William Cheek (1803)
of Orange County, NC

William Cheek, son of Robert "Robin" CHEEK, Jr., & Martha "Patsy" Andrews, was born b. Sept. 21, 1803, in Orange Co., NC, and died Nov. 9, 1895, in Orange Co., NC, at age 92. He married (1) Mary "Polly" Craig, daughter of James CRAIG & Sarah BURNS, Nov. 1, 1824, in Orange Co., NC. She was born June 11, 1805, in Orange Co., NC, and died Jan. 10, 1863, in Orange Co., NC; bur. Cheek-Whitaker Cemetery near Carrboro, NC. He married (2) Nancy Jones, Nov. 27, 1864, in Orange Co., NC. She was born abt. 1815 and died 1870-1880 in Orange Co., NC. He married (3) Penelope Bishop, bef. 1880, Orange Co., NC. She was born abt. 1803 and died 1906 in Orange Co., NC. William Cheek is buried at the William Cheek Cemetery in Bingham Twp., Orange Co., NC.

Children of William Cheek & Mary "Polly" Craig:

1. Sarah Burns Cheek, b. Oct. 17, 1827, Orange Co., NC; d. Oct. 10, 1918, Alamance Co., NC; m. William Aaron CATES, son of Aaron CATES & Nancy ANDREWS (b. Oct. 3, 1822; d. May 1865). Children: Henry Cates, James Wesley Cates, Mary Ann Cates, Martha Jane Cates, Eliza Frances "Fannie" Cates, William M. Cates, Berry Monroe Cates, Alexander M. Cates.
2. Martha "Patsy" Cheek, b. abt. 1828, Orange Co., NC; m. __ REEVES?
3. William Calvin Cheek, b. abt. 1828, Orange Co., NC; d. Jan. 6, 1911, Noble Co., OK; m. Cornelia TINNEN, Nov. 27, 1854, Orange Co., NC (b. abt. 1831; d. aft. 1880); bur. Shelton Cemetery, Noble Co., OK. Living in Hendricks Co., IN, in 1870; Pleasant Grove, Greenwood Co., KS, in 1880.Children: William Bedford Cheek (1856); Robina Jane Cheek (1860, m. John H. MOORE), Theophilus Daylor Cheek (1863).
4. Julia Ann Cheek, b. abt. 1830, Orange Co., NC. Maybe the Julia R. CHEEK who m. Lucien C. SMITH, May 15, 1861, Orange Co., NC.
5. Unknown son, b. bet. 1830-1835.
6. Frances Cheek, b. abt. 1841, Orange Co., NC, m. Murphy SMITH, Mar. 13, 1857, Orange Co., NC (b. abt. 1835; d. unk). Children: Mary Smith (c.1861), Anna Smith (c.1862).
7. Franklin Merritt Cheek [twin], b. Jan. 31, 1845, Orange Co., NC; d. 1903, Orange Co., NC; m. Florence SYKES (b. 1857; d. 1919); bur. Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, Chapel Hill, NC. Children: William F. Cheek (c.1876), Mary Ann Florence Cheek (1877), Hezro H. Cheek (c.1879), Bennie P. Cheek (1881), Maggie R. Cheek (1885), Mebane Cheek & Merritt Cheek Jr. (twins, b. & d. 1892), Clayborne Dowell Cheek (1897).
8. Alexander Mebane Cheek [twin], b. Jan. 31, 1845, Orange Co., NC; d. Jan. 22, 1914, Durham Co., NC; m. Sarah JONES, daughter of Jonathan & Martha JONES (b. abt. 1845; d. aft. 1900). Children: Franklin Cheek (c.1871), Eddy Cheek (c.1872), Charles Cheek (c.1874), Albert Cheek (c.1876), Mary Cheek (c.1877), Marshall Cheek (c.1878), Arthur Cheek (c.1882).
9. James Elwood Paisley Cheek, b. Mar. 20, 1851, Orange Co., NC; d. Mar. 14, 1905, Orange Co., NC; m. Sarah Catherine MOORE, abt. 1871 (b. Feb. 25, 1851; d. Oct. 31, 1927); bur. Chestnut Ridge Methodist Church, Orange Co., NC. Children: Mary F. Cheek (1872), James A. Cheek (c.1874), Rosa C. Cheek (c.1876), William D. Cheek (1876), John M. Cheek (1880), Martha Cheek (1881), Charles E. Cheek (1889), Olivia J. Cheek (1890).

