Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-03-03
OUR OLDEST CITIZEN.
Death of Samuel 7. X CheheS'
Aged 93.

lie Was a Representative In the YER
mont Legislature In 1S30-'-Towh
Clerk ofJamaica In 1912 TO 1900, Conn
Ing 20 BrattIebOro In the Latter heAr'
Samuel T. r. Cheney, Brattleboro's old
est resident, died at his home on western
avenue between and o'clock last oatur-
day evening at the age of 03 years ana elghI
months. Death came to him peaceiulIy
in his sleep after he had been i'll only Inlee
days. Mr.. Cheney has been up and dress,
ed for a short time Saturday afternoon ana
apparently was feeling better than usual
He lay down about six O'Clock and went W
sleep, his wife sitting by his bedside, holu-
ing one of his hands. He did not awake
when his daughter came into the room
about an hour later, and 1t then was
found that he was dead. His death occur
red upon the 62d anniversary of his second
marriage. the funeral was held from the
house Tuesday afternoon at O'Clock,
Rev. F. E. Marble officiating. The burial
was in Prospect Hill cemetery.
Mr.. Cheney was born in Wardsboro,
June q, 1905, one of the 10 children OF
Nathaniel and Hannah (Reed) Cheney.
His father, Nathaniel Cheney, was sol
der in the Revolutionary war and was
afterward privateersman. He came to
Wardsboro from Massachusetts, after the
close of the war and for time kept the
tavern In that town.
Mr.. Cheney's parents moved from
Wardsboro to Jamaica when he was about
eight years old Mr. Cheney received his
education in the schools there and for a
number of years was the owner of a store
in the town. He was elected town repre-
sentative from Jamaica to the Vermont
legislature in 1889 and held that Office for
three consecutive years. He also served
as town representative in 1854 and 1855.
He held the Office of town clerk from 1S41
to 1850. Mr.. Cheney was the Oldest living
member of the Vermont house of repre-
sentatives.
At one time he was ma jor of one Of the
old militia regiments, and was prominent
in military affairs in Jamaica for several
years.
In 1860 Mr.. Cheney moved to farm
above West Brattleboro on the Guilford
road, and lived there until 1868, when be
built and occupied the house on Western
avenue which was his home at the time of
his death.
Mr.. Cheney always took marked inter
est in public affairs. He had been a stanch
Republican since the foundation of the par
ty and had voted for every president since
John Quincy Adams. Up TO the past two
years he had been a regular attendant at
the town and village meetings. Mr.. Cheney
had been a member of the First Baptist
church for nearly 40 years.
He married for his first wife Mary Kel-
logg of Jamaica. Two children were born
to them, Wales, who is a resident of ia
maica, and William, who died of pneu-
monia in military hospital in Brooklyn,
n. Y, in 1865. Mr.. Cheneys second wife
was Martha A. Brown, to whom six chill.
dren were born. One son, Frederick S.
Cheney, corporal in Company c, 57th
Massachusetts regiment, was killed in the
attack on Fort Steadman in front of Peters
burgh, Va, March 25, 1865; two of the
children, Albert and Ella, died in child
hood, and three are living, Mrs. F. A.
Bemis and Miss Nettie Cheney of this vii
lage, and Mrs. James H. White of Meri-
den, Conn.
In spite of his advanced years and grow
ing intirmities Mr.. Cheney had been able,
even during last summer, to attend to his
garden regularly and, with very little out
side help, 10 keep it in fine condition. He
also took pleasure in saving wood, claim
ing that there was no better exercise to
keep man in good physical condition.
During the last few months, however. his
strength had been gradually failing, and
no one knew better than himself that the
close of his life was not far distant. 1t
had always been his wish to die peacefully
without weeks of helplessness and suffer
ing, and in this wish he was amply graft
fed o