Abijah Cheever
| Abijah Cheever | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from Saugus | |
|
In office 1821–1821 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph Cheever |
| Succeeded by | Jonathan Makepeace1 |
|
In office 1829–1831 | |
| Preceded by | William Jackson |
| Succeeded by | Zaccheus N. Stocker |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
May 23, 1760 Saugus, Massachusetts |
| Died |
April 21, 1843 (aged 82) Saugus, Massachusetts |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Federalist[1] |
| Alma mater | Harvard College |
| Religion | Unitarian[1] |
Abijah Cheever was an American doctor and politician from Saugus, Massachusetts.
Early life
Cheever was born on May 23, 1760 in Saugus.[1][2] He was a descendant of Ezekiel Cheever, longtime headmaster of the Boston Latin School. Cheever spent much of his youth working on his family's farm.[3]
American Revolution
On the evening before the Battle of Lexington and Concord, Cheever ran bullets from a mold over a fire for the muskets of his brothers, who would take part in the battle the following day.[3]
In 1779 Cheever graduated from Harvard College. He then studied medicine and surgery under John Warren and obtained his M. D. in 1782.[3]
On May 13, 1782 Cheever was commissioned as a surgeon aboard the Tartar, a ship fitted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for service in the American Revolution. On the ship's second voyage, it was captured by the HMS Belisarius and Cheever was sent to a prison ship in New York Harbor. Once the war ended, Cheever was exchanged and returned to Massachusetts.[3]
Boston
After the war, Cheever settled in Boston's North End, where he worked as a physician and surgeon.[3] On July 5, 1789 he married Elizabeth Scott. The couple would have three children before her death on July 5, 1795.[4] On October 16, 1798 he married Sally Williams, with whom he had two children.[1]
Return to Saugus
Cheever returned to Saugus in 1806 and would remain here for the rest of his life. Cheever was one of Saugus' largest land owners with over two-hundred acres. He was also one of Saugus' few slave holders. On his family's land he built an elegant home that became well known throughout the region.[1][5]
In 1815, Cheever was elected to Saugus' first Board of Selectmen, Assessors, and Overseers of the Poor.[6]
In 1821, 1829, 1830, and 1831, Cheever represented Saugus in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.[7] During his political career, Cheever frequently competed with his brother Joseph Cheever.[5]
Cheever died on April 21, 1843.[1][8]
Notes
- 1.^ Until 1857, a majority of votes at a town meeting was needed to elect a representative to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. If no person received a majority of votes, no representative was sent. No representative was selected in 1822, but Jonathan Makepeace was chosen the following year.[7]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lynn in the Revolution, Volume 2. W.B. Clarke Co. 1909.
- ↑ "Dr. Abijah Cheever". NOBLE Digital Heritage. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Kelly, Howard Atwood (1920). American Medical Biographies. W.B. Saunders Company.
- ↑ Johnson, Dale T. (1990). American Portrait Miniatures in the Manney Collection. Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- 1 2 Lynn Historical Society (Lynn, Mass.) (1913). The Register of the Lynn Historical Society, Volumes 16-18.
- ↑ Atherton, Horace H. (1916). History of Saugus, Massachusetts. Citizens Committee of the Saugus Board of Trade. p. 93.
- 1 2 Duane Hamilton Hurd, ed. (1888). History of Essex County, Massachusetts: With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Volume 1. J. W. Lewis & Company. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ↑ "Lynn in the Revolution Pensioners/Lists". Shaun Cook. Retrieved April 2, 2013.