Henderson Cheek &
Lucy Bryan

Henderson Cheek, son of Richard CHEEK & Jane "Jennie" ANDREWS, was born Jan. 7, 1804, in Orange Co., NC, and died Feb. 2, 1897, in Alleghany Co., NC. He married Lucy Bryan, daughter of Morgan BRYAN & Susan HALE, on Jan. 18, 1835, in Ashe Co., NC. She was born May 24, 1818, in Ashe Co., NC, and died Feb. 17, 1905, in Alleghany Co., NC. Henderson and Lucy are buried at the Liberty Baptist Church in Whitehead, Alleghany Co., NC.

Children of Henderson Cheek & Lucy Bryan:

1. +Susanna Jane Cheek, b. Jan. 29, 1836, Ashe Co., NC; d. Dec. 1, 1912, Alleghany Co., NC; m. Isom B. WAGONER, son of Henry WAGONER & Sarah HOPPERS, Sept. 15, 1853, Ashe Co., NC (b. Feb. 3, 1827; d. Jan. 3, 1912); bur. Union Primitive Baptist Church, Whitehead, Alleghany Co., NC.
2. Morgan Cheek, b. Mar. 2, 1839, Ashe Co., NC; d. Nov. 10, 1862, Richmond, VA (Civil War). Morgan Cheek, age 22, enlisted in the Confederate Army on May 27, 1861, in Alleghany Co., NC, as a Private in Co. F, 22nd Inf. Reg't NC. He died Nov. 10, 1862, in hospital at Richmond, VA, of gastritis. (Source: "Ashe & Alleghany County in the Civil War" by Jeff Weaver; American Civil War Soldiers, Ancestry.com.)
3. +Francis Bryan Cheek, b. Apr. 20, 1841, Ashe Co., NC; d. Feb. 27, 1934, Alleghany Co., NC; m. Martha J. FENDER, daughter of Allen FENDER & Nancy EDWARDS, Sept. 26, 1868, Alleghany Co., NC (b. Feb. 17, 1838; d. Feb. 28, 1920); bur. Liberty Baptist Church, Whitehead, Alleghany Co., NC.
4. John Cheek, b. May 7, 1843, Ashe Co., NC; d. Mar 26, 1855, Ashe Co., NC, at age 12; bur. Henderson Cheek Cemetery, on Cheek Mountain, Alleghany Co., NC.
5. +William Bryant Cheek, b. Nov. 24, 1844, Ashe Co., NC; d. Apr. 24, 1932, Alleghany Co., NC; m. Jane EDWARDS, daughter of Starling EDWARDS & Amy WILES, June 16, 1867, Alleghany Co., NC (b. Mar. 28, 1849; d. Nov. 18, 1911); bur. Liberty Baptist Church, Whitehead, Alleghany Co., NC.
6. +Phoebe Cheek, b. Jan. 4, 1848, Ashe Co., NC; d. Jan. 20, 1929, Alleghany Co., NC; m. Isom FENDER, son of Allen FENDER & Nancy EDWARDS, Oct. 1, 1867, Alleghany Co., NC (b. May 25, 1848; d. Dec. 12, 1944); bur. Union Primitive Baptist Church, Whitehead, Alleghany Co., NC.
7. +Lucinda Cheek, b. Aug. 20, 1850, Ashe Co., NC; d. Nov. 29, 1942, Alleghany Co., NC; m. Solomon M. EDWARDS, son of Thomas EDWARDS & Nancy FENDER, Feb. 22, 1874, Alleghany Co., NC (b. Apr. 29, 1854; d. Dec. 17, 1925); bur. Landmark Union Baptist Church, Whitehead, Alleghany Co., NC.
8. +Sarah Ann Cheek, b. Nov. 6, 1852, Ashe Co., NC; d. Jan. 13, 1944, Alleghany Co., NC; m. (1) Berry EDWARDS, son of Starling EDWARDS & Amy WILES, Oct. 17, 1874, in Alleghany Co., NC (b. abt 1855 in Ashe Co., NC; d. unk.); m. (2) Emmanuel M. WILLIAMS, son of Colin WILLIAMS & Martha "Patsy" IRWIN, Dec. 28, 1886, Alleghany Co., NC (b. Feb. 12, 1862; d. Dec. 21, 1945); bur. Antioch Baptist Church, Alleghany Co., NC.
9. +Mary Ellen Cheek, b. Oct. 13, 1857, Ashe Co., NC; d. Jan. 26, 1941, Alleghany Co., NC; m. (1) John C. EDWARDS, son of Center (Senter) EDWARDS & Mary J. CHOATE, Nov. 19, 1876, Alleghany Co., NC (b. June 21, 1853; d. Feb. 20, 1890); (2) Hiram S. EDWARDS, son of Berry EDWARDS & Ruth DAVIS, Jan. 1, 1891, in Alleghany Co., NC (b. Feb. 2, 1838; d. July 3, 1909); bur. Center Edwards Cemetery, near Sparta, Alleghany Co., NC.
10. +Henderson Carey Cheek, b. Aug. 28, 1858, Ashe Co., NC; d. Apr. 6, 1953, Alleghany Co., NC; m. Caroline Cordelia EDWARDS, daughter of Starling EDWARDS & Amy WILES, Dec. 20, 1881, Alleghany Co., NC (b. Nov. 22, 1858; d. July 30, 1934); bur. Liberty Baptist Church, Whitehead, Alleghany Co., NC.
11. +Fielden Walter Cheek, b. Jan. 23, 1862, Yadkin Co., NC; d. July 11, 1955, Alleghany Co., NC; m. Mary Ann LONG, daughter of John R. LONG & Mary ABSHER, Feb 13, 1887, Alleghany Co., NC (b. Jan. 28, 1863; d. May 10, 1948); bur. Liberty Baptist Church, Whitehead, Alleghany Co., NC.
12. +Caroline Cheek, b. Mar. 29, 1864, Alleghany Co., NC; d. Jan. 5, 1915, Alleghany Co., NC; m. Wiley P. MAXWELL, Jr., son of Wiley P. MAXWELL, Sr., & Elvira Jane EDWARDS, Oct. 21, 1884, Alleghany Co., NC (b. May 13, 1865; d. June 18, 1959); bur. Liberty Baptist Church, Whitehead, Alleghany Co., NC.

