My Genealogy Hound

COL. MILTON CHENEY is the owner and occupant of one of the fine farms of Clark County, and a man, who, although comparatively young, occupies a prominent rank among the farmers and stockmen of this section. He has been one of the chief instruments in improving the stock of the county, and upon his estate may be found thoroughbred animals of various kinds. He makes stock raising his specialty. His herd of cattle contains seventeen thoroughbred Short-horn cows, all registered, and he also has a fine flock of thoroughbred sheep, although these have not been booked. The farm upon which he lives comprises three hundred and sixty acres of fine land, which he personally superintends, and upon which he has placed over three thousand rods of tile ditching. This one fact is indicative of the enterprising nature of the man and the manner in which he makes improvements.

Mr. Cheney was born July 7, 1850, on the place adjoining that which he now occupies, was reared and educated here, and has never been away from this neighborhood a month at a time, although he has made a number of excursions to points of interest. He has taken a number of business trips to Chicago, has visited New York City and many of the States of the Union, and also “took in” the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia. He received a good common-school education, to which his native intelligence and keen observation have added much of the knowledge which gives him a good rank among men of intelligence, and the wisdom which only practical experience can bring.

Although but ten years of age when the late war began, Mr. Cheney became enthusiastic as a Union supporter, and became a drummer boy in the service. His father, however, would not allow him to go away from home, and he was fain to content himself by wielding his drumsticks for the militia at home and “beating up recruits.” His elder brother spent four years in the field, during his service receiving a slight wound.

The subject of this sketch is the only representative living in this neighborhood, of a family which once held an important position here. It is that of his maternal grandparents, William and Elizabeth (Peterson) Harpole, who at one time owned about six thousand acres of land in this neighborhood. Mrs. Harpole was a native of Virginia, whence her parents removed to Chillicothe, Ohio. There she was married, she and her husband ere long taking up their abode on what is still known as the old Harpole place, adjoining that now occupied by their grandson. They were the parents of three sons and five daughters: Mary Ann married M. T. Paullin; Matilda became the wife of Jonathan Cheney; Phoebe married James Phifer, of Madison County, Ohio; Malissa married William Paist, of Oregon; May Elizabeth married Dr. Bailey, of the same State; William, now in the commission business in Chicago, started the first cattle ranch in Chicago; Peter and his wife are now deceased, but their family live in Bloomington, Ill.; Jesse died at the age of fifteen years.

Jonathan Cheney, the father of our subject, was a son of William and Rebecca Cheney, of Virginia, who settled near Mechanicsburg, Ohio. There Jonathan was born and reared to the age of seventeen years, when he began driving cattle and cutting corn, for which he received thirty-five cents per day. After making a couple of trips across the mountains with cattle, he went into the business for himself with the assistance of John Anking, of Xenia. He continued in the business until his death, which took place in March, 1865, when he had reached the age of fifty years. He and his wife Matilda were the parents of three children, the subject of this sketch being the youngest member of the family. The oldest is William, now a railroad man, whose home is at South Charleston. Rebecca, the widow of M. H. Young, now makes her home in Los Angeles, Cal., on account of the delicate health of her only son.

On April 27, 1871, the subject of this sketch was united in marriage with Addie, daughter of L. B. Sprague, of Harmony Township, who now makes his home with his son-in-law. Although he is seventy-six years of age, he is still prominent in the county where he has been a man of note for many years. For a number of years he has been Commissioner, and he has been a member of the State Board of Agriculture three terms. For thirty-two years he has been Secretary of the Clark County Agricultural Society, to which position he has recently been re-elected. His wife breathed her last in August, 1872, leaving seven daughters and one son. To Mr. and Mrs. Cheney of this notice, five children have been born, named respectively: Mollie M., Hattie B., Pearl H., Howard L., and Scott S.

Mr. Cheney has always been a Republican, as was his father before him. He has been a delegate to each County Convention for the last eight years, is very popular with his party, and has been elected to several public offices. For three years he has been Township Trustee. During the last sixteen years he has held the office of School Director, in which position his labors to advance the cause of education, are well known and highly appreciated.

Both the Cheney and the Harpole families have for generations been identified with the Methodist Church. The fine residence now occupied by Mr. Cheney was erected in 1888, following an example set by his forefathers, who, during each of the three past generations have put up one of the finest residences in their locality. In 1858 the father of our subject built a barn which was much the largest in the county, and which was destroyed by fire in 1890. In 1885 one of his houses was struck by lightning, and although not one of the fifteen persons who were in it at the time, was killed, not an article was saved from it.