322 – Mary Taylor Squires

Mark Jarvis

In the early 1800s, amid the hills and hollows of Lewis County, (West) Virginia, Mary Taylor Squires was born into a world of rugged terrain and deep faith. The daughter of Asa Squires and Sarah Eastep, Mary grew up along Salt Lick Creek, where her family helped build one of the region’s earliest Methodist meeting houses.

It was here, in the shadow of campfires and sermons, that she met a young circuit rider named Shadrach Cheney.

Methodist Camp Meeting – 1829

Mary Taylor Squires was born on Sunday, November 25, 1804. She may have been born in Frederick County, Maryland, where her parents had married in June of 1803.

Mary Taylor Squires is our 4th great-grandparent.

Here’s a family tree diagram of Mary’s parents and grandparents.

The names on this family tree – John Squires, Elizabeth Taylor, Benjamin Eastep, Sarah Taylor, Asa Squires, Sarah Eastep – aren’t just abstract entries in a family tree. Reflect for a moment on the fact that all of these people are our great grandparents.

Asa Squires was born in Fauquier County, Virginia in 1785. Sarah Eastep was born the same year in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Asa and Sarah Squires had come to Lewis County in 1807. They settled near Salt Lick Creek. The creek provided a good water source.

History of Braxton County and Central West Virginia

The Squires family

Mary Taylor Squires was the first child of Asa and Sarah. They went on to have eleven children.

Asa Squires’ brother Elijah also came to Lewis County, and settled very near his brother on Salt Lick Creek. With two different wives, Elijah had fourteen children.

There were lots of Squires around Salt Lick Creek and Flatwoods.

Asa and Elijah Squires acquired large amounts of land. Asa himself had over 1,000 acres. Asa’s land consisted of hills and valleys and streams, so he probably farmed only small parcels of his land.

A meeting house

The Squires and other nearby families built a meeting house and campground on Salt Lick Creek around 1820. It was on the land of John Singleton. In 1824, Singleton deeded the two acre tract to the trustees of the Salt Creek Church for one dollar.

Abstract of Lewis County deed – Singleton to trustees of Salt Lick Church – 1824

Shadrach Cheney was assigned to the Lewis County Methodist circuit. It’s likely that he preached at this very meeting house, and it may have been here that he first met Mary Squires.

Pioneer Circuit Rider – Image from the General Commission on Archives and History for the United Methodist Church, Drew University.

A marriage

However they met, Shadrach and Mary began a courtship, and soon planned to marry.

On June 29, 1824, they were married. Shadrach was age 28, Mary was 20.

Marriage Record – Shadrach Cheney and Mary Taylor Squires – 1824

Shadrach and Mary were married by George Brown. Brown was a big shot in the Methodist Pittsburgh Conference, and had been presiding elder of the Monongahela District when Shadrach was assigned there.

George Brown (1702-1871) was the most important leader of the Methodist Protestant Church during its first forty years. Born in Washington County, he was converted in a Campmeeting in 1813.

The Story of Methodism in the Pittsburgh Region

It’s a boy!

James Fletcher Cheney was born Thursday, June 2, 1825. He was the first child of Shadrach and Mary Cheney.

Shadrach “located”

When a Methodist minister quit, or retired, or died, or for any other reason didn’t preach on his circuit, it was called “locate.” If a preacher got burned out, or wanted to stay home with his family, or needed to improve his finances with another vocation, he located.

A located minister did not travel and received no financial support from the church.

Shadrach located in Lewis in 1825. He’d just gotten married. He’d just had a baby. He likely wanted to stay home with his family instead of being gone. Maybe he wanted to work on his financial condition.

It didn’t last

Whatever the reason, Shadrach felt the call of the ministry, and he began his itinerant preaching again. He was readmitted in 1826 and again assigned to Lewis.

Shadrach would be gone from home, but at least Mary lived with and around her family.

Monongahela assignment

In 1827, Shadrach was assigned to a new district, Monongahela. The district was in Washington County, Pennsylvania, about 100 mile north of Flatwoods. It was common to reassign a preacher every one or two years.

Shadrach and Mary moved to Washington County. Now Mary was alone during Shadrach’s circuit appointments. That was most of the week or perhaps two weeks.

Matilda Crawford Cheney was born on Sunday, January 6, 1828.

Shadrach located again

In 1829, Shadrach located, stepping away from his life a traveling preacher. He was age 33. Mary was 25.

We don’t know his reasons, but we might guess he wanted to spend more time at home. Perhaps he wanted to improve his financial condition. His father-in-law Asa Squires had deeded some of the farm to Shadrach and Mary.

Shadrach and Mary had two children, and were going to have more.

Asa S. Cheney was born on Saturday, October 10, 1829.

Caleb D. Cheney was born October 15, 1831.

Twins Sarah and Martha Cheney were born February 14, 1834.

Mary E Cheney was born May 10, 1836.

By 1836, Shadrach and Mary had seven children, ages newborn to 11.

A summary

There are a lot of Methodist circuit assignments and a lot of Cheney children to keep track of. Here’s a summary so far.

Shadrach Cheney – Methodist Assignments – Family Events

Hold on to your hats. There’s more to come.

Timeline

Sources:

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