Notes

enderson Cheek was one of the first county commissioners of Alleghany County, NC. He built a 2-story log cabin on Cheek Mountain in Alleghany County where he lived with his wife and 12 children. See Alleghany County Heritage (Alleghany Co. Hist-Gen. Society, 1983), p.125. Henderson lived to be 93 years old. Henderson and his wife Lucy (Bryan) Cheek were originally buried in a family cemetery on their land, but their graves were later moved to the Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery in Whitehead. As of September 2007, the only legible stones still remaining in the Henderson Cheek Cemetery were "J.C." (probably Henderson's son John Cheek who died in 1855 at the age of 11) and three young children of Henderson's daughter Lucinda (Edwards) and her husband Solomon M. Edwards.
 

Henderson Cheek's will, dated Apr. 18, 1889, was proved Feb. 16, 1897, in Alleghany County, NC. It names his children Jane WAGGONER, Fielding W. CHEEK, William B. CHEEK, Phebe FENDER, Lucinda EDWARDS, Sarah Jane WILLIAMS, Ellen EDWARDS, H. Cary CHEEK, and Carolina MAXWELL. The executors were his son H. Cary CHEEK and son-in-law John EDWARDS. The will was witnessed by H.D. ESTEP and Berry (X) ESTEP. (This abstract was kindly provided by Ray K. Edwards; Alleghany Co., NC, Will Book A, p.180.)

The estate file contains many records concerning the settlement of the estate's claims and debts. Among the interesting items, Dr. Robert THOMPSON submitted a bill for $2.00 for visiting Henderson on the day of his death. H.D. ESTEP and J.C. HENSLEY were paid $2.50 for buildig his coffin. The inventory of Henderson's property included 4 sheep, 2 hogs, 2 cows, blacksmith tools, a field of growing grain and feed, 10 chickens, and assorted household furniture.

After the death of their mother in 1905, Henderson's children petitioned for sale of his land. The petition describes three tracts of land which Henderson owned at the time of his death: 106 acres on the Little River, 15 acres "probably more" on the headwaters of Elk Creek, and 5 acres on Peach Bottom Mountain. The lands were auctioned on July 21, 1906. Solomon EDWARDS and Caroline CHEEK purchased the first tract (it turned out to be 99 acres & 56 poles by survey) for $15.50 per acre. W.B. CHEEK purchased the second tract (12 acres & 16 poles by survey) for $8.50 per acre. The third tract (1 ¼ "rough and rocky" acres) was purchased by J.F. CHEEK for $1.25 total. (NC Archives, Box No. CR.004.508.4.)

Records

1840 Census, Ashe Co., NC, p.13: HENDERSON CHEEK

1 w/m under 5	1 w/f under 5
1 w/m 20-29	1 w/f 20-29
no slaves

1850 Census, Ashe Co., NC, p.262 (HH#361):
HENDERSON CHEAK, age 50, farmer, $1000, b. in NC

-- Lucy, 34, NC
-- Susan, 13, NC
-- Morgan, 10, NC
-- Francis, 8, NC
-- John, 6, NC
-- Wm, 4, NC
-- Pheby, 2, NC
-- Lucinda, 1/12, NC

1860 Census, Alleghany Co., NC, Gap Civil P.O., p.394 (HH#314):
H. CHEEK, 54, farmer, $2000, $2200, NC

-- Lucy, --
-- Morgan, 21, laborer, NC
-- William, 13, NC
-- Pheby, 12, NC
-- Lucinda, 7, NC
-- Sarah A., 5, NC
-- Mary Ellen, 4, NC
-- Henderson, 2, NC
-- Francis, 18, laborer, NC

1860 Census, Agricultural Schedule, Alleghany Co., NC: H. CHEEK, 100 acres improved land, 400 acres unimproved land, cash value of farm $3000, value of farm implements $75, 10 horses, no asses or mules, 7 milch cows, 2 working oxen, 11 other cattle, 30 sheep, 70 swine, value of livestock $1200. (Source: New River Notes)

Dec. 27, 1864. Henderson Cheek is named in his father Richard Cheek's will (Alleghany WB 1, p.19).

1870 Census, Alleghany Co., Cranberry Twp (HH#75):
HENDERSON CHEEK, age 65, NC

-- Lucy, age 52, NC
-- Sarah A., 16, NC
-- Mary E., 14, NC
-- Henderson, 13, NC
-- Fieldon, 10, NC
-- Caroline, 7, NC

1880 Census, Alleghany Co., NC, Cranberry Twp. (HH#97):
HENDERSON CHEEK, 76, farmer, NC NC NC

-- Lucy, 62, wife, keeping house, NC NC NC
-- Henderson C., 21, son, works on farm, " " "
-- Fielden W., 18, son, works on farm, " " "
-- Caroline, 14, daughter, at home, " " "

1900 Census, Alleghany Co., NC, Whitehead Twp., p.1 (HH#2):
LUCINDA CHEEK, May 1817, age 83, wd, 12 children born/10 living, NC NC VA
(living next door to son Fielding W. Cheek & daughter Caroline Maxwell)