17th Century Immigrants Named Cheek or Chick

he first Cheeks associated with the colonization of America were two brothers, Sir Hatton CHEEKE and Sir Thomas CHEEKE, who were early members of the Virginia Company.  Sir Hatton CHEEKE was awarded land under the Second Charter of Virginia, May 23, 1609.  Sir Thomas CHEEKE was a member of the Virginia Company, 1612-1620, and appears on tax lists or rent rolls in 1619 and 1623.  However, there is no evidence that either of these men lived permanently in Virginia or left any descendants there.  Sir Hatton CHEEKE was killed in a duel in Calais, France, in Nov. 1610.  Sir Thomas CHEEKE died in London in 1659.

Immigrants to Virginia

• 1635, John CHAWKE. Listed as a headright of Willis HELY (HEYLEY) in a land patent dated Dec. 8, 1635, for 250 acres in Mulberry Island Parish (James City County, VA) . (VA Land Patents Book 1, p.325)
• 1648, Hugh CHICK. Listed as a headright of Wm. EWEN in a land patent dated July 8, 1648, for 1,400 acres in James City County, VA. (VA Land Patents Book 2, p.143.)
• 1652, Sir Henry CHICHELEY (CHICKLY, CHICKERLY, CHISLEY). A Cavalier (royalist) who arrived in Virginia around 1652; later served as Deputy Governor and head of the militia. His name was spelled various ways including "Chickly" in a land patent dated June 9, 1654, for 950 acres on the south side of the Rappahannock River. (VA Land Patents Book 3, p.274.) No known children.
• 1657/58. Anthony CHEEKE.
  • Jan. 6, 1657/58, Old Rapp. Co., VA. Anthony CHEEK executed a power of attorney to John WEIR. Wits: John CATLETT, Thomas HAWKINS. (Old Rapp. DB 1656-1664 Part I, p.30.)
  • Sept. 18, 1660, Lancaster Co., VA. Anthony CHEEKE witnessed a power of attorney from John FISH, citizen of London, to Edmonds FAROW of London, mariner, to collect debts from Hugh KINSEY of Rappahannock Co. in Virginia, planter. Rec. Mar. 12, 1661/62. Other wits. were Rich DONLEY, John FISHER, John NEENEE (NEANCE), and Will BAYLEY. (Lancaster Co., VA, Record Book 2, p.229.)
  • Apr. 10, 1663. Anthony CHEEKE witnessed a power of attorney from Samuel PENFAX, mariner of London, to John HULL of Rapp. County, to recover debts owed by any person to the Estate of Hugh WILSON, dec'd. Other wits were John MERRIMAN & Marke PENFAX. (Old Rapp. DB 1656-1664 Part II, pp.242-243.)
  • June 22, 1663, Lancaster Co., VA. A note from Anth. CHEEKES to Jo. CURTIS "per hhd tobo" was recorded in an account of bills & notes by Mr. Sam GRIFFIN. (Lancaster Co., VA, Record Book 2, p.265.)
  • July 5, 1664, Old Rapp. Co., VA. Anthony CHEEK witnessed a power of attorney from William PYE to Richard WEBLEY to recover amounts due from the Estate of Col. More FAUNTLEROY. Other witness was Samuel HOLMES. (Old Rapp. DB 1656-1664 Part I, p.301.)
• 1674, Thomas CHICK. Appears on the "Register of Servants Sent to Foreign Plantations" recorded in Bristol, England, Feb. 28, 1674. (Source: Virtual Jamestown Indentured Servants Register)  Tom CHICK appears on lists of titheables taken in Surry Co., VA, from 1690 to 1699, most years living in the household of Mr. Francis CLEMENTS, although in 1896 he is living in the household of Josiah SNOW. ("Surry County Titheables," Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 23, No. 3 (Aug. 1985) & Vol. 24, No. 2 (May 1986).) There is also a Thomas CHICK listed on the 1704 Quit Rent Roll of Northampton Co., VA, owning 100 acres. Will of Thomas CHICK was probated in Northampton Co., VA, Jan. 28, 1708/09; guardianship bonds filed for children Mary CHICK and Nathaniel CHICK. (Northampton Co., VA, Wills No. 19, pp. 3-4, 220; Orders, Wills, Etc. No. 14, pp.459, 502.) Possibly related to Elizabeth CHICK who died in Northampton Co., VA, in 1686 (Northampton Co., VA, Order Book & Wills, No. 16, p.240, coroner's inquest dated Aug. 30, 1686). Possibly the father of John CHICK who died intestate in Northampton Co., VA, in 1712. (Northampton Co., VA, Wills No. 19, p.255, Inv. & appr. dated May 20, 1712). There are no further records of this family in Northampton Co., VA.
• 1679, John CHEEK/CHICK. Found in the records of Old Rappahannock and Essex Co., VA, from 1679 to 1699.
• 1682, Ann CHECKE, Reb. CHECKE. Listed as headrights of Mr. Thomas CHEESMAN in a land patent dated Dec. 22, 1682, for 370 acres in Warwick Co., VA. (VA Land Patents Book 7, p.218.)
• 1683, Jon. CHICKETT. Listed as a headright of Mr. John JOY or John IVEY in a land patent dated Sept. 20, 1683, for 220 acres in St. Stephen's Parish of New Kent Co., VA. (VA Land Patents Book 7, p.321.)
• 1696, John CHEEK. Listed as a headright of Mr. Samuel CHAPPELL in a land patent dated Oct. 26, 1696, for 218 acres in Warwick Co., VA. (VA Land Patents Book 9, p.42.)

