Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/201

 CHENEY.

CHENEY.

CHENEY, Frank Woodbridge, manufacturer, was born in Providence, R. I., June o, 1882; son of George and Electa (Woodbridge) Cheney. He was graduated at Brown university in I806. He was in charge of the Hartford house of the Cheney Brothers, silk manufacturers, Manches- ter, Conn., 1856-"62. In 1862 he was commis- sioned lieutenant-colonel of the 16th Connecticut volunteers, and in his first skirmish, the day before the battle of Antietam, received a severe wound, -which caused his retirement from the service. He travelled extensively in China, Japan and Euroi^e. The death of his brother Ralph. March 26, 1897, left him the sole sur- vivor of the founders of the house of Cheney Brothers.

CHENEY, John Vance, poet, was born at Ciroveland, X. Y., Dec. 29, 1848; son of Simeon Pease and Christiana (Vance) Cheney, and grandson of Moses Cheney, an eloquent Baptist divine. He received an academical education, studied law, and was admitted to the Massachu- setts bar. He practised his profession in New York city until 18T6. Ill health caused him to remove to California, and in 1887 he was ap- pointed librarian of the San Francisco free library, where his management was conducive of the best results. In 1894 he succeeded "Wil- liam F. Poole as librarian of the Newberry library, Chicago. While in New York he contributed poems to the principal magazines, and was elected a member of the Authors' club (1883). He also wrote numerous essays on literary sub- jects, and published in book form : Tlie Old Doctor (1881) ; Tfiistle Drift, poems (1888), and The Golden Guess ; Essays on Poetry and the Poets (1892). and Ninette, a Pedicoods Idyll (18M). He also edited Wood Notes Wild, by liis father. Simeon Pease Cheney (1892). and published Lyrics (1902).

CHENEY, Oren Burbank, educator, was born at Holderness, N. H., Dec. 10, 1816 ; son of Moses and Abigail (Morrison) Chenej'. When a boy he worked in his father's paper mill to fit himself to follow the business, and in 1829 was sent to the New Hampton academical institute. In 1832 he entered the first school of the Free Baptist denomination, established in that year at North Parsonsfield, Me. He was graduated at Dart- mouth college in 1839, and was soon after chosen principal of the academy at Farmington, acting in that capacity there and elsewhere until 1845. In that year he went to Whitestown, N. Y., where he studied tlieology in the Biblical school, and taught Latin in the seminary. Having entered the ministry he preached in various locations until 1851, when he was elected repre- sentative to the state legislature by the Whigs and Free Soilers. In 1854 Parsonsfield seminary

was burned, and Dr. Cheney at once began the carrying out of a long-cherished plan of estab- lishing a Free Baptist college in Maine, and in 1854 he was instrumental in founding the insti- tution which, in 1863, became Bates college, and he was made its first president. In 1894 increasing years made it necessary for him to relinquish the cares of office and he was made president emeritus. Prof. George Colby Chase succeeding to the presidency. In 1863 Wesleyan university conferred upon President Cheney the degree of D.D.

CHENEY, Person C, governor of New Hamp- shire, was born in Holderness, N. H., Feb. 25, 1828; son of Moses and Abigail (Morrison) Cheney. He received an academic education, and when seventeen years old was placed in charge of his father's paper-mill at Manchester. In 1853 he was a member of the state legislature ; in 1862 quartermaster of the 13th New York vol- unteers, and was forced to resign because of ill- ness-caused by exposure at Fredericksburg. In 1864— '67 he was a state railroad commissioner; in 1871 mayor of Manchester; and governor of New Hampshire, 1875-'77. He became U.S. sen- ator on the death of Austin F. Pike, serving 1886-87; was U.S. minister to Switzerland, 1892- ■93. and a member of the Republican National Con- vention in 1892 and 1900. He received the honor- arj' degree A.M. from Dartmoutli in 1876. He de- voted himself to manufacturing, stock raising and travel. He died in Dover, N.H., June 19, 1901.

CHENEY, Seth Wells, artist, was born at East Hartford Woods, Conn., Nov. 26, 1810; son of George and Electa (, Woodbridge) Cheney. He was educated in the common school, and in 1829 removed to Boston, where he learned the art of engraving. In 1833 he went to Paris, where he studied under Isabey. His engravings were remarkable for their excellence. In 1840 he began to draw in crayons, being one of the earli- est artists in black and white in America. In 1841 he opened a studio in Boston, and devoted himself to portraiture, in which he became emi- nently successful, his ideal heads being still much in request by collectors. Among his sitters were Lowell, Putnam. Appleton, Bow- ditch, Mrs. Horace Gray, W. C. Bryant, Miss Appleton. and a host of other well-known people. In 1843 he went to Europe and studied for a time under Ferrero, returning to Boston in 1844. He was made an associate of the National academy of design. May 10, 1848. Mr. Cheney was twice married: September, 1847, to Emily Pitkin, who died May 11, 1850, and in 1853 to Ednah Dow Littlehale. Many portraits of him are extant. His memoir was published by Mrs. Cheney in 1881. He died in South Manchester, Conn., Sept. 10, 1856.