150 Years Ago: A Son is Born

Warren Judson Cheney
Born: April 27, 1862, Hopkinton, St. Lawrence County, New York
Died: August 18, 1921, Corning, Steuben County, New York
Relation to Author: 1st Cousin, Thrice (3x) Removed
Son of Judson Cheney

Judson Cheney's first and only son, Warren J. Cheney, was born 150 years ago this day. My best guess is that Judson never met his son. He was away with the 98th New York Infantry fighting in the Civil War when Warren was born. Judson died, still serving in the war, in 1864. My assumption is that Judson did not get home for leave at all during the war, though the Kreutzer book might tell me differently.

It is a tragedy that was probably all too familiar during the Civil War (or any war) - children losing their fathers, in some cases without ever meeting. It is some consolation that Warren - the son of a laborer - went on to become a very successful lawyer and judge.

It is a cruel trade-off: Judson sacrifices to make the country stronger, more decent and with more opportunities. But in return, he does not get to meet his son, much less watch him grow up and take advantage of these conditions and opportunities. I wonder if Judson would have thought this trade-off worth it?

Warren unfortunately would know more tragedy in his life: his first wife died three years after they were married (possibly due to complications from childbirth as their son Guy Warren Cheney was born a month before she died). But he would watch his son also go on to a successful career as a lawyer and the two even formed a law firm together: W.J. & G.W. Cheney.