James Stephen Cheney

This blog post is another in a series connecting the dots in my tree to the souls buried at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.

James Stephen Cheney, son of Enoch Reeves Cheney and Sarah Haseltine English, was born in Georgia on September 18, 1860. James’ family lived in Woodville, Greene County, Georgia in June 1860 so that is most likely where he was born. There were at least six children in the Cheney family—William Henry Cheney, Anna Irene Cheney, James Stephen Cheney, Mary Elizabeth Cheney, Enoch Callaway Cheney, and Charles English Cheney. James is my 1st cousin 1x removed of husband of 2nd cousin 3x removed. While we don’t have any common relatives, James’ family lived two houses from my 3rd great grandparents, James Meriweather Lankford and Caroline Hobbs Lankford in 1860 so would have known each other. Life for the Cheney family would have been comfortable at the time with his father having real estate valued at $4000 and a personal estate of $8000.

Before James’ second birthday, his father marched off to war, serving as a private in Company C, Third Georgia Infantry (Dawson Grays) C.S.A. until his furlough in February 1865. 

By the time the census enumerator visited the home on June 28, 1870, the family had moved to nearby Penfield, less than five miles away. James’ father now had real estate valued at $1800 and a personal estate of $1400. He worked as a farmer, assisted by son Henry. James’ mother was keeping house while his sister Anna was in school. At 8 years old, it appears James was not attending school at the time.

On June 5, 1880, the Cheney family lived in the 138th District of Greene County. James (age 20) and his father were both farmers, his mother kept house, and his sister Anna (age 24) was a schoolteacher. Only his sister Mary (age 14) and brother Enoch (age 9) were attending school.

James married Emily A. Young, daughter of John Young and Jane Goolsby, in a ceremony that took place at her father’s house in Greene County, Georgia on January 18, 1882. The Greensboro Herald published the following on January 19, 1882:

Married, at the residence of the bride’s father, on Wednesday evening 18th, inst., by Rev. H. D. D. Straton, Mr. Jas. S. Cheney and Miss E. A. Young. May success attend them through life.

James Cheney and Emma Young marriage license

James and Emily had seven children—Tallulah Cheney (1882), Robert Reeves Cheney (1884), William “Lee” Cheney (1886), Frank Colly Cheney (1888), Eva M. Cheney (1890), Florence Dell Cheney (1893), and Sarah J. Cheney (1895). Sometime after their marriage, James moved the family to Athens, Clarke County, Georgia where he was active in the community. He was selected for jury duty in Athens for the June term in 1892 and then elected an alderman serving the first ward. He began a second term in December 1897. The Athens Daily Banner, which provided a lot of personal information, published the following on December 10:

Alderman, J. S. Cheney. James S. Cheney is the senior alderman from the first ward. He is now serving his second term in that office, having been re-elected last year. He is a livery stable owner and a progressive young business man. As chairman of the fire department committee, he has looked after the affairs of the department most carefully. He also has done good work on other committees and in the general work in behalf of the city.

It was not all work though. In March 1894, he and a Mr. Wynn of Kentucky, visited Bairdstown. In May 1895, he, along with friends John Weir and C. N. Weatherly, traveled to Bairdstown for a fishing and hunting trip “on the waters of Little river about the old Mercer spring.” He made a third trip to Bairdstown in December 1896 with a friend named B. H. Kinnebrew to visit relatives.

On June 6, 1900, James and his family lived on Hancock Avenue in Athens. James worked as a stock dealer. The census enumerator noted that James and Emily had been married for 18 years and that Emily was the mother of seven children, all of which were living. The house was full with the two of them, all seven children, three boarders, and a young servant girl named Elsie Hull (black, 12-years-old). Two of the boarders had the last name Cheney so were probably family—W. P. Cheney, a 16-year-old student, and Roy Cheney, a 19-year-old telegraph operator. The third boarder was Luther Tolbert, a 26-year-old grocery salesman. With the exception of Sarah, all the children were attending school.

The wedding of James’ daughter Tallulah took place in Athens on July 18, 1901. The Atlanta Constitution published the following on July 19:

Were Married in Athens. Athens, Ga., July 18.—(Special.)—This morning at the home of Rev. Ellison D. Stone, Mr. Alonzo C. Hancock, of this city, and Miss Tallulah Cheney, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James S. Cheney, were united in married, Rev. Stone officiating.

By 1902, James had completed his second term as an alderman and now worked as a sanitary inspector. The Athens Banner published the following on December 20, 1902:

The Steady March of Progress Made by the City of Athens. Mr. James S. Cheney, an ex-alderman is sanitary inspector and during his term of office has rendered valuable service the city.

