant Ancestors
- Higgins / Whitney / Cheney Genealogy