cheney was born in holderness (now ashland) to abolitionists, abigail and moses cheney. oren burbank cheney, the founder of bates college, was person cheney's older brother. cheney attended academies in peterborough and hancock and the parsonsfield seminary in parsonsfield, maine. he engaged in the manufacture of paper in peterborough until 1866, and in 1854 was a member of the new hampshire house of representatives.