June 18th, 1663, Peter Cheney bought of John Bishop, (his wife,Rebecca, joining in the deed,) "all the mill and mill houselately erected in Newbury on the little river between land ofNicholas Noyes and land lately of Wm Gerrish, with the stones,wheel, cog, trough, six mill bills, iron barr, the rope thatputs up the stone, and a shop lately sett up neere to ye abovesaid mill", and the riparian rights, for "two hundred and fiftypounds sterling". Here he did good service as a miller for a fewyears, and trained up his sons to the business. March 7, 1670, "Peter Cheney proposed to the town for an acre ofland on or about the little hill this side the mill, to build awind mill upon to grind corn for the town when the water millfails". This was granted on "condition that he build a good millto answer the end proposed for and so long as the mill is madeand maintained for the said service and no longer". Jan. 5, 1687"a committee was appointed to treat with Peter Cheney aboutsetting up a corne mill and a fulling mill upon the Fallsriver." Peter Cheney, as he found himself nearing the close of his life,conveyed by a deed of gift to his son John, Nov. 4, 1693, hishouse and land lying on the north side of Falls River with 50acres of land, his corn mill, the great dam in the stream, thewater course to the mill, and all convenient mill sites belowthe mill that belonged to him; and a joint interest with himselfin one acre of land on the south side of the river, where he andhis sons were then erecting a saw mill. John was to have onehalf of the house and one third of the mill until the death ofboth parents; then to come into full possession. Jan. 10, 1694-5, Peter,--his wife, Hannah, signing with him inboth deeds -- conveyed by a similar deed to his son Peter,one-half of the saw mill and yard with the stream of water tothe mill and 24 acres of timber land lying on the southerly sideof Falls river. An Important Deed. "To all people to whom these presents shallcome I Peter Cheny senior of Newbury in the County of Essex inthe Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England; Americasend greeting Know ye that I the said Peter Cheny senr. fordivers good causes + considerations me thereunto moving butespecially for + in consideration of the naturall affectionwhich I Bear to my loving son Peter Cheny Junr of the town +county aforesaid have Given Granted aliened + confirmed + Do bythese presents give grant aliene + confirm unto my said sonPeter Cheny Junr. Twenty four acres of Land be the Same more orLess Lying in the Township of Newbury on the southerly side offalls River Bounded Easterly by a Tract of Land which I formerlygave by a deed of gift to my said son Peter Cheny Junr.Southerly + Westerly by the Common land of Newbury + Northerlyby an acre of Land Reserved by me for a Saw mill yard and theffalls river also the one half of the saw mill yard Lying on theSouth side of falls River, also all my Right title + interest inthe said Saw mill which said Saw mill is lately built + standsnear my Corne Mill To have + to hold all the above devised premises viz. the saidTwenty four acres of Land the one half of the said Sawmill yardtogether with all the Proffitts Priveledges + appurtences watercourses to the same Belonging or any wise appertaining to himthe said Peter Cheny Junr his heirs Executrs + assignes for everand I the said Peter Cheny Senr. for my self my heirs Executrs +admrs. Do covenant and Promise to + with my said son Peter ChenyJunr. in manner + form following viz that I the said Peter ChenySenr am the True + lawfull owner of all + singular the premises+ that I have of myself full Power good Right and lawfullauthority to make this Gift + alienation + that my said sonPeter Cheny shall by vertue hereof for ever hereafter Peaceably+ Quietly have hold use occupy possess + enjoy all the abovedevised premises without any Lawfull Lett Deny or molestation orInteruption of me the said Peter Cheny Senr my heirs Executrs oradmrs or any tother person whatsoever always Provided and thisis my meaning + Intention in this my Gift + Grant that if mysaid son Peter Cheny Junr shall faithfully + truly pay to mychildren hereafter named forty pounds in good + Lawfull money ofNew England within Twelve years after the Date hereof viz to mysons Nathll Cheny Eldad Cheny Ichabod Cheny five pounds a piece+ to my Daughters Huldah Worcester Martha Worcester Jemima ChenyHanah Cheny + Lydia Cheny five pounds a piece in mony that thenwhat is above written to Stand in full force + vertue otherwiseit shall be in the Liberty of these my children abovenamed toseize upon the twenty four acres of Land above named + oneQuarter part of the Sawmill + Sawmill yard + the same to divideEqually among themselves and further if any of my aforenamedchildren should dye before they come of age to Receive the moneyor before it is due--Leaving no Issue that then the one half oftheir five pounds so dying shall be Equally devided between mysurviving children herein named + the other half to be + remainto my said son Peter Cheny Junr further for the one half of thesaid Sawmill abovementioned my son Peter is not to come to theactuall Possession of untill Immediately after my Death + mywives: In Witness to all + Singular the Premises I the saidPeter Cheny Senr. have hereto set my hand + seale this tenth dayof Janury anno: Dom: sixteen hundred ninety + four or fiveAnnoque R'. Re + Ra. Gulielmi + marie Nunc Anglia +c as sexto."Aug. 13, 1709, Eldad Cheney and Martha Worcester of Bradford,Ichabod Cheney, Huldah Worcester, Jemima Pettingall, HannahChute and Lydia Poor of Rowley, all children of Peter Cheney,late of Newbury, sold to Benj. Pearson, for 40-10s. 24 acres onthe side of Falls river. Nicholas, another of the children ofPeter,2 sold Pearson an adjacent tract July 3, 1714. The nowfamous "Pearson Homestead" stands on or very near this ancientCheney Mill property. Among "those who had an interest in the estate of Rev. NicholasNoyes, late of Salem,"--a brother of Hannah (Noyes) Cheney, andsold their rights April 14, 1718, were Peter, John and EldadCheney, Mary Wooster, John and Martha Pemberton, Lionell +Hannah Chute, Richard and Jemima Pettingall, John and LydiaLull. Mr. Peter Cheney d. Jan. 1694-5. The widow, "Anne," with hersons Peter and John, were cited Sept. 7, 1697, to show cause whythey had not administered the estate. Doubtless they were agreedwithout probate proceedings; feeling that the deeds of giftwhich the father had made were a sufficient adjustment ofmatters. The widow m. 2nd, John Atkinson, June 3, 1700; she d.Jan. 5, 1705.