Notes

illiam Cheek (b. 1803) was a son of Robert "Robin" CHEEK of Orange County, NC. This is proven by estate papers filed after Robert's death in 1866, which list Robert's heirs. The Journal of Rev. David Irving Craig of Reidsville, NC (Jan. 6, 1899), states that William Cheek's wife Mary Craig was the daughter of James Craig and Sarah Burns of Orange County. "MARY [CRAIG]—or 'Polly' as she was called married William CHEEK, and lived in the 'Cam Creek' settlement. I remember seeing her and knew some of her children. She was a nice good woman, and her husband was an excellent—hard working man. He died at a very advanced age—a very old man. Some of his children were Calvin (who was a Baptist Preacher), Mrs. Murphy SMITH, Mrs. REEVES, and Mebane and Merrit who were twins—they are nice honest men, and live in Durham, N.C. The above Mrs. SMITH had a trifling husband who left her—with two or three daughters. One of these daughters married a Mr. SHARP, one married a Mr. BORLAND and one of them married William CRAIG, son of Cameron."

Rev. D.I. Craig, History of New Hope Church in Orange County, NC (1891), p.48, writes, "James [CRAIG], who married Sarah BURNS, daughter of Andrew … was the father of Mrs. William CHEEK, who had a large family, some of whom were Calvin, Mrs. Murphy SMITH, etc. His other children all moved away."

William Cheek died intestate in Orange County during Sept. 1895. J.W. CATES was appointed administrator of the estate, and he filed a final report with the Court on Sept. 24, 1898 (Orange County Estate Papers, NC Archives). William's gravestone at the William Cheek Cemetery in Bingham Township states he died Nov. 9, 1895, aged 92 years, 1 month, 18 days.

Records

Nov. 1, 1824 William CHEEK & Polley CRAIG posted a marriage bond in Orange Co., NC, with bondsman William ANDREWS.

1830 Census, Orange Co., NC, p.281: WILLIAM CHEEK

1 w/m under 5	2 w/f under 5
1 w/m 20-29	1 w/f 20-29

1840 Census, Orange Co., NC, So. Div., p.223: WILLIAM CHEEK

1 w/m 5-9	1 w/f under 5
1 w/m 10-14	2 w/f 10-14
1 w/m 30-39	1 w/f 30-39

1850 Census, Orange Co., NC, 1st Dist., p.171 (HH#268):
WILLIAM CHEEK, 45, farmer, $250, Orange NC

-- Mary, 40, Orange NC
-- Patsy, 22, Orange NC
-- William, 22, farmer, Orange NC
-- Frances, __, female, Orange NC
-- July Ann, 10, Orange NC
-- Merrett, 5, Orange NC
-- Mebane, 5, Orange NC

1860 Census, Orange Co., NC, Rock Spring P.O., p.554 (HH#452):
WILLIAM CHEEK, 55, farmer, $500, $1350, NC

-- Mary, 54, NC
-- Julia, 17, NC
-- Mebane, 15, NC
-- Merritt, 15, NC
-- Jas [Pas?], 8, NC
CHEEK, W.M., 28, instructor, NC
-- Fanny, 23, NC

Nov. 27, 1864. Wm. CHEEK & Nancy JONES posted a marriage bond in Orange Co., NC, with bondsman R.M. JONES.

1870 Census, Orange Co., NC, Hillsboro Twp., p.217 (HH#69):
WILLIAM CHEEK, 56, farming, $900, $500, NC

-- Nancy, 55, NC

-- James E.P., 19, works on farm, NC

1880 Census, Orange Co., NC, Bingham Twp., p.234 (next door to Elwood P. Cheek):
WILLIAM CHEEK, 76, farmer, NC NC NC

-- Penelope, wife, 47, NC NC NC