Ward Cheney was born 23 February 1813 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut to George Cheney (1771-1829) and Electa Woodbridge (1760-1853) and died 22 March 1876 South Manchester, Hartford County, Connecticut of unspecified causes. He married Caroline Jackson (1813-1865) 1830 in Hartford County, Connecticut.
Biography
Tombstone of Ward Cheney (1813-1876)
Ward Cheney was principal founder of the house of Cheney Brothers, and was most active in its business management. He first engaged in the dry-goods business in Providence, Rhode Island, with his brother Charles. When Charles moved to Ohio, Ward returned to South Manchester and found several brothers raising a Chinese mulberry, Morus multicaulis. The success of the experiments led he and brothers Frank and Rush to start a silk culturing operation in Burlington, New Jersey. In 1838 he and his brothers Ralph, Rush and Frank established the manufacturing firm of Cheney Brothers in South Manchester.
Family of Ward and Caroline Cheney
- Arthur Cheney (1837-1878) - (14 January 1837 - December 1878) was the youngest of Ward's three children. He interested himself in the drama and built the Globe Theatre, Boston, originally called Selwyn's Theatre. It was managed with varying success by Selwyn, Floyd, and others, and, when it was burned, was rebuilt by Arthur and carried on at a loss.
In addition to Arthur, Ward Cheney also had two other children, Louis and Alice.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Louis Cheney (1832-1842) | |||
| Arthur Cheney (1837-1878) | 14 January 1837 Hartford County, Connecticut | 15 October 1878 | Emeline Lewis (1841-1915) |
| Alice Cheney (1838-1838) | |||
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| George Wells Cheney (1799-1841) | |||
| John Cheney (1801-1885) | 1801 South Manchester, Connecticut | ||
| Charles Cheney (1803-1871) | 1785 Hartford County, Connecticut | 12 January 1870 Connecticut | Waitstill Shaw (1780-1841) |
| Ralph Cheney (1806-1869) | |||
| Seth Wells Cheney (1810-1856) | 16 November 1810 Manchester, Connecticut | 10 September 1856 | Emily Woodbridge Pitkin (1825-1850) Ednah Dow Littlehale |
| Ward Cheney (1813-1876) | 23 February 1813 Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut | 22 March 1876 South Manchester, Hartford County, Connecticut | Caroline Jackson (1813-1865) |
| Rush Cheney (1815-1882) | |||
| Frank Cheney (1817-1904) | |||
| Electa Woodbridge Cheney (1821-) | |||
Vital Records
1850 US Federal Census
Recorded at Manchester, Hartford Co, CT. (Family of brother Charles Cheney is closeby).
- Ward Cheeney - m/37 - b:CT - ocp: Silk Manufacturing
- Caroline Cheeney - f/37 - b:RI
- Arthur Cheeney - m/13 - b:CT
- Patrick - m/39 - b:Ireland
- Ann Sharp - f/40 - b:Ireland
- Kate Sharp - f/3 - b:Ireland
- Ann Caton - f/22 - b:Ireland
References
- Ward Cheney Biography - Wikipedia
- Cheney Brother Historic District - Wikipedia - Manchester CT. Includes several Cheney Family mansions.
- Cheney Family Ancestry
- George Cheney Immigrant Ancestors
- John Cheney List of Famous Descendants