There is not a city in the state whose officers rank higher. For the most part they have remained in office for a long term of years and are possessed of the experience that makes their services of additional value.

James continued to work with horses in 1903. The Athens Banner published the following on January 2, 1903 confirming that:

A Lot of Fine Horses Received. Messrs. James S. Cheney and B. C. McWhorter, who have formed a partnership in the stock business, have just received a lot of fine horses which they will set at prices that will astonish the purchasers. These horses are now at Carlton’s stables on Jackson street.

Mr. Cheney is one of the most experienced stock men in Athens, and Mr. McWhorter, who comes to Athens from Greensboro, and who will soon move his family here, has also had years of experience.

They are judges of good horses if there are any judges in Athens, and it will pay any prospective purchasers to call on them at once.

James’ son Robert, a traveling salesman, died at the age of 24 at home in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia on July 8, 1908. The Atlanta Constitution published the following on July 9, 1908:

Robert Reeves Cheney. The funeral of Robert Reeves Cheney, 24 years of age, who died at the residence, 119 East Georgia avenue, yesterday morning at 12:30 o’clock, will be held at the residence this morning at 10 o’clock. Rev. John E. Briggs, pastor of the Capitol Avenue Baptist church, officiating. The body will be taken to Bairdstown, Ga., for interment.

Robert was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown.

On April 15, 1910, James and his family lived in Atlanta. James continued to work as a stock dealer of horses. His son Lee worked as a horse salesman so most likely worked with his father. Son Frank worked as a ticket agent at the railroad office and daughter Eva worked as a stenographer in a real estate office. The census enumerator reflected the death of son Robert noting that Emily, enumerated as Emma, was the mother of seven children, six of which were living. Less than two years later, James was gone. He died of acute alcoholism in Atlanta on August 16, 1912. The Atlanta Constitution published the following on August 18, 1912 (getting his middle initial wrong):

J. W. Cheney, Bairdstown. Athens, Ga., August 17.—(Special.)—Quite a number of Athenians went to Bairdstown today to attend the funeral of J. W. Cheney, a former citizen of this place, and for some years a member of the city council here, whose death occurred in Atlanta yesterday. He was a brother-in-law of Judge C. T. Young, and the father of Mrs. A. C. Hancock of this city.

James was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery. He was survived by his wife, four daughters, two sons, his mother, three brothers, and two sisters.

References

• A Lot of Fine Horses Received, Athens Banner, Athens, Georgia, January 2, 1903.
• Alderman J. S. Cheney, Athens Daily Banner, Athens, Georgia, December 10, 1897.
• Alderman J. S. Cheney, Athens Daily Banner, Athens, Georgia, December 10, 1897.
• Bairdstown, The Oglethorpe Echo, Crawford, Georgia, December 11, 1896.
• Bairdstown, The Oglethorpe Echo, Crawford, Georgia, March 23, 1894.
• Bairdstown, The Oglethorpe Echo, Crawford, Georgia, May 17, 1895.
• Enoch R. Cheney, U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861–1865.
• From Bairdstown, Greensboro Herald, Greensboro, Georgia, January 19, 1882.
• J. W. Cheney, Bairdstown, Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, August 18, 1912.
• James S. Cheney, Fulton and Campbell Counties, Georgia, Cemetery Records, 1857–1933.
• James S. Cheney, Obituary abstracts, Georgia, Fulton County Records from the Atlanta History Center, 1827—1955.
• Mrs. Emelyn Young Cheney Death Certificate no. 35474, Georgia State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Standard Certificate of Death.
• Robert Reeves Cheney, Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, July 9, 1908.
• Robt. Reeves Cheney, Fulton and Campbell Counties, Georgia, Cemetery Records, 1857–1933.
• The Jurors Drawn, The Weekly Banner, Athens, Georgia, March 29, 1892.
• The Steady March of Progress Made by the City of Athens, Athens Banner, Athens, Georgia, December 20, 1902.
• U.S. Federal Census, Athens Ward 2, Clarke County, Georgia, 1900.
• U.S. Federal Census, Athens Ward 2, Clarke County, Georgia, 1900.
• U.S. Federal Census, Atlanta Ward 2, Fulton County, Georgia, 1910.
• U.S. Federal Census, District 138, Greene County, Georgia, 1880.
• U.S. Federal Census, District 138, Greene County, Georgia, 1880.
• U.S. Federal Census, Militia District 141, Greene County, Georgia, 1870.
• U.S. Federal Census, Woodville, Greene County, Georgia, 1860.
• Were Married in Athens, Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, July 19, 1901.