CHENEY, HENRY M., son of Danforth and Lois (Pike) Cheney, was born in Waterford, Vermont. Abial Cheney, brother of Thomas Cheney, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was one of the earliest pioneers of Waterford, and in 1789 settled on the Horace Peck farm, and after the early death of Thomas, his son Danforth, found a home with his uncle, Abial. Danforth and Lois (Pike) Cheney were the parents of eight sons and six daughters, of whom five sons and four daughter, survive, namely: Abial, a veteran of the Eleventh Vermont regiment; Rhoda, widow of John A. Ripley, and Abbie, widow of R. S Brigham, all residents of West Concord; John, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Danforth of Brookfield, Missouri; Nellie A. wife of A. K. Quimby; Henry M. and Reuben G. located at St. Johnsbury, and Lois, wife of Solon Albee of Littleton, New Hampshire. The members of this family possessed unusual mental and physical vigor; three of the sons served during the Civil war, several were inventors, and all were natural mechanics. 

In April, 1864, he came to St. Johnsbury and began to learn the machinist's trade with John H. Paddock, and in 1868 entered the employ of the Fairbanks company as a machinist, for a time as a journeyman, but later for more than twenty years as a contractor. He became department foreman in 1898 and now has charge of five hundred men employed in the machine department, approximately the same number as the entire force in the works when Mr. Cheney began thirty-five years before. Mr. Cheney has an excellent social standing, and is popular, not only with the employees, but with all classes, and is a most efficient foreman. 
 

Source:  Successful Vermonters, William H. Jeffrey, E. Burke, Vermont, The Historical Publishing Company, 1904, page 108-109.

Prepared by Tom Dunn, August 2005