Benjamin Cheney of East Hartford and Berlin, Connecticut.

Benjamin Cheney was born on September 8, 1725, in East Hartford, Connecticut. His parents were Benjamin, originally from Newbury, MA, and Elizabeth (Long) Cheney. They had three children. Benjamin was the oldest. It is thought that he served his apprenticeship, beginning about 1739, under the guidance of Seth Youngs in Hartford. Benjamin owned his own shop in Hartford in about 1745. Here he made both brass and wooden geared clocks. It appears that he may have been the first clockmaker in America to make wooden geared movements. It is thought that he made far more wooden-geared examples than brass-made examples. His wooden movements are very distinctive in that they are robustly made and oversized compared to other makers. Benjamin trained a number of clockmakers, including his younger brother Timothy (b.1731 – d.1795) and John Fitch (b.1758 – d.1808). He also trained four of his sons, Ashel (b. 1759 – d.?), Elisha (b.1770 – d.1747), Martin (b.1778 – d.1855), and Russell (b.1772 – d.?). His most famous apprentice was Benjamin Willard of Grafton, MA (b.1743 – d.1844). Benjamin Cheney died on May 15, 1815, at the age of 90. He is buried in Berlin, CT, where he finished his life living with his son Elisha. Elisha's home was at the top of the hill, south of Bowers Corners. Benjamin worked there in the shop until he became enfeebled in body and mind. A single stone in the graveyard east of the Jarvis farm marks both Benjamin's and his wife's Deborah Olcott ( b.1738 – d. November 3, 1817) resting place.