Immigrants to Other British Colonies

• 1656, John CHICK (Barbados). John CHICK of Bristol, cordwainer, became an indentured servant to Sergeant SADLER of Bristol, draper, 6 yrs Barbados, April 23, 1656. (Source: Virtual Jamestown Indentured Servants Register; see also The Bristol Registers of Servants Sent to Foreign Plantations, 1654-1686, (Gen. Pub. Co. 1988).
• 1659, Thomas CHEEKE or CHEKE (Maryland). Left a will dated Aug. 16, 1659, recorded Sept. 21, 1669, Prerogative Court of Maryland (Book 1, p.346). No wife or children mentioned. Personal property to Henry MEROST, Mr. LEGATE, and Mrs. THOROWGOOD. Execs: Robert MASSEY & Thomas THOROWGOOD. Wits: Adam BANKS and John HODGSON, Sr.
• 1671, Thomas CHICK (Maine). Received a grant of land in Kittery (later Berwick), York Co., Maine, Apr. 13, 1671. Ancestor of the Chick family in Maine. Believed to be the Thomas CHICK (son of Richard CHICK) who was baptized Dec. 27, 1641, at the parish of Ottery St. Mary, Devon, England. Possibly the brother of Richard CHICK of Roxbury, MA.
• 1678, Richard CHICK (Massachusetts). A resident of Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA, where his son Richard was born on June 26, 1678. (Vital Records of Roxbury, Vol. 1, p.61). Died in Roxbury on Oct. 13, 1686, age 48 years. (Id., Vol. 2, p.487.)
• 1683, James CHICK (Pennsylvania). A member of the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting of Friends (Quakers) in 1683. Registered a certificate of membership from the Quaker meeting of Callumpton (Cullompton), Devon, England, dated Dec. 24, 1683, which states it was obtained "by Richard STYLING on the behalf of one James CHICK carpenter (who was formerly his Servant and hath since Transported himself into Pennsilvania)." (Albert Myers Cook, Quaker Arrivals at Philadelphia, 1682-1750 (Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1957). James CHICK, joiner, died in 1699 in Philadelphia, and his estate was divided between his wife Demaris, daughter Lydia (under 21) and "the child my wife now goeth with"; also mentions brother Robert CHICK of Cullompton, Devon, England. ("Abstract of Wills at Philadelphia," Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. III, No. 1 (1906), p.32.)

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